Author: petebeck3

Pete Beck III ministered as a pastor and Bible teacher in Burlington for over 34 years. He is married to Martha, with whom he has four children, ten beautiful grandchildren, and four amazing great grandchildren. He ministers in his local church as a Bible teacher and counselor. He has published two books - Seeing God's Smile and Promise of the Father - as well as a wide variety of Bible-related articles which he has compiled into books in PDF form.

Are We Willing to Be Considered Morons?

If God had more morons in his service, the world would likely be a much better place.

Paul was such a person, at least according to his own account of things.

We are fools (Greek: morons) for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute.1 Corinthians 4:10 (ESV)

When I think of a moron, my mind immediately goes to an image of a buck-toothed idiot sitting on a stool with a dunce cap on his head. How cruel. Being considered a fool is something many people genuinely fear and will go to great lengths to prevent, even to the point of refusing to stand for truth and what is right, if it goes against the commonly accepted position approved by society at large. Adam and Eve were made to feel foolish by the serpent for simply trusting God’s word instead of figuring things out for themselves. They opted for the serpent’s good opinion over trusting God. 

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Genesis 3:6 (ESV)

The Corinthians fell for the same ruse. Trying to avoid being considered foolish in men’s eyes, they apparently distanced themselves from Paul, who did not shy away from being called a fool, if need be, in order to be loyal to Christ.

Following Christ asks us to accept that ungodly people, and sometimes misinformed or carnal Christians, may hold us in disrepute.

Jesus told his followers to beware when all speak well of us (Luke 6:26). Following the Spirit and the Word of God will often put us at odds with the world system, which uses mockery, persecution, threats, and outright lies to try to intimidate us into being silent regarding the truth and Jesus.

It all boils down to whether we look to God or men as our source for validation.

The fear of God teaches us that his opinion is the only one that matters. Because the Father validated Jesus as his only Son in whom we was and is well-pleased, our Lord was able to endure the scorn and persecution of those who rejected his lordship.

Unless we choose to regard God’s opinion more than man’s, we will likely succumb to the fear of man, which is a snare that leads to death (Proverbs 29:25).

Paul wrote:

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 1 Corinthians 4:3 (ESV)

Unless we choose to endure the judgments and scorn of men, we will not be very effective servants of Christ. Unless we embrace the apparent foolishness of doing what God says and standing for his truth, we may crumble before hostile opponents who are prepared to call us fools and ostracize us. Paul wrote:

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10 (ESV)

The kingdom of God needs more people who are willing to look foolish in men’s eyes in order to bring glory to God. May God help us all to be willing to be thought of as “morons” for Christ and truth!

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Part 8: Surprise!

God loves surprises. The Bible is full of unexpected twists and turns.

It should not surprise us, therefore, when God does something we do not expect or completely understand.

The story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well in Chapter Four of John’s Gospel teaches us to keep our eyes, ears, and hearts open, because God is working in unexpected ways in what may seem to us to be unlikely people. Everything in this account shouts, “Surprise!”

Jesus led his disciples on a less traveled road (by Jews, anyway) right through Samaria, instead of taking the usual longer route that skirted where “those people” lived. The Jews despised Samaritans and tried to avoid contact with them. Jesus amazed his followers by leading them into Samaria and engaging the inhabitants.

Our Lord also shocked the Samaritan woman who came to fill her jar at the town well. Jesus sent his disciples on an errand to purchase food. Being tired from the journey and sitting alone at the well, when the Samaritan woman arrived to fill her jar with water, he asked her to give him a drink. “Good” Jews would never talk to a Samaritan woman or drink from her “unclean” jar! Asking a favor from a despised Samaritan woman was how Jesus began his interaction with this intriguingly important woman.

The element of surprise immediately got the woman’s full attention, as you might imagine. This is one reason God does unexpected things.  He wants to rouse us out of our dull routine and capture our hearts.

The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?” John 4:9 (NLT)

Her curiosity set the stage for what came next – a strangely cryptic reply.

Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” John 4:10 (NLT)

Have you ever conversed with someone you knew held religious convictions that were completely opposite your own? How did that go? Did you walk on egg shells? Did you feel any tension? Did you skirt the contentious issue altogether, or did you get right into an argument? The controversy and hostility between Jews and Samaritans lurked just beneath the facade of civility being employed. How would our Lord handle this?

Instead of answering her question, Jesus made a odd sounding statement about himself, which riveted her attention. She did not know what to make of this surprising man!

Of course, we would not make such a statement about ourselves, but about the Lord. If we were there as present day followers of Christ, we might say something like the following.

“If you only knew the gift God has for you and the Jesus I know, you would ask him to give you living water.”

She quite naturally asked him where he would get this water because she was thinking on the natural or physical level, not realizing that he was leading her into spiritual realities.

Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14  But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” 15  “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” John 4:13-15 (NLT)

To me, it is unclear from the text whether she was genuinely interested or being sarcastic. We would have had to have been there to know for sure. Regardless, what came next completely changed the dynamic of the conversation. Jesus shattered her guarded religiosity by providing her with a bit of personal information via the Holy Spirit, which some people call a “word of knowledge.”

The Holy Spirit is able to give us such a prophetic insight into a person, if we learn how to discern his voice.

“Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her. 17  “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband— 18  for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!” John 4:16-18 (NLT)

The surprise element contained in this prophetic insight, coupled with Jesus’ loving demeanor, opened her heart completely. From then on, she was “all ears.” Astonishingly, before the conversation ended, he also informed her that he was and is the Messiah, the one for whom she and her people were waiting. That was the very first time he told anyone so forthrightly. What an unexpected honor he extended to this Samaritan woman who was living with a man to whom she was not married!

If we learn to see people through God’s eyes, we may be privileged to participate in many such  surprises!

Next God allowed this nameless woman, who was perhaps one of the village’s most despised inhabitants, to bring the entire village to faith in Christ. What a shock that God would do that! His disciples wondered that Jesus would even talk with a woman because that is something Jewish rabbis did not do. What a total shocking surprise that an entire Samaritan village would acknowledge Jesus’ messianic claims, something no Jewish village had ever done!

As we go through our day, are we looking for unexpected God opportunities to speak to people?

Do we see ourselves as God’s representatives, who are capable of ministering God’s life to others with the Spirit’s help? Do we seek to be loving, intriguing, and surprisingly compelling to those around us? Are we sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s promptings and willing for his gifts to flow through us? Are we ready to share the gospel when we get the opportunity?

