Jesus was the ultimate evangelist. In fact Jesus was UNLIKE any evangelist we know of. He used a style of preaching the word of God that has been lost to us for centuries. Jesus' style of evangelizing, to put it bluntly, was to BEAT AROUND THE BUSH. BAHAMIANS understand this phraseology to mean a person who does not get straight to the point but skirts around a particular issue, or a person who does not come out and say plainly what they mean. JESUS WAS MASTER AT THIS. His evangelistic style of choice was to use PARABLES. Now of late Christians have taken to define a parable as a earthly story with a heavenly meaning, but that is not entirely true because parables were used longed before Jesus came to the earth. Parables can be more properly defined as:
A statement or comment that conveys a meaning INDIRECTLY by the use of comparison or analogy.
When preaching the gospel to the crowds JESUS NEVER TOOK THE DIRECT APPROACH. In fact his disciples asked him one day, 'Why do you ALWAYS speak to the CROWD in parables'. They came to see this because it was his custom to preach to the crowd in parables and when he and the disciples were alone he would plainly tell them the meaning of the parable. Again I say that this is REMARKABLE. Preaching the gospel today is so IN YOUR FACE! We feel the need to GET THE MESSAGE ACROSS to these no good sinners. In fact being bold is defined today by how fearless one can be when confronting some soul with the word of GOD in a NO NONSENSE hooting and hollering, spiting and kicking fashion. But our example, Jesus, came along and throws out a story with some CRYPTIC meaning and he called THAT preaching. No man Jesus, you need to to TAKE IT TO THEM IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS. This makes me wonder 'who is truly our teacher'.
What is even MORE remarkable than Jesus' use of indirectly preaching the gospel is what he would say to those he preached to afterwards. The phrase was:
Matthew 11:15
15He who has ears to hear,let him hear.
Mark 4:9
9 And He was saying, He who has ears to hear,let him hear.
Mark 4:23
23If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.
Luke 8:8
"Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great." As He said these things, He would call out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
This last verse is interesting because it shows that Jesus would make this statement often during his parables. But is this some cryptic code with some supernatural ingredient to make the people understand? No, it SIMPLY means just what it says. Jesus was making his appeal in parable, but the understanding of the parable was ONLY given TO A FEW. Notice it does not say that the meaning of the parable is given to those who could figure it out , or those who study hard or those who understand the Greek text, no, the understanding of the parable was given to those who ALREADY had ears to hear. Hear is this understanding put simply:
Jesus came to earth with a message called the gospel of the kingdom. That message was INTENDED to be heard by all but it was NOT INTENDED to be understood by all. Jesus spoke the message in a parable form so as to NOT make it's meaning clear to all, but ONLY to the few who GOD HAD CHOSEN to understand and believe the message. Upon hearing the parable those who were in the crowd who God had chosen would understand.
Jesus did not use any soft music neither did he have the singers sing 'just as I am without one plea' just one more time. His method was simple: use parables, and whoever God WANTED to come to him WOULD come to him and to the rest the parable would become a testimony against them.
Showing posts with label Election. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Election. Show all posts
Monday, August 8, 2011
Revisiting the Great Commission
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Go therefore and make disciples ofall the nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo,I am with youalways, even tothe end of the age.
It is generally accepted that the above verse is the great commission that Jesus gives to all who come to him. Since this is a command of Jesus it is very important that we seek to understand the fulness of this statement so that we can claim compliance with it's tenets. There are several components to this statement:
1-Go and make disciple from out of every nation on the earth,
2-Baptize these disciples in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit
3- Teach these disciples to observe all that I commanded you.
These three components make up the great commission, but I humbly submit that the church has taken upon itself to ADD a fourth tenet to this list. The fourth tenet we add is:
4-Teach the WORLD to observe all that I commanded you.
