What Make the Church the Church | Missional Living God | Pastor Jamie Kemp

What Make the Church the Church l Missional Living God  

Acts 2:47; Acts 1:8

Life Group Guide: https://bit.ly/life-group-guide

As we conclude our series, "What Makes the Church the Church," we discover that the natural result of a healthy church is a church that grows.

Throughout this series we've learned that the early church was devoted to God's Word, authentic fellowship, prayer, and experiencing God's presence. Those weren't just activities—they formed the identity of the church. And because they were committed to these things, "the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

Jesus' final words in Acts 1:8 were not simply a strategy for missions but a call for every believer to become a witness. A witness is simply someone who shares what they have personally seen and experienced. Evangelism isn't about winning arguments; it's about sharing what Jesus has done in our lives and inviting others to experience Him for themselves.

Jesus describes four circles of influence:

• Jerusalem – the people closest to us: our family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. Often, these are the hardest people to reach because they know us best. Yet Jesus calls us to begin right where we are.
• Judea – people who are like us and with whom we naturally share life. God often uses existing relationships and common experiences to spread the gospel.
• Samaria – people who are different from us or who make us uncomfortable. Jesus intentionally calls us to cross barriers of culture, background, and preference because the gospel is for everyone.
• The Ends of the Earth – God's heart has always been for every nation, every tribe, and every people group. The church exists not only for itself but to participate in God's global mission.

If we believe God wants to reach more people, then we must be willing to make room for them. Whether it's serving, welcoming newcomers, moving toward the middle of a row, or simply inviting someone to church, every act of hospitality becomes part of God's mission. We don't grow for the sake of numbers—we grow because every number represents a person Jesus loves.

As we've said throughout this series, the church is not a building—it is a community of people transformed by Jesus and sent into the world so that others can experience His love.

Discussion Questions

1. Jesus calls us to be His witnesses. What do you think it means to be a "witness" instead of simply trying to convince someone about Christianity? How does that change the way you think about sharing your faith?

2. Which of the four circles—Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, or the Ends of the Earth—is the easiest for you to engage? Which one is the most challenging, and why?

3. "Before God sends us across oceans, He usually sends us across the room."  Who is someone in your everyday life that God may be inviting you to pray for, encourage, or intentionally share your faith with this week?

4. What are some practical ways our Life Group and our church can become more welcoming to first-time guests and people who are still exploring faith?

5. Which of these core values has challenged or encouraged you the most?

• God's Word Changes Lives
• Everyone Is Welcome
• God Answers Prayer
• Experiencing the Presence of God
• Missional Living

What is one step you will take this week to live out that value?

