Have you ever had trouble staying on task? Most people in my family have a hard time staying on task. They’re just so excited about all the things happening in life. If I tell one of my sons to do something, I know instinctively to check in with them about five minutes later and ask, “How’s it going with what I asked you to do?”
If we get off task, we’re not able to do what we should.
The Lord has a task for our church, doesn’t He? He has a mission for our church.
Today’s sermon is part 2 of a two-part series called “How to Thrive When Your Pastor Leaves.” Last week, we learned that we must fight for unity
We’re going to learn this morning that you can thrive by staying on mission.
Before we talk about how we can stay on mission, let’s go to God in prayer.
(prayer)
Ok, how can this church thrive by staying on mission?
Let’s look at three ways.
First, . . .
I. Keep your eyes on Jesus.
There have been a few different times when one of my family members gets hurt or upset in some way, and sometimes they start to escalate into an unhealthy place. One of the ways that I’ve learned to help calm them is to get up close and look straight into their eyes, let them know that I love them, and that everything will be ok. I gently tell them, “Look at me” so that they can focus on me and come to a healthy place.
Well, this church is already at a healthy place, amen? If you’re going to stay in a healthy place, you must look at Jesus, and you must keep your eyes on Him.
Hebrews 12:1–2 tells us “ . . . Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith . . . ”
Church, as you run the race that God has for you, don’t focus on the past, don’t focus on your circumstances, don’t focus on the “what ifs;” focus on Jesus.
Here are three ways you can keep your eyes on Jesus.
First, follow Jesus.
This is what Jesus said to His first disciples, right? Follow me.
Luke 9:23 tells us, “Then he said to them all, ‘If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.’”
To follow Jesus doesn’t mean only to believe in Jesus. It doesn’t mean only to say that you’re a Christian. It doesn’t just mean coming to church.
Following Jesus means that you shape your life to look like the life of Jesus. It means that the direction of your life goes in the same direction as Jesus.
Think about your life right now. What direction is your life going? Are you getting closer to Jesus?
Think about our church. What direction is it going? If this church is to thrive, it must go the direction of Jesus.
Here’s a common sense thought: If you’re going the same direction as Jesus, it’s easier to keep your eyes on Him.
My wife was in the kitchen Friday and asked if I knew where something came from. I was around the corner, so I couldn’t see it. I asked what she was talking about, and she said, “This.” So, I said, “What?” She said, “This.” We were not on the same page in that moment.
If you want to be on the same page as Jesus, you need to be close to Him so you can keep your eyes on Him.
A second way you can keep your eyes on Jesus is to serve Jesus.
The Apostle Paul said in Romans 12:11 “Do not lack diligence in zeal; be fervent in the Spirit; serve the Lord.”
It takes some focus and determination to continue to serve the Lord. That’s why Paul used words such as diligence, zeal, and fervent. You have to put in some effort to serve Jesus.
This church must not forget the Lord’s commands, calling, and commission. You must stay on task. You must keep serving Jesus.
A third way to keep your eyes on Jesus is to obey Jesus.
James said in James 1:22, “But be doers of the word and not hearers only . . . ”
When you keep your eyes on Jesus, it’s because you love Him and you want to be near Him.
When you keep your eyes on Jesus, it’s because you want to please Him.
If you want to please Jesus, don’t just listen to what He says; do it.
Can you imagine an employee saying, “Boss, I heard everything you said; I can even repeat it back to you. However, I didn’t do any of it”? That would be foolish, wouldn’t it?
So, also, it’s foolish for us to listen to what Jesus tells us to do, yet not actually do it.
Keep your eyes on Jesus by obeying Jesus.
The second way that you can stay on mission is to . . .
II. Keep your focus on others.
Instead of ways you can focus on others, here are three foundational truths about keeping your focus on others.
First, ministry is not about you.
Churches are called to minister, and ministry is inherently about others.
Philippians 2:4–8 says, “Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others. Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross.”
To stay on mission, you must focus on others. To focus on others, you must look to the interests of others. Ministry is not about you. It’s not even about you all. It’s about others.
Here are some good questions for the church to ask going forward:
How can we use our time and energy to reach others?
How can we use our resources to bless others?
How can we align our calendar and schedule to love others?
Church, it’s not about you. It’s about others.
The second foundational truth is that ministry is about people.
I’ve said it often, and I’ll say it again: The hardest part of ministry is people. At the same time, the best part of ministry is people.
Listen, church: Without people, there is no ministry.
Ministry is about people. The mission of God is about people. You must care about people.
Matthew 9:36 says this about Jesus: “When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.”
Jesus had compassion on people. He cared about people.
You might say, “Well, I’m not a people person. I don’t really like people.” I feel that way myself sometimes.
However, God has not called you to like people; He’s called you to love people.
