Life360 Conway
Sunday Service November 9, 2025
  • Lord I Lift Your Name On High
  • Lord Send Revival
  • King Of Kings
  • O Praise The Name (Anástasis)
  • Revelation Song

      • 2 Corinthians 10:5NLT

      • 2 Timothy 2:23NLT

      • Romans 12:2NIV2011

  • Summary: The theme 'The Unfinished Task' reflects the ongoing mission of the Church to share the Gospel and impact the world, echoing Jesus' command to make disciples of all nations.
    Application: This message empowers Christians to recognize their role in fulfilling the Great Commission, inspiring them to overcome barriers and actively participate in God's mission.
    Teaching: The sermon emphasizes the importance of every believer's involvement in the ongoing work of sharing the Gospel, illustrating how each person's unique gifts and circumstances can contribute to the completion of this divine task.
    How this passage could point to Christ: The entire Bible points to Christ's role as the Savior who commissioned His followers to continue His work, illustrating that the Great Commission is not just a command but a response to His love and sacrifice.
    Big Idea: Every believer is called to play a crucial role in completing the unfinished task of spreading the Gospel and making disciples, fueled by Christ’s love and empowerment.
    Recommended Study: As you prepare, consider examining articles in your Logos library regarding missiology, especially those that discuss the historical context of the Great Commission. Pay attention to any theological debates around the implications of this command for various cultures. You might also find studies on contemporary obstacles to evangelism insightful, as well as commentaries that address any linguistic nuances in key biblical texts related to missions.

    1. Authority Affirms Our Mission

    Matthew 28:16-18
    You could begin by highlighting the authority of Christ in the Great Commission. This section shows how all authority has been given to Jesus, and thus, our task is under His supreme power. Emphasizing His authority reassures believers that they are sent under divine mandate and governance, equipping their hearts with confidence and courage. It can be an opportunity to inspire trust in Jesus' sovereignty over all nations and peoples, which can dispel fears of inadequacy and release believers from hesitancy.

    2. Active Participation in His Call

    Matthew 28:19-20
    Perhaps explore the command given to make disciples of all nations. This section is a call to action, emphasizing the role of each believer in actively participating in God's mission. You might consider illustrating practical ways to engage in disciple-making, focusing on baptism and teaching as responses to Christ's love. This approach invites the audience to reflect on their unique capabilities and how they can be utilized in sharing the faith and incorporating new believers into the community of God's people.

    3. Empowered by His Spirit

    Acts 1:7-8
    Maybe consider discussing the empowerment by the Holy Spirit. Here, before Jesus ascends, He promises the Holy Spirit as the power source for fulfilling the task. Emphasizing this promise reassures believers they are not alone or powerless in this divine task. This point can serve as an encouragement to tap into the Spirit's guidance and strength for courage and creativity in evangelism. It's a moment to challenge listeners to rely on the Spirit for opportunities to witness in both local and global contexts.

  • Conversation with God

    Prayer is addressing and petitioning God.
    A classic definition of Christian prayer is “an offering up of our desire unto God, for things agreeable to His will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgement of His mercies.
    Christian prayer is the end product of a long process of change and development in God’s relationship to us.
    How satisfied are you with your current prayer life? Why?

    Prayer in the Old Testament

    Prayer shows itself early in the Bible in how Adam and Eve walked with God in the garden. When sin, however, broke this intimate direct relationship prayer did not vanish.
    God called Abram to leave his homeland and move to a place where God promised him to make him into a great nation. Genesis 15
    After God changed his name, Abraham, prayed for Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 18.
    Jacob’s wrestling with the angel at Peniel (Genesis 32) is an example of boldness and directness in making a request of God.
    Genesis 32:22–31 NIV
    22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. 28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” 29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” 31 The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.

    Prayer in the Old Testament

    Prayer is a gift we have been given by God to shoot through the separation between God and man to reach closeness and intimacy with God.
    More than that, however, The basis of a person’s approach to God in prayer is never simply “man’s search for God” but God’s gracious initiative, the establishing of the covenant, and the promise of help and deliverance on the basis of that covenant. It is this covenant relationship that gives the authority for prayer.
    We see that relationship again and again in scripture. Aaron, Samuel, Solomon, Hezekiah, and King David are all seen in scripture praying.
    Many of the Psalms are prayers.
    The prophets were men who prayed, and God’s Word came to them. Men like Isaiah and Jeremiah’s ministries are characterized by times of conflict and prayer.
    During the exile in Babylon men like Daniel were know for their prayers.
    Others like Nehemiah prayed as the city of Jerusalem and the temple are being rebuilt.

