Mission to the World

This episode of All In with Pastor Jordan Easley has been made possible by the generous support of viewers like you. Welcome to All In with Pastor Jordan Easley. Today's message is about to begin, and we invite you to prepare your heart and mind to hear an inspiring message from God's Word. We hope and pray for God to speak to you today as you seek to live your life all in for Jesus Christ. And now from First Baptist Church in Cleveland, Tennessee, here's Pastor Jordan Easley. Well, it's good to be back, and I hope you have your Bible. We're gonna be in Matthew chapter 28 today. We're continuing a series we're calling I'm a Part of the Mission, and I want you to focus on the I part, okay? We're talking about our personal mission and our personal ministry, and we're gonna talk about what that looks like for every single one of us today, but also what that looks like for our church moving forward. You know, in 1962, President John F. Kennedy was visiting the NASA Space Center for the very first time. And while he was there, he was being led on a tour of the facilities, and he noticed that there was a janitor standing in the corner holding a mop. Kennedy in that moment introduced himself as the president

and wanted to know his name as well, and he asked the janitor what he did there at NASA. And this is how the janitor responded there in front of everyone. He said, you know, I'm helping put a man on the moon. And the reason that response took people off guard and the reason people remember how that janitor responded is because in that moment, he knew that his role, no matter how small it might appear, was part of something far greater. He saw beyond the immediate task to the larger mission. He wasn't just cleaning floors. He was contributing to a vision that would ultimately change history. You know, in the same way, the Bible tells us if you have been saved, if you have been changed, if you've been made new by Christ, that you too are a part of something far greater than you may realize. Do you get that? The Bible says you have a purpose and you have a part in the mission of God. In fact, if you believe that, I want you to say that with me today. Will you just say, I'm a part of the mission? Go ahead. I'm a part of the mission. Say it a little bit louder. I'm a part of the mission. Church, we've got to believe that.

We've got to see ourselves that way. We are not just a group of ministers and volunteers. We're not just members of a local church body. We're not just spiritual consumers. The Bible says we are soldiers in a spiritual army. We are servants of a divine movement. And at the end of the day, we as children of God are participants in his plan to redeem this broken world. Amen? Listen, let me ask you, do you honestly believe that today? Do you honestly believe what the Bible says about you today? Because if so, the question is, why do we so oftentimes live our lives as if that's untrue? Or why do we as believers naturally shrink back to comfort instead of understanding that Jesus calls us as followers to take up our cross and follow him? How do we often admire the work of the church from a distance rather than living as the church on mission? And that's what we're gonna see from God's word today. In fact, today, I wanna show you two things from the Bible that I believe should spur you on and spur me on to live on mission like we've never lived before. If you're taking notes today, and I hope you are, I want you to put this at the top of the page. You ready? The first thing we're gonna look at is the mission Jesus gave us. Jesus gave us a mission. In fact, when you look at his final moments before ascending back to heaven,

you'll see he didn't gather his disciples for a farewell party. He gathered all of his disciples to give them their marching orders for the rest of their lives. And he said, this is what you should be about. This is what you should do until your time on planet earth is over. And I want us to read that message from Jesus to them, from Jesus to us, beginning in Matthew 28, verse 18. He begins by saying, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. So Jesus right here is speaking from a place of all authority. He said, I have all authority and I'm speaking this message with authority to you. He said, therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age. Now, you probably know that these verses are known. known as the Great Commission. And let me just tell you, the Great Commission wasn't just given as a great suggestion. The Bible says, if you're a follower of Jesus Christ, this isn't a great suggestion, this is a great expectation from God to you.

You say, God expects something of me? Absolutely, and he makes it abundantly clear. Right here, these words are the marching orders. They're the purpose for every single believer, not just ones who stand on platforms or behind pulpits or fly overseas as missionaries. This mission that he gives us, it's for students, it's for stay at home moms, it's for retirees and teachers and truck drivers and business leaders and baristas. Listen, the Bible says, if you are saved, you've been sent. You've been sent by Jesus to what the Bible says, to go and to make disciples. Now, let me point out a couple of things about these words, go. The word go in the original Greek was written as a participle. Now, what that means is it was written with the intent that says, as you are going, right? As you are going, it shows continuous action, it shows as you are moving throughout your life, this is the message for you. And that tells us you don't have to buy a plane ticket to start living on mission. You do it in a classroom, you do it in your office, you live on mission on the ball field and as you go to the grocery store and throughout your neighborhood. Right here, Jesus is telling us, as you are going, make disciples.

