What Now-Go

Matthew 28:16-20- Kirk Rupprecht 

Commonplace Church exists to glorify God, equip disciples & share the Good News of Jesus. Learn more at commonplacechurch.org

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:36

All right. Hey, good morning, everybody. How are we doing? Good, good, good. Um, so this isn't the series Where Do We Stand? That's my fault. Sorry about the announcements. We are in a new series that we're calling What Next? What now? Okay. Um, and so just to uh just welcome everybody this morning. If you are visiting with us, check it out church gathering. So glad you're here. Um we are excited for this next step of the series here. Uh I hope you guys had a great Easter. It was an awesome time of celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. And so uh our series today is kind of based somewhat off of well, post-Easter, like what what now? And and the reason I think it's important to just kind of go after this three-week study that we're gonna be doing is well, I think when we recognize what Easter means, we recognize that Jesus, what he did, he came and he fulfilled the will of the Father, right, to go and to take the take sin on the cross, to resurrect, to bring new life, right? And then from that space, well, like we talked about last week, there's responses to that. And we kind of can look at this resurrection, this post-Jesus moment, right, of him raising from the dead, and kind of look at it as disciples and be like, okay, well, Jesus completed that. Like, so what now, right? It reminds me of uh just moments in my life where I completed something, and I was kind of like, well, what's what's what what now, right? And I'm gonna throw back to the 80s because it's what I do, but um, there was uh a game that was called Nintendo uh Super Mario Brothers, right? And I remember, yeah, there we go. That's my people here. I love it. Um, kids are like, what is he talking about? But it's all right. Um, but I remember like there was a princess who I was supposed to save, right? And I I spent a lot of time doing that, and uh eventually I completed the task. And then I was like, okay, well, what now? Like, what am I supposed to do? Uh and that happens at moments, times where we find we've complete or something feels complete, or we've completed something, right? Uh, it could be also, because that's a silly example, but it could be things like school, right? Or scholastic or education, right? Where we keep getting all these degrees and things like that. Eventually, though, we we've completed all we can, and well, what now? And so I think this idea of this what now, I think it's a value for us as disciples of Jesus, because we could just be like, oh, well, let me just, you know, sit back, wait, Jesus is gonna come back eventually. We'll just sit around. Like, he did the work, he completed what he needed to do. We're good. We can just kick our feet up and just hang out. And that would not be the greatest response. And so, what I would love to share with us is the fact that Jesus actually gives us, well, I would say not even just a what now, but it's it's more of a what's next. It's a what's next for for the followers of Jesus. And we see this in this uh the end of the passage of Matthew 28 here, and what's called Jesus' Great Commission. And I just gonna read it one more one more time for us, uh, where it says this, it's it's well, threw me off here. Someone messed my notes up. That was me, the someone who did that. Um, but it says this. Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven on earth have been given to me. Go and therefore, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always to the ends of the earth. So this is what's recorded as, these are words of Jesus recorded as what's called the Great Commission. And now, in this commission, in this directive of Jesus, he gives us three, three main, uh, I would say, directives for us. The first one is this is go, okay? Next one is make disciples, and the last one is to baptize. And so here's what that means. If you're a follower of Jesus and you're just you're wondering, like, what do I do with my life now after Jesus uh has you know um risen from the grave and and taken care of all that, right? What do I do now? Well, here's these just instructions from Jesus. He's to commands us to do these things. He says, go to the ends of the earth with the message of the gospel. So that means we evangelize. And he's saying, as we go out, here's what else we do. We're gonna go make disciples. We're gonna disciple one another. And then from there, well, we see this action of proclaiming that we are disciples of Jesus through through baptism. And so those are the, I would say, the what now responses that we have to the resurrection. And those are what we're gonna be diving into for the next three weeks. So today we're gonna start with the first uh uh discipline or command of Jesus and this idea of instruction to go. This idea of going out, of evangelizing, proclaiming and sharing the message of the gospel. So let's let's unpack this uh from this directive from Jesus here. It says, go and therefore make disciples of all nations. Now here's the thing. I I think in order to really unpack this command, here's what we actually need to recognize. So, right away, um after the word go, we encounter, I would say, a very, very important follow-up word. It's this word therefore. Okay? Therefore. And here's what therefore is defined as. It really means for that reason or as a result. So what we have to do is we back up and say, okay, so what is being declared