35 You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. John 4:35 (NLT)

The above verse promises us that there are people all around us who are ready to respond to the gospel, thanks to the unseen work of the Holy Spirit going on in the background.

The harvest is ready because God is always at work. The question is whether he can find co-laborers to join him.

If not us, then who? Let’s ask the Lord to open our eyes to see the harvest and give us divine appointments with those whose hearts are open to God. Who knows what may happen? We may experience our own version of “Surprise!”

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Part 7: Come and See

“Come and See” is an invitation to come alongside those who already believe to see if Jesus is the real deal, in an environment where it is okay to ask questions and wrestle with doubts. Philip gave this invitation to Nathanael.

Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” John 1:46 (ESV)

The call to follow Jesus is a call to discipleship. A common misconception is that discipleship is only for people who already believe, acknowledge, and follow Jesus as their Savior and Lord.

Jesus called people to embark on a discipleship journey before they were even believers, much less committed followers.

We can invite pre-believers to explore the possibility that Jesus is the Messiah by hanging around people who already follow him. Philip’s wanted to bring Nathanael into a personal encounter with Jesus, trusting that our Lord could and would handle it from there. Is there a way that we can do the same thing today?

This is how Jesus brought me into his band of disciples. My girlfriend at the time, now my wife of fifty-one years, boldly told me that she had come to know Jesus in a personal way and become his follower. After recovering from the initial shock and after spending time with her and some other followers of Christ, I decided that I wanted to know for myself if this Jesus is indeed still alive and who the Bible says he is – the resurrected Lord.

I recognized that something significant had happened to my girlfriend that I could not explain.

I did what seemed reasonable to me to do at the time. I asked this Jesus, if he were real, to come into my life and somehow reveal himself to me. I cannot remember if anyone suggested that I do this, or if it was my own idea. Regardless, it was the first big step I took in coming to believe.

When I prayed for our Lord to reveal himself to me, I was serious. I did not believe yet that he really rose from the dead; so, I could not fake faith. I did not pretend to be a believer. I suppose that some people try to “fake it until they make it,” but not I. If I were to become a true believer, God would have to do something to move me from unbelief to faith. Although I did not realize it at the time, there is a biblical precedent for that – Thomas. I had no idea if or how that could happen. I just prayed the prayer and left it at that.

Looking back, now I realize that almost immediately I changed on the inside. At the time, I did not connect the dots, but I remember realizing that I was different – happier and more considerate and more willing to serve others. To be honest, I thought it was because the Zen meditation I was doing was working. I was tentatively exploring Zen Buddhism at the time in my search for truth. A couple of weeks later, after spending more time with my lovely Jesus follower, my mind once again was engaged in thinking about Jesus. While thinking on these things late at night while all alone, I suddenly recalled the prayer I made earlier, asking Jesus into my life. Yes, I had forgotten! As must be apparent, I really was not trying hard to become a believer, but at that moment I was engaged. The moment I recollected that prayer, the little room where I stood all alone seemed to fill up with God’s presence. Don’t ask me how I knew it was God. I just knew. If you have ever experienced God’s presence like that, it is amazing. I was filled with joy, which matches what King David wrote so long ago.

11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11 (NKJV)

Suddenly deep inside I was convinced that Jesus is real and who the Bible says he is. I have no explanation for how I became a fully convinced believer in a flash, except that Jesus came to me by his Spirit and opened up the eyes of my heart.

Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” 16  Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17  Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Matthew 16:15-17 (NLT)

This all started by my spending time with other believers, one in particular, which resulted in my making the decision to invite Jesus to reveal himself to me. I came and saw, and have never been the same since that encounter with Jesus!

“Come and See” is not necessarily an invitation to come hear a preacher or visit a church service. More than anything else, it is an invitation to spend time with people who already believe who can lead us to a personal encounter with Christ.

This requires us believers to live in such a way that will be inspiring and welcoming. This means our devotion and faith should be evident and easily rub off on others. It means that how we live should draw people to Christ, not because we are perfect, but because we are in love with the God who loves us past comprehension. God wants us to present ourselves as humble followers of Jesus who still have much to learn, rather than as know-it-alls, whose arrogant smugness repels people. Philip was committed to Jesus. His zeal inspired Nathanael to give it a shot, and Jesus took it from there.

The opposite is also true unfortunately. Some churchgoers live in such a way that detracts from the gospel and repels potential seekers, who see the obvious hypocrisy.

We are either magnets who draw people toward Christ or we may be pushing them away.

If we are passionless and joyless churchgoers, that in itself is an advertisement against Christ.

Coming to faith in Jesus is sometimes more of a journey than a momentary burst of revelation. It was for most of his first disciples. They did not have a clue about the Lord’s real identity at first, but something drew them to Jesus. It was only after his resurrection that things became clearer. When exactly did Peter know that Jesus was the Messiah? We don’t know, but somehow he came to believe. Many people cannot point to an exact moment, as I can, when they became believers, but they now definitely believe in Christ and follow him.

Inviting people to walk with us as we follow Jesus is one way to fish for people.

God wants us to invest in the lives of those around us to give them the opportunity to behold Christ’s life in us and hear his words from us. He wants us to spend time with people, so they can ask questions and we can offer answers. He wants us to fall in love with people so that we truly care for them and want the very best for them. Let’s not be in a hurry and rush people on the discipleship journey. Let’s invite people to “Come and See.”

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Christmas: Remembering God’s D-Day

When Jesus was born, it marked God’s invasion of the earth, his D-Day, so to speak. God the Father sent his only begotten Son into enemy territory to conduct a secret mission that would win the war against Satan and his henchmen and liberate all captured lands.

After Adam and Eve betrayed God in the garden, the Lord promised that one of Eve’s descendants would one day crush Satan. Speaking directly to the serpent, God said:

15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.” Genesis 3:15 (NASB95)

This promise indicated that the Lord would preserve a God-fearing line of humans from which the Messiah would one day spring.

Upon hearing this, the serpent, or Satan, set about to try to prevent this prophecy from coming to pass. He instigated Cain’s murder of Abel in the hope of cutting off the line of promise. He tried to corrupt the entire human race through evil angels having children with human women, producing the Nephilim. It got so bad here on earth that God decided to more or less start over using Noah’s line.

Eventually God moved forward with the plan and revealed himself to Abraham, reiterating the promise that one day a godly descendant would be sent to save us.

