The Core - “Mission"

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Mark 8:15 - And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”

‍Leaven – “Yeast” – This analogy is always connected to the idea that these things have the ability to completely contaminate or dominate whatever it is mixed with. A little bit of something has the ability to completely consume a person.

· Pharisees – Self-Righteous Religious Spirit

· Herod – Self-Righteous Political Spirit

‍How should we the Church respond in these collective tragic moments?‍

‍1. By grieving over the tragedy of violence and brokenness in our world and mourning for those that this loss will impact the most.‍

‍2. By refusing to make sweeping generalizations about people groups.

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‍Proverbs 4:23 - Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.Tim Keller –“If your god never disagrees with you, you might just be worshiping an idealized version of yourself.”

‍‍Karl Barth -“The person who knows only his side of the argument knows little of that.”‍

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‍3. By re-aligning our hearts to the actual Mission of God.‍Mission – “Go - Do what Jesus did”

‍By following the Way of Jesus, we participate in His mission to make disciples who then make disciples in order to help our communities be made new. The mystery of God’s grace is that He doesn’t need us, yet, He invites us into His grand story of redemption as co-labourers, building His Kingdom, and accomplishing His purposes in our homes, campuses, workplaces, and communities, as it is in Heaven.

‍Matthew 10:16 - “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

‍4 Examples:

‍‍· Sheep – Dependency & Vulnerability

· Wolves – Devourers & Prey on the Weaker

· Serpents – Crafty & Creative

· Doves – Purity & Innocence

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‍Dietrich Bonhoeffer - "The Church is the Church only when it exists for others...not dominating, but helping and serving. It must tell men of every calling what it means to live for Christ, to exist for others."

‍‍Living From the Depths‍

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‍Beloved, why are you more impressed by the things you see than the invisible things of the Kingdom? Why are you reacting to your life circumstances as if they are the final word? They are only temporary. Though you feel them and are affected by them, they must not be allowed to rule you. I want you to live from a different perspective.‍I want you to live from the perspective of heaven. To engage with truth that navigates you through the difficult times. To be more aware of what I’m doing in chaos and conflict than the circumstances merit. This is not denial in a negative sense; it’s denial in the holiest and effective way—denying the world more access to your heart than my truth.‍It may be normal for some people to yield to the pressure, but it is not your normal. At least it shouldn’t be. Not for you. Not for those who call themselves mine.‍Instead, live higher. Deeper. From the depths of Living Truth inside of you that replaces fear with joyful anticipation of what I’ll do. This is the life I’ve called you to.