Author: petebeck3

Pete Beck III ministered as a pastor and Bible teacher in Burlington for over 35 years. He is married to Martha, with whom he has four children, ten beautiful grandchildren, and five amazing great grandchildren. He ministers in his local church as a Bible teacher and counselor. He has written several books, including two that are available on Amazon - Seeing God's Smile and Promise of the Father - as well as a wide variety of Bible-related articles.

Chapter 51: How to Make an Appeal to Authority

foundations

How do we properly appeal to someone in authority if he or she asks us to do something unwise or sinful? How do we maintain an attitude of proper submissiveness when challenging or informing a leader that we cannot obey for reasons of conscience? How we handle such situations will say a lot about our understanding of authority and our commitment to maintaining a right relationship with authority for the Lord’s sake.

Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, 1 Timothy 5:1 (NASB)  

Obviously, unless we are a Roman Catholic vis-a-vis the Pope, people in authority are not infallible. It is a well-known principle that power corrupts; so, it is likely that the more authority a person has and the less accountability, the greater the probability he or she will abuse that authority.

The Bible commands us to obey delegated authority unless doing so would violate God’s commands or our conscience.

Sin or foolishness on the part of one in authority does not relieve us from our duty to properly submit to authority in general and that person in particular. Such situations test whether we recognize that all authority comes from God, regardless of the frailty or faultiness of the human vessel.

Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. Romans 13:1-2 (NASB)

The Bible gives us examples of men and women who had to relate to sinful, misguided, or unreasonable authorities. Let’s focus on four.

Daniel

From Daniel we learn to offer an alternative plan to the one to which we object.

Daniel had been taken captive by the Babylonians and was singled out for advanced training and preparation for service to the king. Part of that training required him to eat food that God’s Word forbade him to consume. What was he to do? He could boldly rebel against the command for conscience’s sake and face the consequences like a man, or he could knuckle under, hoping God would understand his predicament. A third alternative would be to resist passively aggressively; that is, he would never voice his complaint but simply would not comply. Daniel was an extremely wise man, however, and took a fourth route which worked for him. He appealed to authority and was granted his request.

Rather than going through the verses (Daniel 1:8-16), which you can do on your own, I will extract the principles.

  1. Daniel made up his mind that he would not sin against God by obeying the king’s command. It is important that we have strong convictions when making such an appeal and not mere preferences.
  2. He wisely sought to skirt a direct confrontation by asking for permission to be excused from obeying the king’s command. Daniel was not afraid, however. Later in life he directly violated the king’s command not to pray to God, for which an appeal was not possible since the king at that time could not reverse his own command. His disobedience resulted in his being put in a lions’ den overnight.
  3. Daniel understood the purpose of the king’s command and offered a counter proposal to achieve the same or better results in a way that would not violate his conscience. The principle here is that we should never just say “no” to a command without offering a wise alternative plan to help the one in authority achieve his or her objectives. If we show that we are committed to the success of the one in authority, it is more likely that he or she will consider our proposal.
  4. Daniel asked that his proposal be tested, evaluated, and a decision made accordingly. This recognized the right of the one in authority to be the decision maker.
  5. Daniel was careful not to engage the pride of his authority by making a threat of any kind – “Do this or else!” Except in the case when we are commanded to sin, the one in authority needs to know that we will submit to an undesired response.

In the case above, after testing Daniel looked better than the other candidates after being on a diet that conformed to the Law of Moses; so, his request was granted. It should be noted that Daniel’s superior took a risk doing this; so, the favor of the Lord was a big factor, too. However, we may not receive such a blessed outcome.

Esther

Esther appealed to her husband the king because a high-ranking enemy who was close to the king had devised a plan to destroy her people, the Jews, with the king’s unwitting approval. She may have been able to escape this destruction, since her Jewishness was not known at the time, but how could she passively concede to the obliteration of her people? This perilous situation required delicacy and great wisdom on her part.

From Esther we learn the art of wisely crafting an appeal.

She would only get one shot at changing the course of events; so, she had to make the most of it. This may be our case, too.

She used her leverage with the king as his beloved wife and queen to gain an audience with the king. She then excited his interest by delaying the presentation of the details of her appeal until the perfect time. She prepared a great feast for her husband-king before making her appeal, putting him in the best frame of mind to grant her request. She was also wise enough to make the law that Haman had devised to wipe out the Jews look as evil as possible by setting up a situation in which the king had to make a choice between her and Haman, an easy choice for him to make.

Nathan the Prophet

Another wisely crafted appeal to authority was made by Nathan the prophet to King David after the latter had committed adultery with Bathsheba and murdered her husband to cover it up. Whether or not the public was aware of David’s sin, news of it had at least reached Nathan. As God’s representative to David, he felt the responsibility to confront the king to hopefully bring him to repentance. David had the authority to execute Nathan; so, the prophet was taking his life into his hands.

By crafting a story that excited David’s sense of injustice, he got David to unwittingly condemn his own behavior.

He sprung the trap by revealing that he had done what made him so angry at the imaginary someone else. Let’s read the passage.

So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. 2 The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. 3 The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. 4 One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.” 5 David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! 6 He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.” 7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. 8 I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. 9 Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. 10 From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own. 11 “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. 12 You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.” 13 Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. 14 Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the Lord by doing this, your child will die.”  2 Samuel 12:1–14 (NLT) —

If Nathan had barged into David’s presence and confronted him without getting David to see his sin through the story, the results may not have been very good. When we need to confront someone, especially someone in authority, why not ask God, the wisest, kindest, most loving, and most truthful person, to show us the best way to do it?

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

A last example is also found in the book of Daniel. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were friends of Daniel and Babylonian officials of high rank who outrightly refused to bow to the golden idol of Nebuchadnezzar, even though the punishment was death. When the king gave them one last chance, here is the account of their response.

“Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. 17 “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”  Daniel 3:15–18 (NASB95) —

In this case, there was no polite way to refuse a direct command from an obdurate king to commit idolatry. Peter replied to the Jewish leaders who commanded him to stop preaching the gospel, “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) In such cases, we should strive to maintain a properly submissive manner and tone when making a stand of conscience. When forced into such a corner, our refusal will carry a bad enough consequence without our making it worse by having a bad attitude. Peter later wrote the following:

But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; 16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.  1 Peter 3:14–17 (NASB95) —

When making an appeal to authority, whether we can use a little honey to make our appeal more palatable or must be confrontive, it is important to keep in mind that our attitude is important because we serve God, the one behind all authority.