This may seem a harmless addition but I assure you it is not. The progression of the commission is to first make disciples OUT OF every nation, and it was to THESE disciples that we were to TEACH TO OBSERVE all that Jesus commanded. I tell you today that MOST of the church's efforts are towards teaching the WORLD to observe the commands of Jesus. This is what we do when we lobby governments to MAKE LAWS to stop gambling, or to outlaw homosexuality, or to INSTILL CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES IN THE CONSTITUTION. Jesus told us to make disciples out of every nation and he NEVER promised us that we would be able to establish Christian nations. How therefore have we taken it upon or self to seek to please God by doing something he NEVR told us to do. We are ONLY to teach the disciples to observe, NOT the world. The world has the gospel preached to it AS A TESTIMONY, but the disciples of Christ are to be taught to observe them.
We must stop this utter nonsense of trying to get UNSAVED people to live like RIGHTEOUS people. TEACH THE DISCIPLES TO OBSERVE ALL THAT HE HAS TAUGHT but preach the gospel to the world.
So again Jesus' command is simple:
Go all over the world preaching the gospel, SOME who hear the word of the gospel will believe and be saved. Now those who believe AND ONLY those who believe teach THEM to observe all that I commanded you.
NO promise of a Christian nation here!
THIS SHOULD BE MILK BUT O SOME IT WIL BE MEAT.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Go therefore and make disciples ofall the nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo,I am with youalways, even tothe end of the age.
It is generally accepted that the above verse is the great commission that Jesus gives to all who come to him. Since this is a command of Jesus it is very important that we seek to understand the fulness of this statement so that we can claim compliance with it's tenets. There are several components to this statement:
1-Go and make disciple from out of every nation on the earth,
2-Baptize these disciples in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit
3- Teach these disciples to observe all that I commanded you.
These three components make up the great commission, but I humbly submit that the church has taken upon itself to ADD a fourth tenet to this list. The fourth tenet we add is:
4-Teach the WORLD to observe all that I commanded you.
This may seem a harmless addition but I assure you it is not. The progression of the commission is to first make disciples OUT OF every nation, and it was to THESE disciples that we were to TEACH TO OBSERVE all that Jesus commanded. I tell you today that MOST of the church's efforts are towards teaching the WORLD to observe the commands of Jesus. This is what we do when we lobby governments to MAKE LAWS to stop gambling, or to outlaw homosexuality, or to INSTILL CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES IN THE CONSTITUTION. Jesus told us to make disciples out of every nation and he NEVER promised us that we would be able to establish Christian nations. How therefore have we taken it upon or self to seek to please God by doing something he NEVR told us to do. We are ONLY to teach the disciples to observe, NOT the world. The world has the gospel preached to it AS A TESTIMONY, but the disciples of Christ are to be taught to observe them.
We must stop this utter nonsense of trying to get UNSAVED people to live like RIGHTEOUS people. TEACH THE DISCIPLES TO OBSERVE ALL THAT HE HAS TAUGHT but preach the gospel to the world.
So again Jesus' command is simple:
Go all over the world preaching the gospel, SOME who hear the word of the gospel will believe and be saved. Now those who believe AND ONLY those who believe teach THEM to observe all that I commanded you.
NO promise of a Christian nation here!
THIS SHOULD BE MILK BUT O SOME IT WIL BE MEAT.
There is a difference.
There is a distinct difference between the following phrases:
Go into all the world and PREACH the gospel
And
Lets go and WIN the WORLD
On it's face the difference in these statement may seem obvious, but consider the typical Chrisitian view, it goes something like this:
Jesus gave us a mandate to preach the gospel to the whole world and therefore if we can spread this gospel to the whole world sweeping changes would be made throuout the world and it would be a better place.