here by Jesus? It what it's this command to actually go. What is it rooted in? And and what comes before the action itself of going? It's something that flows from a prior, I would say, uh, reality, uh, a previous recognition. So let's back up for a moment and look at this, therefore, what it's pointing to. If you look at verse 18, it says, and Jesus came and said to them, All authority, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. So that what we can glean from that is, well, what is the reason we're going out? Well, it's not we are going out for something. Here's rather what it is: it's we are going out from something because of something. Now, what is the something that sends us out? Well, it's this, it's the authority of Jesus. That's what we are sent out by. So, what the breakdown is this is that the disciples of Jesus they're called to go from a certain position. And that position, each one of us shares who follows Jesus, is the authority of Christ. And so to break that even further, here's what I think is important for us to ask Well, what authority does Jesus have? According to him, Jesus Himself, it's it's this, he's he says all authority, he says full authority. Now, now it's it's incredibly important that that this position of Jesus of holding like all authority, that we just don't glance over this, okay? It's it's so valuable to look at this because this authority is not just some sort of like formality. We we need to acknowledge this that Jesus He He says that He holds jurisdiction over all of heaven and all of the created earth. So that means when Jesus sends his disciples out, he sends them out on his behalf through his power, through his authority that he holds. Now I want to give us just an example here. Um kind of hope it relates. It might, we'll see. But uh one time I I tried sales in my life, okay? And uh it was I was terrible at it, and I give people salespeople a lot of credit for what they do. It's not an easy game, okay? Now I was sent out on behalf of a company at that time called Vechner, or also known as Cutko, and I was selling knives. You guys familiar with that? Okay. Well, my role was to go house to house as a representative of their authority in knife sales, right? And so I did just that, right? I rang doorbells, I did my little presentation, and they they called me to go, and and I I went. Now the challenge for me in my like sales stint was this. Cut go held limited authority when it came to producing successful sales at every door that I knocked on, right? In fact, through their authority and their power, I believe I sold one knife set before I, and that's probably out of like pity, like before I resigned, or I really just kind of stopped going, stopped showing up. But here's my point. I went out, I was sent. However, the authority I was sent with, well, it was limited. I experienced limited success. Okay, but for the disciple of Jesus, listen, we are also called to go out, no, not to sell, but to share. And we get to go out from the space of the authority of Jesus. And that matters deeply, right? Because the disciple of Jesus, we go from this space of him holding ultimate authority. Authority of one who, not like Kutko, has no limitations, has no restrictions, right? Whose power reaches everywhere. And so here's what we recognize as those who go. We go not as the authority, but we go from the authority, the ultimate authority that only Jesus holds. Now, now here's what I want to do to maybe help us further grasp the reality of Jesus' authority. I want to I want to dive into some scripture this morning and give us some examples of what his authority actually entails. So we're gonna go throughout a couple different spots in the gospels here. But you've if you have a Bible, you can start here, John 5, 25-29. It's on the screen too, but it says this truly, truly I say to you, an hour is coming, and it's now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he granted the Son also life in himself. And he has given him all authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice, and come out those who've done good to resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. So as we look at this, what authority does Jesus, what does he hold in this account? Well, per this scripture passage here, it says he holds the authority of God. Well, why? Well, because well, he he is God. And so what authority does God possess in this passage here that we see? Jesus tells us it's the authority to execute judgment, and he also says he has authority to resurrect life. And so what this account shows us, it reveals the authority of Jesus as God to execute judgment and also the authority to offer redemption. Now, now here's the thing there is no other power in this world that holds this kind of authority when it comes to the spiritual standing of humanity. Right now, now listen, there are earthly institutions that have been given some authority to carry out things like judgment, spaces like uh judicial systems and things like courtrooms, but those authorities don't come close to the level of power that our God holds. They have no ability to determine the soul or the eternal spiritual condition of a human being. See, only Jesus stands in that space of authority. So the first reality of authority we see is judgment and redemption. Let's look at um at another spot where we see Jesus exercising exercising authority. Uh Matthew chapter 9, it says, And getting into the boat, he crossed over and came to his own city. And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, Take heart, my son, your