Our mission is to Know Jesus intimately. Be transformed by the Spirit. Do mission with God... Together
Or the short version: Know. Be. Do… Together
One of the clearest explanations of this from Bible is found in Colossians 1:9-10.
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, (NIV)
KNOW
Not just knowing about Jesus, but knowing Him personally, intimately, and deeply. This is also about knowing the scriptures, knowing the voice of the Holy Spirit, even knowing yourself. “to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives […] growing in the knowledge of God” Colossians 1:9-10
BE
Becoming more like Jesus. This is about our character, heart, motivations, passions, and convictions changing as the Holy Spirit transforms us. “so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way” Colossians 1:10a (also see Romans 12:2).
DO
As we grow in knowing Jesus and being transformed, we will naturally DO mission with God (living and loving like Jesus). Some broad categories around “DO” are evangelism, justice, and service. “bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God” Colossians 1:10b
TOGETHER
We do this together, it’s that simple (but not necessarily easy). “we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you ...” Colossians 1:9
Also notice how "bearing fruit in every good work” then yields more “growing in the knowledge of God.”
In other words, though Know. Be. Do... Together are four distinct words, they are deeply interconnected.
KNOW. BE. DO... Together Sermon Series (Fall 2019)
Andrew Gates - March 31, 2024
Easter Sunday
Scripture References: John 20:1-18
From Series: "True Love: A Lent and Easter Journey Through John's Letters"
Most of the New Testament was written by the Apostle Paul, but in the naming of letters, it is John who dominates. The Gospel of John, the Revelation of John (just Revelation for short, thank you), and the letters of John: 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John. This spring, we are going to dig into the Letters of John (with an occasional side quest into the Gospel of John). Our main focus will be 1 John, which feels a bit like a poetic, spiraling sermon as it circles and drills down on essential themes of light and love and truth. The people of the light follow Jesus, the God of love is revealed in Jesus, and these core truths of who Jesus is must be held tightly against the falsehoods and temptations that would seek to lead us astray. But perhaps more than anything, 1 John is a profound theological reflection on true Christian love: what it is, what it is not, what it looks like, where it comes from, and how it radically transforms the life of a disciple. What does it look like for us to follow Jesus in truth? To follow Jesus in love? “True love” might sound corny, but laying down our lives for others, doing righteousness, and entrusting God with and for all things shapes us into persons who embody just that. This is the true love that Christ Jesus first demonstrated at the cross and the empty tomb—no love is truer or greater.
More Messages from Andrew Gates...
November 15, 2020
Knock Knock Knockin' on Laodicea's Door
Andrew Gates
Revelation 3:14-22
December 27, 2020
Our Christmas Inheritance
Andrew Gates
Galatians 3:23-29, Galatians 4:1-7