Having this view leads us to perform many actions like:
Fund mission trips
Hold conferences
Have revival services
Give out tracts
Go witnessing
Fund televangelists
Give altar calls
All of these activities are driven by our understanding of the great commission, but their is a distinct difference between preaching the gospel and winning the world. The most important of the distinctions is that the WORDS of Jesus PREVENTS us from achieving this task:
Matthew 7:13-14
13 Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
With a word Jesus FOREVER limits the number of people who will come to GOD through our efforts. He could have said, 'narrow is the gate to life but that's okay MANY will find it' but no he declares that ONLY a few will find it. This declaration by Jesus guarantees that only a few will find it.
In understanding this fact we MUST realize that GOD is NOT trying to win the WHOLE world to himself. Before I am labeled a heretic let us examine the single most DEMONIC doctrine held by the church:
God/The Holy Spirit is a gentleman and will never override your will. I think that Jonah would have something to say about this ridiculous statement. Jonah wanted one thing and GOD wanted another. Did God say to Jonah okay Jonah you can have it your way? No, God simply turned him into fish food and in the end GOD HAD HIS WAY! Do you think GOD has CHANGED? THERE HAS NEVER BEEN AN INSTANT IN TIME WHEN THE WILL OF GOD WAS NOT MANIFESTED! The bible is a written record of God's interaction with mankind, and can ANYONE point to ANYTIME in all it's pages where GOD's will was EVER repressed OR denied. Here is a useful concept to hold on to: if there is ANYTHING that God WANTS to do but CANNOT do then he is no God. A God who has a will that he CANNOT OR WILL NOT express is NO GOD AT ALLL!
Do we hold in our minds a concept that God and the devil is in some cosmic struggle for the souls of the human race? Such a ridiculous notion! There is NO battle for humanity being waged by God. You only struggle with someone who is your equal and GOD HAS NO EQUAL! Listen to his word:
Isaiah 46:10
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, My purpose will be established,
AND I WILL ACCOMPLISH ALL MY GOOD PLEASURE,
What are we supposing with our conclusions, do we really believe that a human being can RESIST God? Think of any unsaved person you know, do you really believe that God is calling that person but that person is RESISTING God? Consider this:
Romans 9:19b
WHO HAS RESISTED HIS WILL?
Paul asked the question to which we all know the answer, and that answer is NO ONE HAS RESISTED HIS WILL. Since this is the case why then is the whole world not saved, let Jesus answer:
Mark 4:10-12
10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. 11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
Jesus was explaining to the disciples why he spoke in parables. Verse twelve is indeed a remarkable statement because Jesus says that if he DID NOT SPEAK to the crowd in parables they WOULD TURN AND BE CONVERTED. Consider his statement to the disciples, UNTO YOU IT IS GIVEN TO KNOW THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM. This means that it is NOT GIVEN to EVERYONE to know but ONLY to those GOD has CHOSEN.
John 15:16
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit–fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
Ephesians 1:4
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
2 Thessalonians 2:13
But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning GOD CHOSE you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the spirit and belief in the truth
The thread in all of these verses is that it is GOD who is doing the CHOOSING. THE CHOICE WAS NOT YOURS. YOU DID NOT DECIDE TO COME TO HIM. WE ONLY COME TO GOD IF HE CHOOSES US. GOD HAS A PLAN and we for the most part CANNOT see it. God choses those to whom he would give his light at this time, and EVERYONE he chooses comes to him.
It may be hard to see but GOD has a plan for the sinner as well as the saint. In fact he says that the sinner was made so that the riches of glory would be shown to you his saints. It may not make sense but his plan is beautiful.
So going back to our original statement there is a difference between preaching the gospel and winning the world. God has called us to proclaim the gospel to the world but not for the purposes of winning the world but to claim the FEW HE has chosen out of the world.
MEAT NOT MILK.
Go into all the world and PREACH the gospel
And
Lets go and WIN the WORLD
On it's face the difference in these statement may seem obvious, but consider the typical Chrisitian view, it goes something like this:
Jesus gave us a mandate to preach the gospel to the whole world and therefore if we can spread this gospel to the whole world sweeping changes would be made throuout the world and it would be a better place.