sins are forgiven. Behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, This man is blaspheming. But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier for you to say your sins are forgiven, or to say, Rise and walk? But that you may know the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. Then he said to the paralytic, Rise, pick up your bed and go home. And he rose and he went home. When the crowd saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God who had given such authority to men. So Matthew's account here, here's what it does: it shows us this aspect of Jesus' authority. And what is that aspect? Only Jesus can forgive sins. Jesus is the only one who possesses the authority for forgiving sins. See, no other authority on earth can fulfill and bring the fullness of forgiveness that Christ can. Now listen, yes, we have the ability to forgive others who have sinned against us, but what we lack, we lack the authority to truly absolve that person of their sin. Why? Well, because when we sin, here's the thing: we're not just committing sin against one another or offense against one another, but first and foremost, we're committing that offense against the holy God. Now, listen, I want to point something out. I recognize there are certain uh faith uh traditions or expressions in which it's taught that someone, maybe like an authority figure, can offer forgiveness of sins or absolve an individual from the penalty of sin. And I just want to recognize as we read scripture um from our context here, I uh it is kind of hard to find examples of anyone outside of Jesus given that authority. Uh scripture says this, Paul he talks, talks to Timothy, he says, For there is one God. There is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. So as we look at scripture, we we view it within this expression of faith here. Um, Jesus is the one who mediates on our behalf. What it means is he is the only source who holds the authority to forgive, to absolve, and to cleanse us from our sins. So Jesus once again has the authority to forgive sin. Here's another way we see the authority of Jesus on display. Uh the gospel of Mark, chapter five. They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of Garenus, and when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him on the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs, and no one can bind him any more, not even with the chain. For he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. And crying out loud, crying out with a loud voice, he says, What have you to do with me, Jesus, the Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me. For he was saying to him, Come out of this man, you unclean spirit. And Jesus asked him, What is your name? He replied, My name is Legion, for we are many. And he begged him earnestly not to send him out into the country. Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him, saying, Send us the pigs, let us enter them. So he gave them permission, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs in the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea. So here's what this account right here is declaring about the authority of Jesus. Don't miss this. He has the authority over evil powers, over demonic strongholds in this world, and he holds the power for deliverance. That's authority. If you want to see just further evidence of authority, I just look at those who were familiar with this man legion, right? Demon-possessed, once demon-possessed, and now look how they see him. Look how he's uh they encounter him with Jesus. And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had the legion sitting there. Don't, don't, don't miss his clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Why were they afraid? They were afraid because they had never experienced such a power, such authority. To see this man, right, once outcast, once feared because of his condition. Now he's sitting next to Jesus, tame. He's clothed in his right mind. That was beyond their understanding. They couldn't place it, right? They had no framework. How do we process this transformation of this person? There's no category for the level of authority they experienced. And the response was what was fear. It's like, Jesus, get out of here, right? Eventually they want him to leave. But that's what happens with true authority is revealed. It does this, it reveals power at a level that's that's almost incomprehensible. And now don't miss this, right? That is the power, the authority that we have as disciples of Jesus that we're sent out from. That's what our call is founded upon. That's the ultimate authority of Jesus. Okay, so what now, right? What now? Well, the easy answer is this it's to go. Go. Do what Jesus commissions us to do. Go forth, share the good news. Now, if if that's our charge, though, I just think it's good to ask a question. Why does it seem like the church today at times doesn't feel like we're actually going? If if we're people who are called to go out from this ultimate authority, right? This power, why does it sometimes feel like the people of God just are somewhat stagnant, stationary? Now, sure, we go to church, right? We may even maybe go to Connect group, we go to youth group, and those are good places to go. But what about the commissioning of Jesus to go out and to share the good news of the gospel? Are we known for disciples who are going out on mission? And so as we examine this call to go, maybe we do this, maybe we just take a moment and we ask, what might be stopping us? What maybe like red lights are we