Along with the saving work of the Lord Jesus, His incarnation brought the presence of God to earth in a very special way. Isaiah prophesied; “the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel [God is with us]” (Isaiah 7:14). This is repeated by Matthew (1:23). The presence of God in the person of Jesus was evident in many ways, and some of these ways pleased people as they were healed, but when Jesus exercised His divine authority in forgiving sins (9:2), the religious leaders were furious at Him. “God is with us” was especially comforting to mothers and fathers who would have lost their children if He had not been there to stop the march of death. This was true for the disciples in a storm on the Sea of Galilee.
Imagine the comfort of Immanuel after the resurrection! For three days they thought all their hope had ended in a borrowed grave. “See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have” (Luke 24:39) changed everything! Did this precious presence of God end when “he was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9)? An absolute “NO”! Remember the promise of Jesus just before He ascended into heaven; “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20; see also Mark 16:20; John 14:23). Throughout John 14 to 17, there are many references that indicate Jesus’ abiding presence and how that would continue through the Holy Spirit. What difference will this make in your approach to life, ministry and missions? We minimized His power and presence because we may think of God’s presence only in heaven. He is here and He is working with His people who acknowledge the need of His presence.
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This morning I was reading Zechariah’s prophecy about his son John and was struck with some of his wording. Remember, John the Baptist, as he would be called, was the forerunner to Jesus, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah (40:3-5). John was “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.”
In this preparation for introducing the Messiah to Israel, John was doing more than preparing hearts through repentance. John told his own people that God was going to visit them and rescue them from the slavery of sin by “raising up a horn of salvation…in the house of His servant David” (Luke 1:68-69). Why was the coming of Jesus called “a horn of salvation”? The salvation they would experience was not exactly what they were looking for. Babylonian and Roman domination held the Jew captive for centuries and they were looking for a deliverer who would emancipate them. Salvation for Israel and the whole world was coming in a form they did not expect. If the prophets had been believed, they would have known that salvation was coming in ‘a child to be born and in a son given’ who would be “Almighty God” (Isaiah 9:6). In Him, God was “raising up a horn of salvation”. That word “horn” means “a power of unusual significance”. Understanding this helps realize why Paul said about the gospel, that “it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). As you reflect on what Jesus brought through His birth, life, death and resurrection, you will appreciate more God’s power in the gospel that proclaims God’s plan and purpose for all who believe. As we think of the mission of God in sending His Son to earth in order to save mankind from the eternal penalty of sin, His lack of reception should not alarm us. The effect of sin on the human heart produced an attitude of rejection from the very beginning. God spoke for over two thousand years through illustrations, examples, kings and prophets of the child He was going to send to deliver His people for bondage. Old Testament prophecies such as Isaiah 7;14; 9:6-7 and many others, meant nothing to the people they were spoken to.
John sums up the coming of Jesus like this; “He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:11–12). Did rejection of Israel’s Messiah stop the plan of God? From the calling of Abraham, God promised two things; He would make of Abraham “a great nation (people)” and also in Abraham, “all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:2-3). God’s plan was clear and nothing would hinder the final outcome! Israel, “His own” people, rejected the “Son” God sent to redeem them. “But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name” were those who God would redeem. The door of salvation is wide open to “all the families of the earth”! God is intent on keeping His promise to Abraham, and most of the Church today is made up of those who are not part of Israel. Since we are His children, we have an obligation to spread the Good News so ‘those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28) will hear and believe, and be given “the right to become children of God.” The Christmas season is far more than decorations, presents and food. It’s about helping others receive the Son, believe in His name, and see how God changes their eternal future. I have a confession to make. Though I have read, studied, taught and tried to live by the “Great Commission” command, it has taken all these years to see Matthew 28:19-20 in the proper context of verses 16 to 18. For the past two days we have looked at being with Jesus in view of success in missions (v.16), and proper worship (v.17) as being essential to effective missions. Now we come to verse 18; Jesus proclaims that “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to” Him.
Just so we confirm in our minds the absoluteness and universal character of His authority, I will give two other references. The first is spoken by Jesus; “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father” (11:27). The second is written by John; “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand” (John 3:35). There are other Scriptures, but I am limited with space here. The apostles recognized this authority after the Spirit was given (Acts 2:36; Philippians 2:9-11). “Before giving the [Great] Commission, Jesus first established His absolute, pervasive authority, otherwise the command would have seemed hopelessly impossible for the disciples to fulfill, and they might ignore it” (1). Submission to this authority was not an option for His disciples who became apostles (sent with a message). In knowing that Jesus’ authority stood behind the command, they were confident that Jesus would provide the resources, guidance and power. Have we failed to understand and submit to the authority behind Jesus’ command to “GO”? If we put these three elements to work through active faith, our missionary attempts would reach the unreached quickly and effectively. (1) John McArthur, The McArthur New Testament Commentary – Matthew 24 - 28, Moody Bible Institute, 1989, page 339. “And when they saw Him they worshiped him, but some doubted” (Matthew 28:17).
It has been correctly stated that if God is not truly worshiped, He cannot be truly served, no matter how talented, gifted, or well-intended we may try to be. These disciples spontaneously worshiped Jesus because they knew Him well and had spent time with Him from the very first meeting until He ascended into heaven (John 1:38-39; Acts 4:13). Just the sight of their Savior, Lord and Master compelled them to Worship. All the confusion, fear and distractions caused by the religious leaders melted as they saw Him. We are not told who it was that doubted, but from the context and grammatical construction of this report, they were persons who did not worship when they saw Jesus. Their relationship with the Lord was weak at best and therefore He was not a priority in their lives. Without an active and personal relationship with the Lord Jesus, worship will become a ritual; the heart not truly engaged with the Person who deserves all our worship. Without genuine worship there cannot be a heart for missions. Intimacy with Jesus increases our desire to make Him known to others. After all, missions and carrying the Good News, the Gospel to the unreached is an extension of true worship. Examine your worship. What does it indicate about your heart for missions. We have established before that there are still many people groups that have not been reached. In the next few blogs, I want to address three important elements that make our work effective. First, are you where God wants you to be? “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them” (Matthew 28:16).