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to IS Jakarta. I'm Pastor Jamie and I'm excited that you're joining us for this week's message. At IES Jakarta, from young to old, new visitor to founding member, married and single, no matter where you're at on your spiritual journey, you are welcome here. To find the most updated information about IS Jakarta and how you can get connected, follow us on Instagram at IS Jakarta. Thanks for listening. Hey, when I was just 16 years old, um I drank my first ever cafe mocha. Alright, it's like a half hot chocolate, half uh coffee. Uh a girl that I was interested in dating, uh, we were kind of pedicate, um, invited me to a cafe to see a local band that was playing. Now, this is during the the height of the grunge movement of the early 1990s. Alright, now, now this was not my scene. The whole idea of going to a cafe and watching a local band. You know, I was an athlete. That just wasn't my thing to go see local bands like that. But uh, but it's amazing what guys will do to impress a girl, right? And so uh so when I got there, she greets me and and and and and she asked me what kind of coffee I would want to have. Well, you know, you you go to the uh my first time at this coffee shop, there's like a thousand different coffees to order, and and the only thing they didn't have was black coffee. It's like you could order anything but just a regular coffee. So so I so I had this genius idea. I say, um, well, well, what are you drinking? And she says, Well, I'm drinking a cafe mocha. And I'm like, Well, I'll I'll try a cafe mocha. All right, so so I so I get my first ever cafe mocha and and that and and get this. That was 30 years ago, and for the last 30 years, all I've ever drank was cafe mocha. Alright, so I don't know if I've got like PTSD or like traumatized by that one experience with that girl. So every cafe I always go to, I always order the same thing a cafe mocha. But 10 years ago, 10 years ago, a friend convinced me of something new. He said it would change my life. Alright, and it did. You see, around Christmas time, uh, Starbucks comes out with a special Christmas drink. The peppermint mocha. Alright, now have you have you had it? I mean, it is, it's good. I mean, some of your like pumpkin spice, you can keep your pumpkin spice, alright? Um, I'll take the peppermint mocha every time, alright. Uh uh, and sometimes I'll even get it with an extra shot of espresso just to give me some some extra boost, right? And I love it. Uh, you gotta try it on um next Christmas as Christmas comes. Uh, you gotta try it. I might even love to go there with you and try the peppermint mocha with you. I'll drink a peppermint mocha with you, all right? Now, here's what I want you to notice. Did you see what I just did there? I just witnessed to you about a peppermint mocha, and I invited you to come to Starbucks with me and try it sometime. Did I try to talk you into going to Starbucks? Did I debate you on which which coffee shop is better or which coffee you should order? No. I just shared my experience with you and invited you to join me. Would I feel like a failure if you decided not to order the peppermint mocha? Of course not. But I'm confident that if you try the peppermint mocha, you're gonna like it, alright? So here's where I'm going with all this. Just before Jesus ascends to heaven, he says these words to his disciples, and it's certainly true for us today. Jesus says this, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you'll be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. So Jesus promises that we're gonna experience, uh, we're gonna receive power from the Holy Spirit, and this Holy Spirit is gonna empower us to witness, and we'll be empowered to be a witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. So, what is a witness? A witness is simply someone who reports something they saw or experienced. A witness is someone who reports what they saw and experienced. It's like watching an episode of Law and Order, dun dun, or or or any sort of like courtroom drama, television show or movie, you know, the lawyer calls the witness to the stand, right? And what does the witness do? The witness tells the judge, the jury, and the court what they saw or experienced. He or she is the witness. She he or she is sharing what they saw or experienced. Now, when I've read this verse in the past, uh this idea of uh that we will be witnesses for Jesus, I've always I've always heard it preached or it was assumed that Jesus was giving us a missionary strategy, right? Like almost like concentric circles, that we there's Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and then the ends of the earth. Uh but but but he also so but I've been wondering, like, is this just a missionary strategy or is there is there something else that Jesus is trying to tell us? Because I'm wondering today that that what if we're what if the calling to be a witness isn't so much geographical as it is relational? Like what if this is a what if it's what if Jesus' call to be a witness isn't so much a mission strategy as it is a social assignment? So what if the call to be a witness isn't so much a geograph as geographical as it is relational? Let me explain. When Jesus calls us to be a witness in Jerusalem, I think he's empowering us to be a witness to those closest to us. You see, for the disciples, Jerusalem was home, it was familiar, it was comfortable, predictable. These were their family, family members, their friends, their neighbors, coworkers. These were people who were in their