Post by disciple on Jun 2, 2010 12:43:43 GMT -5
THE MASTER PLAN OF EVANGELISM: DELEGATION
“I WILL TURN YOU INTO FISHERS FOR MEN” MATT. 4:19
--HE ASSIGNED THEM WORK
JESUS WAS ALWAYS BUILDING TOWARDS THE TIME WHEN THE DISCIPLES WOULD TAKE OVER HIS WORK & GO OUT INTO THE WORLD WITH THE GOSPEL OF REDEMPTION.
DIDN’T EXPECT THEM TO GO OUT & DO THIS AT FIRST; HE WANTED TO GET THEM INTO A VITAL EXPERIENCE WITH GOD & SHOW THEM HOW HE WORKED BEFORE TELLING THEM THEY WERE TO DO IT.
DISCIPLES HELPED HIM IN MINISTRY PREVIOUS TO THIS: GETTING FOOD & ARRANGING ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THEM, BAPTIZING PEOPLE (JN. 4:2), ETC. OTHER THAN THIS, THEY MOSTLY JUST FOLLOWED & WATCHED JESUS FOR THE FIRST 1-1½ YRS.
EVENTUALLY, THEY WERE MATURE ENOUGH TO START PUTTING INTO PRACTICE WHAT THEY HAD SEEN THE MASTER DO (MK. 6:7)
--INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE GOING (MATT. 10)
REAFFIRMED HIS PURPOSE FOR THEIR LIVES (V. 1)
CLARIFIED THEIR TASK-ITS IMMEDIACY (7) & THE SCOPE OF THEIR/ HIS AUTHORITY (8)
WHO TO GO TO 1ST (5-6)-THEIR KINSMEN WHO WERE MOST LIKE THEM. THEY WERE TO START WHERE THEY WERE & MOVE OUTWARD, ULTIMATELY TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.
TO TRUST GOD FOR THEIR NEEDS & SERVE FREELY (8, 10)
TO AVOID “EXCESS BAGGAGE” & BURDENS (9-10)
1ST PRIORITY: TO FIND A PROMISING PERSON IN EACH TOWN & CONCENTRATE THEIR TIME ON THEM (11-15), PRESUMABLY SO THEY COULD FOLLOW UP THE DISCIPLES’ WORK AFTER THEY LEFT (THE KEY TO JESUS’ PLAN OF EVANGELISM)
WARNED OF HOSTILE TREATMENT (17-25)-HIS WAY WAS TOTALLY CONTRARY TO THE ACCEPTED PATTERN OF THE WORLD
HOLY SPIRIT WOULD EMPOWER THEM IN TROUBLE (20-21)
DISCIPLES NEEDED PROPRIETY & TACTFULNESS (16)
DECISIVE NATURE OF THE GOSPEL’S CALL (34-8). THEY WERE GOING WITH A REVOLUTIONARY GOSPEL, & ITS OBEDIENCE WOULD MEAN A REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE IN PEOPLE & SOCIETY
--PATTERN IN GOING
THEY WERE TO FOLLOW THE SAME PRINCIPLES & METHODS JESUS DID; THEY WERE TO BE THE ACTUAL REPRESENTATIVES OF CHRIST AS THEY WENT OUT (10:40-42)
THEY WERE SENT OUT IN PAIRS (MK. 6:7)
THEY WENT OUT ON THEIR OWN FOR A BRIEF TIME (6:12), & JESUS CONTINUED HIS OWN WORK (MATT. 11:1)
70 OTHERS (PROBABLY INCLUDING THE 12) SENT OUT LATER (LK. 10:1) & GIVEN SIMILAR INSTRUCTIONS TO PRACTICE THE MASTER’S STRATEGY FOR EVANGELISM (V. 2-16)
--POST-RESURRECTION INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT THE WORK
JN. 20:21-SENT AS HIS RE-PRESENTATIVES
JN. 21:15-17-RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SHEEP
MATT. 28:18-20-CLEAR PROCLAMATION OF HIS STRATEGY FOR WORLD IMPACT
LK. 24:46-7-BEGINNING FROM JERUSALEM & MOVING TOWARD ALL PEOPLES
AC. 1:8-HOLY SPIRIT AS GOD’S EMPOWERMENT FOR THE MISSION
APPLICATION:
TRUE EVANGELISM-DONE WITH JESUS’ METHODS & PURPOSES-IS NOT OPTIONAL; IT IS THE HEARTBEAT OF ALL WE ARE TO BE & DO
THE BEST WAY TO SEE THIS DONE IS TO GIVE DISCIPLES PRACTICAL ASSIGNMENTS THAT THEY CAN CARRY OUT (GETS THEM STARTED, HAVING ALREADY SEEN THIS DEMONSTRATED IN THE TEACHER’S LIFE)
WHEN THE CHURCH TAKES THIS ASSIGNMENT SERIOUSLY, THOSE IN THE PEWS WILL START MOVING OUTWARD FOR GOD
THE DISCIPLES STILL HAD MUCH TO LEARN BEFORE “GRADUATION” & REPRODUCTION OF DISCIPLES. UNTIL THEY WERE READY, JESUS HAD NO INTENTION OF “TURNING THEM LOOSE.”