Think about what you do, think about how you live. The Bible says, as you live, as you're going, this is what you ought to be about. And he tells us this ought to be the primary focus of your life, that we should be making disciples as we go throughout our life. Now, think about that word, not just the word go, but the word disciples. Did you see that word in the text? Notice that Jesus doesn't tell us that we should make converts. He didn't say we should make church attenders or Bible study attenders or even givers. He said what? To make disciples. Well, what is a disciple? Well, a disciple is someone who is following Jesus, someone who's learning from Jesus, learning the word of God, growing to become more like Jesus in their day-to-day life. That is a disciple of Jesus. And he tells us your job is to make disciples. So we don't have to wonder what our mission is as Christians. We don't have to wonder what God expects of us because right here, Jesus gives us a very clear blueprint and he said, this is what it's all about. As you are going in your day-to-day life, you should be making disciples. And then he goes on to say what? He said, you should be baptizing them

in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I've commanded you. This isn't a one-time event. This is as you are going. This is a lifelong investment in people. Do you get this today? Shake your head if you're with me. Listen, our mission isn't just about expansion. It's about transformation. And the Bible shows us that God wants to transform your life. He wants to transform your purpose because once you've been transformed by God, then you can be used by God. And when you're used by God, you don't only change your life, you change his kingdom. And that's what it's all about. You know, Hudson Taylor once said it this way. He said, the great commission is not an option to be considered. It is a command to be obeyed. So the question is, are we obeying this command or not? I'm not talking about us as a church. I'm talking about us individually. Is my life obeying this command of God? And if not, why not? Listen, there's a lot of people that say, hey, how am I supposed to fulfill this mission? I don't even understand what I'm supposed to do

or where I'm supposed to go. In fact, I don't even think I'm capable of doing these things. And let me just tell you, you in and of yourself are not capable of doing what Jesus just said. But that's why we have to be reminded of what Christ said in Acts chapter one, verse eight. So how are you supposed to do this? Check it out. This is what Jesus said. He said, you will receive power. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses. Where? In Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Here's what Jesus just said. You cannot do this all by yourself. You need the Holy Spirit power of God within you to accomplish this mission. Because the Holy Spirit is the one who enables you to speak when you're afraid. He's the one who gives you boldness when you lack boldness. He's the one that gives you wisdom when you need wisdom. He's the one that gives you the love of God and allows you to love people that are sometimes unlovable. And not only does the Holy Spirit equip you in that way, the Holy Spirit also gives you a roadmap through what Jesus just said,

and he tells you where you should fulfill this mission. What does he say? He said, you should fulfill this mission starting in Jerusalem. That doesn't mean the real Jerusalem, it means your Jerusalem. He's talking about your home base, your city, your school, your office, your neighborhood. He said, you should be fulfilling the mission of God in your home base, your Jerusalem. But don't just stop there. He said, you should also expand to Judea. And when he says Judea, I want you to think the surrounding region. We as a church understand this to be our surrounding communities and our surrounding region. That's why we do multi-site ministry. We believe that this is a part of the great commission work God's called us to, to identify where people are driving from their Jerusalem to their Judea to attend church. So we're saying, how do we allow them to start the great commission in their own Jerusalem? And that's why we plant these different church campuses. So right now there are people worshiping at Spirit City, Ottawa, Spirit City, Etowah. Can I buy a vowel? I mean, these are some hard things to say, okay? But they're all over the place, but they're worshiping in their Jerusalem, our Judea.