daily lives. This is where witness starts. Sometimes we can dream about reaching nations while neglecting our own homes. We can post about revivals that are that are happening in other parts of the world, but we won't even have a spiritual conversation at the dinner table. So before God sends us across the oceans, he usually sends us across the room. So but here's what I've noticed. Sometimes those closest to us are the hardest to reach. Sometimes, oh wow, I've never heard an amen. I've been here for like six months. I've never heard an amen so loud at IS, all right? Apparently I hit something today. Sometimes those closest to us are the hardest to reach, all right? Now I know I know so many young people who are who are bold at living out their faith, you know, on their campus, in front of their friends, at their workplace, but for some reason they haven't figured out how to honor God or honor their parents in their own home. I mean, I talked to so many fathers who are trying to live with integrity at work, but they're not sure how to pray with their kids before bed. I talked to, I see so many ladies who are involved with a soap group or a life group, but they don't know how to pray with their husbands. You see, I I grew up with an incredible dad. Um, he worked hard to provide for my family, all right? But he wasn't a very affectionate father, meaning that he he wasn't a dad who gave out a lot of hugs, all right? This is how my dad showed affection to me. I love you, son. You know, that was about it. You know, I didn't expect any more, you know, that it was a good handshake, and that that was it. But but he was a great dad. I'm not I'm not complaining at all. He was a great dad, but but when I was a university student, I got super involved with discipleship and with my local church, and and and and and the Lord spoke to me, spoke to my heart about my relationship with my father. And I and I felt like God said to me that I was supposed to give my dad a hug every time I saw him. Now I can only remember hugging my dad one time in my whole childhood, alright? It was when I was 12 years old. Uh, he bought me the original Nintendo um in 1987 for Christmas, alright? I'm talking the one with Super Mario Brothers and Duck Hunt, alright? Um, and and I remember opening up that present on Christmas morning, and I was so overjoyed to get the Nintendo that I jumped up and I and I hugged my dad, and I still remember being like, Merry Christmas, you know, like you know, he didn't he didn't know what to do, you know. It just wasn't in his his nature, right? And and that's now I'm sure, I'm sure he hugged me more than that, alright? I'm sure he did, but that's all that I can remember. So, so as a university student, I feel like God's working in my heart, and I'm supposed to hug my dad every time I see him. So at semester break, um, you know, I drive home, I come home for Christmas break for the semester break, and uh, and and I gave my father the most awkward hug in the history of hugs. I mean, it was two people who aren't very affectionate trying to put their arms around each other, all right? So it's very, very awkward. And and then when I left to go back for university, I gave him a hug goodbye. All right, now get this. That was 30, that was more than 30 years ago. And I have this incredible relationship with my father. And still to this day, every time I see him, I give him a hug. And can I tell you something? It's still very awkward and still very strange looking, all right? It has not improved in over 30 years, all right? But here's what I want to say. The hardest people to witness to are often the people who know us best. The hardest people to witness to are oftentimes the those who know us best. The hardest people uh that they know our flaws, they know our failures, our inconsistencies, right? They they they know uh they they know how we've failed. Yet Jesus says, start here. Start with your Jerusalem because transformed lives preach loudest to those who knew the old you. So who is your Jerusalem? I think Jesus would ask. Is it a parent? Is it a brother or sister? A coworker? Who is close enough to see your life but still needs to hear your witness? Who is close enough to see your life, but still needs to hear your witness? I can still remember the day when I knew I was old. Um, one of the worst things a young person ever said to me is um we were getting ready to go rock climbing. I was working with university students, we go rock climbing, and I was like, and I we're with a group, and I'm like, oh man, I love to rock climb. And one of the students goes, Oh yeah, Pastor Jamie, you look like you used to be an athlete. What do you mean, used to? You know, I was like, I'm still young, I still am an athlete, all right? And I thought, man, that was in a crowd. I was like, man, I'm still young, I can still keep up with you. And and and lately I've been doing a lot of mentoring and meeting with a lot of the young adults here at IES. And I was thinking this past week, I remember there was a time where young adult ministry was so easy for me because you know, I would sit down and we would relate and I could get on their level. And now when I meet with a young adult, it feels like missionary work, you know, it's like cross-cultural, you know, like we're just there, there's a distance in us now, all right? But Jesus tells his disciples that they will receive power to be a witness in Jerusalem to those closest to them. But he also says to Judea, these are the people who are like you, who are similar to you. Uh Judea represents