“CHRISTIAN DISCIPLES ARE SENT MEN AND WOMEN-SENT OUT IN THE SAME WORK OF WORLD EVANGELISM TO WHICH THE LORD WAS SENT, AND FOR WHICH HE GAVE HIS LIFE…IT IS THE COMMISSION OF THE CHURCH WHICH GIVES MEANING TO ALL ELSE THAT IS UNDERTAKEN IN THE NAME OF CHRIST.” p. 87-8
“I WILL TURN YOU INTO FISHERS FOR MEN” MATT. 4:19
--HE ASSIGNED THEM WORK
JESUS WAS ALWAYS BUILDING TOWARDS THE TIME WHEN THE DISCIPLES WOULD TAKE OVER HIS WORK & GO OUT INTO THE WORLD WITH THE GOSPEL OF REDEMPTION.
DIDN’T EXPECT THEM TO GO OUT & DO THIS AT FIRST; HE WANTED TO GET THEM INTO A VITAL EXPERIENCE WITH GOD & SHOW THEM HOW HE WORKED BEFORE TELLING THEM THEY WERE TO DO IT.
DISCIPLES HELPED HIM IN MINISTRY PREVIOUS TO THIS: GETTING FOOD & ARRANGING ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THEM, BAPTIZING PEOPLE (JN. 4:2), ETC. OTHER THAN THIS, THEY MOSTLY JUST FOLLOWED & WATCHED JESUS FOR THE FIRST 1-1½ YRS.
EVENTUALLY, THEY WERE MATURE ENOUGH TO START PUTTING INTO PRACTICE WHAT THEY HAD SEEN THE MASTER DO (MK. 6:7)
--INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE GOING (MATT. 10)
REAFFIRMED HIS PURPOSE FOR THEIR LIVES (V. 1)
CLARIFIED THEIR TASK-ITS IMMEDIACY (7) & THE SCOPE OF THEIR/ HIS AUTHORITY (8)
WHO TO GO TO 1ST (5-6)-THEIR KINSMEN WHO WERE MOST LIKE THEM. THEY WERE TO START WHERE THEY WERE & MOVE OUTWARD, ULTIMATELY TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.
TO TRUST GOD FOR THEIR NEEDS & SERVE FREELY (8, 10)
TO AVOID “EXCESS BAGGAGE” & BURDENS (9-10)
1ST PRIORITY: TO FIND A PROMISING PERSON IN EACH TOWN & CONCENTRATE THEIR TIME ON THEM (11-15), PRESUMABLY SO THEY COULD FOLLOW UP THE DISCIPLES’ WORK AFTER THEY LEFT (THE KEY TO JESUS’ PLAN OF EVANGELISM)
WARNED OF HOSTILE TREATMENT (17-25)-HIS WAY WAS TOTALLY CONTRARY TO THE ACCEPTED PATTERN OF THE WORLD
HOLY SPIRIT WOULD EMPOWER THEM IN TROUBLE (20-21)
DISCIPLES NEEDED PROPRIETY & TACTFULNESS (16)
DECISIVE NATURE OF THE GOSPEL’S CALL (34-8). THEY WERE GOING WITH A REVOLUTIONARY GOSPEL, & ITS OBEDIENCE WOULD MEAN A REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE IN PEOPLE & SOCIETY
--PATTERN IN GOING
THEY WERE TO FOLLOW THE SAME PRINCIPLES & METHODS JESUS DID; THEY WERE TO BE THE ACTUAL REPRESENTATIVES OF CHRIST AS THEY WENT OUT (10:40-42)
THEY WERE SENT OUT IN PAIRS (MK. 6:7)
THEY WENT OUT ON THEIR OWN FOR A BRIEF TIME (6:12), & JESUS CONTINUED HIS OWN WORK (MATT. 11:1)
70 OTHERS (PROBABLY INCLUDING THE 12) SENT OUT LATER (LK. 10:1) & GIVEN SIMILAR INSTRUCTIONS TO PRACTICE THE MASTER’S STRATEGY FOR EVANGELISM (V. 2-16)
--POST-RESURRECTION INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT THE WORK
JN. 20:21-SENT AS HIS RE-PRESENTATIVES
JN. 21:15-17-RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SHEEP
MATT. 28:18-20-CLEAR PROCLAMATION OF HIS STRATEGY FOR WORLD IMPACT
LK. 24:46-7-BEGINNING FROM JERUSALEM & MOVING TOWARD ALL PEOPLES
AC. 1:8-HOLY SPIRIT AS GOD’S EMPOWERMENT FOR THE MISSION
APPLICATION:
TRUE EVANGELISM-DONE WITH JESUS’ METHODS & PURPOSES-IS NOT OPTIONAL; IT IS THE HEARTBEAT OF ALL WE ARE TO BE & DO
THE BEST WAY TO SEE THIS DONE IS TO GIVE DISCIPLES PRACTICAL ASSIGNMENTS THAT THEY CAN CARRY OUT (GETS THEM STARTED, HAVING ALREADY SEEN THIS DEMONSTRATED IN THE TEACHER’S LIFE)
WHEN THE CHURCH TAKES THIS ASSIGNMENT SERIOUSLY, THOSE IN THE PEWS WILL START MOVING OUTWARD FOR GOD
THE DISCIPLES STILL HAD MUCH TO LEARN BEFORE “GRADUATION” & REPRODUCTION OF DISCIPLES. UNTIL THEY WERE READY, JESUS HAD NO INTENTION OF “TURNING THEM LOOSE.”
“CHRISTIAN DISCIPLES ARE SENT MEN AND WOMEN-SENT OUT IN THE SAME WORK OF WORLD EVANGELISM TO WHICH THE LORD WAS SENT, AND FOR WHICH HE GAVE HIS LIFE…IT IS THE COMMISSION OF THE CHURCH WHICH GIVES MEANING TO ALL ELSE THAT IS UNDERTAKEN IN THE NAME OF CHRIST.” p. 87-8