We are in the series ‘It’s Just Not Convenient’.

That tension between living for self and living for God.
Jesus said this:: No one can be my disciple who does not carry his own cross and follow me. But don't begin until you count
the cost. TLB Luke 14:27-28

Jesus was saying, ‘Think this through, process it, don’t be in a hurry to be a disciple of Jesus because
it will cost you something and you may not be ready to pay that cost.’

I said this last week but I just have to say it again. The reason you see so many disappointed, struggling,
stagnant Christians is because, they never counted the cost of what it means to live a life for God. They think going to God
is like going to a personal genie. Truth is, going to God means you give Him your life so you can build Your kingdom. The
reason you see so many Christian marriages shatter, is because they never counted the cost of what it means to be a disciple
of Jesus in a marriage. The reason you see so many business people, who call themselves Christians, lying, stealing,
cheating, not following through, cutting corners, is because they never counted the cost of what it means to be a disciple of
Jesus in business.

Last week we talked about the three things that we must wrestle with. Process and think about. 1.)
You must die to yourself. 2.) God owns all of it. I manage it. I manage it for the advancement of God’s
kingdom. 3.) Success is hearing and obeying the whispers of the Holy Spirit. Being a disciple of Jesus
isn’t an invitation into a comfortable life, like a BJs membership. Being a disciple of Jesus is an
invitation to join God’s mission and it will cost you.

This week, I want us to continue to ‘count the cost’ to what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Before you give your life to
God, before you make any final decisions, it’s important to know that God is up to. If the mission is going to cost you, then
you should know what the mission is all about. I want to share with you what God has been up to: His mission. Then I want
to talk about how we join Him in that mission.

Fact 1: God created perfection. God looked over all that he had made, and it was excellent in every
way. TLB Genesis 1:31 No sin, no guilt, shame, fear, cancer, diabetes, etc. Because Adam and Eve wanted to be like God,
they sinned and evil entered this world. Evil exists in our world not because of God but because we chose it. So evil is in
this world, what does God do?

Fact 2: God set into place a plan to redeem us from that sin. God went for the jugular when he
sent his own Son. He didn't deal with the problem as something remote and unimportant. In his Son,
Jesus, he personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity
in order to set it right once and for all. MSG Romans 8:3 God enters this world and allows us to crush Him. Why?
He took our pain and gave back love, grace and mercy. It’s the only way to stop that cycle of evil in this world.

Fact 3: God established His kingdom on earth. He [Jesus] went all over Galilee. He used
synagogues for meeting places and taught people the truth of God. God's kingdom was his theme -
that beginning right now they were under God's government, a good government! He also healed
people of their diseases and of the bad effects of their bad lives. MSG Matthew 4:23 He enters this
world to bring His kingdom to us.

Fact 4: Jesus left and gave us the Holy Spirit. I am going to be with the Father. ...and he will give
you another Comforter, and he will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit who leads into all
truth. TLB John 14:12, 15-17 The Holy Spirit now lives inside us and empowers us to continue that
God mission. The Holy Spirit now lives inside us to continue to build God’s kingdom on earth.

Fact 5: God is pushing back the end of time. God isn't late with his promise as some measure
lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn't want
anyone lost. He's giving everyone space and time to change. MSG 2 Peter 3:9 God didn’t come last
week. He wanted to give more time for people to fall in love with Him. Evil continues to exist because
we chose it. God continues to push back the end of time because of His love. That means it would be
silly/naïve to expect life to be anything but a war.
This explains what God has been doing for thousands of years: redeeming people. I went through all
of that to share this. That’s why Mountain Ridge Church was created. We wanted to join God in what
He is has been doing for thousands of years. The invitation to be a part of Mountain Ridge Church
isn’t a BJ’s Membership, it has much more depth and meaning. The invitation to be a apart of
Mountain Ridge Church is to join a mission and it will cost you. The local church is God’s number #1
strategy to redeem the community. When the local church get’s it right, the gates of hell can not stand
against it. There are three things that the church needs to get it right.

The first thing we need is to unite and focus on one mission. The LORD said, "If as one people
speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be
impossible for them." NIV Genesis 11:6-7 What is it that we unite and focus on? Pulling people out of hell. That is the
grid by which we make all decisions. How can we be better at doing that - that is the question. What that means for us is
that we give up what we like and don’t like for something bigger, the God mission to redeem people. Truth is, your wife
doesn’t like you 100%, it’s silly to think anyone will like their church 100% . We are asking people to like it 85 - 90%. Here
is what we don’t do. We don’t run around trying to close that 10 - 15% for you. This mission is more important.

The second thing we need is to understand, NOTHING we do matters… without the Holy Spirit.

In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people . NIV Acts 2:17

Reverence for God adds hours to each day. TLB Proverbs 10:27

Unless the Lord builds a house, the builders' work is useless. Unless the Lord protects a city, sentries
do no good. It is senseless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, fearing you
will starve to death; for God wants his loved ones to get their proper rest. TLB Psalms 127:1-2

Nothing we do matters… without the Holy Spirit. We must be a people who walk with God. It should be
normal in our community that we all have a relationship with God outside of Church. It should be
normal in our community that we come to Sunday’s prepared. Prepared to host a dying world in deep
need. It should be normal that we pray all week long for Sundays and come ready to serve.

The third thing is that at MRC we continue to be relentless, passionate and tenacious group
that says, “We will never, never, never give up.”

This is s a maturity thing. Jesus told His disciples this: What I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects.
Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives
toward you. MSG Matthew 5:48

We are a people who make things happen. We don’t sit back and say, “Well, someone should do
something about that.” Imagine a place that... Unites and focuses on one mission. Where everyone
walks with God and is anointed by the Holy Spirit. They are relentless, passionate and tenacious
about never stopping. I would serve that place.

What have most people experienced? Places that have no mission, ruled by trying to make everyone
happy. Places that are ruled and managed by the rules of men not God. Places that wouldn’t know
passion if it bit them on the backside. I would never go back.

Will you join God in what He is up to?