Audio files Available at www.stevegedon.com Sermon Notes that Accompany the audio files 1.08.12 So What Now

1. AUDIO PODCAST: www.sermon.net/First_Church January 8, 2012
Missio Dei is Latin for “the mission of God”. The Bible tells us the story of God and
His mission to redeem this world through Jesus. We need to give up our agendas and
join God on His mission.
The whole Bible renders to us the story of God’s mission through God’s people in
their engagement with God’s world for the sake of the whole of God’s creation.
Matthew 2
1
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod,
Magifrom the east came to Jerusalem 2
and asked, “Where is the one who has
been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the eastand have come to
worship him.”
3
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with
him. 4
When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers
of the law, he asked them where the Christwas to be born. 5
“In Bethlehem in
Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6
“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’”
7
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time
the star had appeared. 8
He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a
careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too
may go and worship him.”
9
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had
seen in the eastwent ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the
child was. 10
When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11
On coming to the
house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and
worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts
of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12
And having been warned in a dream not
to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
So What? Now What?
Are we yet disturbed enough?
“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
Mt 15:8
“The safest road to hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft
underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without
signposts.” C. S. Lewis
Anger with apathy creates bitterness
Anger with action creates Wisdom
“I’d estimate seven in 10 young adults would say they don’t see much
influence of God or religion in their lives at all.” Kinnaman
Following the Star of your own Ego
“They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They
imitated the nations around them although the LORD had ordered
them, “Do not do as they do.” 2 Kings 17:15
Ready to join the Now What crowd?
1. Discover God’s Goodness? (Worship)
2. Trust God’s Wisdom? (Discipleship)
3. Share God’s Kindness? (Mission)

2. AUDIO PODCAST: www.sermon.net/First_Church January 8, 2012
When human beings enter into the joyful celebration of the glory of
God and the goodness of God’s gift of life, normal prose breaks into
poetry, normal voices break into song, normal posture breaks into
dancing, and people don’t simply become more religious – they become
more alive.
Our mission as a church, our reason for being, is to enable you to
become more fully alive in the Spirit of God than you ever dreamed
possible. So WELCOME to a whole new kind of life.
Epiphany is now observed as a time of focusing on the mission of the
church in reaching others. “Showing” Jesus as the Savior of all people is
our Church’s central purpose. We represent Christ every day in every
way. Christian brotherhood and fellowship heals prejudice and bigotry
that too often create dissention among people.
"Opportunity knocks at the strangest times. It's not the time that matters
But how you answer the door." Steve Gray