Who We Are: A Redeemed People Who Remember, Go, and Follow
On paper, this Sunday looked “different.”
Baptism. Mission trip reports. The Lord’s Supper. A shorter sermon.
But as was pointed out, this wasn’t a break from the “Who We Is / Who We Are” series at all—this was the series in real time.
- Baptism – people connected by Jesus
- The Lord’s Supper – a body connected by Jesus
- Mission report – believers serving for Jesus and going with Jesus
- The sermon – helping us keep growing in Jesus
In other words: connect, grow, serve, go… all in one morning.
This blog is a recap of that day, and a practical guide for how you can live it out this week.
1. Why “Going” Is the Hardest Step (But Also the Most Life-Changing)
You heard from the El Salvador team—people at different ages and stages who all said the same essential thing:
“I had excuses. I hesitated. I almost didn’t go.
But I wish I had gone sooner.”
The Struggle to Go
We’re usually okay with:
- Connecting (coming to church)
- Growing (listening, learning, attending a group)
- Serving (when it fits our schedule)
But that last part—going—feels scary:
- It costs money.
- It costs time.
- It feels risky.
- It pushes us out of comfort and routine.
And yet, every testimony sounded like this:
- “I delayed… and now my biggest regret is waiting.”
- “I thought I was going to help them; they ended up changing me.”
- “I was afraid I was too old / too out of shape / too inexperienced… but God used me anyway.”
Mission trips like El Salvador put your faith in 3D:
- You see poverty and yet deep joy.
- You watch believers share what little they have.
- You serve all day—“If you’re not sleeping, you’re serving.”
- You realize how blessed you are… and how much you’ve taken for granted.
If you feel even the slightest nudge toward missions—local or global—
don’t ignore it. Pray into it. Ask questions. Take a step.
2. Why Jesus Came as a Suffering Servant, Not a Flashy King
(Isaiah 52:13–53:6)
When we turned to Isaiah, the picture of Jesus was not what many expected:
Not:
- A glamorous public figure
- A powerful military hero
- A king with earthly pomp, comfort, and applause
Instead, Scripture describes Him as:
- Disfigured and marred (52:14)
- Without beauty or majesty to attract us (53:2)
- Despised and rejected (53:3)
- Pierced and crushed for us (53:5)
Why would God send His Son like that?
Because we didn’t primarily need:
- A political fix
- A temporary king
- A better system
We needed something deeper:
We needed a Savior to deal with our sin.
3. Two Ways We Sin: Wandering & “I Don’t Care”
Isaiah 53:6 says:
“We all, like sheep, have gone astray;
we have turned—each one—to our own way…”
That’s two layers of our problem.
1️⃣ Wandering Sin – “Oops, I drifted.”
Like sheep, we:
- Drift without noticing
- Step away from the flock and the Shepherd
- Ignore warning signs and find ourselves in a mess
We didn’t wake up planning to rebel. But we got careless, distracted, or spiritually lazy—and wandered.
2️⃣ “I Don’t Care” Sin – “I know, but I’m doing it anyway.”
This is more intentional:
- “I know what the Bible says, but here’s what I think.”
- “I know what God is asking, but I’m not ready.”
- “I know I should serve / forgive / go, but I’m too busy.”
We might never use the words “God, I don’t care” out loud…
but our actions say it for us.
Whether it’s naïve wandering or conscious defiance, the result is the same:
Sin separates us from a holy God.
“The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)
We don’t just need help. We need rescue.
4. The Good News: Our Guilt on Him, His Peace to Us
Isaiah 53:5–6 paints the heart of the gospel:
- “He was pierced for our transgressions.”
- “He was crushed for our iniquities.”
- “The punishment that brought us peace was on Him.”
- “The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
This is substitution.
Jesus:
- Took our wandering sin
- Took our “I don’t care” sin
- Took the punishment we earned
So that:
- We could be forgiven
- We could be reconciled
- We could have peace with God
We are not saved by:
- Balancing out our bad with good
- Being “better than most people”
- Cleaning ourselves up first
We are saved because Jesus did for us what we could never do for ourselves.
5. Why We Take the Lord’s Supper: Not Guilt, but Gratefulness
The Lord’s Supper is not a ritual to check off.
It’s a celebration of redemption.
- The bread reminds us of His broken body—He was “disfigured beyond human likeness” for us.
- The cup reminds us of His shed blood—poured out so our sins could truly be forgiven.
We don’t celebrate:
- How deeply we’ve sinned.
We celebrate: - How far His grace has gone to redeem us.
It’s also a moment to:
- Examine our hearts
- Confess both wandering and “I don’t care” sin
- Re-surrender our lives to the One who bought us
6. So… What Do We Do Now?
Here’s how you can respond this week:
If you’ve never surrendered to Christ:
You can start right where you are.
- Agree with God about your sin.
“God, I’ve gone my own way. I’ve sinned—both by wandering and by choosing my own way.” - Believe that Jesus paid for your sin.
“I believe Jesus died for me, was pierced and crushed for my sins, and rose again.” - Commit your life to Him.
“I surrender. I don’t want to run my life my way anymore. I want to follow You.”
Tell Him that in your own words. Then tell someone else and take a next step—talk to a pastor, share it with a friend, ask about baptism.
If you’re already a follower of Jesus:
1. Do a Heart Check
Ask honestly:
- Where have I wandered?
- Where am I effectively saying, “I know what God says, but…”?
Confess those areas. Receive His forgiveness. Don’t stay stuck in shame—move forward in grace.
2. Remember Intentionally
Sometime this week:
- Read Isaiah 53:4–6 slowly.
- Thank Jesus for specific parts: “You took my pain… my iniquity… my punishment.”
Let it move from “general truth” to “personal reality.”
3. Take One Step Toward “Go”
- Ask God: “Are You nudging me toward a mission trip? Local outreach? A specific person?”
- If El Salvador, Jamaica, Greece, or another opportunity is on your mind, don’t dismiss it.
- Ask a leader for info.
- Start saving.
- Start praying daily: “Lord, send me where You want me.”
4. Live Like a Redeemed Person
This week, let His sacrifice shape your posture:
- Less complaining, more gratitude
- Less “I’m too busy,” more “Here I am, Lord”
- Less consuming, more contributing
Who We Are
We are:
- A people connected by Jesus
- Growing in Jesus
- Serving for Jesus
- Going with Jesus
Not because we’re impressive, but because we’ve been redeemed.
We don’t just remember that at the Lord’s table once a month.
We live it—Monday through Saturday—wherever He sends us.