The art of making an appeal to authority is one of the most important skills we may ever acquire and deserves our utmost attention and consideration. Whenever we may need to make such an appeal, let’s ask God for the wisdom and correct heart attitude, whether it goes as we desire or not.

Click here to see the other articles in this series.

Questions for Further Study and Discussion
  • Have you ever had to make an appeal to authority? How did it turn out? Did you handle it wisely?
  • Have you ever been the one in authority to whom an appeal was made? Did you grant the request? Was it handled wisely?
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Chapter 52: Authority and the Fear of the Lord

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The proper and timely use and display of authority inspires the fear of the Lord in people whose hearts are open to God. It has the opposite effect on those whose hearts are hardened. The following passage illustrates this.

And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This fellow blasphemes.” 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? 5 “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’? 6 “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.” 7 And he got up and went home. 8 But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.  Matthew 9:2–8 (NASB95) —

The Jewish leaders for the most part were never convinced by the miracles Jesus performed. When he raised Lazarus from the dead, they determined to put both Jesus and Lazarus to death! (John 12:10)

How we react to and relate to authority often reveals a lot about the condition of our hearts and our openness to God.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and a cornerstone of character which assists people in turning away from evil. It enables us to properly assess God’s words and actions. The opposite of the fear of the Lord is a hardened heart, which is closed to God and his truth.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.  Proverbs 1:7 (NASB95) — 

By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for, And by the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.  Proverbs 16:6 (NASB95) —

Those who properly fear the Lord will not only recognize and submit to authority in their lives, but they will also use it in the right way.

The proper use of authority is always meant to bless those it governs.

In the home, the husband and father’s God-given authority and responsibility to lead is meant to provide loving guidance, protection, and provision for the wife and children. In the church, authority properly used functions in the same manner. At work and in the government, authority is meant to provide guidance, order, reward for those who do well, and punishment for rebels.

Where authority is absent or is rejected because it is administered corruptly, people tend to become independent and unrestrained, the fear of the Lord can diminish.

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Judges 21:25 (NASB)

When a government properly represents God’s intention for it, whether the state, a church, at work, or in the home, it helps the fear of the Lord to take root, influencing behavior for the good.

For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; 4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Romans 13:3-4 (NASB)

Authority figures have a tremendous power of influence for good or evil. Those authorities who properly represent God influence people toward good. Those who misrepresent God can damage people spiritually.

Countless individuals and even entire families have given up on the church because of the failure of those in authority. Fathers who mistreat their children often damage their view of God the Father, whom they are meant to represent. If we have been damaged by the improper use of authority, Jesus wants to reveal to us the Father heart of God. He wants to lead us to churches where God’s authority is used benevolently.

On the opposite side of things, sometimes people try to diminish God’s intention for government by applying to the government commandments given to individuals. For example, I have talked with those who understand God’s commandment against killing (murder) to mean governments should not use capital punishment. The Bible makes it clear that governments are supposed to punish evil doers, even to the point of capital punishment, to maintain order, protect the innocent, and inspire obedience. This is why Paul referred to the “sword” of the government in the above passage.

In another place, Paul acknowledged this function of government in reference to his own legal predicament.

"If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true of which these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar." Acts 25:11 (NASB)

The Bible asserts that there are crimes worthy of death, which are listed in the Law of Moses and include such things as rape, murder, and kidnapping. These are moral crimes against individuals and society. Individuals are not supposed to seek personal vengeance for such crimes today, even though revenge killings were allowed under the Old Covenant.

As individuals, we are to forgive those who commit crimes against us, but this does not relieve the government of its responsibility to represent God though the application of justice.

Governments which fail to do so violate God’s law going all the way back to the flood.

Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man. Genesis 9:6 (NASB)

When there is no justice, evil becomes even bolder and often gets the opportunity to commit similar crimes again.

Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil. Ecclesiastes 8:11 (NASB)

Those who reject the government’s responsibility to carry out God’s justice are in rebellion against God’s authority.

Without Christ, there is no real wisdom, and when well-intentioned governments refuse to use capital punishment in proper cases, out of supposed enlightenment, it is a rebellion against God’s order and will always have disastrous consequences. Sadly, governments sometimes misuse capital punishment, and there is the possibility of human error in judgment. Nevertheless, we should not “throw out the baby with the bath water” and eliminate capital punishment because of the possibility of our making a mistake. Using that line of reasoning, we would have to stop doing all manner of things.

Those in authority have a moral responsibility before God to use their authority to inspire the fear of the Lord in those they govern. If authorities, and this includes parents of small children, do not use their authority properly, they sin against God and those they oversee.

There is perhaps no quicker way to unleash unrestrained evil upon the earth than for authority to recede or collapse.

Parents who fail to properly discipline their children often sentence them to a very difficult school of hard knocks and demonstrate that they do not truly love their kids.

If you refuse to discipline your children, it proves you don't love them; if you love your children, you will be prompt to discipline them. Proverbs 13:24 (NLT)

Those who have been given authority should challenge themselves to fully accept this responsibility in the fear of the Lord.

We parents should not recoil from applying the “board of education to the seat of learning” because we have a thinly veiled rebellion against authority in our own lives. If we were mistreated by someone who had authority over us, we may have vowed never to do that to someone we love. However, we should not fail to use our authority the way God intends.

Our culture works to condition us to detest authority and its proper use.

We should be careful not to buy into Satan’s lie that corporal and capital punishment are morally repugnant.

If we are going to live under the authority of Christ and His Word, we should strive to be under authority and properly use authority, just as the Roman centurion did.

But the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 “For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” 10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.  Matthew 8:8–10 (NASB95) —

It take faith to submit to Christ’s delegated authority in others and faith to use that authority when and how we should. This responsibility should inspire the fear of the Lord in all of us. 

Click here to see the other articles in this series.

Questions for Further Study and Discussion
  • Why does a failure to apply God’s justice to evil doers usually release more evil upon the earth?
  • How can parents lovingly use their authority to inspire the fear of the Lord in their young children?
  • What will be the likely outcome for children whose parents are too harsh in applying discipline? When parents fail to discipline them?
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Chapter 53: Meditation on God’s Word

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The Word of God is alive and powerful and deserves time and attention spent in meditation.

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.  Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) —

Jesus said that his words are “spirit and life.”

The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.  John 6:63 (NLT) —

The words of the Bible were inspired by the Holy Spirit when they were written (2 Timothy 3:16). They become alive to us when the Spirit helps us to understand, believe, and act on them. God’s words impart God’s life to us.

[Jesus said,] “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”  Matthew 4:4 (ESV) —

God’s words have the power to change us from the inside out through a process Paul called the “renewing of the mind.”