17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” Genesis 22:17–18 (NASB95)

Satan therefore became an inveterate enemy of Abraham’s descendants in the hope of stopping God’s promise, but he was unable.

Eventually, King David was told that one of his descendants would rule  on God’s throne forever.

16 “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ” 2 Samuel 7:16 (NASB95)

The Messiah would be no ordinary king. His rule would be eternal.

Eventually, in God’s perfect timing, God incarnated the eternal Logos inside Mary’s womb. This was the promised descendant, an alien being unlike any other, a true God-man, born of God by the Holy Spirit, as God prophesied through Isaiah. His father was Abba. His mother was Mary.

When Jesus’ birth date came, it was God’s D-Day, his invasion of the earth by an unstoppable person who would crush Satan and redeem those who put their faith and allegiance in him.

As the angel told Joseph:

...“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20b–21 (NASB95)

Not many realized what happened, besides Satan. Joseph and Mary knew. God informed the shepherds in the field. The magi from the East knew, probably being familiar with Daniel’s prophecies. But the people that should have been in the know were oblivious. The Jewish scholars and religious leaders were consumed with their own agendas and missed God’s.

Just knowing a lot about the Bible is no guarantee that we will understand what God is doing. If the heart is wrong, we will miss out.

This is a principle of God stated by Jesus.

25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. 26 “Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. Matthew 11:25–26 (NASB95)

We probably all know the story of how Herod deduced the age of the Messiah through the information gleaned from the magi and consequently murdered all the boys two-years old and younger born in Bethlehem, another attempt to kill the promised Messiah.

Jesus grew to manhood out of the limelight and hidden from the murderous designs of Satan and those who served him. Finally, in God’s perfect timing, Jesus was introduced to the world by his cousin John the Baptist, who through revelation recognized him as the Messiah. From that time forward, God’s plan moved inexorably toward the crucifixion, God’s secret plan to defeat Satan and rescue humanity.

When Jesus rose from the dead as the Lord of Lords, Satan knew he was ultimately defeated, but that has not stopped him from battling to the very end. He is such a liar by nature, he has probably convinced himself that there is still hope that he can unseat God from his throne. He has not given up on his plan, and he still has lots of willing people who have decided to stick with him instead of being reconciled to God.

Nevertheless, now as before, God’s plan is unstoppable. God laughs at Satan’s vain attempts to usurp the throne.

2 The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!” 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. Psalm 2:2–4 (NASB95)

Eventually, just as Jesus promised, he will return to this earth as the glorious Son of Man prophesied by Daniel. He sill raise the dead and judge everyone who ever lived. Every knee shall bow before him and every tongue confess that he is  Lord. Those who love and serve him will receive blessings and an eternal reward. Those who hated him will be consigned to the lake of fire.

Now is the time to be reconciled to God. Today is the day of salvation. Do not delay. No one is guaranteed a tomorrow.

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for coming to the earth to defeat our oppressor and reconcile us to your heavenly Father. I repent for living a self-directed life and acknowledge you as my Lord and Savior. I receive all you died to provide for me. I give myself to you. Use me as you see fit. Amen.

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Part 6: Using Diagnostic Questions

If we have the opportunity to have a spiritual discussion with someone, one thing good to know is where are they on their life journey with respect to knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior.

If we are going to help a lost person find the way home, the first thing we need to do is determine his or her present location.

If we want to fashion our presentation of Jesus to correspond to our listeners’ unique situation, we need to accurately diagnose where they are spiritually on their life journey. We can use diagnostic questions to help us in this process.

Here is a great opening diagnostic question to help us focus how we present the gospel: “Where are you on your spiritual journey to God?”

This question is “wide open,” but it does assume some sort of spiritual hunger. If the person resists this question, he or she may not be open at all to spiritual things. If the person does reply to us, the question does not presuppose a “Christian” answer, but allows him or her to an unbiased answer that can be very helpful.

Open-ended questions can allow a person to freely express how they are trying to find God or think they have found him and can put our listener at ease to honestly express his or her thoughts, rather than becoming defensive.

We have used the following two questions many times during outreaches. It is called the “two-question test” that reveals if a person is going to heaven. Many find such a “test” intriguing enough to submit to it, and, when they do, it often allows us to share the gospel with them.

Two Question Test
  1. If you were to die today, would you go to heaven?
  2. Why do you think so?

The answer we get to the first question may be anything from “I think so” to “I don’t believe there is a heaven.” When we ask them why they believe that way, some people will give the standard Christian response of “I believe that Jesus is my Lord and Savior.” Others may come up with their reasons they think as they do. Some may say, “I try to be a good person” or “I go to church.” If they give a non-biblical reason, we may then ask them if they realize that the Bible says that is not how we get to heaven. They are often surprised, which may give us the opportunity to ask if it is okay to share what the Bible says is the one way to get to heaven.

The gospel presents Jesus as the Savior who died for my sins, the Lord who rose from the dead, the Baptizer in the Spirit who poured out his Spirit on the church, and the divine Son of Man, who will come in the clouds with great glory at the end of time to judge the living and the dead and rule forever over God’s new creation.

Looking back on my own journey to faith in Christ, I did not initially understand all of that. My conception of Jesus was very incomplete, but it was enough for me to be saved.

The Holy Spirit helped me to understand that what the Bible says about Jesus is true. I believed in my heart, in a basic way, that he died for my sins so that I could be forgiven and that, because he rose again, he deserved my lifelong devotion and service.

According to Paul, it is an inner belief in his resurrection that makes us right with God and a public acknowledgement of Christ’s lordship that saves us.

...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Romans 10:9-10 (ESV)

Since everything depends on the Holy Spirit opening our eyes to understand who Jesus really is; when we share the gospel, we would be wise to follow Jesus’ example by asking our hearers some form of the question Jesus posed to his disciples.

Let me read it to you.

Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” 16  Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17  Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Matthew 16:15-17 (NLT)

We might reword it a bit to fit our context, such as follows.

  • Who do you think that Jesus was or is?
  • Do you think Jesus was more than a mere man?
  • Do you think there was anything special about Jesus?
  • Do you agree with what the Bible says about Jesus?

Regardless of how we ask the question, the answer will open a window into the heart of the responder. It will help us understand whether the Spirit has revealed Jesus to them yet. It will help us assess where they are on their faith journey and how we might be able to help them to go farther down the path.

Click here to see more articles on Fishing for People the Jesus Way.

