Hunger Mountain Christian Assembly

Our Mission is Transition

Matthew 9:35-38 (NIV)

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field."

On the first Sunday of this year, I shared with you what the Lord had given me in regard to this body for this New Year and into the coming decade. He gave me a motto for our church which is "An Uncommon Church for Common People." He also gave me a "Mission Statement" which is to be our marching orders for this coming decade which is "Our mission is transition, transformation, and training for common people of our region to become uncommon followers of Jesus Christ." Within our mission are three components which are critical for us to achieve our goal. They are transition, which is about harvest, transformation, which is about change, and training, which is about discipleship. Today, I want to speak to you about "Transition."

What does transition mean?

1. Dictionary: transition is passage from one form, state, style, or place to another.

2. Passage of form (born) to another (born again).

3. Passage of state (lost) to another (found).

4. Passage of style (our ways) to another (His ways).

5. Passage of place (world) to another (Kingdom).

6. Transition is about harvest (reaching out to those who have not received Jesus as Lord of their lives so that this passage can take place)

Matthew 9:35-38.

1. Matt.9:35- Jesus went teaching, preaching, and healing. We must do the same.

2. Matt.9:36- Jesus had compassion on the lost and we must also.

3. Matt.9:37-38- The harvest is plentiful and the workers are few.

Luke 4:17-19 (NLT)

The scroll containing the messages of Isaiah the prophet was handed to Him, and He unrolled the scroll to the place where it says:

18"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for He has appointed Me to preach Good News to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim that captives will be released,that the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, 19and that the time of the Lord's favor has come."

Luke 19:10 (NIV)

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.

Conclusion: The first part of our mission as a church is transition which is harvest. Jesus had compassion on people and we must also. He came to "seek and save what was lost" and we must also. We must understand that the Spirit of the Lord is on us today, to do the same kinds of things that Jesus did and said were fulfilled that day. The harvest was plentiful, is plentiful, and will always be plentiful. The workers were few, are few, and will always be few. What will we do about it? Our mission is to go into the fields and reap the harvest before it is lost. Will you join me or will we sit by and watch another harvest rot in the fields? Our mission is transition and God is waiting on us.

Jude 1:20-23 (Living)

But you, dear friends, must build up your lives ever more strongly upon the foundation of our holy faith, learning to pray in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit.

21Stay always within the boundaries where God's love can reach and bless you. Wait patiently for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy is going to give you. 22Try to help those who argue against you. Be merciful to those who doubt. 23Save some by snatching them as from the very flames of hell itself. And as for others, help them to find the Lord by being kind to them, but be careful that you yourselves aren't pulled along into their sins. Hate every trace of their sin while being merciful to them as sinners.