people who were geographically and culturally connected to the disciples. These were people who spoke the same language, shared traditions, understood the same customs. They had similar lives. You see, the gospel spreads most quickly in common community. The gospel spreads most quickly in common community. Uh uh the gospel spreads most naturally and rapidly through relational and cultural proximity. Among those who already share uh uh the common language, values, experience, and trust. Now that doesn't diminish cross-cultural missions, but it highlights this biblical reality that people are often reached first through people they identify with. That's why so many of you are such great life group leaders. Because, man, you're connecting with people at that same stage of life, maybe similar background. It's natural for the gospel, for ministry to take place with people who are who are similar to you, have the same similar same background or same struggles or same age. It's so funny because I was meeting together with a group of young adult young leaders here at IS, and uh, and it was so great. I was having so much fun laughing with them, and and we talked about the future of the church and and we're kind of casting some vision, and and then we all kind of finished up uh at around uh at around 10 p.m. All right, and so uh so I'm I'm ready to go home and go to bed at 10 p.m. And I'm listening to these young leaders, and they're saying, Hey, where do y'all want to go now? And I was like, I'm going to bed. It's 10 o'clock, and I thought, wow, this is man, what a cross-cultural moment for me. I'm getting ready for bed, and they're making plans to go out. All right. So, so the gospel spreads most naturally or most quickly in common community, but Jesus doesn't stop with Judea. He also said to go to Samaria and to the ends of the earth. Why? Because the gospel it must move us beyond our comfort zone. Now, healthy churches do both. Deep local witness among familiar and intentional missions beyond the familiar. The church becomes unhealthy when it only reaches people who are who look like them, who think alike, who vote alike, who dress alike, and live alike. The spirit empowers both familiar witness and boundary crossing missions. You see, Judea is our starting point, but not our stopping point. Judea is our starting point, but not our stopping point. For the disciples, Samaria was not primarily about distance. It was about discomfort. You see, Samaria represented a people that they would not naturally choose to go out and reach. When Jesus says, You will be my witnesses in Samaria, Jesus is confronting their prejudice and their preference, their fear and their social division. You see, this isn't merely a missions verse, it's a gospel challenge to cross human barriers. Jews and Samaritans uh had centuries of hostility, different ethnicity, different worship practices, different history, different worldview. Many Jews avoided Samaritans altogether, yet Jesus intentionally includes them in his mission. Why? Because the gospel is not limited to those who are just like us. The gospel is not limited to people who are like us. Samaria represented people we would naturally avoid. Jerusalem is comfortable. Judea is Samaria, is familiar. Samaria, now that's complicated. I mean, every one of us has a Samaria. You know a person who is EGR? You guys know EGR? Extra grace required. You know, I mean like God always puts someone in your life that takes a little bit extra grace, a little extra love. Go ahead and point at them right now. No, just kidding. You know, I'm just talking about you. No, I'm just kidding, that would be terrible, right? So we guys like, all right, so, so, but, but what we instinctively avoid those situations, right? We instinctively avoid those kind of people who are who are different or are difficult or that that that that make us feel uncomfortable. They're they're outside our normal world. For some, Samaria might be someone of another religion or political ideology, social class, generation, ethnicity, or personality type. But Jesus intentionally mentioned Samaria because he knew the disciples would have skipped over them. Jesus always sends us towards the people we would naturally stay away from. Jesus always sends us towards people we would naturally stay away from. Now, some of you are getting to know my wife Tasha, um, and we are, it's true opposites attract, alright? I mean, we couldn't be uh be more opposite. One of the great things about our marriage is she never wants to be on stage or touch the microphone, which is great, because I never want to give up the microphone, all right? So it works really well, all right. People are like, what's the secret to your marriage? There you go. All right. So, so, but here's the thing is is uh one of the most attractive a qual one of the most attractive qualities of Tasha to me is her ability to spot the outsider, the quiet ones, the ones who are who are who are overlooked. She uh those who those who are new or not connected, she's got this ability to find those who feel like they're still on the outside and bring them in. You see, I have the exact opposite ability. I can have a hundred conversations that are about 10 seconds long. All right. I can greet every one of you tonight. Whereas maybe Tasha has one or two conversations, but she's building deep connection with them. I wish I was more like Tasha. You see, the gospel always moves towards outsiders, the gospel always moves towards outsiders. You see, the final phrase of Acts 1.8 reveals the full scope