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Part 5: Behold the Lamb

When we fish for people, our primary responsibility is to eventually share with them Jesus, the Lamb of God, just as John the Baptist did for those who listened to him.

The next day he [John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29 (ESV)

John the Baptist was given the privilege and responsibility of introducing Jesus to the world. Followers of Christ today are commissioned to follow in John’s footsteps. It is our honor, privilege, and responsibility to announce to people that Jesus is God’s Lamb, who was sent to die for our sins and open the door wide for us to be reconciled to God.

The idea of a human sacrifice to appease God’s wrath is shocking and offensive to many of us today because we refuse to acknowledge the enormity of the evil of our sin or the demands of God’s holy justice. Our sin induced separation from God was irreparable without God’s assistance.

Even though the Jews accepted animals had to be sacrificed to atone for sins, they would have been shocked at the idea that Jesus, or any person, could be such a sacrifice. The proclamation that Jesus was and is God’s Lamb is beyond the limits of our power to logically comprehend. Without a revelation from God’s Spirit, we cannot see or accept who Jesus really is – God’s Lamb.

Sin alienated us from our heavenly Father and made us his enemies. (Romans 5:10) Adam and Eve committed treason in the garden, and we have been following in their footsteps ever since. By nature, we are proud, self-sufficient beings, who insist on trying to live independently from God. Our sin and rebellion cut us off from God’s life and blessings.

God loved us so much that he was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice of his own Son to restore us to himself.(John 3:16)

It was the only way back for us. The just punishment for our sins had to be paid, and we needed a new source of life. God’s solution would have to be something radically new and different. God sent his Son to provide forgiveness and life. By his Spirit, Jesus lives in and through all who believe and receive his gracious offer.

The good news of the gospel is that Jesus earned for us a right relationship with God and gave us his life, too. All we have to do is acknowledge that he is Lord and Savior and declare allegiance to him.

The Gospel message is so simple that even a little child can believe. However, adults who have learned from Satan to doubt and question everything often have a much more difficult time.

The announcement of Jesus’ identity as God’s Lamb will fall on deaf ears unless the Holy Spirit opens our hearts and minds. Otherwise the Gospel sounds like nonsense. In that day, some heard and believed John, but many others scoffed and rejected his message. The more humble and hungrier the hearer, the more likely he or she is to be granted revelation from God.

25 At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. 26 Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way! Matthew 11:25–26 (NLT)

The more educated, nuanced, and cynical the hearer, such as the Pharisees, the greater is the barrier to faith. This is because faith resides in the heart. The unredeemed mind will not accept the gospel message.

14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV)

When our human reasoning ability becomes the litmus test for spiritual truth, the heart is left out in the cold. Only the Holy Spirit can break through the fortress of logical arguments against God that reside in a hardened heart.

4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:4–5 (NLT)

God’s Spirit penetrated the logical defenses erected by the Apostle Paul, and he can do it again today for anyone who is open at all.

When we crack open the door to our heart, God is ready to rush to our aid.

John the Baptist issued an invitational command to his hearers: “Behold the Lamb of God!”

He knew that it always takes revelation for anyone to recognize who Jesus is.

God had to open John’s eyes, too, for him to know his cousin in this supernatural way. (John 1:30-34)

Paul, perhaps the greatest evangelist the world has ever known, also understood this. He fearlessly announced the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah, because he was convinced that it contains the power to save people when coupled with the Spirit’s ability and activity to open the human heart. He wrote the following.

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. 4  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5  For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6  For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 (ESV)

To be able to recognize that Jesus is the Lamb of God requires that God’s Spirit open our eyes today, just as in John’s and Paul’s day. Nothing has changed. While John was uniquely the Messiah’s forerunner and Paul was a ground breaking evangelist and apostle, their experience of “beholding” Jesus is what might be considered “normal” for every believer to experience.

One cannot become a follower of Christ without some measure of revelation from God.

I am not suggesting that each follower of Christ must begin with a vision of God’s Spirit descending upon Jesus as a dove or that we must be knocked off a horse while in route to persecute believers, but the Spirit must open our spiritual eyes and hearts for us to know Christ. How He does this is unique for each person.

When John commanded his hearers (and so the Spirit commands Bible readers throughout the ages) to behold the Lamb, he understood what every fisher of men must know today.

God’s Spirit must be actively engaged in the evangelism process for there to be any fruit at all.

What is also true is that God asks his followers to point others to Jesus, the Lamb. We are to invite them to be reconciled to God through his Son.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21  For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 (ESV)

When we proclaim the Gospel and ask people to believe in Jesus, we depend upon the power of the Gospel and the activity of God’s Spirit.

God usually uses these three things – a person proclaiming the Gospel, the latent power of the Gospel itself, and the activity of the Spirit – to create an explosion of faith and revelation in the heart of the hearer that results in conversion and the new birth!

Those who are open and hungry and in whom the Spirit is working will supernaturally experience what it means to behold the Lamb! It takes faith for us to trust in the power of the gospel and the hidden working of the Spirit. We must refrain from trying to do the Spirit’s work for him by merely trying to reason a person to faith. Reasoning is important, but it can never replace the inner work of God’s Spirit to open our spiritual eyes.

Every fisher of men must be willing to proclaim a gospel that depends from beginning to end on the power and activity of God.

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Part 4: God’s Tackle Box

Good fishermen usually have well-stocked tackle boxes full of their favorite lures and other equipment that have given them success in the past. Fish act differently from day to day and depending on other factors such as time of day, temperature, etc. Successful fishermen adjust their bait to fit what the fish are biting. Fishers of men should have the same mindset.

If all we have is hammer, everything starts to look like a nail. If we only have one bait and one-size of hooks in our tackle boxes, we are going to be limited in what we can catch. If we have only one way that we present the gospel, we limit our effectiveness.

If we look at how Jesus fished for people, we quickly realize that he custom tailored his words and approach to the individuals he encountered.

If we are going to fish for people the Jesus way, we will need to do the same. Below I have listed some key things we might want to have in our own spiritual tackle boxes.

A Commitment to God’s Mission

Fishing takes commitment. Commitment comes when we are convinced that something is so important that it is worth any sacrifice we may have to make to see it happen. We will believe that it deserves our heart, time, finances, and effort – for as long as it takes. Unless we are truly committed, we may agree that being on mission is worthwhile, but other things will preempt it. Committed people are different. Nothing stops a committed person from putting his or her convictions into action.