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  Romans 12:2 (NLT) —

We participate in the process of transformation when we meditate on the Word and allow it to permeate our lives while asking the Holy Spirit to be our teacher by opening its meaning to us, imparting its life, and helping us to put it into practice.

But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.  John 14:26 (NLT) —

God spoke the following to his servant Joshua when he was given the responsibility of leading Israel.

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Joshua 1:8 (NASB)

The Bible has the power to stir faith in our hearts.

Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe.  1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NLT) —

The more we meditate on the Word, the more our faith will grow.

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.  Romans 10:17 (NASB95)

God’s Word guides us on the path of life and reveals God’s mind and heart to us.

Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.  Psalm 119:105 (NASB95) —

But we are unlikely to access the profound depths of God’s Word without meditating upon it. The Hebrew concept of meditation is nothing like what is advocated by various Eastern religions.

Biblical meditation is not an emptying of the mind. Instead, it involves turning the scriptures over and over in our thoughts, much as meat is turned as it roasts upon a spit.

Meditation also contains the idea of muttering or talking out loud to ourselves as we think or perhaps recite the verses in the act of memorizing or recalling them from memory.

As we meditate prayerfully upon Scripture, the Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts and gives deeper understanding.

The psalmist describes this process in the following passage.

Make me understand the way of Your precepts, So I will meditate on Your wonders. Psalms 119:27 (NASB)

The same author told his readers that wisdom and understanding come to the one who practices the spiritual discipline of meditation.

O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. 98 Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, For they are ever mine. 99 I have more insight than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. 100 I understand more than the aged, Because I have observed Your precepts. Psalms 119:97-100 (NASB)

The Holy Spirit nurtures a love for God’s Word in our hearts.

The words of the Bible become a source of joy as the Holy Spirit causes them to come alive inside us.

When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.  Jeremiah 15:16 (NLT) —

When we meditate on God’s Word, it motivates us to obedience which brings blessings.

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. Psalms 1:1-3 (NASB)

Jesus is the Living Word, the eternal Logos. We cannot afford to live without daily drinking from its depths and partaking of its sustenance. Jesus said:

People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.  Matthew 4:4 (NLT) —

If we regularly practice the spiritual discipline of meditation on God’s Word, we will grow spiritually and be continually led by God’s Spirit.

Meditating on God’s Word is one of the most basic spiritual disciplines a Christian must practice. We never get too mature to need to do this. Here are some suggestions for doing this.

  • Read the Bible daily. There are several ways to read the Scriptures. We can simply read through the Bible. We also can read and study it topically. Another method is to do “word studies” where we see how words are used in the Bible. Perhaps the most desirable way to study is devotionally. In this way of studying, we ask the Holy Spirit to teach us what he wants us to receive, believe, and do.
  • Ask the Holy Spirit to be our teacher. He is the One sent by God to give us revelation and understanding. He is the One who inspires faith in our hearts and does transformation work in our lives. When he teaches us, the Word “burns” inside us, so to speak. (Luke 24:32)
  • Keep a journal where you can record questions and insights you have regarding what you read. You can also notate anything you believe God speaks to your heart. We might think that we will remember everything, but that is highly unlikely. In my case, I often make notes in my Bible in the margins.
  • Memorize verses and passages. This is a great aid in the meditation process. Think long and hard in a prayerful state of mind about what you read.
  • Ask God to show you how to apply what you read to your life. Ask the Spirit to help you obey what the Bible teaches.
  • Use Bible study aids to assist you in your study. A great one is to have a computer program that provides instant access to various versions and notes, allows you to do quick searches, and shows what the original Greek and Hebrew words mean. Other resources are commentaries, expository dictionaries, Bible encyclopedias, and books. The NIV and ESV Study Bibles pull together many of these resources into one location. Listen to teachings from trusted teachers and read books by good authors. Your pastor may be able to recommend some excellent books for you.

Click here to see the other articles in this series.

Questions for Further Study and Discussion
  • Have you ever experienced the Holy Spirit causing the words of the Bible to “come alive” to you?
  • What have you found to be the most life giving way to read and meditate on the scriptures?
  • What Bible study aids do you find most helpful?
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Chapter 57: Sharing the Gospel

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Sharing the gospel with others is our most powerful offensive spiritual weapon, and I list it as a spiritual discipline because it is something we should regularly do, even if we don’t “feel” like it.

Overcoming our reticence regarding the gospel is one of our greatest challenges.

Most people quite naturally talk about what is important, excites, or brings them joy. Jesus said:

The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. Luke 6:45 (NASB)

If our favorite sports team is doing well, we will probably tell others. If we discover some exciting hobby or pastime, we are likely to freely share it with others because our hearts are overflowing with pleasure, information, or excitement. Likewise, those who curse, complain, encourage, or praise as a regular habit also reveal what fills their hearts.

If we are afraid of what others think, say, or might do to us, we may opt to keep quiet about our allegiance to Jesus. This is what happened to Peter the night our Lord was put on trial. Paul exhorted us to overcome any fear or shame that might hinder our testimony.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 8So you must never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don't be ashamed of me, either, even though I'm in prison for Christ. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the proclamation of the Good News. 2 Timothy 1:7-8 (NLT)

When we hold back from sharing our testimony or the gospel message (our allegiance to Christ), there are two additional possibilities of what may be restraining us. Let’s look at these.

  1. Lack of confidence. We may not feel qualified or knowledgeable enough to engage people with the gospel. Fortunately, this can be overcome by study, practice, and reliance upon the Holy Spirit’s help.
  2. Lukewarmness. This may be the most insidious condition of all. It is when we no longer desire God above all else. We may still retain the vocabulary and habits of devotion, but not the heart. The bride of Christ should love her groom and be excited to talk about him with others. Most of us begin our discipleship journey with zeal, but life and circumstances and the distractions of life have a way of dampening our ardor. Jesus detests lukewarmness, which should prompt us to repent. (Revelation 3:16) Jesus told us to come to him with a repentant heart. He will work inside us to restore the fire of zeal in our souls.

Jesus spoke of lukewarmness is his parable of the sower and the seed.

The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, 19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.  Mark 4:18–19 (NLT) —

Sharing the good news about Jesus the Messiah is one of the most rewarding ways to spend our time. It glorifies God when we publicly identify with our Lord. It makes it possible for others to come into the family of faith and allows us to participate in the joy of heaven when a sinner repents.

The only treasure we take with us beyond the grave is what God has done in and through us – our works of obedience and faith and those we lead to the Lord.