And the reason they're there is because we believe that God sent us there. Our surrounding region, but Jesus didn't stop there. He also said we should take the gospel to Samaria. Now, what does he mean when he says Samaria? Well, understand when Jesus said that, this is where it got uncomfortable because these were the people that they didn't typically associate with. These are the people that they would typically avoid, people who didn't believe like they believe, see things like they saw things. And yet Jesus reminded them in the very beginning that your mission is not just for people who look like you, sound like you, speak like you, vote like you. Your mission is to take the gospel to all people, even in Samaria. And so right here, he's saying, these are people that you typically don't associate with, and yet you've been commissioned to take the good news to them. But then he closes it out by saying, and by the way, this gospel is to be shared all around the world, to the ends of the earth. It's talking about the global reach of the gospel. And it really is global. Listen, this is a mission that stretches from your front porch to the furthest nation on the planet. And you know what's interesting to me about this whole thing?

It's interesting that the Bible tells us God's primary plan in getting the good news to every single person around the world, you know what it is? It's you, it's me, it's the church. We are God's plan A, plan B, and plan C for taking the good news to the ends of the earth. And this is how he does it. He takes imperfect people like me, he takes flawed people like you, he equips us with the Holy Spirit, he mobilizes us on mission, and he does it all for the glory of God. Pretty crazy, right? But what a great reminder that Jesus didn't just save us from something, he saved us for something. He saved us for this something. And yet some of you still are hearing that and you're thinking to yourself, Jordan, that sounds amazing, I understand Jesus is telling me to do this, but I just don't know if I'm ready. I don't feel qualified, I don't feel gifted enough or spiritual enough, I don't feel trained enough, I haven't been walking with Jesus long enough, I don't have all the answers. May I just remind you of something? Just going to the New Testament, to the Gospels,

Jesus never chose the best and the brightest, did he? He chose the fishermen, the rejects, the tax collectors, the zealots. He chose the overlooked and the underestimated. And what made these people effective, it wasn't their qualifications, it was their obedience. Listen, Jesus doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called. And so many of us can give testimony to that. So many of us know that it is crazy that God uses people like us for good things. And yet he does, he loves taking people where their life was a mess and turning their mess into a message. You see, many Christians only like to focus on what they've been saved from. And it's important for us to remember that. We've been saved from some crazy things. We've been saved from sin and shame and hell and hopelessness and praise God from what we've been saved from. But don't just stop there. Let's also focus not only what we've been saved from, but what we've been saved for. What have you been saved for? You know what it says in Ephesians 2 verse 10? It says, we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for what? For good works, which God does. God prepared ahead of time for us to do. You know what that says?

That says that God has a divine to-do list with your name on it. There's a to-do list on God's notepad today, and that list has your name on it. You aren't redeemed just to remain idle. You are rescued to respond. And let me just say it this way. When you respond in obedience, and when you live out your faith in a real way, the Lord will use you in ways that you can't even think or imagine. It doesn't even make sense most of the time. Let me give you a real-life example of what I'm talking about. You know, in the 1930s, there was a humble North Carolina farmer named Albert. This guy's name was Albert McMakin, and he had recently given his life to Jesus. He didn't know what he was supposed to do, but he knew he was supposed to do something. And so he had been, he decided that he was gonna begin giving rides to young people in the community so they could go to this evangelistic crusade in town, and they could hear the gospel. He didn't, he wasn't comfortable sharing the gospel at that point. He was a brand new believer, but he knew that he had a truck, and that truck could get people to hear the gospel.

And so there was a guy named Mordecai Ham that was preaching the gospel in his hometown, and he decided it was his job to get as many of these young people there as possible. Albert wasn't a preacher, he wasn't a teacher, he wasn't even a well-known leader. He was just a quiet, faithful man with a truck, a guy with a truck that cared enough to invite other people to come hear the gospel. And one night, he invited a young teenage boy who was a little bit shy, he was a little bit reserved, he was skeptical, and he was very resistant. He didn't wanna go to this crusade, but Albert invited him and said, I want you to come to the crusade. He said, no, I don't know if I wanna go, and Albert bribed him. And he said, remember, this is the 1930s, not everybody had a truck, but Albert did, and he said, if you come to the crusade, I'll let you drive my truck. And so this young teenage boy, he was skeptical and reserved, but he said, you know what, I wanna drive that truck. So okay, I'll go, you pick me up, I'm driving, and that's exactly what happened. Albert got in the passenger seat, and this teenage boy drove them to hear the gospel at a Mordecai Ham evangelistic crusade. Well, let me tell you what happened that night.

