DISCIPLES OF JESUS MINISTRY

To reach the world with the gospel it requires that we see all people as God sees them as people whom He loves first and foremost and longs for them to come into relationship with Him - John 3:16— But also recognizing their need as a desperate one for all who do not know Jesus are sinners in need of a Saviour. 

1) by nature

Rom 3:10 As it is written:

"There is none righteous, no, not one;
2) by choice

Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

3) by practice.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Casual attitudes and blinded minds have lured some believers in Christ to overlook the desperate state of the lost: “The wages of sin is death”. Universalism or ultimate reconciliation are terms describing the erroneous belief that some who profess to know  Christ have, eventually even the eternally lost will be granted a reprieve from eternal judgment. But Paul said, “We judge thus; that if One died for all, then all died” 2 Corinthians 5:14. Because he saw the lost as God sees them, he said God’s love “constrained” him to world evangelism. The nations—all people— need the gospel desperately and are lost without it. Looking carefully, into the Word of God will help us capture and retain the conviction that mankind needs the gospel.
 So without God people are going to a lost eternity and sin separates natural man from God, but God loves all mankind and He sent Jesus to die for us that sinful men and women might be restored. 

SALVATION:

Firstly we are going to take a quick look at salvation. We need to understand

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

The fact is God so  loved the WORLD so much He sent His one and only Son to die for us. The desire of God's heart is for none to perish.

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

  We need to see the lost through His eyes. Effective evangelism starts when we start to see through His eyes, when we start to learn to love like He loves, when we see all people even the worst of sinners as those for whom Christ died. God loves those the world considers unlovely, he loves the beggar living in the street, the thief in the dock , the prostitute, and even the murderer.

   After all if the Apostle Paul was to apply to one of today's Missionary Societies to go out as a Missionary he would probably be rejected because of where he had come from, he had been involved in the persecution and even murder of the saints. God doesn't see people the way the world sees them though. The Bible says he uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise.

The world here includes all mankind. God does not love men’s sins, but He loves people and is not willing that any should perish.

God in His love gave His only begotten Son. God has no other Son like the Lord Jesus, His son who had been with Him from the beginning (John1:1, 14). It was an expression of His infinite love that He would be willing to give His one and only Son for sinners such as us. This does not mean that everyone is saved. A person must receive what Christ has done for him before God will give him eternal life. Therefore, the words are added, “that whoever believes in Him should not perish.” There is no need for anyone to perish. A way has been provided by which all might be saved, but a person must acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior. When he does this, he has eternal life as a present possession. We must be born again.

Boreham says:
"When the church comes to understand the love with which God loved the world, she will be restless and ill at ease, until all the great empires have been captured, until every coral island has been won."


Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
Eph 2:9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.


Eph 2:5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

Salvation is by grace alone. It is God’s free gift to us- His unmerited favour given to us who believe and repent of our sins.

2Co 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

The sinless spotless Son of the living God died for us. It is through His sacrifice for us, through the shedding of His blood on the cross of Calvary that we have been reconciled to God.

Joh 16:8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

This is ofcourse referring to the Holy Spirit, it is He who convicts people of sin.

Luk 13:3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.

Act 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Salvation requires repentance of sins.

Eph 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

Redemption is the part of the work of Christ by which we are freed from the bondage and guilt of sin and introduced into a life of liberty. The Lord Jesus is the Redeemer (In Him we have redemption). If we know Jesus as Savior we are the redeemed. His blood is the ransom price; nothing less would do. Jesus has paid the price for our sins.

THE ABOVE IS A BRIEF LOOK AT THE MESSAGE WE HAVE TO SHARE. LET US NOW LOOK AT THE CALL WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO EVANGELIZE.

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Mat 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Mat 28:20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

All authority had been given to Him in heaven and on earth. He always had all authority, but here He was speaking of authority as Head of the new creation. Since His death and resurrection, He had authority to give eternal life to all whom God had given to Him.

Joh 17:2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.

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QUOTE


The Commission contains three commands, not suggestions:

1. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.” This does not presuppose world conversion. By preaching the gospel, the disciples were to see others become learners or followers of the Savior—from every nation, tribe, people, and tongue.
2. Baptize “them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” The responsibility rests on Christ’s messengers to teach baptism and to press it as a command to be obeyed. In believer’s baptism, Christians publicly identify themselves with the Triune Godhead. They acknowledge that God is their Father, that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior, and that the Holy Spirit is the One who indwells, empowers, and teaches them. Name in verse 19 is singular. One name or essence, yet three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
3. Teach “them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” The Commission goes beyond evangelism; it is not enough to simply make converts and let them fend for themselves. They must be taught to obey the commandments of Christ as found in the NT. The essence of discipleship is becoming like the Master, and this is brought about by systematic teaching of, and submission to, the Word.
Then the Savior added a promise of His presence with His disciples until the consummation of the age. They would not go forth alone or unaided. In all their service and travel, they would know the companionship of the Son of God.
Notice the four “alls” connected with the Great Commission: all authority; all nations; all things; always.
Thus the Gospel closes with commission and comfort from our glorious Lord. Nearly twenty centuries later His words have the same cogency, the same relevance, the same application. The task is still uncompleted.
What are we doing to carry out His last command?
(Believer’s Bible Commentary)


