It’s not the size or the overall shape of the hewn stone, which has become like a living stone; it’s a smoothing of the rough edges and a refining of the shape to allow for the fitting together of every stone, one with another, fitly joined.
- Bringing all into holiness in the Body of Christ.
The Evangelistic Equation
(Mt 28:14-20 + Mk 16:15-16) + Lk 24:46-47 + Mt 10:7-8 = 1 Cor 2:1-5
Heeding the Commission + Preaching the Gospel + Carrying out the Action = The Example of Paul the Apostle
The Example of Paul the Apostle
- Christ Crucified
- No lofty speech or wisdom of man
- In weakness and fear and trembling
- Faith in the power of God
- Demonstration in the Spirit and Power
Demonstration in the Spirit and Power
- What we need
- Matthew 10:7-8
- Go out to others
- Pray with/for others
- See God show up
Heeding the Commission
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20
- Go and make disciples: replicate disciples of Christ
- Baptizing them: not for the sake of religious ritual, but for the spiritual realization of God and His promises; for the circumcision of the heart
- Teach all Jesus commanded: mentoring, discipling
- I am with you: we are not alone and left to our own devices
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
Mark 16:15-16
- Go: not wait
- Call to action
- Proclaim the gospel: the gospel of salvation
- To become a believer
- Justification
- Covered in the righteousness of Christ
- For the believer
- The Gospel of the Kingdom
- Work out your salvation
- Philippians 2:12
- Sanctification
- Christ working out actual righteousness in us
- Whole Creation: all: restoration of all things?
- Some believe and get baptized: is baptism necessary?
- Some don’t believe: Our motivation in love; not a threat for them
- To become a believer
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
Philippians 2:12
The Gospel of the Kingdom
- The Kingdom is like…
- Matthew 18:44-46
- Mark 4:26-29
- Matthew 18:31-43
- Matthew 18:47-52
- Matthew 25:1-13
- And more
Preaching the Gospel
And said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”
Luke 24:46-47
- The Gospel of Salvation
- Written: written in scripture
- Suffer and dead: suffered and died
- Rise from the dead: rose from the dead
- Forgiveness: forgiveness for those who repent
- All nations: available to all
Carrying Out the Action
“And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.”
Matthew 10:7-8
- This is the will of God for the life of a disciple.
- The will of God for the life of a believer: to become a disciple?
- As you go: Jesus sent out His twelve Apostles
- At hand: God and power are here
- Heal, Raise, Cleanse, Cast: demonstration in the Spirit and power
- Without paying/pay: Do not sell the gift of salvation or the power of the Spirit
- Love is the motivation
Baptism
Physically: Doctrine; Theology
- Water; into the Body of Christ; new life
- Disciples made: Matthew 28:19-20
- Whoever believes: Mark 16:15-16
- New believer: Acts 8:35-39
- Existing believers: Acts 10:47-48
Spiritually: Experiential; Empowered
- Before water: Acts 10:44-48
- Same time as water: Matthew 3:16-17
- After water: Acts 1:4-5, 2:4,16
- And ongoing fresh baptisms, or infillings of Holy Spirit; outpouring of the Spirit: Acts 13:9 for example, Ephesians 5:18
- To be Christ’s witness: Acts 1:8
- Clothed with power: Luke 24:49
Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer for Us
“I do not ask that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.”
John 17:15-16
“As You sent Me into the world, so I send them into the world.”
Verse 18
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,”
Verse 20
Rough Flow Chart
To mentor, or to disciple, a believer is to teach and show by example all that was on the lists, perhaps more, of the last session of what a disciple is and does.
- Go into all the world
- Declare “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”
- Proclaim the gospel of salvation
- Baptism for those who believe
- Water
- Spirit
- Mentor or disciple the new believer
- Kingdom of Heaven
- Life of a disciple
- Gifts
- Of the Spirit
- One’s calling
- Ministry
- Office
- Truths of God
- Intimacy/communion
- Promises
- Fellowship/unity in love
- Humility
- Spiritual aspects
- World view
- Who one is in Christ
- Historical and future views
- Living life practically
- In the world but not of the world
- Daily cross
- Loving one another
- Sacrificial love
- Loving in the Body of Christ
- Loving others
- And more: an ongoing process
- Commission the disciple to go into all the world
Learning to Walk with God
- Choose One:
- The will of God
- The will of self
- The will of the world
- Do not practice sinfulness: 1 John 3:4-10
- Avoid worldliness: 1 John 2:15-17
- Act in and from love: 1 John 3:11-24 and 1 John 4:7-21
- Love God
- Love one another
- Our fellowship is with God: 1 John 1:3
- Our promise is eternal life: 1 John 1:2, 2:17,25, 5:11-12,20
- We are cleansed by the blood of Jesus: 1 John 1:7,9
Choices Need to be Made
The book of 1 John; 1 John 5 Overcoming the World
- God or world
- Others or self
- Righteousness or sinfulness
- To stumble and sin is not the same as practicing sin
- Truth or deception
- Love of God or abuse of the world
- The promises of God or the consequences of the lies of the world
- Forgiveness or condemnation
- Giving and receiving
- Good or evil
- Not man vs. woman
- Not race vs. race
- Not religion vs. religion
- Not left vs. right
- Not rich vs. poor
A Great Exercise of Beliefs and Understanding
Write a sentence for each item, from your own mind initially, and ponder it. It is important to write it out and look at it. Reveal to yourself your true belief and/or understanding. Refine the sentence after you prayerfully consider it, and as you study, if necessary. Do your best to avoid Christianese – church lingo.
- The Christ
- Disciple
- Kingdom of Heaven
- At Hand
- Gospel of Salvation
- Repentance
- Forgiveness of Sin
- Saved
- Condemned
- Will of God
- In the Name Of
- The Age
- Baptism
- Restoration of All Things