Liking people comes from our preferences and shared interests with others. Loving people comes from God.
Ministry is about people.
The third foundational truth about keeping your focus on others is that the church’s mission is to reach others.
That IS the mission: To reach others.
Matthew 28:18–20 tells us, “Jesus came near and said to them, ‘All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”
Church, we are to develop disciples. That is the mission.
We cannot develop disciples if our focus is only on ourselves. Our focus must be on others.
If this church is to stay on mission, you must keep your focus on others.
Finally, . . .
III. Keep your hand to the plow.
Do y’all know what a plow is? A plow is used to prepare the ground for planting.
Before we had powered machinery that could plow fields, people had to do it by hand, pulled behind an animal. It may have looked something like this. Plowing was good old-fashioned hard work.
Listen to what Jesus said about this in Luke 9:62: “But Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’”
Once someone starts a job, they need to keep their focus until the job is done.
Listen, church: God has a job for this church, and it is not yet complete. Keep your hand to the plow.
Here are four ways to keep your hand to the plow.
First, serve the community.
Galatians 6:10 says, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all . . . ”
God has not placed this church at 410 E. Church Street by accident. He has placed it here on purpose.
You all have a responsibility given to you by God Almighty to serve the people of this community.
You should show them what Jesus followers look like.
The needs are vast. The community should not look to government agencies or various community groups for help. Instead, they should see a picture of love, sacrifice, generosity, and the gospel of Jesus Christ from the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Serve the community.
Second, reach the world.
Jesus said in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Jesus has given us a task to reach the ends of the earth.
First Baptist Church Bartow has been committed to missions and reaching the world for a long time.
You all must not only keep that commitment, you must become more committed.
You will thrive by increasing your commitment to reaching the world with the gospel.
Give more to missions. Pray more for missionaries. Learn more about the work of God across the world. Go on moremission trips. Send more missionaries. Don’t let your foot off the gas; press that pedal to the metal.
You can do it, Church! You can reach the world with the gospel!
A third way you can keep your hand to the plow is to give generously.
2 Corinthians 9:6–7 says, “ . . . The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver.”
Brothers and sisters, the Christian life involves (among other things) sacrifice and generosity, which are demonstrated quite vividly in our giving.
God wants you to continue to give generously. Don’t stop giving to the work of the Lord’s church. Keep your hand to the plow.
As individuals, be sacrificial in your giving. Be obedient in your giving. Be cheerful in your giving.
As a church, don’t be afraid to spend God’s money for God’s purposes through God’s church.
I’m afraid that one of the obstacles that this church has not yet moved past is its desire to hold on to too much money.
Listen, church: God has not entrusted us with resources so that we can put them away and admire how much we collected.
God has entrusted us with resources to accomplish His mission.
I’m certainly not suggesting that you should be flippant or unwise in your spending. We should be wise in saving and planning for the future. However, you should also continually ask yourselves, “How can we best use God’s money for God’s glory?”
So, stay on mission by being generous as individuals and as a church.
The fourth and final way that you can stay on task is to keep moving forward.
I remember a couple of years ago when I was becoming a bit discouraged. We had some people in our church who could not get along with each other. We also had a couple leaving our church because of their disagreement with policies we had in place to protect children. I was quite discouraged. I even mentioned to Pastor Dirck that sometimes it seems easier to give up on knuckle-headed people. Pastor Dirck encouraged me by saying, “Don’t grow weary in doing good.”
It was good word from him. He was actually quoting Scripture. Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.”
Don’t give up, church. Things may get hard. Don’t give up. Keep your hand to the plow. Keep moving forward.
I’m reminded of these words by the brilliant and very successful Walt Disney: “Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious… and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
That’s a good word. Don’t look back. Don’t stay still. Keep moving forward.
Keep your eyes on Jesus. Keep your focus on others. Keep your hand to the plow.
Let this bottom line summarize what we’re learning today:
Bottom Line: Never give up on God’s mission for His church.
Don’t give up.
A while back Bob Porterfield gave me a devotional called The Man Minute. Some words from one of those devotions came to my mind as I was preparing this bottom line. The author, Jason Cruise, was speaking directly to men, but this truth applies to anyone. Cruise said, “It’s hard to beat a man who won’t quit.”
Church, you will not fail if you don’t give up on God’s mission. You will not be beaten if you don’t quit. Stay on mission.
Challenge yourself this week in this one way. This is my final challenge to you:
Weekly Challenge: Renew your commitment to the mission of God.
Will you recommit your all to the mission of God? If you do, you will thrive, and First Baptist Church will thrive.
Renew your commitment this week.
Listen to these final words from Joshua 1:9. The Lord says to Joshua: “Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Church, don’t be afraid. Don’t be discouraged. The Lord your God is with you. Stay on mission.
(closing prayer)
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