sitting at? What stop signs are we are we waiting at? Even though we've been called to go, we've been given the green light. Because when it comes to this command of Jesus, he has given us his authority to go. And if that's the case, that means we can move from his authority and we can move forward. And he's given us authority. Maybe it's even like run through those red lights, run through those stop signs. Not literally, of course, right? Don't run a red and tell the police officer, my pastor said I had the authority. Like that's that's it's metaphorically, friends, okay? Um, but here's the thing here's what I think might be helpful, right? Maybe in order for us to just recognize what might be holding us back, maybe we just examine some potential stop signs, some potential uh red lights that might be keeping us from going. And I just want to offer two for two for us today. And I think here's what I believe is one of the biggest stop signs we might encounter in our time. It's these um these moments known as busyness and distraction. Um so it's possible that what keeps many of us from going out and sharing the good news is simply we're so busy in our lives that we have no margin, right? We have no bandwidth to go from that authority, or we're just so distracted by things, things like our phones, social media, Netflix, right? That yeah, we might have the desire to go, but first we need to finish doom scrolling for like two hours, right? Now, listen, I share these observations first and foremost. I'm preaching to myself here, friends, okay? There are times when the Lord is calling me to go. Maybe it's an opportunity to share the good news or acknowledge someone in need, but I'm maybe just so focused on just getting to my destination that I overlook this command of Jesus to just look around, to observe, to go and share. Or I'm maybe at times just caught up watching some Facebook community forum debate unfold, right? And some Twitter spat from the sidelines and uh, you know, actually miss opportunities that might be in front of me. And so I know I need to confess that. I need I need to repent of those moments. And I don't know, maybe for some of you you're you're in that same same camp, right? Finding us to just we need to be honest with God about maybe the busyness and the distraction that keeps us from actually going, from going out and declaring the good news of the gospel and not just to the ends of the earth, right? That's great, but also we can do that right here in our own communities, right? But if I'm honest, I I know I can easily be like find justifications like ah, you know, I'm a pastor, I have a lot to do, or I'm tired, I just need to check out, right? But but but then I have to ask myself this, and I don't love doing this, but what's really at the heart of trying to justify disobedience to this clear calling of Jesus to go? Right? I have to ask, why has some sort of stop sign like busyness and distraction been given more authority over my life than the authority of Jesus in his commissioning? And maybe that's where some of us are today, justifying the authority of a stop sign over the authority of a savior. And now, listen, I'm not trying to create a shame fest here, right? What I'm offering to myself included is just some maybe some healthy conviction paired with uh just this hopeful reminder that listen, as far as Followers of Jesus were sent out from the highest authority that exists. And so here's what I want to ask us this week. I just want to call us to this. Can we replace busyness and distractions and just go? Just go and share. Right? Listen, it might feel weird, it might be awkward, but but what we're doing, right, in taking that step is we're actually doing this. We're actually presenting ourselves as a living offering to Jesus, walking in obedience to his directive. And so I'm inviting us even to like look like this verse in Romans as Paul talks about. He says, I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good, acceptable, and perfect. So I just want to invite us into a time of, I would say, renewal, renewing our minds by moving more into the presence of the Spirit so that we can go and be presented to as these living offerings to God for his glory and for the good of others. Because that's what we're sent out with. We're sent out with the offering of the good news, with the gospel. That's why we exist. That Christ is the one who sits in ultimate authority and he has the authority to forgive sins. He has the authority to deliver us from the bondage of sin, to justify us, to redeem us of our brokenness, and to ultimately to do this to transform us. It's an offering of himself, and it's given through grace as we place our faith in what he has done, what he's done on our behalf to make us right with the God who loves us, the God who created us. And so as we step into this time of renewal, renewal also does this. It includes just remaining in the spirit and seeking knowledge of who God is, know him more intimately, who he's revealed him to be to us through things like his word. And renewal comes through communion with God, it comes through prayer, it comes through solitude with him. And from that place of renewal, right, then we're being prepared and we're equipped to be sent out. So here's what I just want to say. Let's go, right? But let's let's go out. Let's be let's be a church that's filled with disciples of Jesus who tell the world about his love. Now, maybe maybe you're feeling stirred up by that. I love that. I hope you are. Yet, as you are ready to go and step out, maybe the question your mind