That teenage boy heard the gospel, and when he heard about Jesus, his heart was moved, his soul was moved, and he surrendered his life to Jesus Christ and said, I'll never be the same again. And I'll tell you the name of that teenage boy. His name was Billy Graham, the same Billy Graham who would go on to preach to more people than any other person in history. And yet he came to faith in Jesus because an unlikely man decided to be obedient to Christ and live out his faith in a practical way. Church, listen to me. You will never know what God will do with your obedience. You never know what God's gonna do with your obedience, and you never know who's on the other side of your faithfulness. Listen, God didn't just save you from hell. God came to mobilize you on mission. And if you've given your life to Jesus and you've been baptized, that is awesome, and you need to understand today how awesome that is. But you also need to understand that salvation isn't the finish line, it's the starting line. When you get saved, that's the beginning of something brand new. And God has a mission for you in this world. God has people in this world that only you can reach. There are wounds that people have

that only your story can help heal. There are burdens that only your hands can lift. And I believe God is calling many of us to make those hands available to those around us. What a great reminder today that Jesus didn't just save us from something, he saved us for something. He didn't just call us to come and sit, he mobilizes us to go and to tell. And that's where we begin this message, the mission that Jesus gave us. But the second part is the mission that Jesus modeled. He didn't just tell us about it, he showed us how to do it. And if you have your Bible, I want you to flip over quickly to John chapter 13, and I'll show you what I'm talking about. Jesus models for us perfectly what this mission looks like practically. As you're turning there, let me kind of set the scene. This was the night before the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. I'm talking about hours before he would be nailed to a tree. And so when you think about that setting, Jesus had every right to be focused on himself. I think we would all agree with that because he knew the cross was coming, he knew the betrayal was coming. And yet in that moment, he looks around the room, he sees a real need, and he stepped up to meet that need. Now, also in this setting, you can imagine the disciples,

they're all busy arguing over who's the greatest and nobody's stepping up. up to do the dirty work. Nobody wanted to wash feet, but it's something that had to be done. So in that moment, as they were arguing and bickering, Jesus steps up. He takes off his outer garment. He wraps a towel around his waist. He pours water into a basin and he begins washing the feet of the disciples, one by one. Imagine that scene. Callous, nasty, dirty feet. Just imagine every single one of those dirty feet being washed by Jesus that day. I'm talking about guys like Peter, people who would go, Peter who would go on to deny Jesus. I'm talking about guys like Thomas, a guy who would go on to doubt Jesus. I'm talking about guys like Judas, a man who would go on to betray Jesus. And yet Jesus washed every single foot of every single disciple one by one. You say, why is that? Let me tell you. Because the mission is about humility. The mission is about service. It's about meeting real needs in the environment in which God has planted you. And you know what Jesus says? He says, man, you know how to serve because I've served you. You know how to bless others because I've blessed you. In fact, he goes on to say in John 13, 14, if I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you an example that you, you should also do just as I have done for you. I love in this moment that Jesus, he shows that the definition of, of, of kingdom difference and greatness is kind of flipped upside down. He shows us that the pathway to kingdom influence is paved with towels and not titles. Right? So, so here's what that says to us today. You want to be a great leader and lead something great? Then serve. You want to make a, a great kingdom difference? Good. Then stoop low. You want to reflect Jesus in a way that, that is great and makes a difference? He said, yeah, then wash feet. Someone told me a long time ago that ministry begins where pride ends. And that's honestly one of the most beautiful things about our church to me personally. Because when I look around this place, you know what I see? I see CEOs and COOs and leaders of major companies holding doors on Sunday morning so that people can come in. I see lawyers and doctors and judges leading mission trips and serving the least of these and some of the most poor slums in the world. I see business leaders and trained professionals serving in our jail ministry and feeding hungry people through our manor pantry and working

