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Tag: witness

  • Mission 3 – Who?

    Mission 3 – Who?

    Whatever your mission, whatever the corporate mission of your church: People are more important than things.

    Our mission is not so much what we do or where we go, as it is who we do it for.

    My personal mission, your personal mission and the corporate mission of our churches must minimally include two VIP’s:

    1. THE LORD GOD
    2.  Each person we serve.

    Your mission may have a long laundry list of things to do and places to do them, but ultimately our mission is to go to another in the Name of God and Jesus Christ, to accomplish the mission of the LORD in the life of another.

    Much ado is rightfully made about the great commission. Christ Jesus IS! He alone defeated sin and death. Christ sent His Apostles into ‘all the world’ to preach the Gospel and indeed they went out from Jerusalem into other lands.

    Jesus commands us to take the gospel into the world; however before Jesus and His Disciples went into the world, they first saturated the world nearby and the people they knew and loved with the good news: Our salvation is come in Jesus Christ.

    Repent! for the kingdom of God is at hand. Worship the LORD. God is our loving Father. Your sins are forgiven.

    Matthew 4: English Standard Version (ESV)

    Jesus Ministers to Great Crowds

    23 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.

    IF you and I were to take the Gospel into all the world in the fashion of Jesus’ three-year earthly ministry, we would start at home. Galilee was Jesus’ home state. He was known by others in relation to his home town; for many called our Lord, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’

    • Does your mission to those in your home town and local community show you living a life like Jesus?
    • Is your life good news to your family, your neighbors, your friends?
    • Is your righteousness in Christ Jesus good news of love and forgiveness?
    • Do you dare call your fellow sinners to repentance?
    • Is your daily life an invitation to others to live a godly life like yours?
    • Does your life preach the Gospel throughout all the places you travel in your state and in the world?

    Jesus lived, breathed and walked as ‘GOD in the flesh.’

    GOD did not send Jesus Christ on a mission of miracles, but on a mission to heal sin and save sinners.

    As Jesus taught scripture He demonstrated the saving power of the Word of God. Prior to His death and resurrection Jesus showed us how to be changed in our daily lives. Jesus showed Christians how to love one another as God truly loves us.

    GOD loves us Personally, in the incarnate Person of the Son, Christ Jesus.

    We have many examples in the four Gospels of how Jesus Christ spread the Good News. Jesus repeatedly set aside the ‘TO DO list’ of His brief journeys to be the Good News for individuals personally.

    To the LORD, people are more important than things.

    The NIT’s (Not Important Things) of our “Mission” seem to steal mortal time from the VIP’S (Very Important People) of our lives.

    Jesus Christ has a mission to take the Gospel into the whole world. Our Lord’s mission always takes time for the VIP’s God would save from sin and death.

    Do you have time for these in the mission of your life?

    In our next series [August, 2015] we will examine the Mission of Jesus in the Gospels and look to His example of how our Lord took time to interrupt His Mission to minister to the VIP’s to whom He is sent.

  • And you, who once were alienated

    And you, who once were alienated

    Colossians 1: NKJV 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—

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    Jesus Christ! Friend or foe?

    No other Name evokes such controversy and alienation: not Muhammad, not Buddha, not Obama, not Putin. The world, your workplace, our government: all oppose any suggestion that Christ Jesus IS Lord; that the Lord will judge sinners, that we are created once to die once, to be raised to the judgment and accountability for our sins against our fellow man and enmity against God.

    Wicked works of our daily lives, evil ideas conceived for our advantage over others, evil efforts to bring pleasure at the expense of others – all are rebellious against ANY man or ANY god being Lord over us.

    We must be in charge of our own destiny.  And so we are; for we have choice between the passions of these evil days, with eternal punishment after death, or accepting Jesus Christ as Lord to serve God in exchange for His righteousness leading to eternal life by His grace.

    Before the Lord mercifully called you to peace of your soul and invitation to worship in the body of believers, were you not indignant that Jesus could command you to NOT do those things you have always done, that Jesus could command you to action of love when you would easily ignore the need of another?

    How wicked are our works and deceitful our hearts. Yet by grace we are saved to His love, the love of Christ Jesus in place of the things of this perishing world and pursuits of this decaying flesh.

    Psalm 36

    How Precious Is Your Steadfast Love

    To the choirmaster. Of David, the servant of the Lord.

     Transgression [rebellion] speaks to the wicked
        deep in his heart;
    there is no fear of God
        before his eyes.
    2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes
        that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
    3 The words of his mouth are trouble [iniquity] and deceit;
        he has ceased to act wisely and do good.
    4 He plots trouble while on his bed;
        he sets himself in a way that is not good;
        he does not reject evil.

    5 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
        your faithfulness to the clouds.

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    By contrast to our evil, sinful nature, the Lord is good, full of steadfast love. The Lord is faithful, but we are not.

    The NKJV [v.4] says of the wicked: He does not abhor evil. Christians know this to be true of all who surround us in our workplace, where we dine, shop, and are entertained in spectator sports or even casual observation of those all around us. Do you abhor evil? Or has the world convinced you to ‘tolerate’ evil, even in the holy worship place and communion of our Lord?

    Do not hate evil with hatred, but abhor evil with the love of Jesus which also called you to repentance for your sins.

    And lest we paint ourselves into a sanctuary of perceived righteousness apart from Christ, let us recall with humility the mercy God has already shown us, miserable sinners in His sight.