Paul wrote:

Dear brothers and sisters, I love you and long to see you, for you are my joy and the reward for my work. So please stay true to the Lord, my dear friends. Philippians 4:1 (NLT)

Christians are designed and expected to reproduce themselves through sharing the gospel, just as all living things do.

Sharing the gospel can also be thought of as fishing for people.

Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”  Matthew 4:19 (NLT) —

No one ever caught a fish without trying, except perhaps when a flying fish jumps into a boat. It is possible to lead a person to Christ almost by accident if they are ready enough. However, most fishing required time, effort, skill, and expense. If we are not willing to invest ourselves in the process, we will not likely catch many people. Here are some things we can do to get more involved in fishing for people.

  1. Pray for family, friends, associates, and neighbors who do not yet know the Lord. Ask God to prepare their hearts and bring people into their lives who will share the gospel. Be ready to be that person.
  2. Spend time with people. Call on neighbors. Ask people over to share a meal, coffee, dessert, etc. Take advantage of naturally occurring time spent together to develop friendships.
  3. Learn the art of conversation. People often reveal their needs when we talk, which can open a door to pray or encourage, or maybe even share our testimony or the gospel.
  4. Be patient. Do not think we have to “close the sale” too quickly. Wait for the right time and prompting of the Holy Spirit. If people think we are simply trying to put notches on our gospel gun, they will likely be offended.
  5. Make it your goal simply to love people whether or not they seem open to the gospel.

Have we shared our faith lately? Can we think of anyone that we personally led to Jesus? We will never win the lottery if we never enter it. We will never lead another person to faith if we never share the gospel. If we have reproduced ourselves through the gospel, how long has it been? Do we need to stir ourselves up again? Today is as good a time to start as any. Why not pray right now that God will open a door for you, and then be ready to share. Here is an admonition written by the apostle Paul.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:2-6 (NIV)

Peter also encouraged us to be vocal about our allegiance to Christ.

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

We can make sharing the gospel part of our lifestyle by deciding to prioritize it.

This will require us to become gospel “fluent” by spending time in the study of the key elements of a proper presentation of the gospel. We will look at this in another section. We also need God’s anointing and power that come via the baptism in the Spirit. Jesus warned his disciples not to attempt being his witness until this took place.

“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”  Luke 24:49 (NLT) —

Those first disciples needed this infilling, and so do we. In a future lesson, I will share how to receive this most amazing promise of the Father. In fact, I have written a book on this subject, which is available on Amazon, entitled, Promise of the Father.

Click here to see the other articles in this series.

Questions for Further Study and Discussion
  • What are the key elements of your personal testimony?
  • What do you understand to be the difference between sharing our testimony and the gospel?
  • Do you feel like you are competent to effectively share the gospel?
  • Have you ever led another person to faith in Christ?
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Chapter 61: Irrefutable Evidence

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Evidence is what we see, hear, or otherwise apprehend directly and personally, not secondhand or by hearsay, which helps to demonstrate the truth of some assertion. Evidence must be something objective and external to us, rather than inward feelings or conjecture. It is something that can stand up in court. Evidence does not cause something to happen. It proves that something did happen.

The Bible says that the evidence of the baptism in the Spirit is speaking in tongues and prophecy.

This lesson is limited to the evidence of speaking in tongues, since that is more common than prophecy as an initial evidence. When we observe someone speaking in tongues, we have irrefutable evidence that he or she received the baptism in the Spirit. If the person does not speak in tongues, but says he knows he has received the baptism in the Spirit by faith, even though it may be true, we cannot corroborate his statement because we have no evidence.

 Avoiding Common Pitfalls

Unfortunately, we often read into the scriptures our own prejudices and experience. This is called eisegesis, as opposed to the proper task of exegesis, which is extracting from the Bible what it means. While it sounds very noble to claim that we do not practice eisegesis, we all are influenced by our own experience, traditions handed down to us, and a priori beliefs. Only the Holy Spirit can properly interpret the Bible since he is the Author or Inspirer.

But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. 1 John 2:27 (NLT) —

It is a misguided endeavor to limit our interpretation of the Bible to what scholars determine was the human author’s intention and meaning when he wrote, especially when it comes to prophecy, since we are told that it was the Holy Spirit “carrying them along” (2 Peter 1:21) when they spoke and wrote, often about things regarding which they had limited understanding at best.

This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. 11 They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward. 12 They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen. 1 Peter 1:10–12 (NLT) —

Knowing that we all tend to approach Scripture from the frame of reference of what we already think, have experienced, or have been taught, we should be careful when interpreting those things that are outside of our own experience.

Humility keeps us open to receive more from God and does not insist that truth conform to our own theology or experience.

Another big obstacle is bad doctrine. Some Bible teachers have done a great disservice to the body of Christ by disseminating false teaching regarding the baptism and gifts of the Spirit. Overcoming such indoctrination is often quite a challenge, especially if we love, respect, and trust our previous instructors.

Just because someone knows a lot about the scriptures in general does not mean he or she understands everything.

While a bachelor can teach on marriage from the Bible, a married person will probably have much more insight and wisdom about life as a couple from having experienced marriage firsthand. A person may know what the Bible teaches about the new birth, but until we have personally experienced it, we cannot properly understand it. Likewise, well-intentioned Bible teachers have taught on the baptism and gifts of the Spirit without ever having received or experienced them, often because they have rejected that they are for today.

Jesus said we must obey the Word to understand it.

Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own.  John 7:17 (NLT) —

Spiritual strongholds are lie-based logical arguments we embrace that block us from believing God’s revealed truth and receiving the attached blessings.

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) —

If we are taught and embrace a lie about the baptism or gifts of the Spirit, it sets itself up in our minds to keep us estranged from one of God’s biggest blessings – the Promise of the Father. Sowing lies is one of the devil’s primary strategies to hinder people from first coming to Christ and then, after we become Christians, to keep us from advancing in our faith and devotion to Christ. Overcoming lie-based strongholds requires us to embrace God’s truth, even when it opposes our previously held beliefs.

Traditions of men cannot be allowed to stand between us and God’s blessings.

The Record from Acts

Luke’s record of how the Holy Spirit worked through the early disciples of Christ in the years following his resurrection is found in Acts. We should allow the record to speak for itself instead of superimposing our own understanding and traditions on top of the Bible’s clear testimony.

Unfortunately, over time, unexperienced truth can be lost and buried like old ruins.

Thankfully, God has restored much to the church regarding the baptism in the Spirit over the last century beginning at Azusa Street, continuing through the Latter Rain Movement, and the Charismatic Renewal. In addition, over the past decades, God has restored our understanding and experience of apostles and prophets, two of the most neglected components of the Five-Fold or Ascension Gift Ministries described in Ephesians 4:11-12.