Having this view leads us to perform many actions like:
Fund mission trips
Hold conferences
Have revival services
Give out tracts
Go witnessing
Fund televangelists
Give altar calls
All of these activities are driven by our understanding of the great commission, but their is a distinct difference between preaching the gospel and winning the world. The most important of the distinctions is that the WORDS of Jesus PREVENTS us from achieving this task:
Matthew 7:13-14
13 Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
With a word Jesus FOREVER limits the number of people who will come to GOD through our efforts. He could have said, 'narrow is the gate to life but that's okay MANY will find it' but no he declares that ONLY a few will find it. This declaration by Jesus guarantees that only a few will find it.
In understanding this fact we MUST realize that GOD is NOT trying to win the WHOLE world to himself. Before I am labeled a heretic let us examine the single most DEMONIC doctrine held by the church:
God/The Holy Spirit is a gentleman and will never override your will. I think that Jonah would have something to say about this ridiculous statement. Jonah wanted one thing and GOD wanted another. Did God say to Jonah okay Jonah you can have it your way? No, God simply turned him into fish food and in the end GOD HAD HIS WAY! Do you think GOD has CHANGED? THERE HAS NEVER BEEN AN INSTANT IN TIME WHEN THE WILL OF GOD WAS NOT MANIFESTED! The bible is a written record of God's interaction with mankind, and can ANYONE point to ANYTIME in all it's pages where GOD's will was EVER repressed OR denied. Here is a useful concept to hold on to: if there is ANYTHING that God WANTS to do but CANNOT do then he is no God. A God who has a will that he CANNOT OR WILL NOT express is NO GOD AT ALLL!
Do we hold in our minds a concept that God and the devil is in some cosmic struggle for the souls of the human race? Such a ridiculous notion! There is NO battle for humanity being waged by God. You only struggle with someone who is your equal and GOD HAS NO EQUAL! Listen to his word:
Isaiah 46:10
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, My purpose will be established,
AND I WILL ACCOMPLISH ALL MY GOOD PLEASURE,
What are we supposing with our conclusions, do we really believe that a human being can RESIST God? Think of any unsaved person you know, do you really believe that God is calling that person but that person is RESISTING God? Consider this:
Romans 9:19b
WHO HAS RESISTED HIS WILL?
Paul asked the question to which we all know the answer, and that answer is NO ONE HAS RESISTED HIS WILL. Since this is the case why then is the whole world not saved, let Jesus answer:
Mark 4:10-12
10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. 11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
Jesus was explaining to the disciples why he spoke in parables. Verse twelve is indeed a remarkable statement because Jesus says that if he DID NOT SPEAK to the crowd in parables they WOULD TURN AND BE CONVERTED. Consider his statement to the disciples, UNTO YOU IT IS GIVEN TO KNOW THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM. This means that it is NOT GIVEN to EVERYONE to know but ONLY to those GOD has CHOSEN.
John 15:16
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit–fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
Ephesians 1:4
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
2 Thessalonians 2:13
But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning GOD CHOSE you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the spirit and belief in the truth
The thread in all of these verses is that it is GOD who is doing the CHOOSING. THE CHOICE WAS NOT YOURS. YOU DID NOT DECIDE TO COME TO HIM. WE ONLY COME TO GOD IF HE CHOOSES US. GOD HAS A PLAN and we for the most part CANNOT see it. God choses those to whom he would give his light at this time, and EVERYONE he chooses comes to him.
It may be hard to see but GOD has a plan for the sinner as well as the saint. In fact he says that the sinner was made so that the riches of glory would be shown to you his saints. It may not make sense but his plan is beautiful.
So going back to our original statement there is a difference between preaching the gospel and winning the world. God has called us to proclaim the gospel to the world but not for the purposes of winning the world but to claim the FEW HE has chosen out of the world.
MEAT NOT MILK.
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