Our morning began with Steve reading the Genesis 1 creation account. This was the first time I can recall hearing that, whilst looking at the park, trees, sky and hills, imagining each part of the landscape being filled in, day by day (even down to the dog being walked as we were hearing about the 6th day!). The benefit of worshipping in the open air was yet again breath-taking.
Steve then led us with these words:
We are jointly and generally, specifically and individually co-missioned, sent, charged and entrusted.
We take Jesus wherever we go and we represent Him to those we meet. This is a privilege and a responsibility. May our innermost thoughts and values, our words and our actions point to our Servant-Master Jesus!
As ThirdSpace we are co-missioned. Missioned together, sent out to work for the Kingdom inaugurated in Jesus…in Matlock…at this time…
As individuals we are called to our home and work places to build the Kingdom Jesus inaugurated…at this time…
Jesus had his Kingdom mission summarised in this “manifesto”:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” Luke 4v.18-19
In response to those words, we were invited to reflect on ourselves, considering the questions:
To what are you called? Who commissions you? To whom are you accountable? Where is your support and resourcing?
To what are we called? Who commissions us? To whom are we accountable? Where is our support and resourcing?
We filled in sheets, detailing where when and how we were called to serve Jesus. This was then read aloud, whilst Steve poured water over the person’s hands (or in Paul’s case – the head!) in the format of
We anoint you (Name) to serve Jesus (adding the details here) May you know God’s leading, Jesus beside you and the Spirit within! AMEN!
We then turned to bread and wine. Steve had also written new words for this:
CO-MISSIONING WITH BREAD AND WINE
L: We acknowledge our need of our God in Jesus. We are empty and bereft without Him. We vainly struggle to live by our own standards let alone His values. We acknowledge our need for forgiveness and restoration.
ALL: Feed us now so that we might be sent.
L: We thank you that on the night before you died, you fed your disciples with bread and wine.
ALL: Feed us now so that we might be sent.
L: We thank you that through your sacrifice which we now remember, you restore us in relationship with our Creator God.
ALL: Feed us now so that we might be sent.
L: We thank you that the meal you gave to them and now to us pre-figures the celebration banquet in the Kingdom realised.
ALL: Feed us now so that we might be sent.
L: May this bread-of-Jesus-incarnated sustain us.
ALL: The Bread of our Lord!
L: May this wine-of-Jesus-slain sustain us.
ALL: The Wine of our Lord!
ALL: Now Lord send us out! We have been fed by you; we are co-missioned by you, and now we go with your Holy Spirit’s fire. AMEN!
An inspiring theme and start to the week. Brilliant!
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