The first example of people being baptized in the Spirit is found in Acts 2.

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2  And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3  And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4 (ESV)  

The word Luke used in the above passage to describe what happened to the disciples is that they were “filled” with the Holy Spirit. Jesus told his followers that they would be “baptized” in the Spirit.

And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5  for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Acts 1:4-5 (ESV)

We should not be confused by the overlapping terminology. The “filling” recorded in Acts 2 was the ‘baptism” promised in Acts 1. The important thing for us is that this was another experience with the Holy Spirit, different from the new birth. This baptism in the Spirit filled those men and women to overflowing with the power and boldness of the Holy Spirit, to equip them for preaching the Gospel and ministering in Christ’s name.

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

Speaking in tongues is the supernatural overflow of this filling or baptism in the Spirit.

Jesus taught that we speak out of whatever fills our hearts.

The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45 (ESV)

We all talk about the things that excite us. If we are football fans, we love to speak about football. If we are fans of cooking, we share recipes. If we love nature, we talk of the outdoors. If we are filled with God’s Spirit, we will talk about Jesus. In some cases, we do so in other languages inspired by the Spirit of God.

When we overfill a pitcher of water, the overflow comes out of the spout. When God overfills us with his Spirit, the excess spills out in various ways, usually in verbal form. Our mouths are sort of a pressure relief valve.

Paul wrote the following.

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19  addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, Ephesians 5:18-19 (ESV)

Why should it surprise us that people begin speaking and singing when filled with the Spirit? The only real surprise is that we can and often do express our joy and excitement by speaking in unknown languages.

Here are some more examples from Acts.

While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45  And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46  For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God... Acts 10:44-46 (ESV)  

And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. Acts 19:6 (ESV)

When Peter and John visited Samaria on the heels of Philip’s preaching the gospel there for the first time, they laid hands on the new believers because, even though they had believed and been water baptized, they had not yet been baptized in the Spirit. How did the apostles know? The most reasonable explanation is because they had not yet spoken in tongues.

When Peter and John prayed, something so remarkable happened that Simon the Magician begged to be given the power associated with laying on of hands. Most probably he heard the people begin to speak in tongues, just as happened the other times people were baptized in the Spirit in Acts.

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, 15  who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16  for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17  Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. 18  Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19  saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Acts 8:14-19 (ESV)
Conclusion

The record of Acts clearly shows us that the first disciples received the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues and prophecy. This irrefutable evidence allowed Peter to argue successfully that he had to water baptize the Gentile Cornelius, since God obviously demonstrated his acceptance of him by giving him the baptism in the Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

There was no difference between what happened to the first disciples on Pentecost and what happened to Cornelius and the others later.

For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47  “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48  And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ... Acts 10:46-48 (ESV)

We should desire and expect no less for us who live today. God is the same, the promise is the same, and the need is the same.

Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized 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 your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”  Acts 2:38–39 (NASB95) —

Click here to see the other articles in this series.

You can read more about the baptism of the Spirit and the gifts in Pete's book, Promise of the Father, which is available on Amazon. Click here for the link.
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Genesis of God’s Mission

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Genesis and God’s Mission

The first few chapters of Genesis answer the five most important life or worldview questions.

  1. Origin: From where did I come?
  2. Identity: Who am I?
  3. Purpose: What is my purpose in life?
  4. Morality: How do I know what is right and wrong?
  5. Destiny: What will happen to me after I die?

The purpose (or mission) question, which is the focus of this article, is answered in the following verses.

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:28 (ESV) 

Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. Genesis 2:15 (NASB)

The basic purpose of humankind can be summarized in three points: multiply, take dominion, and tend the garden.

These commands were specific to Adam’s and Eve’s situation, but a case can be made that they are still in effect, since there is no record anywhere that God rescinded them. The “garden” should now be understood as the entire earth in which we live, tainted as it is by sin.

While these purposes apply to every human being in a practical and natural way, I also believe that they apply directly to the mission of the church.

If we make the Great Commission (multiplication) our top church priority through proclamation of Christ’s Lordship (dominion), it will bring the church to spiritual maturity (tending). Conversely, if we make tending (helping people achieve spiritual maturity) our top priority, we may fail to pursue the Great Commission (dominion and multiplication) with the vigor it deserves.

The missional priorities of multiplication and dominion and the pastoral priority of tending people and helping them to grow to maturity can all point to important scriptures for support. The missional view typically uses Matthew 28:18-20 for its foundation; while, the maturity perspective uses Ephesians 4:11-16. Both missional and pastoral priorities are vital aspects of the Holy Spirit’s work in the church. Romans 8:29 states that all things are working towards conforming us to Christ’s glorious image (growing us to maturity). God wants to make us into “little Christs” or Christians who represent and glorify him as wonderfully as possible. In addition, Christ commissioned his followers to go into all the world to make disciples who will make disciples.

The Holy Spirit is working in us believers to conform us to Christ’s image. Christ assigned the church, however, to pursue fulfilling the Great Commission.

If we make mission (the multiplication of disciples) our top priority, the Holy Spirit will concurrently do his internal transformational work. If we focus on character transformation and biblical literacy to the neglect of the mission, we may miss God’s main priority and inadvertently promote a self-centered and consumerist version of Christianity.

Fruitfulness and Multiplication

It is important to note that the top priority, based on the order in which these commands were given, is to be fruitful and multiply. This command was restated after the flood. The earth then and now needs to be populated. The Great Commission was another restatement of this foundational command after the resurrection.

“Go and make disciples” is another way of saying, “Be fruitful and multiply.” The earth now desperately needs to be populated with born again believers who seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness.

It is instructive to note that the New World Order (NWO), which is satanic in origin, seeks to reduce the population of the world. The reasons given are many.

  • There are already too many people. If we don’t cut back on births, the earth will be over populated, which will usher in many calamities, such as famine starvation. This is part of what motivates the world’s love affair with killing babies through abortion.
  • Humans are bad for the environment. The NWO believes that humans are a detriment to nature and need to be curtailed or eliminated.
  • Children are too expensive and get in the way. People are told that we cannot afford to have kids or that they get in the way of our pursuit of happiness or career. This excuse is used to justify abortion.
  • The world is too evil to bring children into it. Misplaced compassion for the not yet born motivates people to avoid having children. Obviously this is very short sighted and shows disregard for God’s ability to redeem and bless his creatures.