is like, Well, who? Where am I going? Right? And I love that question. Because here's the truth. You can just take joy in knowing, knowing this such an important thing. That the who, the where have already been determined and ordained by a loving, perfect heavenly Father. Look what Ephesians 2.10 says. It says, For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before him, that we should walk in them. So here's what this verse is declaring to us: the who, the where, that's already been prepared for us by God Himself. And because of that, our role is simply this be willing to go, be willing to be led by the Spirit that dwells within us. And so I want to just encourage us just to start, just start there this week, like to ask the Spirit just to show you gospel opportunities that are probably already present around you. And now listen, I don't make many guarantees in a world that feels very uncertain. Try to stay away from that. But I have no problem making this one. The Spirit of God will show you. I believe the Spirit of God will answer that prayer. Because what's now, it's this is to go. And not from our own leading, but to be sent out from the authority of Christ. Now listen, I don't know who God is calling you to go to, okay? It could be a family member, it could be a neighbor, it could be a cowork, a classmate, friend. I don't know. That's his role, not mine. But I do know this. I know that he has a harvest prepared for each one of us. He has surrounded us with people who are in need of the truth of the gospel in their lives. And so as we we as the spirit is is speaking into this potential red light, right? Sometimes we we we might find ourselves getting stuck trying to figure out exactly well who those people are that I'm supposed to go to, right? Almost like at times overthinking it. Anybody ever think around here? Okay. Um and then that could be a stop sign for us, right? I know it's been a challenge for me, and so I want to encourage us to do this instead. Just focus on the reality that there are people who need to hear, not directly just determining who those people are, right? Because the commissioning from Jesus is not to just ponder people, it's to go to them. That's what he says. I actually remember a few years back I was coaching uh my son in basketball, maybe he was like fifth grade, um, and I was praying that this would be an opportunity to bond with him, right? But also to share uh the gospel and build relationships. And I had this picture in my mind of how it was gonna happen, right? Maybe like the the parent of the troubled kid on the team, like that was gonna be the opportunity. But God, like being God, had something different in mind for me. It was the parent of one of the kids, sure, but but it wasn't a troubled kid. It was actually a guy I went to high school with, and someone who was walking through a really challenging life circumstance. And and that was who God called me to go to. And as a result, he responded to the gospel, he gave his life to Jesus. And and over the next few years, we we spent discipleship relationship meeting as often as we could, and yet just recently he went to seminary and he's now serving as an elder in his church, right? Not at all what I expected. And honestly, though, God doubled up on that prayer because he also paired me with another coach who I didn't know at the time, who at that time shared that he was praying for God to bring someone of faith into his life. And in walks his assistant coach, who happened to be a pastor. That's a pretty good answer prayer. Now he's a friend and calls this church family home. And now listen, please, this is not a celebration of me, okay? Um, because there are plenty of moments where I've missed opportunities to share the gospel and God has prompted me. This is just simply an acknowledgement that God desires from each one of us. This call for us to not go to determine like who we should go to, but just simply be willing to go and be willing to use however he sees fit. And so listen, I I don't know exactly who he's sending you to. I'm not aware who they are, but but but the good news is that God is. He knows exactly who he's calling you to be an ambassador to. Because that's what we are. We're not saviors, we're not fixers, we're not the morality police. Scripture is clear about the role we play. It says this, therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ. God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. So this is what we are. We are ambassadors of reconciliation. Now, listen, if you're familiar with this role of an ambassador, you know the role isn't one who's just stagnant. The design of that role is to be sent out, to go out on behalf of the one who's doing the sending. And so for us, that's Christ. That's Jesus. He is sending us. We are the ones called to go, to go with the message of the gospel. We are these vessels. We ourselves, listen, we are not the solution for man's depravity. We're merely the communicators of the antidote, the gospel. We are messengers of hope. So as we go out, my my prayer is that we are reminded that we are sent from the greatest of all authorities. It look at the truth, Isaiah speaks on behalf of God. It says, So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth. It shall not return to me empty, but it should accomplish that which I purpose and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. So here's what it's saying: offering the gospel, going out with the gospel. The Lord promises those words of the good news will not return void. Because Paul, he makes this charge