Readings for This Week: Acts 1:6-14; Ps. 47;
May 28, 2017
Readings for this week: Acts 1:6-14; Ps. 47;
1 Pet 5:1-14; Jn 17:1-19
Key verse:“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;and you will be my witnessesin Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,and to the ends of the earth.” — Acts 1:8
Our Vision: All Saints' Anglican Cathedral invites all to grow together in the way of Jesus, developing fruitful disciples,and establishing missional communities throughout Amesbury, the Merrimack Valley, and New England.
Our Mission: We’re a Family on Missionthat: Welcomes All, Worships God, Trains Together,and Shares the Gospel . . . In the Way of Jesus.
Last Week’s focus: Developing Fruitful Disciples.
Sermon Notes for
“‘Establishing Missional Communities Throughout Amesbury, the Merrimack Valley, and New England’”
I. Jesus Established a Missional Community—So Fear Not!
See Acts 1:2-3, 14
What's a Missional Community?
- It's a group with afocused ministry purpose that comes out of their commitment to Jesus, to each other, and to the gospel.
- It’s small enough to care, and big enough to dare (between 20 and 50 people typically).
Small enough for people to know, trust, challenge and encourage one another, and to be a “non-churchy” context for non-believers to experience the Kingdom of God
Big enough to share and pursue a bold vision for lasting transformation in people's everyday lives.
- It's acommunitywelcoming, worshipping, maturing, and witnessing the transforming love of God in Jesus.
- It's growing, as disciples of Jesus make disciples, immersed in God's life, doing what Jesus says, and experiencing Jesus' power and presence.
- It's a contextfor the church to be the church Monday through Saturday.
- It’s an extension of a local church and an “incubator” for other missional communities.
II. Jesus Expected Fruitful Disciples to Influence Regions—So Live in Hope
See Acts 1:8
CityJerusalemAmesbury
AreaSamariaMerrimack Valley
RegionalJudeaNew England
GlobalEnds of the Earth(ACNA, GAFCON)
Example: Ephesus Acts 19:8-10; 20:17-21
Ephesus Colosse, Laodicea, Hieropolis
Why Missional Communities?
•Because they're a proven pattern for transformative and sustained discipleship in a post-Christian culture.
- Longingsfor Connection—Recovering loss of “extended family”
- Longings for Practical Implications of Spiritual Realities
- Longings for Shared Purposes beyond Money and Entertainment
•Because they’re the context where new believers grow, spiritual gifts thrive, "every-member ministry" gets practiced, and leaders naturallyemerge to multiply ministry.
•Because they’re a down-to-earth way for Sunday celebration to find weekday application.
Why All Saints? Why Now?
A Cathedral is called to do Intensively what all churches are called to do Intentionally
All Saints Anglican Cathedral
Welcomes All — Home of Hospitality
Worships God — House of Prayer
Trains Together — Greenhouse of Disciple-Development
Shares the Gospel — Embassy of Gospel Outreach
Consecration as “Confirmation”—empowerment for character and calling
Take the exhortations of 1 Peter 5 to heart over the next 14 day especially
III. Jesus Intercedes for the Mission—So Pray with Him!
See John 17:11, 18, 20-21, 23
Home Group Questions
Connecting with Each Other
- What have you appreciated most about your home group this season?
Connecting with God’s Word
- As you reflect on last weekend’s sermon, what one idea or illustration stands out as being particularly helpful, insightful, or difficult to grasp?
- As you reflect on 1 Peter 5 in light of our upcoming consecration, how do you think we might need to pray?
Connecting with the Week Ahead
- What’s a specific area of regular anxiety or care that you can “cast” on the Lord and receive his grace for?
May 28, 2017
Readings for this week: Acts 1:6-14; Ps. 47;
1 Pet 5:1-14; Jn 17:1-19
Key verse: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;and you will be my witnessesin Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,and to the ends of the earth.” — Acts 1:8
Our Vision: All Saints' Anglican Cathedral invites all to grow together in the way of Jesus, developing fruitful disciples,and establishing missional communities throughout Amesbury, the Merrimack Valley, and New England.
Our Mission: We’re a Family on Missionthat: Welcomes All, Worships God, Trains Together,and Shares the Gospel . . . In the Way of Jesus.
Last Week’s focus: Developing Fruitful Disciples.
Sermon Notes for
“‘Establishing Missional Communities Throughout Amesbury, the Merrimack Valley, and New England’”
I. Jesus Established a Missional Community—So Fear Not!
See Acts 1:2-3, 14
What's a Missional Community?
- It's a group with afocused ministry purpose that comes out of their commitment to Jesus, to each other, and to the gospel.
- It’s small enough to care, and big enough to dare (between 20 and 50 people typically).
Small enough for people to know, trust, challenge and encourage one another, and to be a “non-churchy” context for non-believers to experience the Kingdom of God
Big enough to share and pursue a bold vision for lasting transformation in people's everyday lives.
- It's acommunitywelcoming, worshipping, maturing, and witnessing the transforming love of God in Jesus.
- It's growing, as disciples of Jesus make disciples, immersed in God's life, doing what Jesus says, and experiencing Jesus' power and presence.
- It's a contextfor the church to be the church Monday through Saturday.
- It’s an extension of a local church and an “incubator” for other missional communities.
II. Jesus Expected Fruitful Disciples to Influence Regions—So Live in Hope
See Acts 1:8
CityJerusalemAmesbury
AreaSamariaMerrimack Valley
RegionalJudeaNew England
GlobalEnds of the Earth(ACNA, GAFCON)
Example: Ephesus Acts 19:8-10; 20:17-21
Ephesus Colosse, Laodicea, Hieropolis
Why Missional Communities?
•Because they're a proven pattern for transformative and sustained discipleship in a post-Christian culture.
- Longingsfor Connection—Recovering loss of “extended family”
- Longings for Practical Implications of Spiritual Realities
- Longings for Shared Purposes beyond Money and Entertainment
•Because they’re the context where new believers grow, spiritual gifts thrive, "every-member ministry" gets practiced, and leaders naturallyemerge to multiply ministry.
•Because they’re a down-to-earth way for Sunday celebration to find weekday application.
Why All Saints? Why Now?
A Cathedral is called to do Intensively what all churches are called to do Intentionally
All Saints Anglican Cathedral
Welcomes All — Home of Hospitality
Worships God — House of Prayer
Trains Together — Greenhouse of Disciple-Development
Shares the Gospel — Embassy of Gospel Outreach
Consecration as “Confirmation”—empowerment for character and calling
Take the exhortations of 1 Peter 5 to heart over the next 14 day especially
III. Jesus Intercedes for the Mission—So Pray with Him!
See John 17:11, 18, 20-21, 23
Home Group Questions
Connecting with Each Other
- What have you appreciated most about your home group this season?
Connecting with God’s Word
- As you reflect on last weekend’s sermon, what one idea or illustration stands out as being particularly helpful, insightful, or difficult to grasp?
- As you reflect on 1 Peter 5 in light of our upcoming consecration, how do you think we might need to pray?
Connecting with the Week Ahead
- What’s a specific area of regular anxiety or care that you can “cast” on the Lord and receive his grace for?