Post by disciple on Jun 2, 2010 12:38:54 GMT -5
THE MASTER PLAN OF EVANGELISM: REPRODUCTION
“GO AND BRING FORTH FRUIT” JN. 15:16
“MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL THE NATIONS” MATT. 28:19
--HE EXPECTED THEM TO REPRODUCE
JESUS INTENDED FOR THE DISCIPLES TO REPRODUCE HIS LIFE IN & THROUGH OTHERS, EXPANDING & EVER-ENLARGING HIS MINISTRY, KINGDOM, & FAMILY (MATT. 13:31-2)
WITH THIS STRATEGY, TOTAL WORLD IMPACT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME & DISCIPLES’ FAITHFULNESS TO HIS PLAN.
HE FORESAW THE DAY WHEN THE GOSPEL WOULD BE PROCLAIMED TO ALL THE NATIONS (MATT. 24:14). MANY WOULD SUFFER & BE MARTYRED, BUT ULTIMATE VICTORY WAS CERTAIN. HE WOULD WIN IN THE END THROUGH HIS CALLED-OUT ONES (MATT. 16:18)
--THEIR WITNESS WAS HIS VICTORY
HIS INCREDIBLE CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE WAS BASED ON THOSE WHO WORSHIPED HIM IN THE PRESENT. JESUS TOLD 1 PERSON (PETER, HIS PRIMARY DISCIPLE) THAT HIS FAITH IN HIM & HIS STRATEGY ENSURED VICTORY (MATT. 16:16-18)
ALL OF US ARE “PETERS,” LIVING STONES IN HIS KINGDOM OF PRIESTS, FOUNDED ON THE MASTER (1 PET. 2:4-9)
JESUS EXPECTED OTHERS TO BELIEVE THROUGH HIS DISCIPLES, AND FOR THEM TO BE DISCIPLES WHO PASSED IT ON, UNTIL IN TIME THE WORLD MIGHT KNOW HIM & HIS STRATEGY (JN. 17:20-23)
IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE HOW SMALL THE GROUP WAS IF THEY REPRODUCED & TAUGHT THEIR DISCIPLES TO REPRODUCE.
HIS ONLY PLAN FOR VICTORY: WIN THROUGH DISCIPLES WHO KNEW HIM SO WELL THAT HIS SPIRIT & METHOD DROVE THEM TO SHARE WITH OTHERS
--THE TEST OF HIS MINISTRY: THEIR MULTIPLICATION
WOULD HIS DISCIPLES CARRY ON HIS WORK AFTER HE LEFT? COULD THEY DO AS GOOD A JOB WITHOUT HIS BODILY SUPERVISION AS THEY COULD WITH IT?
IF THE DISCIPLES FAILED TO PASS ON HIS SPIRIT & METHOD TO OTHERS WHO WOULD DO THE SAME, ALL HIS TIME SPENT WITH THEM WOULD MEAN NOTHING IN THE LONG RUN
NECESSITY & INEVITABILITY OF REPRODUCTION: VINE & BRANCHES, JN. 15:1-17. BEARING FRUIT = REPRODUCING CHRIST’S LIFE, FIRST IN OURSELVES THEN IN OTHERS (SEEDS IN FRUIT)
OTHER TIMES EMPHASIZED DURING HIS MINISTRY: JN. 12:24 (RESULT OF HIS OWN SACRIFICE), LK. 6:43-5 (SHOWS ONE’S TRUE NATURE), JN. 4:36 (REWARD FOR LABORERS), LK. 13:6-9 (RESULT OF ONE TRULY ALIVE & BEING PROPERLY HELPED), OTHERS
--THE GREAT COMMISSION (MATT. 28:18-20)
DISCIPLES TOLD TO GO INTO ALL THE WORLD & WIN OTHERS WHO WOULD BECOME WHAT THEY WERE-DISCIPLES OF CHRIST
4 VERBS, “MAKE DISCIPLES” IS ONLY COMMAND-COMMISSION IS NOT TO JUST “GO” TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, “BAPTIZE,” OR “TEACH,” BUT “TURN PEOPLE INTO DISCIPLES,” WHO WILL FOLLOW CHRIST & TURN OTHERS INTO THE SAME KIND OF DISCIPLES
THE ONLY HOPE FOR THE WORLD: LABORERS WHO WILL GO WITH THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION & WIN THE LOST, THEN TRAIN CONVERTS FAITHFULLY & PATIENTLY UNTIL THEY BECOME TRULY “FRUITFUL” CHRISTIANS (MATT. 9:36-8)
THIS WAS THE PATTERN IN THE EARLY CHURCH AS THE APOSTLES & OTHER DISCIPLES DEVELOPED MEN TO REPRODUCE HIS MINISTRY TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH. THIS PATTERN WORKED, SHAKING THE PAGAN SOCIETY OF THE DAY & MULTIPLYING THE CHURCH THROUGHOUT THE KNOWN WORLD IN A MATTER OF DECADES.
