As You Are Going

In one paragraph

Pastor Marcus walked through three brief Gospel episodes that all share a common thread: Jesus doing ministry "along the way," in the ordinary flow of movement from one place to another. He connected that pattern to Erin Anderson's testimony about her mission trip to Belize, where the most meaningful moments were unplanned, and drew everything together around a single question Jesus asks in the...

Read together

1. Psalm 66:1-3 quoted at the opening to call the congregation to joyful praise and worship
2. Micah 6:8 basis for the song 'Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly' and named explicitly as its source
3. 1 Corinthians 14:33 quoted by Erin to support her concern about confusion at the charismatic service: 'God is not a God of confusion, but of peace'
4. Matthew 9:27-31 two blind men follow Jesus crying 'son of David,' Jesus asks if they believe, touches their eyes, and they are healed
5. Matthew 9:32-34 a demon-possessed mute man is brought to Jesus, the demon is cast out, the man speaks, crowds are amazed, Pharisees claim Jesus casts out demons by the power of demons
6. Matthew 12:22-32 referenced as the earlier occurrence of the Beelzebub controversy
7. Mark 3:20-30 referenced as another passage containing the Beelzebub controversy
8. Luke 11:14-23 referenced as another passage containing the Beelzebub controversy
9. Mark 6:1-6 Jesus returns to Nazareth, teaches in the synagogue, people take offense, he could do no miracle there, he was amazed at their unbelief
10. Luke 4:16-30 Jesus reads from the Isaiah scroll in Nazareth, says the scripture is fulfilled, the crowd wants to throw him off Nazareth Ridge
11. Isaiah 61:1-2 the scroll Jesus read in Nazareth announcing the acceptable year of the Lord, healing the blind, setting captives free
12. Matthew 9:35-38 Jesus goes through cities and villages teaching and healing, feels compassion for the distressed crowds like sheep without a shepherd, tells disciples the harvest is plentiful but workers are few
13. Matthew 28:19-20 the Great Commission cited to show 'as you are going' be making disciples, baptizing, and teaching

Talk about it

1. Erin described feeling spiritually alone in Belize, yet sustained by knowing people back home were praying for her. When have you experienced that kind of unseen support, and what did it mean to you?
2. Pastor Ray pointed out that Jesus asked the two blind men, 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?' before he healed them. What does it look like practically to bring a request to God with that kind of faith?
3. The people of Nazareth knew Jesus personally and still took offense at him. How does familiarity with church, Scripture or Christian culture sometimes work against genuine faith rather than for it?
4. Pastor Ray noted that the only two things recorded as amazing Jesus were unbelief and faith. What does it say about our everyday choices and habits that these are the things that moved him?
5. The sermon kept returning to the idea that the Great Commission is less a one-time event and more an ongoing posture, going and making disciples as you are going. Where in your ordinary week do you think God might already be placing those kinds of opportunities?