Elder Reflections on Kingdom Expansion
In Pastor Gerald’s final message to Oxlip Church, he went “back to the basics” regarding our chief aim – to expand God’s Kingdom by making disciples. While we understand this is WHAT we ought to do, we are often unsure HOW best to do it! Let’s look at what Jesus has to say about it…
In Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus is asked by the religious leaders what the greatest of all commandments is. Jesus harkens back to Deuteronomy chapter six by quoting the Shema: “Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Jesus then goes a step further by adding a second command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Here we see Jesus getting “back to the basics” by admonishing His listeners to love God and love others. We show our love to God by glorifying Him. We do this by loving His Word and obeying it. We guard the Gospel from being watered down, added to, or taken from. We love others by reflecting Jesus in verbal and visual ways. The Christian must win the right to be heard. We do this by creating a community in which all may know Him and mature as His disciples.
Oxlip’s mission statement is the Great Commission – the command to make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We are following this command by holding a baptism on July 14th for anyone at Oxlip who claims Jesus as LORD and wants to publicly declare his or her love to Him. Please speak with Pastor Joel or one of the elders if you have yet to take this step of obedience in your faith walk.
This Sunday is Pastor Joel’s first “official” service as Senior Pastor! We celebrate God’s faithfulness to this church and the Kingdom Work to be accomplished through his ministry.
In His Service,
Oxlip Board of Elders
In Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus is asked by the religious leaders what the greatest of all commandments is. Jesus harkens back to Deuteronomy chapter six by quoting the Shema: “Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Jesus then goes a step further by adding a second command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Here we see Jesus getting “back to the basics” by admonishing His listeners to love God and love others. We show our love to God by glorifying Him. We do this by loving His Word and obeying it. We guard the Gospel from being watered down, added to, or taken from. We love others by reflecting Jesus in verbal and visual ways. The Christian must win the right to be heard. We do this by creating a community in which all may know Him and mature as His disciples.
Oxlip’s mission statement is the Great Commission – the command to make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We are following this command by holding a baptism on July 14th for anyone at Oxlip who claims Jesus as LORD and wants to publicly declare his or her love to Him. Please speak with Pastor Joel or one of the elders if you have yet to take this step of obedience in your faith walk.
This Sunday is Pastor Joel’s first “official” service as Senior Pastor! We celebrate God’s faithfulness to this church and the Kingdom Work to be accomplished through his ministry.
In His Service,
Oxlip Board of Elders
No Comments