Many Christians are committed to God, to church, to family, to their jobs, and to pursuing a happy life. Relatively few are committed to the Great Commission, which is a huge priority to God.

I recently talked with an avid fisherman. This man has an important job, two of them, in fact – his main job and his “side hustle.” Despite having to invest huge amounts of time in his work, he still finds time to fish almost on a daily basis. Living on a lake doesn’t hurt. Nevertheless, why does he do it? Is it because somewhere back in the past he made a commitment which he now honors, or is it that he is committed because he loves to fish? I think you know the answer. How do we move from being dutiful, or perhaps guilt driven, fishers of men to fishing because we love to fish?

We have to start somewhere. Most of us may have begun sharing with others because we were excited to know Jesus and wanted others to experience his amazing grace, too. That was what prompted me as a brand new Christian. But after we encounter enough “push back,” we may back off. Sadly, some followers of Christ have never shared the gospel with another person for whatever reason. If we have backed off or never even started to fish for people, we will need to overcome an inner resistance to get going.

It’s a challenge to overcome the inertia of doing nothing. We will have to want to do it and be willing to “press through.”

We may have to commit ourselves to do it out of a sense of duty; however, as with my friend, fishing grows on people. We may find that fishing for people becomes something we want to do. That is when we may become “addicted” to what brings us joy, which can produce a lasting commitment.

If we are the best fisherman in the world but are never set aside time to go fishing, even the least talented fisherman will catch more fish than we.

What we do with our time reveals what we truly believe and what is important to us. Unless we make ourselves available for God’s Great Commission work of fishing for people, we may only be deceiving ourselves into thinking we are disciples.

An Interest in People

I have known people, and most likely so have you, who were committed to telling others about Christ, but who apparently had little love for their listeners. Their words about God’s love were offset by their unloving attitude, sending a confusing mixed message. Jesus, on the other hand, combined an unswerving love of truth with a deep love for people. This made him intriguing and magnetic for anyone whose heart longed for God, and repulsive to those who were playing religious games. If we do not have God’s love for people, we will likely attract religious hypocrites and repel the ones to whom we are sent. People are tired of being approached by those who only want to present a sales pitch to them without having any sort of caring relationship. Unless we are genuinely interested in people, we will never really be good at “catching” them.

People are not evangelism “targets.” They are valuable individuals who are worth knowing, loving, and relating to, whether or not they ever choose to follow Jesus.

People instinctively know whether or not we are interested in them. May God increase our love for and interest in the people with whom we relate.

A Servant’s Heart

Jesus came to serve and ultimately give his life away. Service is an earmark of a true disciple. In today’s consumer culture, we are trained to think more in terms of what’s in it for me than in being a servant to others. Many consumerists assume those who share the gospel have the same mindset, which makes them suspicious of our motives. They may think we are just trying to build up the numbers in our church or are after their financial support. If we have Christ’s servant heart, we will look for ways to demonstrate God’s love in practical ways, not as a project, but because we love. This can include spending time in conversation to get to know someone, setting aside time to visit at people’s homes, having people over to our residences, praying for them privately and one-on-one in person, helping with a project, or just being there for them during a crisis. Loving and serving people is worthwhile in its own right. It also may open the door for us to be able to share why Jesus is so important to us.

Jesus wants his followers to serve our way into the hearts and lives of those around us. Loving service gives credibility to the gospel message.

Knowledge of the Bible and the Gospel

Bible literacy is very low, even among churchgoers. As a culture we have grown lazy and unmotivated to pursue  knowledge of the Scriptures and Bible truth. The Word of God is our life. It is our bread. We should habitually “eat” it by reading, meditating, and applying its truth. We should expect the Holy Spirit to reveal wonderful things about God to us, but many of us do not even crack open our Bibles. Many churchgoers show up on Sundays with their mouths open, expecting the pastor to give them enough pre-digested food to last them for a week. True disciples make a commitment to grow in their knowledge, understanding, and application of the Bible through personal study and application. 

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31–32 (NKJV)

We will never be effective fishers of men unless we understand the gospel well enough to share it easily and naturally.

Dependence on the Holy Spirit

When Jesus launched his three-year itinerant preaching ministry, he quoted Isaiah 61:1 to help us understand his identity and mission.

And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:17-21 (ESV)

Jesus depended upon the Holy Spirit to equip and empower him for the ministry he carried out over the rest of his earthly life. Although he was and is God in the flesh, he depended on the Spirit, just as we must. Jesus was filled with the Spirit at the River Jordan and operated in the power and gifts of the Spirit throughout his ministry.

One of Jesus’ titles is Baptizer in the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:16).

Jesus commanded his followers to receive this empowering from on high so we too can be as effective as the Spirit can make us.

We simply cannot rely on human intelligence and ability, if we want to be expert fishers of people.

(If you are interested in learning more about the baptism and gifts of the Spirit, you can read my other articles on this website or purchase my book on the subject, entitled Promise of the Father,)

Boldness

The Holy Spirit gives Jesus’ followers boldness to share the Gospel. This is the main function of the baptism in the Spirit. 

8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NKJV)

We may know what the Gospel says, be committed to the Great Commission, and love people, but eventually we will face those crucial times when courage is required. That is one of the main reasons we need the baptism in the Spirit.

When we share the gospel, we run the risk of being misunderstood, rejected, ignored, or even persecuted. Jesus said that if we confess him before men, he will confess us before his Father in heaven and the angels; but if we are ashamed of him and the Gospel before men, he will not give us this heavenly approbation. (Matthew 10:32-33) These are sobering words.

The Apostle Peter denied Jesus during a time of great fear and pressure; so, we should not be surprised when we are tempted to keep our mouths shut when we should be standing up boldly for truth. I am not suggesting that we be obnoxious representatives of Christ. There are appropriate times and ways to share God’s truth and other times to be silent. Knowing which is which requires us to be sensitive to the Spirit’s leading. However, when it is clearly the right time to be bold, that is what needs to be in our “tackle box.”

Patience and Determination

Fisherman must be patient and determined. Sometimes the fish are biting and other times they are not. We are encouraged to believe that God’s Word will not come back void, but will accomplish his intention. (Isaiah 55:11) Paul exhorted his disciples to never become weary in well doing because “in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9) Working with people requires patience and determination.

We may fail in our attempts over and over, but quitting makes failure permanent.