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Mar 16:15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mar 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Mar 16:17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
Mar 16:18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
Mar 16:19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
Mar 16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

The disciples were obedient to the great commission, they preached the word everywhere, confirming that the Lord was working in and through them. The signs were evident in the early church. Casting out demons demonstrated victory over Satan. Folks signs and wonders should be evident in today's church, the full gospel of the kingdom involves healing the sick and delivering the oppressed from demons. The word is confirmed through the accompanying signs. Do you see that?

Luk 24:44 Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me."
Luk 24:45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
Luk 24:46 Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,
Luk 24:47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luk 24:48 And you are witnesses of these things.
Luk 24:49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."


The disciples’ understanding involved seeing how God’s plan, as outlined in the Scriptures, fits together.

Psa 118:22 The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.

Act 4:11 This is the "stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.”

See also Psalm 22.
.
We see in Acts how the Gospel Message was taken first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles.

Joh 20:21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you."
Joh 20:22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
Joh 20:23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

Verse 21 is a great verse. Believers are not meant to enjoy His peace selfishly. They are to share it with others. So He sends them into the world, as the Father had sent Him:

Christ came into the world as a poor Person.
He came as a Servant.
He emptied Himself.
He delighted to do the Father’s will.
He identified Himself with man.
He went about doing good.
He did everything by the power of the Holy Spirit.
His goal was the cross.
Now He said to the disciples, “I also send you."



Act 1:1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
Act 1:2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,
Act 1:3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
Act 1:4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me;
Act 1:5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
Act 1:6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"
Act 1:7 And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.
Act 1:8 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."

The disciples were given a task to carry the message of the gospel throughout the world.

But you shall receive power: This does not refer only to personal power for godly living, as demonstrated in the lives of Old Testament saints. This was power, to take the full gospel, the message of the Kingdom to the ends of the earth.

Be witnesses is Christ’s command to His disciples to tell others about Him regardless of the consequences. Church tradition tells us that all but one of the eleven apostles who heard this promise became martyrs (John died in exile)

God empowered His disciples to be faithful witnesses even when they faced the strongest of opposition. That same power for witnessing is available to us today. Our task is not to convince people, the Holy Spirit does that, but we are to testify of the truth of the gospel.


Phi 1:5 [I thank my God] for your fellowship (your sympathetic cooperation and contributions and partnership) in advancing the good news (the Gospel) from the first day [you heard it] until now.
Phi 1:6 And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. (AMP)

You know so often we as Christians or Church Fellowships are so busy praying for revival but we have not got really involved in the underlined bit fully. How can we neglect that and expect God to do the work. We do the work and the Lord will bring it to completion.

Relationship evangelism or friendship evangelism  plays a large part in evangelism.

PRESENCE EVANGELISM - Being a positive presence among those who don't know the Lord. We are to be salt and light in a world of darkness.

1Pe 2:12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (NIV)

We as believers are carriers of the presence of God. His glory resides in us, so our presence in an area, in a room, in a work place if we are in the right place with the Lord, walking close to Him should affect even the city air.

Col 1:27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
 
           Remember Peter's shadow healed the sick, it was Christ in him the hope of glory, the glory of the Lord Himself that brought about this healing. Peter would never have boasted that it was anything in and of Himself but because the fullness of the Godhead indwelt Him richly as it indwells each one of us as believers those people were being healed.
             So why did this happen to Peter and seldom happens today? It's all about where we the body of Christ are in our relationship with the Lord, the Pentecost experience, being baptized in the Holy Spirit wrought in Peter such a radical change in His effectiveness as a believer that He was transformed so radically in boldness, in holiness, in righteousness, in hearing from God, in obeying that voice, fear of man was gone, his love for His Saviour though knew no boundaries and he walked in such a close relationship with the Lord that the presence of God was so greatly manifest in Peter that many who just came into his shadow were healed. His glory filled the temple and our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

1Co 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

Act 5:12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch.
Act 5:13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.
Act 5:14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
Act 5:15 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.
Act 5:16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Remember we are to be salt and light.