    Prayer in the New Testament

    The New Testament’s teaching on prayer is dominated by Christ’s own example and teaching. His dependence on His Father in His work expresses itself in repeated prayer, culminating in his high-priestly prayer and the agony of Gethsemane with the prayer from the cross.
    The parables are a large source of Christ’s teaching that emphasizes persistence in prayer.
    Luke 18:1–8 NIV
    1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
    Christ emphasizes simplicity and humility in prayer
    Luke 18:10–14 NIV
    10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
    He also emphasizes tenacity
    Luke 11:5–8 NIV
    5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

    Prayer in the New Testament

    The rest of the New Testament show examples of prayer all over. Whether it be the examples of the church praying in the book of Acts, or the letters written by Paul.
    There are two things I want you take away with you today, Prayer is important, but it is also complex.
    The Biblical examples I just gave you should highlight the importance of prayer. Just like fasting when Jesus said, when you fast, expecting that you will do it, he also talks about prayer in the same way saying “when you pray”.
    I want to highlight something, It is not that we have to pray, but that we get to pray.
    Prayer is not meant to be seen as a chore, but a chance. A chance to speak to our creator, A chance to learn from Him, a chance to build relationship with Him. A chance for Him to speak to you. A chance for God to use you so you can fulfill your purpose.
    What makes prayer challenging for you?

    How do we pray?

    Luke 11:1 NIV
    1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
    Did you know this is the only example we have in scripture where the disciples ask Jesus how to do something?
    How would you feel if someone asked you to teach them to pray?
    His answer is recorded in two places in Luke 11 and Matthew 6. Let me read to you the prayer in Matthew 6:9-13
    Matthew 6:9–13 NIV
    9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
    Let’s look over that again and break that down line by line… [break down the Lord’s prayer].
    So, How do we learn to pray? You pray.
    But what if I don’t know what to pray? Ask the Holy Spirit, Jesus said in John 16:23–25 “23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. 25 “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father.”
    In Acts 2 we find that after the coming of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost that the early church was characterized by prayer, meaning people prayed together, just as we do every Sunday Acts 2:42 “42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
    Petition God in times of difficulty Acts 12:5 “5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.” Acts 12:12–14 “12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!””
    The only way to get better at prayer is to pray, so that is what we are going to do for five minutes. I’m not going to give you any spacifics or prayer requests, but instead I want you all to take time to communicate with God. If the Holy Spirit highlights something that you need to pray for, do it, but this is your time. We will come back together in five minutes.
    [5 minute music and prayer]
    What did you pray about for your five minutes?
    What do you hope to get out of praying, what goals do you have from prayer?
  • Psalm 95:1–7 NIV
    1 Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. 3 For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if only you would hear his voice,
    This Psalm describes what worship was like and why it was important for Israel. It shows what worshipo looks like.
    Worship has changed over the years. The 1500 years from the days of Abraham to the time of Ezra (1900-450 BC) saw many great changes in the form of worship in Israel. Abraham built altars and offered sacrifice wherever God appeared to him.
    In Moses’ time the tabernacle served as a portable sanctuary for the tribes of Israel.
    Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem lasted more than three centuries until its destruction by the Babylonians in 586 BC.
    When the Jews returned they build a new temple which, though less spendid than it predecessor, at least until Herod the Great renovated it, has served as the center of Jewish worship to this day. Though the temple buildings were destroyed the foundations still exist and the Jews still pray at the western wall or the (wailing) wall.
    The form of worship changed with times and situations, its heart and center did not. God revealed himself to Abraham, promising that his children would inherit the land of Canaan.
    Abraham demonstrated his faith thorough prayers and sacrifice. Throughout the bible period listening to God’s Word, prayer, and sacrifice constituted the essence of worship. The promises of Abraham were constantly recalled as the basis of Israel’s existence as a nation and its right to the land of Canaan.
    Modern people tend to restrict worship to what happens in teh church on Sunday. Ancient Israel had a much broader concept of worship, offering worship in the home as well as in the temple several times a day, not merely on the sabbath and at great festivals. Worship involved both the individual and family and the whole nation.
    There are other examples of worship in scripture.
    Matthew 28:8–9 NIV
    8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.
    This is a very intimate form of worship.
    John 4:21–24 NIV
    21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
    God does not need a temple to meet with us and we don’t need a temple to worship Him. We have access to Him and can worship Him in spirit and in truth now, where we are.
    Romans 12:1 NIV
    1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
    We must sacrifice ourselves - our pride - humble ourselves - GET OVER YOURSELF
    1 Corinthians 12:1–11 NIV
    1 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
    We worship God, honor Him, we we operate in the gift of the Spirit
    1 Corinthians 14:26 NIV
    26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.
    When what we do honors God and builds up the church that is worship. Whether it is in song, teaching, prophecy, words of knowledge, speaking in tongues, or interpretation of tongues.
    Worship is anything that surrenders our flesh and lives in the freedom that God has created us for.
    There is not a prescribed way to worship in scripture.
    This statement is true, but there are some qualifiers.
    Worship Is…
    Surrender
    Freedom
    How do we determined what to surrender? Simply this, what freedom granted by God are you holding back?
    While there isn’t a “right way” to worship it is about the state of your heart.
    How you worship is a choice between you and God - Do you honor God with your worship? Do you honor Him with your actions and reactions?
    Worship is a life changing experiance - if your worship isn’t life changing you need to pray. Communicate with God and see how He wants to be worshiped by you.
    As long as it flows from the gifts of the spirit and reflects the fruit of the spirit there is not any law against it, nor would any church worth its salt stop you from worshiping God.
    [closing comments]
    [prayer]

      • Psalm 95:1–7NLT

      • Matthew 28:8–9NLT

      • John 4:21–24NLT

      • Romans 12:1NLT

      • 1 Corinthians 12:1–11NLT

      • 1 Corinthians 14:26NLT

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