with people on Tuesday nights and celebrate recovery. And I love that. Listen, I'll say it once again, ministry begins where pride ends. We got to remember this isn't all about us. This is all about him. And that's why Paul tells us in Philippians two, that we should 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. Here's what that verse tells me. If Jesus wasn't above serving other people, then neither are we. If Jesus was willing to do it, then we should be willing to do it. Would you agree with that? Shake your head if you're with me. If we're going to follow the example of Jesus, we've got to be people that serve. Listen, if you agree with that, then ask this question today. You ready? Ask, where is my ministry? What is my ministry? Who are my people? Who am I investing in, pouring into? How is my life making a kingdom difference in the lives of someone else? You say, are you sure this is talking about me? Well, read what it says in 1 Peter 4 10. It says, each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. Here's what that means. It means if you've been saved, you've been gifted, you've been gifted, you've been equipped, and God has equipped you to serve other people and to point people to the gospel of Jesus Christ. He said, everybody's got a part to play. There are no spare parts in the body of Christ. And so if you feel like a spare part, understand Jesus is talking to you today. You say, Jordan, how do I discover my ministry? I don't have one. I've never really had one. I don't have a people that I'm pouring into. How can I discover where God wants me to serve? Let me give you four answers to that simple question. The first thing I would recommend is that you look at your burden. You look at your burden and ask the question, what is it that breaks my heart? What is it that moves my soul? When God gets a hold of me and I look around at the landscape, there's certain things that He... He draws me to what are those things, the burden of your soul. Secondly, look at your gifts and ask the question, how has God gifted me? And what am I good at? What passions has He put in my heart? What talents has He put on my hands?

How has God wired me and shaped me to serve at this capacity? The third thing I would say is look at your story. You know, a lot of times people feel like they've walked through so many bad things in their life that they're not qualified to serve in ministry, but you've been saved, you've been redeemed, and yet God has allowed you to have this story and this experience. For what reason? Well, I believe it's to prepare you to pour into other people who are walking through that same journey right now. I think about my dad. My dad walked through a cancer battle when he was 40 years old. He's written books. He's poured into all these people who've walked in this cancer world. And I can just look at him and I'm like jealous. I'm like, he has such an effective ministry to those people where I don't have that effective ministry in the way he does. Well, it's because he's lived it, right? He's walked through that. He's walked that path. He's thought the thoughts and he's prayed the prayers and he's been on that journey. Listen, in the same way, you have experience that God has allowed to happen so that you can take that experience and pour into other people as they walk the path. That makes sense? Say amen. Well, that applies to all of us. Look at your story and ask, why has God allowed me to experience all of this? And the last thing I'll say is look around you, look around you and you just look at the landscape of our church, our community, our country, our nation, and you can ask the question, what needs are very present now and how can I step up to help meet that need? Hey, don't wait for a title in order to start ministry. You don't need a microphone.

You don't need a title to have a ministry. Ministry happens in the margins. It happens in hospital rooms and living rooms. It happens in locker rooms. It happens in coffee shops and quiet moments and the list goes on. You want to serve in a way that makes a real difference? Here's what I'll say. Pick up a towel, pick up a basin and start washing the feet of the people around you. We all have a part to play in the mission of God. In first Corinthians chapter 12 verse 12, it tells us we are one body made up of many parts. He said, you're a part of something bigger than yourself and all of us are different. Each one of us are different, but each part is very necessary. In fact, Paul goes on to say in verse 15, the foot can't say because I'm not a hand, I don't belong and the ear can't say because I'm not an eye, I don't belong to the body. Here's what that says to me. You ready? Be a really good foot and if you're an ear, man, be the best ear. I mean like listen and do all the things and whatever part you are, man, play that part. Do your part and trust that God will use your obedience in a great way. Every single one of us have been created on purpose and every single one of us have been created with a purpose and here's what that means. When it all goes well and we're all doing our part, it's awesome, but if you don't do what God has created you to do, the church will never be fully effective in the mission we've been given. I mean, imagine a body that tries to run a marathon without lungs that are willing to breathe. Imagine an orchestra trying to perform a symphony, but several of the instruments are refusing to play. That's what it looks like when you and I sit out on the calling that God has given us and