of Jesus' mission. The gospel was always meant for the nations. From the beginning, God's heart has always been global. The story of Scripture is not merely Jesus redeeming or saving an individual. It's about God redeeming people from every tribe, language, and nation. I mean, I mean, those of you who did the 21-week read through Revelation, right? Uh, that that soap reading, uh, the first half of the year, we read time and time again that that people from every tribe, tongue, and nation are worshiping the Lord. And Jesus' final command before he ascends was not build comfortable churches. It wasn't take my name, his command was take my name to the nations. The ends of the earth means people who still have no access to the gospel. This is more than geographical, it's about the gospel access. The Great Commission is not finished because the Great Invitation has not reached everyone. The Great Commission is not finished because the Great Invitation has not yet reached everyone. So, in answering this simple and important question, what makes the church the church? The word of God changes lives, everyone is welcome, God answers prayer, experiences the presence of God, and today I want us to see missional living. That what makes the church the church is when we live on mission. Acts 2 gave gives us this framework of a community so transformed by Jesus that they change the world. And here's what I want us to see: the result of a church that is committed to discipleship, fellowship, prayer, and worship. That we find in Acts chapter 2, it says that each day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. Daily the Lord, when we are a church that's committed to these things, that are that are committed to what makes the church the church, and that the result of it is people's lives are transformed. That people are saved, that more are brought into the kingdom, that it says the Lord added to their fellowship, added daily to their number those who were being saved. Here's what I want to say here at IES, we will grow. Turn to the person next to you and say, we will grow. I want us to understand the simple statement. These last five weeks of this, what makes the church the church has led us to this one moment. The call of God on this church, the call of God on me, and the call of God on you. That we will grow. That if we commit ourselves to fellowship, to discipleship, to worship, to prayer, the the net the spiritual result is growth. That's why we're renovating the seventh floor for our kids, because we will grow. Man, every Sunday night we have over 150 young adults coming to IS. Why? Because we will grow. We started at 9.30 a.m. I don't know what teenager would come to church at 9.30 a.m., but we have them, alright? But every Sunday morning at 9 30, we have teens ministry happening in the chapel. Because we're running out of room for the teens at 11 30. Why? Because we will grow. Every week at 11 30, the chapel is filled with overflow, with too many, we don't have enough. Chairs here in the main auditorium to fit everybody. Why? Because we will grow. Here's what I want to say. Because we're growing as a church, because not because of anything I can do or you can do, but because we're committed to discipleship. The word of God changes lives, that everyone is welcome. To pray, God answers prayer and to the uh the presence of God. Because we're committed to those things, the natural result is spiritual growth. So we're gonna need to make more space. Somebody told me that maybe we should have people start reserving their seats before they come to church, and I thought, nah, I don't think we need to make a reservation to meet with Jesus. I think he's always available. I was meeting with a consultant um about two or three weeks ago, and I was telling him about our problem that we're outgrowing this auditorium already. And they said, Well, well, why don't you get uh smaller seats so you can feed more fit more people? And I was like, Never. I love our chairs, all right? We have the most comfortable church in all of Jakarta, you know, these chairs, so we were just like, yeah, all right. I mean, everyone, that's like my favorite thing about this auditorium is the wider chairs, all right. So we're not changing that, all right? Uh but so what can we do? How do we make room for more? If we're gonna reach more people, what should we do? I know we're gonna have to make space. We're gonna need some men to volunteer to be ushers, to help people who are coming in to help find seats. As we get more and more full, that we have some volunteers to say, hey, you you we got two seats here, we got four seats here. How many do you need? We're gonna need some people to help assist others to find seats. You see, 50% of our church walks in those doors after worship already begins. I know it's not you guys. I'm talking about Sunday morning people, uh, not you guys. You guys are here early and on time, right? So, but but but but but because of that, man, I'm looking for some men to say, you know what, I can volunteer twice a month to help people find seats as they come in during the worship time. We're gonna need some of the ladies to volunteer to be greeters, that we have, you know, three doors here. We have the lobby on the first floor, we have the elevators, we've got uh when the elevators on the top floor when you come up to hear that we're gonna need to create a more welcoming place so that when people walk in burdened and broken, that someone is there to greet them and say, I'm glad you're here. Man, it would be my dream to have somebody