God Cares for All
God cares for all that he has made, so God acts in his mission to make all things good. We believe God is active in mission because he cares. We experience his care, and exist as his church because of his activity in mission.
God calls us as his people to care just as he does, and so we join with him in his mission in the world. Jesus calls us and teaches us how to be involved as his people in mission.
This month we will look at some of Jesus’ teaching from his sermon on the mountain recorded in Matthew’s gospel. Here Jesus shapes us to be people living for his kingdom in mission.
We will also hear from different people who are part of our church family, sharing how they do that in their lives. Their example will help all of us grow in mission.
Each week we will have practical actions we can take to be more involved in mission. Taking these steps will continue shaping us to be people in mission. And we have two projects to support and partner with others in mission. Mission is something we do with others who care.
We care about God’s mission. God cares, and so do we.
Projects
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▶︎ New Tibetan Christian Worship Song | (2018) | The Lord's Prayer | གཙོ་བོ་ཡེ་ཤུའི་སྨོན་ལམ། | 主祷文
Our partners Trent & Ivory and their family live in the Highlands. From there they can reach out to many isolated people groups. One wonderfully effective way of doing this is through music.
Trent produces and co-produces worship songs in the languages of least-reached people groups. This allows them to engage with scripture, for churches to worship in their mother tongues, and for small, isolated communities to encourage one another in culturally-relevant ways. Recording these songs has inspired others to do the same, preserving languages in decline, and igniting a movement in worshipping Christ.
Some Crimson songs have reached far into the most unreached parts of Asia, with some hearing the name of Jesus for the first time through them. The songs have been played at a Tibetan wedding, in a cafe in the Himalayas with Buddhist monks drinking coffee, to taxi drivers, passed on to non-Christian friends and family, and used as conversation starters to turn to the Gospel message.
We want to raise $10,000 AUD to help Trent produce more songs with better quality and at a faster rate. He wants to purchase $2,500 worth of music production software to help do this. Trent also works with a local Highland Christian who is a good music producer, paying him about $300 / song for his work. We want to support the recording of at least another 25 songs requiring $7,500.
Give to Crimson Worship online via credit / debit card or deposit in Gordon Baptist Church account with 'Crimson Worship' in your description:
Account Name: Gordon Baptist Church
BSB: 704-922
Account number: 100012652
Description: Crimson Worship -
In many countries around the world, things like poverty, warfare, and natural disasters tear down society. People struggle to live well. Opportunities for individuals to flourish and reach their potential are reduced. Life is hard and stressful. It can become very competitive with some having lots and many others very little. But just like us, such people have dreams and abilities they long to realise. They long for their whole community to grow and develop. They simply lack the resources and support to make this happen.
Baptist World Aid works within these communities. They are local people getting alongside others to work together for the good of all. This is part of the work of bringing God’s goodness and blessing as his kingdom comes on earth, and his will is done here as it is done in Heaven. As we give resources, so others can use them to do his work in mission.
Baptist World Aid Australia (BWAA) is a well-respected organisation, and so has secured the trust of our government to do this work. This brings a wonderful opportunity!
When you give to BWAA Community Development work, two additional benefits come:
your gift is tax deductable. This allows you to give more.
your gift unlocks the Australian Government Matching Grant Appeal. Each dollar you give will be matched up to 5 times, so your $1 becomes $6! In this you get to shape how our taxes are spent and show what we care about.
Life Group Discussion Starters
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▶︎ God Cares for all People (Matt 5:43-48) - John Merchant (GBC English 10:30AM)
Life Group Discussion starters
Read and summarise in your own words what Jesus and Paul are saying in these two passages:
Matthew 5:43-48
Galatians 6:7-10
Use your imagination and try to describe a person who lives in Sydney with a global focus for God’s mission in their day-to-day life.
What could you do now and in the future to be like that person?
What might be hard about doing this?
What things could make you more likely to actually do it?
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▶︎ God Cares for all Things (John 5:1-15) - Andrew McCullough (GBC English 10:30AM)
Life Group Discussion starters
Read John 5:1-15. How does a story like this illustrate the holistic nature of God's mission?
Andrew pointed out to us that Jesus heals this man, even though he was someone who seems to have taken advantage of Jesus' healing to Jesus' detriment.
a. How might Jesus' approach here inform the way that we care for others?
b. Does this suggest that we should pour ourselves out without concern for our own wellbeing? How might we find balance here?Reflect together on the following quote from Richard Stearns, considering what it means for you/us to have a faith without a hole in it.
"Being a Christian means much more than just having a personal and transforming relationship with God. It also entails a public and transforming relationship with the world. If your personal faith in Christ has no outward expression, then your faith has a hole in it... an awfully big hole."
Talk about the two projects that we are raising money for this month. Are there creative ways you could engage with these projects, commiting to give individually, or raising money as a group?
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▶︎ God Cares for all Time (Matt 6:25-34) - John Merchant (GBC English 10:30AM)
Life Group Discussion starters
What do you worry about, and why is it hard not to worry about these things?
Read Matthew 6:25-34, and 1 Timothy 6:17-19. Describe the two types of ‘persons’ that Jesus and Paul picture.
How might we put God's kingdom first whilst also working for what we need to live?
Describe the emotions which go with faithful contentment, and how these allow people to make courageous choices in what they strive for in life
With the group, or on your own, take time to consider where you are now, and imagine where God is directing your next steps in mission.
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Note: there was no recording for this week due to the sensitive nature of what was shared.
Discussion Starters
What do you like to share, and what do you find it hard to share? Why?
Do you see yourself as rich? What do we use to measure this?
Read Matthew 6:19-24
How do you understand the link Jesus is making between riches on earth (v19-21), your ability to see (v22-23), and serving one master only (v24)?
How do you understand Jesus saying ‘Your heart will be where your riches are (v21)?’
Is there someone active in mission – locally or globally – you can join with, or encourage? What step can you take in the coming week?
Read 1 Timothy 6:17-19 as a way to lead in to prayer
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Discussion starters:
What feelings do you have when you think of sharing your faith with others?
Read 1 Peter 3:13-17. Why must we be gentle and respectful of others when sharing our faith?
Read Matthew 7:1-6. How can we recognise when others might not want to hear our message, and so decide to be quiet and just live it out?
Why should faith sharing be conversational: a dialogue rather than one-way telling?
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- Read John 15:4-5 and Matthew 7:15-23. What questions do these passages raise for you?
- Why is the connection between what we do and who we are so important for us in our living for God in mission?
- How can people who do seemingly amazing things in Jesus’ name not be known to him – can you think of examples of such ‘people’?
- What do you think Jesus means by ‘fruit’?
- How is being fruitful reliant upon remaining joined to him, and how do we do this?
“Jesus saw the crowds. So he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him. Then he began to teach them...”