Church On Mission: Starting The Mission by LOVING GOD
"Church on Mission" sermon series, titled "Beginning the Mission: Loving God". Pastor Tim explains that the fundamental mission of the church is to help people continually grow in loving God, loving others, and making disciples. This week, we dig into the essential starting point: loving God. We wrestle with two key questions: Why is loving God the center of the mission, and how do we actually learn to love God more and more?. Discover why followers of Jesus must "be before we do", mirroring God who is before He does. Finally, we outline seven key areas—including reading the Bible, praying consistently, and attending worship services—where focused effort will lead to genuine spiritual growth and transformation, enabling us to carry out the full mission of the church.
Deep Dive Podcast
Study Guide: Beginning the Mission by Loving God
This study guide is designed to review the core concepts presented in the sermon "Beginning the Mission: Loving God" from the "Church on Mission" series. It covers the foundational principles of the church's mission, the importance of loving God, and the practical steps for spiritual growth.
Short Answer Quiz
Instructions: Answer the following questions in 2-3 complete sentences, drawing your information directly from the provided source material.
What is the fundamental mission of the church as defined in the sermon?
Explain the principle "be before we do" as it relates to God's nature.
According to the theologian Jonathan Edwards, why did God create the world?
What is the central message of the vine and branches analogy from John chapter 15?
Based on the teachings of Augustine, what is "disordered love" and how does it relate to sin?
What is the primary risk or danger for "doers" who want to engage in the church's mission?
How does the sermon use the analogy of going to the gym to explain the difference between being busy and making actual spiritual progress?
Why is it sometimes necessary for a church to say "no" to good ideas, such as the Christmas pageant example?
When Jesus speaks of bearing "fruit" in the Gospels, what is he referring to?
List at least five of the seven key areas that the sermon identifies as essential for spiritual growth.
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Answer Key
The mission of the church is to help people continually grow in loving God, loving others, and making disciples. This is described as carrying out the Great Commandment (love God, love others) and the Great Commission (make disciples).
The principle "be before we do" means that actions flow from one's essential nature. God is used as the model; he is inherently powerful and creative, and this essence flows out of him, resulting in his actions like creating the mountains and oceans.
Jonathan Edwards argued that God created the world so that his glorious attributes could be exerted, known, seen, and valued. The creation of rational, intelligent creatures provides witnesses who can value and delight in God's glory.
In John 15, Jesus is the vine and his followers are the branches. The message is that followers must remain connected to Jesus, who is the source of life, in order to bear spiritual fruit; apart from him, they can do nothing.
Augustine argued that sin is not a void of love but rather a "disordered love." This means sin occurs when we love something else more than we love God, misplacing our ultimate affection and motivation.
The primary risk for "doers" is idolatry, which is taking something good, such as making disciples or church planting, and making it the ultimate "God" thing. This can happen if they do not first ground their efforts in a love for God.
The sermon compares unfocused spiritual activity to going to the gym without a plan, like walking on a treadmill and doing sit-ups just because you've seen it on TV. You can be very busy with many activities but not see real results because you aren't focused on the most effective things, just as someone at the gym might not get fit without knowledge of proper exercise and nutrition.
A church must sometimes say "no" to good ideas to stay focused on what is central to its mission. The Christmas pageant was an example of an event that required a lot of time and effort but was not effective in reaching new people, thus taking the church off course from its primary mission.
The "fruit" Jesus refers to is spiritual fruit. This means soul transformation, where qualities like love, affection, and goodness come out of a person's life as a result of being connected to him.
Five of the seven key areas for spiritual growth are: reading the Bible, praying consistently, attending worship services, serving others, engaging in Christian communities, giving financially, and sharing your faith.
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Essay Questions
Instructions: The following questions are for deeper reflection and discussion. Formulate a comprehensive response to each, integrating various concepts from the source material.
Analyze the "be before we do" principle as the central theme of the sermon. How is this concept supported by theological arguments (God's nature, Augustine), scriptural references (John 15), and practical analogies (physical fitness)?
Discuss the relationship between "being busy" and genuine spiritual growth as presented in the source. Use the examples of attending Bible studies without authenticity and the fitness analogy to explain why activity does not always equal progress.
The sermon quotes Jonathan Edwards, who states God's attributes should be "exerted," "known," and "valued." Explain how this idea connects to the church's three-part mission to "love God, love others, and make disciples."
The source identifies "disordered love" as the root of sin. How does the proposed solution—starting the mission by loving God—directly address this problem, and how does it prevent the mission itself from becoming an idol?
Evaluate the claim that investing in the seven key areas identified in the sermon is the most effective way to grow spiritually. How does the sermon build its case for this focused approach over a more scattered, activity-based model of church life?
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Glossary of Key Terms
Term / Name
Definition
Augustine
A theologian cited in the text who argued that humans are always motivated by love and that sin is not a void of love, but a "disordered love."
Be Before We Do
The core principle that one's actions must flow from one's inner being and essence. Just as God's creative acts flow from his nature, a Christian's mission activities must flow from a transformed heart that loves God.
Church on Mission
The title of the sermon series during which this message was delivered.
Disordered Love
The concept, attributed to Augustine, that sin is the result of loving something else more than God. It is a misdirection of love, not an absence of it.
Great Commandment
The command from Jesus to love God and love others. It forms part of the church's fundamental mission.
Great Commission
The command from Jesus to go and make disciples. It is paired with the Great Commandment to define the mission of the church.
Idolatry
The risk of taking something that is good (like mission work or planting churches) and making it the ultimate or "God" thing, placing it above a direct love for God himself.
John Chapter 15
The biblical passage discussed in detail, where Jesus uses the analogy of a vine and branches to teach that his followers must remain connected to him to bear spiritual fruit.
Jonathan Edwards
A theologian, pastor, and philosopher from Northampton who was a leader in the Great Awakening. He is quoted as saying God created the world so His attributes could be known and valued.
Mercy Church
The name of the local church where the sermon was delivered. Its tagline is to "help people continually grow in loving God, loving others and making disciples."
Pastor Tim
The speaker who delivered the sermon.
Seven Key Areas
The seven spiritual practices identified as the most important for spiritual growth: 1. Read the Bible, 2. Pray consistently, 3. Attend worship services, 4. Serve others, 5. Engage in Christian communities, 6. Give financially, 7. Share your faith.
Spiritual Fruit
The outcome of being connected to Jesus (the vine). It is described as soul transformation, leading to love, affection, and goodness flowing out of a person's life.
Trinitarian God
The understanding of God as Father, Son, and Spirit in a perfect, loving community, who was totally content before creation.