--OUR GREAT OMISSION
THE TEST OF EVANGELISTIC WORK: IF THE WORK CONTINUES IN FOLLOWING GENERATIONS, NOT IMMEDIATE RESULTS; THE TEST OF A CHURCH: HOW MANY ARE WINNING THE LOST & TRAINING THEM TO IMPACT THE WORLD, NOT ATTENDANCE OR BUDGET INCREASE
WE HAVE REPLACED LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, REPRODUCTION, & THE GOAL OF REACHING THE WORLD WITH MASS RECRUITMENT & THE GOAL OF IMMEDIATE “SUCCESS” & RECOGNITION. WE IGNORE JESUS’ PLAN & SIMPLY REVERE IT AS SOMETHING THAT WORKED IN THE NT.
APPLICATION:
ARE THOSE WHO FOLLOW US LEADING OTHERS TO HIM & TEACHING THEM TO MAKE DISCIPLES ACCORDING TO CHRIST’S STANDARD?
IT’S NOT ENOUGH TO JUST SAVE THE LOST, BUILD UP NEW BELIEVERS, OR TRAIN PEOPLE TO WIN THE LOST. WHAT COUNTS IN THE LONG RUN IS HOW FAITHFUL OUR FEW ARE IN MAKING DISCIPLES OUT OF THEIR FEW.
WHERE ARE YOUR MEN? WHAT ARE THEY DOING FOR GOD? THROUGH MULTIPLICATION, WE CAN REACH MULTITUDES WITH 1 DISCIPLE WHO TRULY FOLLOWS IN THE STEPS OF THE MASTER.
WORLD IMPACT CAN ONLY BE ACCOMPLISHED BY PEOPLE IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOT BY CEREMONIES, PROGRAMS, INSTITUTIONS, OR CRUSADES. PEOPLE ARE GOD’S METHOD.
THE KIND OF PEOPLE NEEDED:
KNOW THE REDEEMER FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
SEE HIS VISION & FEEL HIS PASSION FOR THE WORLD
WILLING TO BE NOTHING SO HE CAN BE EVERYTHING
WANTING CHRIST TO PRODUCE HIS LIFE IN & THROUGH THEM FOR HIS GLORY
“GO AND BRING FORTH FRUIT” JN. 15:16
“MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL THE NATIONS” MATT. 28:19
--HE EXPECTED THEM TO REPRODUCE
JESUS INTENDED FOR THE DISCIPLES TO REPRODUCE HIS LIFE IN & THROUGH OTHERS, EXPANDING & EVER-ENLARGING HIS MINISTRY, KINGDOM, & FAMILY (MATT. 13:31-2)
WITH THIS STRATEGY, TOTAL WORLD IMPACT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME & DISCIPLES’ FAITHFULNESS TO HIS PLAN.
HE FORESAW THE DAY WHEN THE GOSPEL WOULD BE PROCLAIMED TO ALL THE NATIONS (MATT. 24:14). MANY WOULD SUFFER & BE MARTYRED, BUT ULTIMATE VICTORY WAS CERTAIN. HE WOULD WIN IN THE END THROUGH HIS CALLED-OUT ONES (MATT. 16:18)
--THEIR WITNESS WAS HIS VICTORY
HIS INCREDIBLE CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE WAS BASED ON THOSE WHO WORSHIPED HIM IN THE PRESENT. JESUS TOLD 1 PERSON (PETER, HIS PRIMARY DISCIPLE) THAT HIS FAITH IN HIM & HIS STRATEGY ENSURED VICTORY (MATT. 16:16-18)
ALL OF US ARE “PETERS,” LIVING STONES IN HIS KINGDOM OF PRIESTS, FOUNDED ON THE MASTER (1 PET. 2:4-9)
JESUS EXPECTED OTHERS TO BELIEVE THROUGH HIS DISCIPLES, AND FOR THEM TO BE DISCIPLES WHO PASSED IT ON, UNTIL IN TIME THE WORLD MIGHT KNOW HIM & HIS STRATEGY (JN. 17:20-23)
IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE HOW SMALL THE GROUP WAS IF THEY REPRODUCED & TAUGHT THEIR DISCIPLES TO REPRODUCE.
HIS ONLY PLAN FOR VICTORY: WIN THROUGH DISCIPLES WHO KNEW HIM SO WELL THAT HIS SPIRIT & METHOD DROVE THEM TO SHARE WITH OTHERS
--THE TEST OF HIS MINISTRY: THEIR MULTIPLICATION
WOULD HIS DISCIPLES CARRY ON HIS WORK AFTER HE LEFT? COULD THEY DO AS GOOD A JOB WITHOUT HIS BODILY SUPERVISION AS THEY COULD WITH IT?