We cannot always know what is going on beneath the surface in a person’s life. On the exterior he or she may appear to be uninterested or resistant, when deep inside he may be wrestling with God or she could be close to surrendering to Christ. The Apostle Paul is a great example of God’s ability to get through to the most hostile foes of the Gospel. We can ask the Lord to encourage our hearts to keep sowing into the lives of those around you. It will not go unrewarded.

As we look at our own tackle boxes, perhaps you, like me, are missing some gear. Don’t worry. God’s grace will make up for what we lack. The important thing is to start fishing and add as much gear as we can along the way.

If we wait to begin until after we think we are completely ready, we may never catch a fish.

Every person we lead to faith in Jesus is a person added to God’s family and rescued from Satanic oppression. Every person we help to become a fisherman will multiply our efforts.

Now, let’s get fishing!

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Part 3: The Heart of a Sent One

Our desire to fish for people will enlarge when our hearts are touched by the Great Shepherd so that we see people the way he does. The following passage summarizes our Lord’s heart for people who do not yet know him.

36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:36–38 (NKJV)

When we see people through the eyes of the Great Shepherd, we will also be moved with compassion. We will see them as they are – weary, harassed, scattered, and relatively helpless against the deception and onslaught of the devil. Seeing people in this light should motivate us to leave our relative ease and enter their world in order to lead them to Christ. Jesus left the glories of heaven to come after us. He asks us to follow his example.

Ever since the tower of Babel, an overriding principle at work in fallen humanity has been to gather, enlarge, and increase our size, power, control, and influence, in order to make a name for ourselves without any reference to God. This principle is at work in governments, businesses, and even the church. For a number of years there has been a decided shift toward what many call the mega-church. Concurrently there is another move toward decentralization into small groups meeting house to house. Both focus on gathering people, some into very large groups and others into smaller ones.

The Great Commission works contrary to the Babel principle of enlargement and calls people to “go.” Christ asks his followers to leave the comfort and security of the local church and go to where those who don’t know Jesus live. This does not mean we abandon our local churches, but that we set aside time for going into the harvest.

The Great Commission commands us to “go” make disciples, not stay put as safe and secure churchgoers.

The story of how God’s Spirit led the early disciples in fulfilling the Great Commission is found in the Book of Acts. God scattered the quickly centralizing church in Jerusalem through persecution, which caused the gospel to impact hitherto unreached areas. The church at Antioch, under the direction of God’s Spirit, chose to send out the best and brightest of its leaders and ministers to do apostolic (“sent out” missionary) work.

Antioch is our best model of a Great Commission  church.

God is still in the business of sending out disciples to engage and impact those who do not yet know him.

Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” John 20:21 (NLT)

As we obey the call of the Spirit and go out into our neighborhoods, cities, work places, schools, and other places where people gather, God wishes to develop  in us the same compassion that compelled Jesus to give away his life for others.

Being a “sent one” asks us to give away our lives.

This can happen if we believe that God is worth the sacrifice and, secondly, that lost people are worth serving with our time, resources, and everything else. This kind of compassion only comes via God’s Spirit. Where it is lacking, people will not serve as “sent ones.” They will take the easy way out and simply gather with other believers.

God wants us to do both – to go to the lost and to regularly gather with other sent ones in order to mutually encourage, equip, and strengthen one another for the 24/7 mission of working in God’s harvest field.

The Importance of Listening

If we have Jesus’ compassion, we will realize that every person has a story worth hearing and is a life worth saving.

Many who devote themselves to being God’s ambassadors here on earth are not good listeners. We imagine that others should listen to us since we have the message of life. This is what some call a “know it all.” We may think we can skip relationship building in order to quickly inject them with the gospel.

Jesus, however, was a good listener who tailored his life giving words to fit the unique human being who had his attention.

We may be tempted to resort to some sort of “canned” gospel message we find easy to remember. That is not how Jesus operated. He was always listening to people and, more importantly, to the Holy Spirit.

If people discern that we are not interested in them or their stories, why should they be interested in us or our message?

Compassionate sent ones care about every person’s life story. If we expect to become expert fishers of people, we must become excellent listeners… quick to hear and slow to speak.

Targeting People’s God-Fashioned Felt Needs

Every person has needs that only God can fulfill.

Because we live so isolated from one another, we may imagine that other people’s lives are just fine, not realizing that behind every door in our neighborhood some sort of drama is playing out that may be preparing their hearts to receive the Lord.

Some have desperately asked God to show them a sign that he exists or cares. Could it be that you are supposed to be the answer to their prayer? Others have given up, thinking that perhaps God does not love them or care about their situation after all. Many are embittered at what life has brought their way. Others are despondent, listless, and hopeless. While it is true that wealthy people generally may have less felt needs than the poor, it is not true that their lives are altogether rosy. Anyone with wealth knows that money is not the answer to life’s deepest questions nor does it satisfy our deepest desires. Many affluent homes are wracked by relational dysfunction and are reaping the whirlwind that comes as a result of putting other things ahead of God.

When we meet and relate to people, God wants to open our eyes to see them as he does – harassed and helpless sheep about whom he cares deeply.

Unless we discern what those deepest heart longings are, how can we fashion a presentation of the gospel that addresses them?

God is personal. He told the adulterous woman that she was not condemned. He told the Samaritan woman that she was important by engaging her in conversation and revealing that he knew all about her sins but did not reject her. He called Zacchaeus out of the tree and offered to dine with him.

In each case, the way Jesus engaged these individuals gave them hope that God knew who they were and cared about them.

He accurately represented Father God’s heart toward them. This allowed Jesus to minister at the deepest level with amazing results. Jesus wants us to partner with him in the adventure of being his personal representatives to lost and hurting people.

We need the Spirit’s help to pull this off. It does not come naturally to us. We cannot do it by ourselves. Only God can reveal to us what lies beneath the cleverly erected exterior that people use for self-preservation. Only God knows the deep heart cries lurking beneath often crusty facades. If we listen, he will tell us all we need to know. He will assist us to tailor gospel truth into a divine arrow that goes right to the heart.

Hope for the Hopeless

Every person has a hope, which only Jesus can fulfill.

Many of the people who live around us have descended into some form of hopelessness, but deep inside every individual, no matter how dim it flickers, is the hope that God knows and cares about us personally and is willing to help us.

People long for a Savior, whether or not they will admit it, since we instinctively know that we cannot save ourselves.

