Posts
by Samuel E. Ward
Part IIIb: Methods in the Mission
September 1, 2013
View the PowerPoint presentation at http://www.slideshare.net/samward1/methods-in-the-mission-pt-ii-ib
The Mission:
Utilizing the training received by observing the attitudes, approach, and methods of Jesus Christ, each disciple will engage in bringing the gospel to their own areas of influence. This shall be done with loving attitudes, respect for those to whom the gospel is presented, and a variety methods designed to attract people to Christ. We shall seek to be persuasive without being deceptive or manipulative. –S. E. Ward
The Christian's effectiveness in fulfilling Christ's mission can be greatly affected by his methods. We have already observed that . . .
I. Jesus Sought the Lost, Not Separated Himself from Them.
II. Jesus Ate with the Lost.
III. Jesus Opened His Home to Reach the Lost.
IV. Jesus Invested Much Time in Training His Disciples to Seek the Lost.
Jesus also employed other means to reach out to the lost which we consider now.
V. Jesus Fit the Method to the Situation and Lesson.
VI. Jesus Confronted His Listeners with the "Either/Or" Consequences of Their Choices.
VIII. Jesus Called His Disciples with the Purpose of Giving Them a Calling.
Let us consider these last three in more detail beginning with the fact that . . .
V. Jesus Fit the Method to the Situation and Lesson .
A. Jesus Taught at Different Levels of Commitment.
1. Jesus preached to large crowds of seekers mixed with some dissenters—no one was excluded.
2. Jesus taught some smaller groups who had become disciples, Mat 10 and Luke 10.
3. Jesus chose twelve to be his inner-circle of trainees who would be entrusted with continuing the mission He began in preaching, training in ministry, and spreading the gospel.
B. Jesus Taught in Informal Settings (at a table, in a field, in in a boat, on a mountainside, in homes, etc.).
C. Jesus Taught Through the Use of Ministry Assignments, Luke 10:1-17.
Jesus sent groups of seventy, seventy-two, and the twelve disciples out into the cities to preach, heal, and cast out demons. Upon their return He heard their reports on their experiences.
D. Jesus Taught Profound Truths by Simple Means (stories, illustrations, parables, examples, etc.)
E. Jesus Taught Using Experiences Familiar to His Audience (from the lives of fishermen, housewives, shepherds, farmers, and children).
F. Jesus Was Arresting, Thought Provoking, Even Paradoxical—NEVER DULL!
Several examples of attention-getting statements Jesus made are to be found in His Sermon on the Mount discourse—(i.e., "You have heard that it was said . . .but I tell you":
Mat 5:21-22 – Jesus equates anger to murder.
Mat 5:27-28 – Jesus equates lust to adultery
Mat 5:31-32 – Jesus holds responsible those who initiate divorce with the adultery that results from the partner that is divorced. (Some exceptions apply.)
Mat 5:33-34 – Jesus says that simply saying that we will do something is as binding as an oath and therefore oaths should not be necessary for believers.
Mat 5:38-39 – Jesus said if we have harmed someone and they demand restitution, we should be willing not only to restore the loss, but more.
Mat 5:43-44 – Jesus said that we must love our enemies as well as our neighbors.
G. Jesus Taught Using Questions.
1. He asked His disciples, "Whom do men say that I am?" and "Who do you say that I am?" (Mat 16:13)
2. He asked the Pharisees, "What do you think about the Christ ? Whose son is he?" (Mat 22:42)
3. He asked the Pharisees and the Herodians, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?" "Caesar's," they replied. (Mark 12:16-17)
H. Jesus Taught from the Scriptures. (Isa 61:1-2/Luke 4:16-21; Psa118:22-23/Mat 21:42; Luke 24:44-47)
One example:
Isaiah 61:1-2 (NIV2011) The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn.
Quoted by Christ in . . .
Luke 4:16-19 (NIV2011) He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
VI. Jesus Confronted His Listeners with the "Either/Or" Consequences of Their Choices.
Here are a few examples:
A. Choose Not to Judge Others Until You Have Judged Yourself, Mat 7:1-3, Rom 2:1-4.
Matthew 7:1-5 (NIV2011) "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
It is not that God's people are never to judge, but it is not to be done hypocritically and without a genuine desire for the restoration of those who sin. Compare Matthew 7:1-5 with Romans 2:1-4.
Romans 2:1-4 (NIV2011) You . . . have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
B. Choose to Serve God or Money, You Can't Do Both, Luke 12:15-21; Matthew 16:26.
Luke 12:15-21 (NIV2011) Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions." 16 And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' 18 "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' 20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' 21 "This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God."
The folly of letting the pursuit of earthly things take priority in one's life is pointedly dealt with by Christ in . . .
(Matthew 16:26 NIV2011) What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?
C. Choose Christ Because His Way Is the Only Way, Matthew 12:30; John 14:6.
There is no neutral position. Not to be with Christ is to be against Him.
Matthew 12:30 (NIV2011) "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters."
John 14:6 (NIV2011) Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
VIII. Jesus Called His Disciples with the Purpose of Giving Them a Calling, Mark 3:13-15; 1 Peter 2:9.
A. From the First, This Was Christ's Plan, Mark 3:13-15.
Mark 3:13-15 (NIV2011) Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons.
B. For the Present, This Is Christ's Plan, 1 Peter 2:9.
1 Peter 2:9 (NIV2011) But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
C. In the Future, Christ Will Complete His Plan, Matthew 24:14.
Matthew 24:14 (NIV2011) And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
D. Until the End, the Lost Will Have a Choice. Understand . . .
1. The opportunity will one day be closed, John 3:36.
John 3:36 (NIV2011) Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them.
2. God is patient, not willing that any should perish, 2 Peter 3:9.
2 Peter 3:9 (NIV2011) The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
3. Now is the day of salvation, Hebrews 2:1-3.
Hebrews 2:1-3 (NIV2011) We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.
Conclusion
Every attitude Jesus had, every approach he made to others, and every method He employed had just this one aim ultimately in mind.
Luke 19:10 (NIV2011) "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."
