The Mission of God Genesis 12:1-9

Why does Harvest exist? “To bring glory to God by making disciples of Jesus Christ.” (1995 Mission Statement) Popular answers: “To evangelize non-believers” “To meet my needs for teaching, worship, and fellowship” “To help me raise my children in the faith”

Why does Harvest exist? Our identity should determine our activity What is Harvest’s God-given identity? How does Harvest fit into the greater mission of God in the world? Today: The Abrahamic Promise (Genesis 12)

The Mission of God God has had a mission since before creation God calls Abraham and his descendants to be his “mission people” This mission calling is their identity – it is why they exist

The Mission of God: Abraham Restoring the “good” of creation to and through a mission people Consummating God’s mission to and through his mission people

The Mission of God: Abraham Genesis 12 (ESV) 1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you...” 1. Land

The Mission of God: Abraham 2 “And I will make of you a great nation...” 2. Birth

The Mission of God: Abraham 2 “... and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 3. Blessing

The Mission of God: Abraham 5 “... and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Then the L ORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring (seed) I will give this land.”

The Mission of God: Abraham Restoration of the “good” of creation Land Birth Blessing To Abraham’s family and those who bless them To all families through Abraham and his seed Consummation (completion) of God’s mission from before the fall

The Mission of God: Israel Abraham – Isaac - Jacob 12 tribes of Jacob (Israel) “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” “a light to the nations (Gentiles)” “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12)

The Mission of God: in Christ Jesus is the epitome of God’s mission-people He lives the mission that Israel could not He enables us to share in the fullness of relationship with God, others, and creation – the consummation of God’s mission Like Him, our identity is to be a mission people who incarnate God’s character in the world

The Mission of God: in Christ 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. Galatians 3

The Mission of God: in Christ 7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. Galatians 3

The Mission of God: the Church 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2

The Mission of God: the Church We together are God’s mission people (our identity) Like Christ we find our fulfilment in full fellowship with the triune God and with one another – in God’s world we are called and sent to bring blessing to the world To follow Christ means to live out our identity together

Why does Harvest exist? Our identity is a local outpost of God’s mission people Not simply a voluntary association Not necessarily a collection of people that “makes sense” Not primarily to meet individual needs A people called together by God and for his purpose How can we live out our identity together?