Western nations have embraced abortion, birth control, fear, unbelief, and a self-centered lifestyle in direct defiance of God’s command to be fruitful and multiply, causing the West to become culturally non-viable because of low birth rates. World dominion will go to those groups which continue to have large numbers of children.

In the natural realm, multiplication leads to dominion. The same is true in the spiritual realm.

Our nation and culture have embraced an anti-God mentality. Unwittingly, many churches have adopted variations of these arguments. Below are some examples.

  • We disobey the Great Commission when we choose to no longer reach out because we feel we have already maxed out our facilities and capacities.
  • We disobey the Great Commission when we invest most of our finances in maintaining the building, programs, and operational costs of maintaining the church plant, instead of spending time, energy, and money on pursuing the Great Commission.
  • We disobey the Great Commission when we think that having a missional lifestyle is too much trouble. It is far easier to contribute money or volunteer to serve in crisis intervention programs than to get involved in the lives of people who have untold needs and will make unanticipated demands on our time and finances.
  • We disobey the Great Commission when, rather than put our people at risk by asking them to immerse themselves in lifestyle evangelism and connecting with broken, unsaved people, we opt for the safety of the Christian fortress called the church.
  • We disobey the Great Commission when we devise so many programs and activities for our members that they are worn out and have little or no time or energy for pursuing the Great Commission.

These arguments are used by some churches as a form of “birth control” to circumvent their obligation to pursue the Great Commission.

We sometimes place building and strengthening the local church, the command to tend the garden, ahead of the Great Commission, the command to multiply. Having great meetings (the internal work of the church) may become more important than spending time with the unsaved and unchurched (the missional work of the church).

Only by re-prioritizing the Great Commission will the church become the missional force God intends it to be and grow to spiritual maturity. Self-centered people and churches never fully mature.

Taking Dominion

When Jesus rose from the dead, he took dominion back from Satan. Although God’s ultimate rule has never been in question, man’s place in the kingdom of God was jeopardized when Adam ceded authority to Satan. When Jesus arrived on the earth, he became the Second Adam, the progenitor of a brand new edition of humanity through the “genesis” of the new birth. He powerfully rose again from the dead as the Lord of Lords, to whom all authority in heaven and earth has been given. As representatives of Christ, we administrate his authority.

The Gospel message is a proclamation of Christ’s authority to forgive sins and set the captives free.

In the limited scope of this article, I use “taking dominion” to refer to our proclamation of the Gospel of Christ’s dominion or lordship in order to reach and save people out of this fallen world who can be developed into disciples.

The proclamation of the Gospel, therefore, is a necessary prerequisite to making disciples, which is God’s purpose for the church.

Churches which fail to adequately emphasize, train, and launch their members into Gospel proclamation will probably never become disciple making churches in the fullest sense.

Tending the Garden

People need responsibility. Taking on responsibility creates an environment in which we more rapidly can grow up or mature.

Just as having children forces young couples to grow in all sorts of ways, having spiritual children through proclaiming the Gospel will provide us with wonderful opportunities for spiritual growth. Putting mission (preaching the Gospel and making disciples) first, will end up requiring us to spend large amounts of time tending the garden, or helping them to grow to maturity. Part of the Great Commission is “teaching them to obey all that I have commanded.” This makes tending the garden a very important part of the Great Commission and disciple making.

Tending the garden means caring for the sheep, but always with an end game in mind – that they also become disciple makers in their own right.

Tending sheep is never supposed to be the end all. Just as young children are prepared for life as adults and sent off into the world to start their own families, disciples of Christ should be taught, prepared, and sent to multiply themselves.

The Great Commission, the Church’s Top Priority

We cannot simply tell young men to “grow up” and expect that to happen unless we put them into situations that require them to mature. Boot camps place men and women under extreme pressures to produce qualified soldiers.

Whenever people take on greater responsibility, it will foster growth to maturity.

In the church, we should not expect our people to grow to maturity without their embracing the Great Commission responsibilities of preaching the Gospel and making disciples who make disciples. Instead of making the Great Commission priority one, we have substituted other things: Bible study, moral development, leadership training, and serving church programs. When we do this, we produce caricatures of true disciples.

  • Prioritizing Bible education and theological training ahead of the Great Commission may end up creating a modern version of the Pharisees, who considered themselves to be guardians of the truth, but at the same despised and excluded the very people Jesus loved and pursued.
  • Putting character and moral development at the top of our priority list runs the risk of producing self-righteous and self-absorbed legalists, whose focus is on their own spiritual development and who demand that others adhere to their standards of behavior, while looking down on those who do not measure up.
  • Teaching people that their main priority is serving church programs can make the church inwardly focused and sap the energy and time that could otherwise be given to pursuing the Great Commission’s first point: “Go.”

In the West, we long ago adopted the Greek system of education, which demands vast investments of time in lectures, studying books, and testing in order to prepare and equip people to enter into responsible positions in society and the church. Jesus used a much different approach, which was more “hands on” and action-oriented, what might be called apprenticeship. He taught and then immediately required his students to use what they had been taught. Putting what we learn into practice is the best way to increase understanding and retention. Often we think we know something until we have to use it or teach it. Then we find out what we do and don’t know or understand.

Disciple making the Jesus way is action and ministry oriented.

Discipleship is best done in a “hands on” manner, in which the mentor teaches, demonstrates, oversees, and, finally, launches. Our disciples will learn far more after they have been launched than they did in the secure environment of having the mentor readily at hand.

Young parents learn how to parent by doing. They become much more open to advice when they see the need for it. What may have seemed boring and academic suddenly has a real life application! Likewise, when we help people to get out of the safe confines of the local church and into their communities in obedience to the Great Commission, we place them into an environment in which they must sink or swim. Immediately they will find out what they do and do not know. Hopefully they will thirst to grow in the knowledge of the scriptures and in their ability to minister to others through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Pursuing the Great Commission will excite our desire to grow to maturity in the Lord. Confining ourselves to the local church context may cause us to stagnate.

Have you ever noticed that young couples without children are often experts on how to raise and discipline other people’s children? They are sometimes critical of how parents are doing their job. But once they have kids of their own, they find out how difficult and challenging parenting is.

We must beware of creating theological know-it-alls whose only understanding comes from a theoretical classroom context, instead of a “boots on the ground” experience.

Pursuing the Great Commission as our top priority will help ground our people in real life applications of God’s Word and preserve us from spiritual pride. It’s difficult to be proud when we are wrestling with real life problems.

Conclusion

Prioritizing the wrong things can torpedo our best efforts and cause us to miss the mark.

Many capable and promising followers of Christ have been deceived into thinking that God’s highest purpose for their lives is growing in biblical knowledge and serving in the local church. However, when we make the Great Commission our top priority, everything else falls into place.