IF THE DISCIPLES FAILED TO PASS ON HIS SPIRIT & METHOD TO OTHERS WHO WOULD DO THE SAME, ALL HIS TIME SPENT WITH THEM WOULD MEAN NOTHING IN THE LONG RUN
NECESSITY & INEVITABILITY OF REPRODUCTION: VINE & BRANCHES, JN. 15:1-17. BEARING FRUIT = REPRODUCING CHRIST’S LIFE, FIRST IN OURSELVES THEN IN OTHERS (SEEDS IN FRUIT)
OTHER TIMES EMPHASIZED DURING HIS MINISTRY: JN. 12:24 (RESULT OF HIS OWN SACRIFICE), LK. 6:43-5 (SHOWS ONE’S TRUE NATURE), JN. 4:36 (REWARD FOR LABORERS), LK. 13:6-9 (RESULT OF ONE TRULY ALIVE & BEING PROPERLY HELPED), OTHERS
--THE GREAT COMMISSION (MATT. 28:18-20)
DISCIPLES TOLD TO GO INTO ALL THE WORLD & WIN OTHERS WHO WOULD BECOME WHAT THEY WERE-DISCIPLES OF CHRIST
4 VERBS, “MAKE DISCIPLES” IS ONLY COMMAND-COMMISSION IS NOT TO JUST “GO” TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, “BAPTIZE,” OR “TEACH,” BUT “TURN PEOPLE INTO DISCIPLES,” WHO WILL FOLLOW CHRIST & TURN OTHERS INTO THE SAME KIND OF DISCIPLES
THE ONLY HOPE FOR THE WORLD: LABORERS WHO WILL GO WITH THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION & WIN THE LOST, THEN TRAIN CONVERTS FAITHFULLY & PATIENTLY UNTIL THEY BECOME TRULY “FRUITFUL” CHRISTIANS (MATT. 9:36-8)
THIS WAS THE PATTERN IN THE EARLY CHURCH AS THE APOSTLES & OTHER DISCIPLES DEVELOPED MEN TO REPRODUCE HIS MINISTRY TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH. THIS PATTERN WORKED, SHAKING THE PAGAN SOCIETY OF THE DAY & MULTIPLYING THE CHURCH THROUGHOUT THE KNOWN WORLD IN A MATTER OF DECADES.
--OUR GREAT OMISSION
THE TEST OF EVANGELISTIC WORK: IF THE WORK CONTINUES IN FOLLOWING GENERATIONS, NOT IMMEDIATE RESULTS; THE TEST OF A CHURCH: HOW MANY ARE WINNING THE LOST & TRAINING THEM TO IMPACT THE WORLD, NOT ATTENDANCE OR BUDGET INCREASE
WE HAVE REPLACED LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, REPRODUCTION, & THE GOAL OF REACHING THE WORLD WITH MASS RECRUITMENT & THE GOAL OF IMMEDIATE “SUCCESS” & RECOGNITION. WE IGNORE JESUS’ PLAN & SIMPLY REVERE IT AS SOMETHING THAT WORKED IN THE NT.
APPLICATION:
ARE THOSE WHO FOLLOW US LEADING OTHERS TO HIM & TEACHING THEM TO MAKE DISCIPLES ACCORDING TO CHRIST’S STANDARD?
IT’S NOT ENOUGH TO JUST SAVE THE LOST, BUILD UP NEW BELIEVERS, OR TRAIN PEOPLE TO WIN THE LOST. WHAT COUNTS IN THE LONG RUN IS HOW FAITHFUL OUR FEW ARE IN MAKING DISCIPLES OUT OF THEIR FEW.
WHERE ARE YOUR MEN? WHAT ARE THEY DOING FOR GOD? THROUGH MULTIPLICATION, WE CAN REACH MULTITUDES WITH 1 DISCIPLE WHO TRULY FOLLOWS IN THE STEPS OF THE MASTER.
WORLD IMPACT CAN ONLY BE ACCOMPLISHED BY PEOPLE IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOT BY CEREMONIES, PROGRAMS, INSTITUTIONS, OR CRUSADES. PEOPLE ARE GOD’S METHOD.
THE KIND OF PEOPLE NEEDED:
KNOW THE REDEEMER FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
SEE HIS VISION & FEEL HIS PASSION FOR THE WORLD
WILLING TO BE NOTHING SO HE CAN BE EVERYTHING
WANTING CHRIST TO PRODUCE HIS LIFE IN & THROUGH THEM FOR HIS GLORY