We hope for a Shepherd to guide us because none of us knows where we are going at the deepest level of existence. Our eternal destinies are hidden from us when we do not know Jesus. As Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation.” We often bluff our way through life, hoping for the best, but, deep down, we would like some assurance that everything will be alright. John addressed this deep desire.

13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. 1 John 5:13 (NKJV)

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the only pathway to knowing the Father. He is the Good Shepherd, the Great Provider, our Protector, and the God of hope. We can be sure that, unless a person is resolutely hardened against God, there is something in him or her that will resonate with the Good News that Jesus gave his life away to bring us back to the Father and make us into born-again authentic children of God. They will be attracted to the promise that Jesus will lead them safely on life’s journey, if only they will surrender to his benevolent Lordship.

Fishing for people the “Jesus way” asks us to learn to see, love, and engage people as Jesus’ representatives. We have been given the privilege to care, listen, love, and speak in his stead in order to lead them to the Great Shepherd. Nothing could be more exciting or rewarding!

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Chapter 91: The Laying on of Hands in Ordination and Ministry

The laying on of hands is one of the first principles of the doctrine of Christ, which indicates its importance doctrinally and practically. The Lords wants us to thoroughly understand its meaning and application.

Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits.  Hebrews 6:1–3 (NKJV)

In ordination, laying on of hands can impart spiritual gifts, grace, and authority. It also symbolizes an identification or union between the minister and the one upon whom hands are laid. The one receiving the ministry may also act as a substitute for the one or ones doing the laying on of hands.

Identification and Substitution Relating to Christ’s Sacrificial Death

As an example of identification and substitution, in the Old Testament, offerers laid their hands upon the animals they brought to be sacrificed by the priests, thereby symbolically imparting their sins and offenses against God to the animal, which died in their place. A good example of this is when the “escape” goat was released into the wilderness bearing Israel’s sins. May believe this foreshadowed our Lord carrying our sins into hell after his crucifixion.

21 Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. 22 The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness.  Leviticus 16:21–22 (NKJV)

When Jesus the Lamb of God was crucified, God placed our sins on him. He was completely identified with us and our sin. When he died, we died. Since he paid the penalty for our sins, so did we because we were in him. There can be no double jeopardy in God’s justice system.

5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 6:5–11 (NKJV)

Jesus also acted as our substitute by dying in our place. Because God the Father accepted his offering on our behalf, we received the gift of his right standing with God (justification) through identification or union with Christ.

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASB95)

We were placed “in” Christ so that when he died, so did we. When he rose, we did, too.

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.  2 Corinthians 5:14–15 (NASB95)

The identification/substitution aspect of the laying on of hands must be understood if we are to grasp the nature of the finished work of Christ on our behalf, but it also relates to ordination into ministry and the impartation of gifts and blessings.  

Identification and Substitution Regarding Ordination to Ministry

In the Old Testament, every firstborn son belonged to the Lord. Instead of requiring them to enter service to the Lord’s tabernacle, God set apart men from the tribe of Levi to substitute for the first born.

Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine. 15 “Then after that the Levites may go in to serve the tent of meeting. But you shall cleanse them and present them as a wave offering; 16 for they are wholly given to Me from among the sons of Israel. I have taken them for Myself instead of every first issue of the womb, the firstborn of all the sons of Israel.  Numbers 8:14–16 (NASB95)


God used the laying on of hands to symbolize, formalize, and communicate the grace needed for the Levites to carry out this service.

and present the Levites before the Lord; and the sons of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites. 11 “Aaron then shall present the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering from the sons of Israel, that they may qualify to perform the service of the Lord.  Numbers 8:10–11 (NASB95)

This concept carries over into the New Testament. When the Holy Spirit called Paul and Barnabas to take the gospel to foreign lands, the leaders of the church recognized this calling by laying hands upon the two.

One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” 3 So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.  Acts 13:2–3 (NLT)

By so doing, they sent Paul and Barnabas out as representatives of the local church at Antioch. They also acted as substitutes for the rest of the church, since the entire church was called to spread the good news. The church got behind them in prayer and financial support. In addition, blessings and grace were imparted. They committed these men to the grace of God, just as Paul did later when he ordained elders through the laying on of hands.

Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. 24 Then they traveled back through Pisidia to Pamphylia. 25 They preached the word in Perga, then went down to Attalia.  Acts 14:23–25 (NLT)

Although the laying on of hands is not specifically mentioned, I believe we can assume that they did so. Grace is communicated at the time of ordination.

Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you.  1 Timothy 4:14 (NLT)

When we ordain someone, it does not transform them on the inside into new people. Rather, governmental leaders should only ordain those in whom God has already been at work preparing them for ministry. The Lord should have already made clear that he has appointed them to the work.

We lay hands upon those whom God has already laid his hand upon.  

In addition, the laying on of hands does not impart character, only grace and gifting for ministry. Character is an inner ongoing work of the Spirit of God and is vital in the life of anyone ordained to ministry.

God’s gifts and the pressures of ministry can only flourish without crushing us over time if we have a strong foundation of godly character.

Once we ordain someone, they become formally identified with us. Therefore, we should be careful to only ordain proven people. Otherwise, we may become identified with their failures and sin. The reputation of God’s church is at stake.

Do not lay hands on anyone hastily and so identify with the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.  1 Timothy 5:22 (NET)

When hands are laid on individuals to ordain them to governmental ministry, authority is conveyed to them by those in authority.

Then Moses said to the Lord, 16 “O Lord, you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Please appoint a new man as leader for the community. 17 Give them someone who will guide them wherever they go and will lead them into battle, so the community of the Lord will not be like sheep without a shepherd.” 18 The Lord replied, “Take Joshua son of Nun, who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him. 19 Present him to Eleazar the priest before the whole community, and publicly commission him to lead the people. 20 Transfer some of your authority to him so the whole community of Israel will obey him.  Numbers 27:15–20 (NLT)

God gives grace and authority to those to whom he gives responsibility.

Responsibility without authority is an exercise in frustration. Authority without responsibility is an ego trip.

Laying on of Hands to Impart Blessings and Spiritual Gifts

The laying on of hands is also used to impart blessings outside of ordination. Jesus laid his hands on children to bless them.

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” 15 And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.  Matthew 19:13–15 (NLT)

It should be our practice to lay hands on people, with their permission, to bless them and pray for them. We never know what God may communicate to them through this gesture. He may impart healing, a miracle, or a sensation of his presence. The baptism in the Spirit is often imparted through laying our hands upon people and praying for them.