even to this, to the church, the early church. And what he's doing here, I love it. It's actually an affirmation sandwich. I don't know if you're familiar with that, but you get the encouragement, a little challenge in the middle, and then you squeeze it together and you close it with another encouragement. Look what it says. For everyone who calls the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will and how are they to believe in whom they've never heard? How are they to hear without someone preaching? How are they to preach unless they are sent? As is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news. So, what's the initial encouragement? Everyone who calls on the name of Jesus will be saved. It's amazing. What's the challenge? How can they be saved if no one's willing to go? Or if no one is going, how can they be saved, right? No one is hearing, and the people are not being given this opportunity for salvation. And so, and then the final encouragement I love is this. He talks about the beauty of feet. Now, listen, for someone like me who has pretty terrible feet, that's an encouragement in itself. But uh, but Paul, he's actually quoting Isaiah here, and and it isn't talking about the shape or appearance of feet, he's talking about the action of feet. Because feet are used to what? Right, to to go, to move. And he's doing this, he's pointing to the beauty of going out with the message of the gospel. Now, listen, of course, feet aren't required for going. His point isn't the method of going, it's the beauty of going. It's the joy that comes from the obedience and being sent. And that's the joy, that's the beauty. I just want to leave us with today, right? If you are a follower of Jesus, no matter where you are in your journey, God desires you to go. Listen, maybe you're new in the faith, and that's okay. Right? If you know the gospel, you have a message to share. You don't need to be a the you know, amazing theologian, right? Because God knows exactly where you are. He's not setting you up for failure. He's just simply asking, are we willing to go? So as we close, here's just the question: Are we willing to be obedient to this call and go? Now, look, just a quick recognition. This question to go and obedience to it. I just want to make it clear that's not a salvation issue, right? It has nothing to do with our salvation or earning um God's love through it, right? Remember the gospel, it's good news because Jesus did what we never could. He lived the perfect life we could never live. He paid the price for our sin, the price we could never pay. He gives us, and this is just incredible. He gives us his righteous standing in place of our sin, and he offers us a new life. And we get to share that news with people. What an what a gift. And Jesus alone, he has the authority, he has the power to offer all of this. His offer, though, it's not based on some sort of merit, it's based on on grace. And so, listen, salvation stands secure regardless of whether we go or not. But what we miss, if we just choose to stay at stop signs or red lights, we miss joy. We miss the joy of seeing lives transformed. We miss the joy of watching souls saved, we miss the joy of seeing our savior at work. And so I don't want us to miss what the Lord desires for us to see. So again, are we willing to go? If the question the Lord, it's it's it's really the question the Lord has been asking since he first revealed his plan for salvation, even in the Old Testament. Look at the verse in Isaiah. It says, And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? Then I said, Here I am, send me. See, Isaiah provides us an answer to that to the question God desires. When Jesus asks, Who will go? Here's the thing, my prayer for each one of us who follows him is that we just have the same response. Here I am, Lord, send me. Now listen, if if you're here today, you've never taken a step towards salvation, towards responding to the good news of the gospel. I I just want to invite you. There is good news. You have been offered forgiveness of sin. You have offered new life. You've been offered a way for abundant life. And it's all through grace. There's nothing you can do to earn it, nothing you can do to achieve it. You just have to receive it. Be willing to surrender, be willing to repent of sin and turn and receive life. If that's something you'd like to do today, I just want to pray for us. So why don't we join me in prayer? Father, thank you for giving us a clear command to go. And God, would you encourage us this morning, God, that you are the one sending and we're going in the authority of you, Jesus. You hold ultimate and full authority over all things, Lord. And so I just pray this morning, God, you encourage us to just have eyes to see, Lord, the just the opportunities around us, Lord, to share the gospel, to offer hope, to offer good news, God. I just also pray, Lord, for anyone this morning who's just been trying to figure this whole thing out or just even struggling to trust that this is this is your plan and that this is there really is hope offered, Lord, in this world. And and and yet, Lord, it's true you really have come to rescue us and to save us. And I just pray this morning, just for whoever anyone who desires that, Lord, just you would just invite them to do that this morning, Lord, to turn from sin and to receive life, to receive grace and healing, Lord. We thank you, Jesus, that you have the power and the authority to forgive sins. And so we just are grateful for what you've done for us, Lord. We pray in your name, Jesus. Amen.