In this blog, in our training manual (God’s Plan for His Church) and in our on-site training, we often point to Acts 1:4 as a critical starting point for anyone who wants to do the Lord’s work; “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” (Acts 1:4). Both references underscore how important it is to obey the instructions we have received from Christ. They make the difference in being in the right place and having divine power or being out of God’s will with no power. Be sure that you see the principle here. The point Jesus is making is not the physical location of the mountain or Jerusalem. It is that we become more concern about being with Him in the specific direction that goes beyond the time He was here on earth. That is why “the promise of the Father”, the Holy Spirit, is so critical to knowing where Jesus wants us NOW, in order that we conduct His command to “GO” in the right place. If where you are is a place that prohibits or hinders your obedience to the Lord, you are in the wrong place. This question is not about denominations, mission boards, or money. This issue has to do with your heart and the influences that either help your obedience to the Lord and the Holy Spirit, or hinder it. Prior to 1974, most of the Church and mission organizations defined “unreached” people as being countries where the gospel had not been preached. In “that year at the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelism, Ralph Winter shocked and indicted the Western missionary enterprise with what he called “people blindness””. What is “people blindness”? The following is a direct quote from Ralph Winter:
“Why is this fact not more widely known? I’m afraid that all our exultation about the fact that every country of the world has been penetrated [with the gospel] has allowed many to suppose that every culture has by now been penetrated. This misunderstanding is a malady so widespread that it deserves a special name. Let us call it “people blindness,” that is, blindness to the existence of separate peoples within countries – a blindness, I might add, which seems more prevalent in the U.S. and among U.S. missionaries than anywhere else.” (1) Was this idea created by Ralph Winter? Absolutely not! Jesus refers to these “nations or ethnos” six times in the gospels (Matthew 24:14; 25:32; 28:19; Mark 11:10; Luke 24:46-47; and John 11:51-52). These and other references He made were not to political countries as we know them today. The urgency of reaching those who have never heard surged forward 43 years ago in many mission minded people, but has the clarion call been forgotten? Looking at the progress in the two decades, it is evident there is much more to do with 6,992 unreached people groups. If you are interested in learning more, click on the “more” page and follow the “Materials” link to see more websites that explain how to accelerate the process of reaching those people groups who have not heard the glorious gospel of grace. (1) “The New Macedonia: A Revolutionary New Era in Mission Begins”, in Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, 1999, page 346. PAST:
“In past generations He [the living God] allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet He did not leave Himself without witness, for He did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:16–17). During those “past generations”, there were many who had a wonderful relationship with God as He revealed Himself to them in various ways. But saving faith and the mercy of God was generally known through sacrifice of animals. They spoke in a prophetic way of what was coming, but could never encompass all Jesus would be. PRESENT: “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed; and of this He has given assurance to all by raising Him from the dead” (17:30–31). “God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance” and His grace that gives the understanding of why we need to repent. This was seen on the very first day the Church came into being. The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, He empowered Peter to preach, and then convicted the hearts of those who heard – “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent…!” (2:37-38). The message could not be clearer. Let’s be sure that we do not leave out this vital first step in the gospel. The gift of salvation by grace through faith becomes all the more wonderful when I realize the righteousness required of God in the death of Jesus was meant for you and me. Otherwise it would require our death. When you preach, when you witness to others, do not leave out the necessity of repentance. One of our team members drew this quote to my attention, and it fits so well into many of the themes we have posted on this blog:
“The first great passion of missions, therefore, is to honor the glory of God by restoring the rightful place of God on the hearts of people who presently think, feel and act in ways that dishonor God every day. [We] do this by bringing forth a worshipping people from among all the unreached peoples of the world. If you love the glory of God, you cannot be indifferent to missions. This is the ultimate reason Jesus Christ came into the world. Romans 15:8-9 says, “Christ became a servant to the circumcised…in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy.” Christ came to get glory for His Father among the nations. If you love what Jesus Christ came to accomplish, you love missions.” John Piper, Let the Nations be Glad, page 231 Paul calls this ministry being an “ambassador for Christ, God making his appeal through us…be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Since this brings God glory, get involved in His mission so men, women and children worship our God and Savior. Deception of the heart and mind by Satan is very real. After writing the blog yesterday, we received news that a Christian in our region has been caught in a very serious and awful sin. It had to the Holy Spirit that led me to compose the warning about becoming a fool. It is totally possible that “your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3). It starts by “suppressing the truth” (Romans 1:18). The slow drip of deception is a calculated effort of our enemy to wear down our conscience so that we become callous and hardened to the voice and prompting of the Spirit.
Paul is very clear on this issue; “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:7–8). There is no middle path or gray area between these two truths. How can it be that a person who has professed Jesus as Savior and been involved in church fellowship and life is suddenly exposed as engaged in a dreadful sin. When persons fail to allow truth to enlighten their conscience, “both their minds and their consciences are defiled” (Titus 1:15) and the soul descends into dark thoughts and habits. “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared” (1 Timothy 4:1–2). If you or someone you know is dabbling in any addictive sin, as an ambassador for Christ, “God making his appeal through us; we implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20). If you do not repent quickly, the damage can be very costly. Find someone who will help restore you back into fellowship with the Lord, otherwise the devastating impact on your family and church will be very costly. If you do not know where to turn, email us at newfoundationsinternational@gmail.com. |
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