    Romans 2

    Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

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    Do you rant and rail against abortion, bold christian, while condoning your teens having intercourse before marriage?

    Do you shout out about marriage between one man and one woman, while divorcing your Christian husband or wife to whom you have made your vows before God?

    Our righteousness is only in Christ Jesus. If He is our Lord, our Lord commands us to be merciful to others, as He has shown us much mercy. Surly our Lord requires continued patience with you and with me, grace for the reshaping of our repentant hearts into the clay of His love.

    The witness of Christ, passed on in truth and in love by His Apostles continues in all the generations until the Lord returns again. Paul and Timothy write in their letter to the church at Colossae:

    Colossians 1: ESV [NKJV]

    3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven…

    13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

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    Paul writes to the church of the transformation which takes place that makes believers in Christ Jesus different from the world. The Apostle Paul cautions continued faithfulness in believers, that we might not fall back into our former sinful and wicked ways so evident in those worldly enemies of Christ around us.

    [NKJV] 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

    For how did Paul precede this caution? With the contrast of our redeemed life in Christ Jesus.

    21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—

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    Do not fail to show mercy to others nor to remember the grace by which we were saved.

  • Even unto the end of the world

    Even unto the end of the world

    The Great Commission

    16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

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    Jesus IS. His resurrection after death on the cross proved his place in history and the mercy of God’s intervention in time by His sacrifice for our sins.

    Many events, teachings and miracles were yet to take place between Resurrection Sunday and Pentecost fifty days later, when the risen Christ was taken up into the clouds of heaven in the same manner He will return.

    Matthew 28 [above] closes the Apostle’s Gospel with just a brief outline of the commission of Jesus to all who believe. Matthew witnessed the risen Christ as detailed in other gospels. He makes no attempt of evidence for the truth of the resurrection the Apostle had himself witnessed. Matthew simply presents the great commission of Jesus’ command to go into all the world and preach the Good News (the Gospel).

    Jesus had assured Matthew and the Twelve, “lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” KJV

    In troubled times even unbelievers speak of the ‘the end of the age’ or ‘the end of the world.’ We see and hear false fantasy about the terrible coming of the Lord to judge all creation, although the world would leave out God and Jesus Christ from their fantastic explanations.

    Dear believer in the risen Christ, let us examine the comfort of the loving Son, Jesus, who suffered for your sins and for mine. Let us examine the comfort of knowing that Jesus IS. Let us know with certainty that Jesus IS not only with Matthew and the other Apostles; even now, Jesus IS with you and with me.

    Jesus had appeared to Matthew and the others many times. He had eaten with them even after the resurrection. He taught them as He always had, even explaining how His crucifixion had to fulfill scripture of the Old Testament (the Bible before Christ). Jesus IS and the Apostles understood even after Pentecost, Jesus IS. Whatever happens, Jesus IS. I, GOD, have taught you; you, therefore, teach the world what I have taught!

    And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. – Matthew 28:18-20 KJV

    The Apostle John, the only Apostle who would not be martyred for preaching the Gospel, reveals even more witness of how Jesus IS always with him and with the Apostles and with those who believe.

    John 20: ESV

    19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

    20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

    21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

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    Again, the great commission to the Apostle John and the Twelve. The reassurance and proof of the resurrection of Jesus, the Christ of God, continues:

    26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said,“Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”

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    John adds a statement of other proofs he does not present in his Gospel. (Some of these are later revealed by Peter and others to Mark and Luke). No Gospel explains Jesus’ reasons any better than the Apostle John. John closes his gospel stating his purpose.

    The Purpose of This Book

    30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

    Do you believe Jesus IS the Son of God?

    Do you believe Jesus IS with you always, even to the end of the world?

    Acts 1: 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

    15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said,

    16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.”

    24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

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    Peter does not pray to the Father, Peter prays to the Lord. Peter does not pray to a Jesus who was, Peter prays to Jesus who IS One with the LORD GOD, Father and Holy Spirit!

    He is the same Lord Peter addressed as Lord after the resurrection asking, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” [Acts 1:6] Peter prays to Jesus, his personal Lord and Savior – Jesus, his teacher and adviser.

    Peter preached at the festival of Pentecost by the power of the Holy Spirit. The LORD spoke the Good News of the resurrection of Christ Jesus.

    Teachers of the Law and officials of the Temple recognized that no fishermen and common disciples of Jesus could have such power of God and knowledge of scripture. (Some would later become followers of The Way.)

    Acts 2:

    17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh… 

    21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

    22 “Men of Israel, hear these words:

    Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

    24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it…”

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    No fisherman or tax collector (like Matthew) has such power to persuade, even with scripture if God has not ordained it and anointed these men with the fire of the Holy Spirit. How could an unlearned fisherman know or understand the power of such scripture? How could God choose such lowly men as Prophets to speak His very Word?

    Only in Christ Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

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    36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

    37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

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    What will you do, learned twenty-first century man? What must you do, educated twenty-first century woman? What shall we do in this day, now that we have read, heard and understood the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Good News for all men and women until the end of the world?

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    38 And Peter said to them,

    “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

    39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

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    Yes, the promise is for not only the Nations (the gentiles), but for the generations; for we are ‘the children far off, those whom the Lord our God calls to himself.’

    Matthew, John and the Gospel writers offer witness and many proofs; yet it is by faith the Lord calls you.

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    40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”

    41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.