MADE FOR MISSION

“Don’t Miss Your Mission”
Pastor Doug Heisel – March 19, 2023

Acts 20:24 — The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me – to tell people the Good News about God’s grace.”

Ezekiel 37:1-10 — The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out, in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And He led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry.

And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord GOD, you know." Then He said to me, "Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the Word of the LORD. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD."

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them.

Then He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live."

So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

This vision reminds me that…

1. The only hope for a spiritually DEAD person, is receiving NEW LIFE in Jesus Christ.
   
   …they came to life
   
   Ephesians 2:4-5 — ...But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!
   

2. God’s plan for every spiritually ALIVE person, is that they STAND UP and become all He created them to be.
   
   they…stood on their feet…
   

3. My “standing” is incomplete without a commitment to a LOCAL CHURCH, where I help advance its part of the Great COMMISSION (locally, regionally, and globally).
   
   …an exceedingly great army.
   
   Matthew 28:19-20 — Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
   
   Acts 1:8 — But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
   
   We exist to invite more people to be filled up with NEW LIFE in Jesus Christ.