God's Rescue Plan: From Salvation to Mission

Have you ever felt like you're on the sidelines of life, watching other people make a difference and wondering if God could really use someone like you? If you've ever questioned your purpose or your place in God's story, this message is for you.

New here? We'd love to walk with you as you discover who Jesus is and what He's doing in your life. You can join us online or visit us this Sunday in Sugar Land or Richmond.

In this message, we explore how God not only saves us but also invites us into His incredible rescue mission for the world. From understanding the good news of the gospel to living as everyday missionaries, you'll see that you are loved, you are called, and you are sent.

The Good News, Bad News, and Great News

The Good News: You Are Loved

There's a good and loving God who created you. Scripture tells us He knit you together in your mother's womb, knows every hair on your head, and loves you deeply. You were created for an intimate relationship with your Heavenly Father. This is incredibly good news.

The Bad News: We Have a Problem

The problem is sin-missing the mark of God's holy, perfect, righteous standard. None of us can meet this standard on our own. We all fall short, and because of our sin, we deserve eternal separation from God. We cannot work our way back to Him through our own efforts.

The Great News: God Has a Rescue Plan

God made the first move. Jesus came-He wrapped flesh on Himself and made His home among us. As Luke 19:10 says, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."

The beautiful exchange is found in 2 Corinthians 5:21: "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Jesus took our sin on the cross and paid the price we deserved, so we could be made right with God.

What Does It Mean to Say Yes to Jesus?

This rescue plan requires a response from us. We must say yes to Jesus, surrendering to Him as Lord, believing in what He did on the cross and His resurrection. When we trust in Him as our Savior, everything changes-our identity, our purpose, our entire life.

From Saved to Sent: You're Part of the Plan

Jesus' Commission to His Followers

After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and said something remarkable: "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you" (John 20:21). We become part of His rescue plan-like tag-team wrestling where He tags us in and says, "Your turn."

The Power to Be Witnesses

In Acts 1:8, Jesus promised His followers: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth."

If you've said yes to Jesus, the Holy Spirit lives inside you. You have this same power. A witness simply talks about what they've seen, heard, and experienced-what God has done in their life.

What Does "Go" Really Mean?

The Great Commission Explained

Jesus gave us the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20: "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."

The word "go" in the original Greek carries the sense of movement with purpose. It's better understood as "as you go"-meaning as you live your life, as you go to work, school, your kids' games, the gym-as you go, make disciples wherever you are.

You Are the Light of the World

Jesus declared in Matthew 5:14: "You are the light of the world." Not "you might be"-you ARE. This is your identity as a Christ follower. Ephesians 5:8 reinforces this: "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord."

We are Christ's ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), His representatives in this world. God is making His appeal through us.

God's Three-Part Plan

He Came

Jesus came to earth, lived among us, and died for our sins.

He Sends

He sends us as His witnesses to share the hope we have.

He Stays

The best news is found in Matthew 28:20: "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." We're not called to do this in our own power. His Spirit is with us, guiding and empowering us.

Opportunities to Go Globally and Locally

Global Mission Opportunities

There are incredible opportunities to go on mission trips to places like Guatemala, Peru, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Nicaragua. These trips cost around $1,800 per person, with the church covering the rest through the Do Good ministry.

Your Backyard Is Your Mission Field

You don't have to travel far to be a missionary. Fort Bend County is one of the most racially and ethnically diverse counties in America-the world is in our backyard. God has sovereignly placed you in your workplace, neighborhood, and community for a reason.

The Power of Simple Obedience

The story of Philip in Acts 8:26-39 shows us how God works through simple obedience. When the Holy Spirit told Philip to go walk beside a carriage, he simply went. This led to sharing the gospel with an Ethiopian official who was baptized and took the good news back to his entire country.

What would happen if we just listened for God's voice and said yes to Him?

Life Application

God is at work in you, all around you, and wants to work through you. You are the light of the world, called to let that light shine wherever you go. This week, ask God to open your eyes to the opportunities He's placed right in front of you.

Consider these questions:

• Have you said yes to Jesus as your Savior? If not, what's holding you back?
• Where has God sovereignly placed you that you might be taking for granted as a mission field?
• What would it look like for you to live with intentionality as a light in your workplace, neighborhood, or family?
• Is God calling you to step out of your comfort zone and go on a mission trip?
• How can you be more attentive to the Holy Spirit's leading in your daily life?

Remember the missionary's tombstone: "When he came, there was no light. But when he left, there was no darkness." May this be said of each of us as we live as hope carriers in a world that desperately needs the light of Jesus.

Want to take the next step? Join us this Sunday in Sugar Land or Richmond - or connect with us online. You don't have to live out this mission alone.

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About The Bridge

The Bridge is a Christian church in Sugar Land and Richmond, TX helping people know and follow Jesus.

No matter who you are or where you've been, you matter to God - and to us. Whether you join us at our Richmond or Sugar Land campuses, or here online, you'll find a community ready to welcome you and help you discover the purpose God created you for.

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