Mat 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
Mat 5:15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
Mat 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (NIV)

We should remember to love our neighbours.

Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."


EVANGELIIZE (1.) By your speech (2.) By your life. (3.) By your love.

We should try and share our testimony with people, when we can, individually or collectively. Also, sharing passages of Scripture from the Bible can be effective. Don’t force a testimony; trust the Lord to give you an opportune time.
Your lifestyle as a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ will speak louder than your words, but remember it is the Holy Spirit who reveals the truth and convicts people - He brings them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Love cannot be forced. When the Holy Spirit dwells within you,He can give you a deep love and compassion for others. Godly love speaks so loud, that even the hardest sinner can be touched!

As I said above use your testimony- 1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

Look out for the downcast and lowly person and invite them to church -

Luk 14:23 Then the master said to the servant, "Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

Help those who are seeking God.

Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

Rom 10:13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

You can also use knowledge of an issue or world events to turn the conversation around to the things of God.


PERSUASION EVANGELISM.

1Pe 3:15 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, (NIV)

PRAYER EVANGELISM.

1Ti 2:1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone--
1Ti 2:2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
1Ti 2:3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior,
1Ti 2:4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Our prayers in intercession for unbelievers play a large part in evangelism.

TO WALK IN GOD's WAY - GOING UP AGAINST THE POWER's OF DARKNESS

KEY 1 We must be spiritually clean (Repentance)

KEY 2 We must be absolutely convinced that our God is God.

Fear God
Faith empowers us

Fear the enemy
You empower the enemy

God defends His Creation


KEY 3
We are to set the rules of engagement, not them. He will not do something through us when darkness sets the rules. God does not respond to powers of darkness setting rules.


KEY 4 When we walk in His ways God will move heaven and earth on our behalf.

KEY 5 We must offer love to folk that don't know Him. We must love others with the love that made Jesus known as a friend of sinners. We should be known as love and kindness. You don't get a harvest every time.

It's okay to water

It's okay to plant.

GOD GIVES THE INCREASE.

God's Word will not return void.

We are not the convictor of sin- The Holy Spirit is.

KEY 6 We need to use His ways

Love is the key, it should be the core of our approach to people. We love them, we don't condone their sin by loving them.


Heb 12:14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:


What does this verse mean to you?

We need that full gospel message. People will respond to Father's heart of God too. The Bible does say, signs wonders and miracles will follow those that believe.

Heb 2:1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.
Heb 2:2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward,
Heb 2:3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
Heb 2:4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

So, why is it that much of the church are ignoring the gifts of the Spirit today?

Here are just some of my thoughts on this. I didn't intend this to diverge into a discussion on Spiritual gifts and their applicability for us today but I don't think we can look at this subject without looking at this.
The apostle Paul calls him the “god of this world”:

And if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

                                                                                    (2Cor4:3- 4                                                                                                                                                                                    Satan is a liar and a thief, can you see that?

Our Lord Jesus, as the “Son of Man” ultimately fulfils this task, but it is the task of man, not of Satan. Furthermore, the ultimate rule of the earth is God’s:

For the kingdom is the LORD’s, And He rules over the nations (Ps. 22:28).

The LORD has established His throne in the heavens; And His sovereignty rules over all (Ps. 103:19).

“Thou art the God, Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth” (Isa. 37:16).


Folks, satan wants to keep the church, you and I defeated, he does not want us walking in the victory God has promised, he propagates the lie that  the gifts are over to keep Christians in defeat.


Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,


1Co 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:


pneumatikós, “spiritual,” from πνεῦμα, pneúma, “spirit”): Endowed with the attributes of spirit. Any being made in the image of God who is a Spirit (Joh_4:24.), and thus having the nature of spirit, is a spiritual being.

The same Greek word for spiritual is used in both the above verses. Now follow my line of thought who is blessed with every spiritual blessing?

Yep, we are. Notice the tense we are blessed with those spiritual blessings in the heavenly places now. Surely that includes the spiritual gifts in the chapter here mentioned in Corinthians.

As for healings, I have been healed of a number of things, sometimes I have had to wait for that healing, but my God heals, hallelujah! Can't you all see that the devil wants to weaken the church, he does not want to see the church being truly effective, he does not want us exercising the gifts of the Spirit, he wants us divided.

Col 2:6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
Col 2:7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
Col 2:8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
Col 2:9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;
Col 2:10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Don't let the traditions of the world get in the way, look at your position in Christ, you are complete in Him. Christ lives in you and you have the fullness of the Godhead living in you. Take hold of who you are in Christ. Walk in Him. Live that abundant Christian life. We are supposed to be victorious, a people of power, for Christ is in us. We have the Holy Spirit. We are made to be the praise of His glory.