Embracing the Great Commission draws us to grow in our knowledge of the Word and the ways of the Spirit that will help us to connect with people, share the Gospel effectively, minister in the power of the Spirit, and teach others to do likewise. This is the essence of what it means to make disciples. Let’s make the Great Commission our top priority so that we, like Paul, can rejoice in our spiritual children and grandchildren (disciples of disciples)! Let’s make God’s first priority from creation onward our first priority and watch how everything else falls into place.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33 (ESV)
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The Answer to How Is Yes

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When it comes to obeying God, the answer to how is a resounding “yes”! Many people use the “how” question as a veiled way of resisting. The underlying assumption is that, if we don’t know how to do something, we should not do it. We should wait until we know exactly how it can be done before beginning. This is not how faith and obedience work.

Sometimes we will not know how God intends to do something until we launch out in faith.

Negativity dries up creativity. Obedience by faith allows creativity inspired by the Spirit to flourish.

Churches should embrace the Great Commission and develop their people into disciple makers because it is the right thing to do… regardless of the cost or consequences.

Once we say “Yes” to God, he will show us how. Once we start the journey, our Lord will reveal the steps of faith and obedience we must take, and the Spirit will help us. That is one of his names – The Helper.

When we say Yes to God’s mission and fully commit to it, we begin an adventure of faith with the Holy Spirit.

Here are some possible steps you and your church may wish to make in order to pursue mission in a greater way.

  • Ask the Lord to show us if and where we need to refocus our efforts.
  • Ask the Lord what changes need to be made in how we are thinking and doing things.
  • Ask leaders to model what we wish to see our people do.
  • Bring people alongside us so they can experience first hand what we are doing.
  • Share the vision.
  • Train, equip, and launch people into the harvest field.
  • Expect resistance and a high price tag. Determine to keep going anyway.

The answer to how is yes.

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Be Intentional

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We must be intentional in pursuing the Great Commission. It does not usually happen by accident.

Jesus said:

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV)

Jesus taught that we should let the light of God shine through us, but sometimes God’s people choose to hide their light out of laziness, fear, discouragement, or apathy. Those who take the Great Commission seriously often experience a struggle over whether to actively share the good news about Jesus with others or retreat into doing nothing.

The modern way of life invites us to wall ourselves off from the world in the safety, comfort, and convenience of our homes. Air conditioning, TV, refrigerators, video games, computers, and whatever else we have at our fingertips can keep the average follower of Christ fairly satisfied and happy, oblivious to the desperate need of lost people all around them. Those of us who acknowledge our responsibility to God and the lost are confronted with how best to let our light shine in ways that glorify God.

Lost and hurting people are waiting for followers of Christ to break out of our personal and church cocoons and take the gospel into our neighborhoods and the world at large.

There are multitudes of ways to love our neighbors that are not self-serving or obviously intended to add them to our church’s membership rolls. If people sense that our good works are part of a church-related agenda, it may repel them. However, if we serve out of love, expecting nothing in return, God will be glorified, and people may be drawn to Christ.

This is a challenge in two ways. Some of us are uncomfortable merely engaging people, which definitely hinders God’s mission.

We may have grown comfortable with being passive with regard to the Great Commission, expecting the world to come to us and our meetings. God calls us to go where our neighbors live, work, and play, and engage them on their own turf, so to speak.

A second challenge is that those of us who are willing to get out and engage people may have difficulty cultivating relationships with any kind of real depth. We may be task-oriented and feel that, unless we can get others to make some sort of  move toward accepting the gospel, we have failed or wasted our time.

People are worth befriending simply for its own joy, whether or not they are currently open to the gospel.

Many times people will not trust us until we demonstrate that we love them. Why should they open their hearts and lives to people they do not yet fully trust? The old adage applies. People don’t care what we know, until they know that we care.

Cultivating relationships takes time and work. Those who are looking for a quick turn around will likely fail at letting their light shine in a God glorifying way. Cultivating relationships for the kingdom’s sake requires love, commitment, work, and time.

Missional churches encourage their members to intentionally connect with unsaved and unchurched people in a way that clearly demonstrates Christ’s love.

Ways to Be Intentional

Below is a list of ten ways we can let our light shine.

  • Pray privately for our neighbors.easier harder
  • Be friendly.
  • Start conversations.
  • Visit.
  • Ask to pray for others out loud on the spot.
  • Invite people into our homes.
  • Use our home for ministry.
  • Serve when and where we see a need.
  • Share the gospel.
  • Invest in making a new convert into a disciple.

The key is to find out what we can do lovingly and in a way that is natural. When we are “up tight,” it often makes others feel “on edge.” Personally, I find it relatively easy to be friendly, start conversations, visit, offer to pray for people, and, when the opportunity arises, to share the gospel. I am also quite willing to develop interested people into disciples. It is more of a challenge for me personally to have people over and serve in practical ways. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. But what if spending time helping someone with a practical job opens their heart to us and the gospel? We should think about how we can best connect with our neighbors.

Leaders of missional churches model such a missional lifestyle in addition to teaching and equipping their people.

It is not enough to talk about letting our light shine. Leaders will make it their practice and take others along with them so they can catch the vision and develop a similar passion for mission. The challenge often is finding people who want to commit to the process.

Missional leaders configure their churches around the priority of training their people to be and make disciples.

That means we have to first develop people into disciples. We can only duplicate who we are.

Leaders of missional churches encourage and celebrate their people taking initiative and give permission for them to think and move “outside the box,” while at the same time building relational and missional unity around common priorities and values.

Nothing thwarts missional creativity so much as a decision-making bottleneck created by overly controlling leaders. We have to give the Holy Spirit room to lead people. The more trust that is developed, the greater is the freedom and latitude can be given.

Leaders of missional churches are willing to send people to start new ministries, groups, and churches and to be missionaries in other cities and nations.

Developing a missional culture in a church means that we abandon ourselves to God’s mission, no matter what the cost to us personally and to the church in general.

Intentionality is a big key to fulfilling the great commission.

Such obedience may happen “by accident” during times of revival and renewal, but in “usual” times, we need to consciously lead ourselves and the church in this direction. We acknowledge the necessity of continually relying upon the Holy Spirit to make mission an organic grace-filled operation, rather than mere duty.

Prayer

Lord, I see the need to be more intentional regarding being your ambassador. I have let some things slide and need your help in restoring my “first love” and zeal. Forgive me for being so self-centered and lazy. Holy Spirit, work in me to give me a renewed love and concern for your “lost sheep.”  Amen.

