Hide and Seek

1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 

- Genesis 1:1, ESV

26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them… 

- Genesis 1:26-28a

31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.

- Genesis 1:31a

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” 

- Genesis 3:1-6

7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. 8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 

- Genesis 3:7-8

We hide from God.

God came to seek us.

9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” 

- Genesis 3:9

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 

- John 1:1, 14

…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 

- Hebrews 12:1b-2

It’s our turn to seek Him.

38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see…” 

- John 1:38-39a

Kingdom Calculus - The Math Has Changed

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

- Acts 6:1-7

VELOCITY - The Rate of Growth

“Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number…”

- Acts 6:1

ACCELERATION - The Increase of Speed

“It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables… pick out from among you seven men…”

- Acts 6:2

TRAJECTORY - How Far We Can Go

“And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem…”

- Acts 6:7

Still One House

“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

- 1 Corinthians 3:9-11 NKJV

Still one house

The Church is God’s building, not ours

“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.”

- 1 Corinthians 3:9 NKJV

“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.”

- Psalm 127:1 NIV

The foundation is already laid

Carry the Vision

4 Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “This is the thing that the Lord has commanded. 5 Take from among you a contribution to the Lord. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the Lord's contribution: gold, silver, and bronze; 6 blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; goats' hair, 7 tanned rams' skins, and goatskins; acacia wood, 8 oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 9 and onyx stones and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breast piece. 10 “Let every skillful craftsman among you come and make all that the Lord has commanded: - Exodus 35:4–10

Called to Build

4 Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “This is the thing that the Lord has commanded. 5 Take from among you a contribution to the Lord. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the Lord's contribution: gold, silver, and bronze…

- Exodus 35:4-5

Compelled to Bring

21 And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the Lord's contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments.

- Exodus 35:21

Committed to Finish

11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have.

- 2 Corinthians 8:11

Joined and Held Together

“from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

- Ephesians 4:16 (ESV)

Christ is the source

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.”

- Acts 4:13 (NKJV)

Every member is essential   

“….. joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow….”

- Ephesians 4:16 (NKJV)

Love is the goal of all growth 

“…. so that it builds itself up in LOVE.”

- Ephesians 4:16 (NKJV)

New Wine

“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”

- Mark 2:22, ESV

“Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”

- Mark 2:18

God wants to bring forth new life and teach us a new way to live.

“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”

- Mark 2:11

'And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. '

- Mark 2:14

We need God to transform us and teach us.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

- 2 Corinthians 5:17

'Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.'

- Psalm 51:10

We might find ourselves in the middle of what God is doing.

'And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” '

- Mark 2:12

The Church's Mission

35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

- John 4:35-38

Missing the Moment

35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.

- John 4:35

Seeing the Mission

35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.

- John 4:35-36

Joining the Work

37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

- John 4:37-38

Ordinary Moments = Eternal Impact

God’s mission doesn’t interrupt your life.

Ordinary life is where mission unfolds.

Don’t miss the moment.

The Spirit's Power

“So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

- John 20:21-22 NKJV

“And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.”

- Genesis 45:5 NIV

1. With His Pleasure

“When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

- Luke 3:21-22 NKJV

“having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,”

- Ephesians 1:5 NKJV

“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it. “He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, Nor has He seen wickedness in Israel.”

- Numbers 23: 19-21 NKJV

“But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

- Hebrews 10:15-17 NKJV

“For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”

- Hebrews 10:14 NKJV

2. With His Purpose

“Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.”

- Luke 4:14-15 NKJV

“Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.”

- Luke 4:42b-43 NKJV

3. With His People

“and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.”

- Luke 5: 10-11 NKJV

4. With His Presence

“And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”

- John 8:29 NKJV

“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—”

- John 14:16 NKJV

The Son’s Sacrifice

27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

- John 12:27

Jesus Didn’t Avoid the Cross, He Embraced It

27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name.”

- John 12:27-28a

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

- Philippians 2:8

The Cross Didn’t Excuse Sin, It Defeated It

Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

- John 12:31

What Looked Like Defeat, Became the Greatest Invitation

32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” 33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.

- John 12:32-33

The Cross Doesn’t Just Save Us, It Sends Us

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

- John 12:24

…and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

- 2 Corinthians 5:15

The Father's Great Love

' “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.'

- John 3:16

The world’s great darkness

'Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

- John 3:1-2

'And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. '

- John 3:19

The great depth of God’s Love

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son…'

- John 3:16a

God’s great determination

“...He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him...'

- John 3:16b

The great destiny of those who believe

“...should not perish but have eternal life...'

- John 3:16c

'And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. '

- John 17:3

' “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.'

- John 3:16

Jesus entered the world’s great darkness because of the great depth of God’s love. That love fueled God’s great determination. God’s loving determination Inspires us to invite the world into a great destiny.