Communauté et discipulat

Called-Out to Love (Jn 17:14~19)

2018.11.18P. Wes McClure

We are called out of this world so that Jesus can send us back into it to rescue those who are perishing, and we go with God's power, a new identity, and his message of reconciliation. God works through our weakness and our availability, starting with the people in our own circle of influence.

We are called out so that we may be sent back (vv. 14-18)

The word church, ecclesia, means the called out ones. We have not been called out merely to flee this dark world. Jesus has called us out so that he can send us back into it to rescue others who are spiritually blind and lost, just as we once were. Our salvation is not the end goal of our lives. It is the means to the end of glorifying God, and he gives each of us work to do within our circle of influence while we are here.

Jesus protects us from the evil one as we go (vv. 15)

Jesus did not ask the Father to take us out of the world, but to keep us from the evil one. Second Corinthians 4:4 tells us that the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers. Like a firefighter who runs into the flames for those who are perishing, Jesus came down from his glory and gave his life to save us while we were perishing. Because the enemy holds many in blindness, our going into the world is a spiritual battle, and the gospel is God's power to save everyone who believes.

We go with divine perspective, a new identity, and God's message

When we go back into the world, we do not go without provision. We have a divine perspective, and we are new creations in Christ, with the old gone and the new come. Since we are all ministers of reconciliation, God has entrusted us with the message to be reconciled to God before it is too late. Jesus is about urgency, not delay. We are his ambassadors, appointed by him and made righteous before God in Christ, so we go with his authority.

God works through our weakness and our availability

We cannot live the Christian life or evangelize by our own strength, but God can work through us. Paul writes in Second Corinthians 12:9 that God's power is made perfect in weakness, so our greatest strength is our weakness. God can redeem every experience in our lives for his kingdom. Our greatest ability is not our skill, talent, or education but our availability to him, and our greatest resources are heavenly ones: the Word of God, prayer, and the Holy Spirit who leads us.

Begin with our circle of influence and step out of the boat

Every one of us has a circle of influence, and that circle begins with family, friends, and coworkers, who may be the hardest to reach. Perseverance in prayer changes both them and us, and the first step is simply loving them, so that when they ask why, we can tell them what Jesus has done for us. Today is the day to step out of the boat, as Peter did when he heard Jesus call him, and to answer as Isaiah did: Here am I, send me.

Apply to Life

  • Let us recognize that God has called us out so that we may be sent back into the world with the gospel.
  • Let us pray earnestly and persistently for the people in our circle of influence, starting with our family and friends.
  • Let us love those closest to us without waiting, and be ready to tell them what Jesus has done in our lives.
  • Let us make evangelism and discipleship a daily lifestyle, and offer our availability to God.
  • Let us step out of the boat today and say, here am I, send me.

This summary was made automatically from the sermon's captions and may differ from the sermon.

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