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)
Adam Gustine - August 15, 2021
Expansive Mercy: Week 2
Scripture References: Luke 18:9-14, Matthew 9:9-13
From Series: "Expansive Mercy"
“For I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6) These words, spoken by the prophet Hosea and echoed by Jesus (Matthew 9:13 & 12:7), remind God’s people that no matter how inspiring or excellent our worship celebrations, God’s greater priority for us is that we extend mercy to those around us. He’s given us indescribable mercy, after all! For the next several Sundays, we will focus on the theme of mercy in Jesus’ interactions. In a religious culture where such mercy was only acceptable within a tight boundary, we see all over the gospels that Jesus goes out to the forgotten places at the margins with his truly expansive mercy. We will see this expansive mercy at work in the way Jesus approaches Sabbath breakers, tax collectors, and sinners. We will see it in his ministry of healing. We will see it in how he honors the presence and dignity of women and children. In the coming weeks, may Christ’s Spirit teach us to receive mercy in our brokenness, and extend it to others with genuine love and compassion. May we in new ways encounter the wild and expansive mercy of Christ, and may it break out among and all around us.
More Messages from Adam Gustine...
December 1, 2019
Its Gonna Be A Wonderful Life
Adam Gustine
Jeremiah 33:10-16, Zechariah 8:1-23, Romans 8:1-39