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Be Ambassadors for God’s Kingdom

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Obedience to the Great Commission transforms us into official ambassadors from God’s kingdom who speak for God.

And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19  For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20  So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (NLT)

Jesus was the model ambassador for the kingdom of God. How Jesus connected with people was truly amazing. It is well known that the most unlikely people loved him; while, religious sorts despised him. Why was this? How was he able to set a very high bar regarding ethical and moral conduct; yet, those whose morals and ethics were lacking were often very comfortable in his presence?

The message God has given us as ambassadors of his kingdom is a gracious invitation to be restored to a right relationship to him.

Although there is a proper time and way to fearlessly confront sin, the kingdom message is essentially conciliatory, at least to those whose hearts are open.

Those whose hearts are open will understand and respond. Those whose hearts are closed will resist.

Ambassadors are known for their wisdom and tact. They often face hostile officials and must counter their aggression and resistance with words that can defuse a explosive situation and move people to accepting his government’s proposals. This is very similar to how we should engage people with the gospel.

By nature, we tend to resist truth, especially when it exposes our sin. Denial is part of the human condition. People without God live in darkness, resist truth, and need the Holy Spirit’s assistance in coming to the light.

The Holy Spirit works inside people while we engage them externally. Our words and behavior can either help or hinder the process. We do not want to distract people away from the words of the gospel and what the Spirit is doing inside them by acting unwisely. For some of us this comes naturally, but for others it takes focused determination and commitment.

The gospel is difficult enough to accept without our making it harder by being unnecessarily offensive.

A great example of being tactful is found in the following passage. The Canaanite woman who asked Jesus to heal her daughter was initially rebuffed by the Lord, as we may be by those with whom we share. The woman asked Jesus to set her daughter free from demonic oppression. Our Lord seemed to close the door on her request, but she refused to give up.

He [Jesus] answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25  But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26  And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27  She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28  Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly. Matthew 15:24-28 (ESV)

This woman was an outsider, a Canaanite, with no inherent right to God’s kingdom through Abraham. She approached the Lord in humility and desperation, but he apparently turned her away. Right there is where the tact of an ambassador was needed. Instead of giving up or going off in a huff, she humbly pressed the issue. Getting help for her daughter superseded everything else. She resolutely countered what Jesus said with words of wisdom and faith. Jesus saw her heart and faith and compassionately responded. It is reasonable for us to assume that Jesus was simply testing her resolve, wanting her to press through to get what she desired.

Sometimes we must be like that woman and humbly press through the resistance we encounter when sharing the gospel.

When people resist our message, we need to listen to the Spirit for the right words that may overcome their hostility. People need to know that we are not arrogant or self-righteous, as are many who name the name of Christ. Instead we want them to see that we are truly concerned about their well-being.

Words of wisdom can open hearts and defuse negativity.

I have watched this happen many times, but only if we are not easily offended or taken aback. Love presses on.

Missional churches commit to training their members how to be proper ambassadors for God’s kingdom, who use wisdom, grace, and tact, and relying on the Holy Spirit to lead the way.

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Become Gospel Fluent

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Missional churches not only teach their people to accept responsibility for sharing the gospel and making disciples, we also prioritize equipping their people to be “gospel fluent.”

The gospel properly shared has the power to save people.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." Romans 1:16-17 (NASB)

We do not want to alter it in any way. If we want to see the promised results, we should apply ourselves to studying how God presents the gospel in scripture and teach our people to do the same.

Many of us are not clear regarding exactly what is the gospel and how to share it properly. Modern evangelistic campaigns have tried to streamline the gospel message into something that can be easily remembered and quickly presented, but often at the expense of the beauty, breadth, depth, and impact of the true gospel. If we ask an average follower of Christ what they would tell a person who expresses a desire to become a follower of Christ, we would probably hear a response something like this. “Tell them to ask Jesus into their hearts.” If someone has already heard and understood the gospel message, this could be a proper next step, but it is not a good way to present the gospel. Others equate the gospel with the doctrine of justification by faith, but this is not the gospel. It is a wonderful benefit of believing the gospel.

What is the gospel?

Simply put, the gospel is the story of Jesus presented as an announcement of who he is, what he has done, and what he is going to do; all of which demands from us a response.

The appropriate one is to declare allegiance to him, receive the benefits he died and rose to give us, become his follower, and join his mission on the earth to go and make disciples.

John the Baptist was privileged to announce Jesus’ public ministry to Israel and the world. He told us four things about Jesus that are each important aspects of the gospel. Jesus is the Lamb of God, the Son of God, the Baptizer in the Spirit, and the coming glorious Son of Man. If possible, every gospel presentation should present Jesus this way and explain the meaning behind these four titles. (Click here to read more about this.)

  1. Jesus died for our sins as the Lamb of God to reconcile us to God the Father.
  2. Jesus rose from the dead in power as the Son of God, the messianic king, and the Lord of lords.
  3. As the Baptizer in the Spirit and the Lord of the harvest, Jesus ascended to the right hand of his Father in heaven and poured out his Spirit upon the church to equip and empower her to fulfill the Great Commission.
  4. One day our Lord will return in the clouds of heaven as the glorious Son of Man prophesied by Daniel. He will judge the living and the dead and rule over God’s eternal kingdom.

There are four books in the New Testament that are called gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. None of these are neatly organized theological summaries of the doctrinal implications of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. In them, Jesus is presented as an historical figure who fulfilled Old Covenant prophecies that God would rescue us from Satan’s dominion, bless the entire earth, rule forever as a king on David’s throne, be a prophet the likes of Moses, and come again in glory one day in the clouds as the divine and glorious Son of Man to judge the world in righteousness.

Each of the gospels presents Jesus in such a way that the reader is invited to recognize that he is indeed the Messiah promised by God, the one sent to die for our sins as God’s Lamb, who also rose from the dead as Lord of lords, and who is coming back again to rule the nations. The gospel invites people to surrender to Jesus the Lord and receive forgiveness of sins and life everlasting from Jesus the Savior. The gospel also invites every person to bow his or her knee to Jesus and join him in his worldwide missional enterprise. It is an invitation to be a disciple – a follower of Christ who fishes for people and teaches others to do the same.

Missional churches commit to training and equipping their people to share the gospel and to grow in confidence in their ability and responsibility to share it.

Missional churches expect their people to share the good news themselves, not simply bring people to church meetings to hear the pastor. Missional churches believe that sheep beget sheep, that disciples are competent to minister, and that the Holy Spirit is equipping, empowering, and leading the entire missional enterprise.

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