"No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish," Kennedy said. The president cautioned Congress that the cost would be significant, more than $9 billion in 1960s dollars. Congress accepted the challenge. Kennedy's vision guided NASA's human space flight program from the beginning. Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions were designed with his objective in mind. Despite skeptics who thought it could not be accomplished, Kennedy's dream became a reality on July 20, 1969, when Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong took a small step for himself and a giant step for humanity, leaving a dusty trail of footprints on the moon. That vision and mission changed our country’s attitude and goals.

Standing before his disciples Jesus gave a greater vision and greater mission to be accomplished. “Go and make disciples of all nations.” There were no airplanes, telephone, internet, cell phone, printing press, nor radio or any mass means of communication other than telling the message by word of mouth. But the power behind the command was not a joint session of the Congress of the United States not the budget of 9 billion dollars but the power of the Holy Spirit working through the means of grace of the gospel in Word and Sacrament. That vision and mission of Jesus compelled the disciples according to Jesus command in the direction for their life and service to the Lord.

The mission Jesus placed before his disciples before he ascended into heaven is the mission that drives what we do as a congregation at Eastside. We have put into words our vision and mission for this congregation in words that are based on Jesus command to his disciples.  GROWING IN JESUS AND TELLING OF HIS LOVE!

In January when the leaders of congregation met in a retreat setting to better understand our work as a congregation and ways in which we can communicate that message about Jesus. The leaders asked that we as pastors break down our mission statement into baby steps. Not only did the leaders want the congregation to know our mission statement: GROWING IN JESUS AND TELLING OF HIS LOVE but that we as a congregation and as individuals be able to carry it out. 

Our Lord has placed before us A MISSION TO GROW. The Psalmist helps us focus on the Christian’s faith life by giving us a picture of what a growing believer looks like. “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. ² But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. ³ He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”

Grasping the meaning of the Psalmist words are important. Perhaps it is helpful to think of the strongest Christian you have ever read about in the Bible or you have ever met in real life. Martin Luther living in the 1500’s immediately saw Jesus Christ as he looked at the description of the man being described in this psalm. Jesus certainly stayed away from sinful influences ruling his life and behavior. He loved the instruction of the Lord. He produced fruits of faith. He did that all for you perfectly.

Perhaps we see other people in the Bible like Abraham, Job, Hannah, the Apostle Paul, Mary the sister of Martha, or the widow who gave all she had to the Lord. Each one of these people displayed different aspects of the things pictured in Psalm One.  Perhaps as you think of the strongest Christian you have met you think of a parent or grandparent or neighbor of congregation member. The people that come to my mind had real challenges and relied on God’s promises and showed their love for God and his Word in the midst of real adversity.

The Psalmist describes a believing man or woman who is growing. Three things characterize or describe the growing Christian: #1.Avoid the sinful influences #2 Love the instruction of the Lord and #3. Produce fruits of faith.

 

 The growing Christian first avoids sinful influences. The Psalmist describes those aggressive actions in three ways: #1 He or she does not walk with or in the counsel of the person that continues to desire to go against the will of God because that person is a wicked person and an unbeliever. #2. He or she does not stand in the way of sinners meaning to spend time with and get to know and follow the ways of the person who lives his or her life against the will of God. #3. He or she does not sit in the seat of mockers or spend time with those who don’t accept the will of God in their life and do everything to put it down.

 

The growing Christian secondly has a love for the instruction of the Lord. He or she takes time and makes time knowing what God has revealed about himself and what he wants his followers to do each day of their life. The growing Christian thirdly desires to bring forth fruits of faith.

 

The growing Christian not only loves God but shows that love for God in his or her love for others. The Holy Spirit works in his or her heart the desire to practice the fruits of faith such as kindness, gentleness, and self control.

 

The question we want to keep asking ourselves the rest of our lives. What needs to happen to continue to make that growing believer in Christ Jesus be you or me? What changed the attitude of the United States in May of 1961? President Kennedy laid before the congress and the nation some smart goals. Smart goals are s- that specific. Go to the moon. Smart goals are m that is measurable. Go to the moon by the end of the decade. Smart goals are a-attainable. That probably was debatable at the time of the speech. The next one is r – realistic was also debatable at the time. The last one was t- time framed that is by the end of the decade.

 

What is driving your desire to grow in Jesus? Do you have any smart goals that assist you in carrying out the desire to better know the promises of God and the certainty of his love in a world of evil influences filled with anger, rage and lust.

 

In the bulletin is one way to get you to think about some smart goals for your growth in Jesus. Be specific about when you will hear and  study God’s Word. Make those goals measurable as you see in option A, Option B, Option C. Look at your worship of God, reading God’s Word and your prayer life. Whether you pick Option A, B or  C or develop your own it does not make you a better Christian but a growing Christian.

 

Look at the encouragement of the Apostle Peter in our epistle lesson for today: “Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. ¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever!.” The blessings of being in the Word and hearing those promises are real. The fruit of that growth is the joy, peace and contentment that the Apostle Paul wrote about and lived. Mary understood the need for the one thing needful as she sat at the feet of Jesus in a care filled world.

 

Our mission as a congregation is based on the words of Jesus. The power to carry out that mission as a congregation and as individuals comes from the Holy Spirit who caused the Psalmist to write the words of Psalm one. May we continue to experience the blessings of delighting in the instruction of the Lord and may we continue to prosper as a tree planted by the streams of water.