the position that God has assigned to us. Listen, you are not an extra in the family of God. You are not optional in this ministry. You are essential and when each part of the body does its job, the whole body is going to grow and mature and get better and move forward, but when one part shuts down, the whole body suffers. Get this today. You ready? The mission of God requires the mobilization of every member. If you want your church to be maximized for the kingdom of God, then do your part. Get in the game because when we are all mobilized, when we all do our part, God will be glorified through his church. So ask the question today. This is just a personal reflection moment. Are you ready? Ask this. Am I fulfilling my part in this body and am I living out my purpose in God's family? The answer is yes. Praise the Lord. The answer is no. Then get on your knees and ask God where it is that he wants you to serve. You know, in 2008 during the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, there was a triathlete named Sarah Reinertsen that was nearing really one of the hardest races in the entire world. As you can see, Sarah was a above-the-knee amputee, and yet she had already accomplished a huge part of the goal. She had swam 2.4 miles that day already. She had biked 112 miles on a bike. And now she was in the marathon portion, which is 26.2 miles of running. And at this point of the race, she was running, and she was sweating, and she was giving it

everything she had, but every single step just felt impossible. But Sarah didn't give up. She didn't quit. She kept on moving. And with just minutes left before the official cutoff, Sarah crossed the finish line that day. And she was exhausted, she was limping, and she was hurting, but she finished. Later somebody asked her the question, they said, Sarah, how in the world did you do that? With all of your struggles, with all of the difficult parts of the journey, how did you finish the race? How did you finish so strong? And this is what she said. She said, I didn't come all this way just to start the race. I came to finish. And church, when I heard that story, this is what God said to me. God said, Jesus didn't just save you so you could start the Christian life. Jesus saved you and redeemed you, and he equipped you so that you could finish the mission. Finish the mission that Jesus himself spoke over your life. You know, 2 Timothy 4, 7 says, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith. And as Paul spoke those words, you know what, that is my goal as well. I hope that's your goal as well. To one day at the end of your journey be able to say these words without lying, and say, you know what, Lord, I gave it everything I had. I maximized every single moment for the glory of God and the kingdom of God, I ran my race as well as I could, and I finished what you commissioned me to do. But you know what, in order to finish the race, you've got to start the race. Maybe today I'm speaking to somebody that's never started the race, you've never joined the mission because you've never truly met your master. Let me just tell you this, Jesus didn't just come to make you better, he came to make you

new. The Bible says he died for your sins. He rose to give you life, and he's calling now, he's calling you to not just believe in him, but to follow after him. As a pastor, the best advice I can give you for your daily walk with Jesus is to start each day in the word. While this may seem obvious, many people struggle to find the time to pause for just a few moments every single morning and to spend time with the Lord. I want to help you find the right balance to start your day by offering easy to read daily inspiration through the All In Daily Devotional email. You know, each daily devotion includes a passage of scripture and some food for thought commentary that can be read very quickly. These few minutes can help center your mind on Jesus and prepare you to face the day's challenges. You can subscribe right now by scanning the QR code on the screen or by visiting our website at GoAllIn.tv. I pray these devotionals bless and encourage you, and thank you once again for tuning in. And I look forward to seeing you next time on this station for a new episode of All In next week. Until then, may you stay strong in your faith with Jesus and continue to go all in with him. Hey, we never want to end our broadcast without giving you the opportunity to know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. If you'd like to make the decision to trust Jesus and want to know more about what it looks like to follow Jesus, get in touch with me right now. Follow the instructions at the bottom of the screen so that we can pray for you and also put information in your hands right away. Today we celebrate your decision and look forward to being a part of your personal journey of going all in with Jesus Christ. This episode of All In with Pastor Jordan Easley has been made possible by the generous

support of viewers like you. We hope today's message encourages you as you strive to live your life fully committed to Jesus Christ.