As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit. 16 The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.  Acts 8:15–17 (NLT)

Jesus laid his hands upon the sick as part of communicating healing to them and setting them free from demonic oppression.

While the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them. 41 Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But rebuking them, He would not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ.  Luke 4:40–41 (NASB95)

…they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”  Mark 16:18b (NKJV)

Some people teach that we should not cast out demons by laying on of hands because the demon might enter us, but that is not scriptural. We are protected from demonization by the Lord, unless we open a door by deliberate sin. Often sick people are afflicted by demons, and sometimes it is difficult to discern if the sickness comes from natural or demonic sources. When we lay hands upon the sick, we may find that people are delivered, as seemed to happen when Jesus prayed for the sick and laid hands on them. Generally, we should simply cast them out with a command in Jesus’ name.

Conclusion

In summary, the laying on of hands is one of the first principles of the doctrine of Christ. It carries with it the idea of substitution and identification. Blessings are imparted, responsibility given, and authority communicated. Even those who do not have roles of responsibility and authority in the church can practice the laying on of hands in prayer, blessing, healing, and casting out evil spirits. I believe that the laying on of hands is underutilized by the church as an evangelistic tool. Many people will allow us to pray for them, even if they are not currently open to the gospel. Once we pray and lay hands upon people to bless them, we cross over an unseen barrier that allows us to talk more freely with them about spiritual things in the future.

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Part 2: Become an Answer to Prayer

It is one thing to pray for our neighbors and friends and another to become part of the answer to prayer. God wants to activate our ministry, and one way he does this is by opening our eyes to the need. How do we see the people who live, work, and play around us? Or do we even see them at all? Many of us have learned to live in relative isolation, thanks to air conditioning, television, refrigerators, and “social media.” We may keep up with events and people from afar, missing out on much of life and the opportunities all around us.

Until we see people as Jesus does and make a decision to offer to get involved in their lives, it is not likely that we will understand his heart for them or influence them very much toward God.

Matthew’s Gospel records a time when Jesus spoke to his closest followers about the crowd that surrounded him. It gives us a glimpse into his heart for people.

And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:35-38 (ESV)

Compassion motivated Jesus’ earthly ministry. He saw people as harassed and helpless sheep who desperately needed someone to protect, feed, and lead them. The Greek word for “harassed” can also mean “flayed”. We have a difficult time understanding just how wounded and in danger people with Christ are. Jesus pointed out that there is a great harvest field, which is ready and waiting for caring people to go to work. This means that the Holy Spirit is already at work in the lives of the harassed and helpless. What is stopping us?

We all battle with fear, laziness, disobedience, reluctance to experience discomfort, and a general lack of love for the those who do not know Jesus. Have we forgotten what it is like to live without knowing the Lord? What can help us to change?

Prayer

Prayer is the first part of Jesus’ solution to adding people to his harvest team.

Only God can change us on the inside and make us willing to invest our lives in his harvest field.

Jesus said to pray “earnestly.” This is because Satan fiercely resists any effort to share the gospel and make disciples. In addition, the part of us the Bible calls the “flesh” resolutely opposes sacrificing our comfort and ease to participate in God’s harvest work. It is the spirit inside us, the part of us in union with God’s Spirit, that wants to serve God in the harvest. The spirit and the flesh are in continual warfare until Jesus comes back again to raise us from the dead and deliver us finally and completely from this struggle. Until then we must make a determined stand against the inner pull of the flesh against God’s mission.

Without constant effort and determination, we followers of Christ tend to be lazy, self-centered people who put our own comfort, ease, and security ahead of helping lost, helpless, and harassed sheep who have not yet found the Shepherd.

Earnest prayer is needed to pry followers of Christ out of the comfort of their own homes and into the places where people who need Jesus can be effectively engaged.

Only God can transform us into people who are consumed with his passion for the lost and dying, but we have a part to play, and it begins with prayer. God wants us to make the choice to join him in this noble task.

But prayer does not save people: the Gospel does. Prayer is a means to an end and can never substitute for the kingdom work of actually conveying the Good News to those who desperately need to hear it.

As powerful and necessary as prayer is, it can never serve as an excuse for not obeying the Great Commission by going to the lost.

Getting into the Harvest Field

Going and making disciples (the Great Commission) is the second part of Jesus’ solution. Bringing people into the family of God through sharing the gospel message requires us to get into the harvest field ourselves. This will not happen without our overcoming the inertia of doing nothing and making the choice to go outside of our homes, our “comfort zones,” and engage people on a regular basis.

No great fisherman only occasionally dabbles in the sport. No effective fisher of men only randomly dips his line in the water.

Once we break loose from what held us back and make the choice to get involved in people’s lives, we find that God has already been at work. He wasn’t idly waiting for us to show up. We should not have the attitude of expecting the Spirit to join us as we plow ahead with own ideas and attempts to do God’s work. Instead we should look for what the Spirit is doing and join him as humble observant servants.

The harvest field is where we discover how to partner with God’s Holy Spirit.

Joining in God’s work is the most fulfilling and rewarding thing anyone can do.

Generally speaking, harassed and helpless sheep are not lining up at our church doors on Sunday mornings. In fact, many of them have been turned off by the church; although, many are still attracted to Jesus. Often they are a “mess” – people with a blend of rebellion, resentment, and hunger for God all rolled up in one.

Where and how can we successfully engage people who need and secretly desire Jesus, but who want nothing to do with what they understand about “church”? I am sure the same was true in Jesus’ day. Countless people in Israel found nothing to attract them to the austere legalism and hypocrisy practiced by the Pharisees, who were considered to be the best models what it meant to be a devout Jew. Their form of Judaism was to be found in the Temple and synagogues, an unlikely habitat for the average “sinner”.

Jesus frequented these religious centers, but also he went elsewhere in search of those who were most open to his life transforming message.

Jesus engaged people in homes, market places, trees, wells, and along the road. He did not set up a central meeting place and expect people to flock to him. In addition to teaching in synagogues wherever he went, he visited people’s homes and met them in market places, wherever life happened. And Jesus is our model.

Until we become the answer to our own prayers by making the choice to get involved in the lives of those who live around us, we are not yet a part of God’s mission to the heartrending and often silent cries of harassed and helpless people in need of God who live all around us.

Click here to read more articles on how to fish for people.

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