go from parking lot to seat and be greeted four different times by people so that everyone knows, man, this is the most friendly place in all of Jakarta. I was also thinking, like, this is like my crazy idea. Should we get baskets to put under like every third seat so that that instead of uh uh putting uh your your purse or your bag on the seat next to you, maybe you put it in a basket and then you slide it under the seat so that we have more seating capacity for people. I don't know, that's just uh an idea that I that I have, or some of you can can you know maybe you know move to the middle or try to make room as people come in that they can find a seat more easily. I I don't know what it is, but but this is what I do know. Jesus has called us to reach more people. That's what I do know, that that if as we commit ourselves to these biblical principles, the natural result is we will grow. Now, you may look around and say, man, aren't aren't we big enough? Aren't we a big enough church? Well, let me tell you about one of my friends who grew up in church and then walked away from the Lord. For years. Although he grew up knowing Jesus and coming to church and going to Sokola Mingu and doing all of that, when he got to university, he walked away from church and never came back. Man, for years his father and and and mother prayed for him, but but he had no interest in religion, Jesus, or coming back to church. But one weekend, he was visiting his parents and they had a deal. If you stay at our house on a Saturday night, you gotta come to church with us Sunday morning, all right? So after a oh, there we go. So after a late night out at the bars, he comes to church Sunday morning, because that was the deal he had with his parents. And of course he comes in late. You know, worship is already happening, and he told me that as he walked in, it already looked like every seat was full. And and he was, he thought, you know what, it's already full in the church. I'm already late. I'm just gonna turn around and go and leave. I'll tell my parents I tried my best, but there were no seats. But as he goes to turn to leave, somebody spotted him and said, Oh, hey, there's a spot right here. Now what's he gonna do, right? He said, I I now I was caught, all right? So he's oh thank you. And so he goes in, he walks, kind of slides down the aisle during the singing time, stands in the middle, stays for the service, and at the end of the sermon, he starts to weep during the singing time. And he realized, man, I I gotta get things right with God. And I've grown too far from him. It's been years since I've been in the presence of God, and it was in that moment that he committed, recommitted his life to Jesus. He bowed his head and said, Lord Jesus, would you forgive me of my sins? I'm gonna commit my life to you. Never underestimate the power of praying parents. I've been thinking, I've been waiting for this moment all month long because I was thinking, years of faithful prayers by a father and mother were answered in an unexpected way. One person saying, Hey, there's an empty seat right here. You couldn't have scripted that. You know, the parents have been praying, God, bring my son back to church, bring my son back to Jesus. And because one person before he left said, hey, there's an open seat right here, God transformed that young person's lives. Some of you might say, or some might say, Oh, that guy should have gotten here earlier, he should have gotten here on time, or maybe another church would have reached him. But if that was your friend or family member that you've been praying for years, and they finally so show up to church, you'd be pretty grateful that he, that people made space for him. That's oh hey, I'll scoot down one, or hey, there's an empty seat for you right here. Let's be a church that makes space for one more person. That says, hey, there's an empty seat right here. Hey, you can uh we'll make room, we'll let you slide down the row and let you sit here. Because as we commit ourselves to biblical principles, we will grow. You see, in many ways, that story is all our stories. That the Lord has made room for you and for me. You see, we were all outside of uh of God's plans and purposes because of our sin and selfishness, and we can't make it to heaven on our own, right? I mean, it's not about how good we are, it's not about how fair we are or how we treat people. I mean, we can look around and say, man, there are people far worse than me, right? We're so good at trying to secure our place in heaven, but the Bible makes it clear that we've all sinned and fall short of God's standard. I mean, Isaiah even puts it this way our righteousness are as filthy rags, meaning the best you and I can do in God's eyes are like dirty, leprous rags. So the consequences of my sin, the consequences of your selfishness is death, eternal separation from God and his goodness. But God made room for us. Knowing we couldn't save ourselves, Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead provided a place in heaven for you and for me. And to reserve that place, it's not about trying harder or being a better person. It's as simple as A B C to admit that you're a sinner, to believe in Jesus, and to commit your life to following him. And if you do that, the Bible says you will be saved. Anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. I hope you enjoyed today's sermon. Feel free to contact us with any questions through our Instagram. You can share this podcast with others. And until next time, may God bless you and keep you.