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1
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2
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- This study will not focus upon how a Christian should live, which is
Christian ethics.
- Our objective is to learn principles which help us to become more and
more like Christ—to examine the subject of how to become more like
Christ.
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3
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- This is true both in the world of living organisms and of spiritual
growth. Humans cannot create life and then make it grow. Cloning does
not create life.
- 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God
made it grow. 7 So neither he
who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes
things grow. (the New International Version is used, unless noted.)
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4
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- People cannot grow spiritually if they aren’t born again. They are still
dead in sin.
- Ephesians 2:4-5 But because of
his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when
we were dead in transgressions-- it is by grace you have been saved.
- Spiritual disciplines and methods will not help someone grow who is
dead. They often obscure their lostness. This was true of John Wesley
before his conversion.
- You cannot clean a fish before it is caught.
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5
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- “John Wesley an Oxford scholar, a man who led hundreds to the Lord, a
leader of the Holy Club, on the outside, he was a star student and a
servant who was instrumental in helping the poor, he became an Anglican
priest after a rigorous seminary education and shortly thereafter a
missionary to the Indians, everyone who looked at Wesley, thought of him
as the Honorable Reverend John Wesley, you would think that surely this
man of God was saved, and yet he writes in his journal as he goes on
missions to the Indians: ‘I go to
save the Indians, but who will save me?’”
- “He was not saved! Even as an
Anglican priest, he had not yet received the Holy Spirit.”
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6
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- “It wasn’t until May 24, 1737 (born in 1703) when he was 34 years of
age, that after a life long journey of struggle and coming to a cliff
(figure of speech, Wesley does not write that at any time he was
suicidal) where he almost gave up on ministry, that he heard the Word of
the Lord, the preaching of a sermon on Romans that he was touched by the
Spirit of the Lord, he writes my heart was strangely warmed, and I felt
I really did trust Christ. Wesley
would write later of that day: ‘By a Christian I mean one who so
believes in Christ as that sin hath no more dominion over him; and in
this obvious sense of the word I was not a Christian till May the 24th
last past.’”
- Anonymous, http://files.intellisite.com/1/8/6/8.doc accessed 09/21/2005
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7
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- Because Christians sin.
- Two frequently used Greek words are translated “sin.” Sin is “to act
contrary to the will and law of God” (hamartia). Louw-Nida Greek
English Lexicon of the NT
- Second, it is to act unjustly (hadikia). This is also included under
the above word (harmatia--1 John 5:17) .
- We inherited sin from Adam (Rom. 5:12).
- We also add our personal sin. 1 John 1:8 If we claim to be without sin,
we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
- Christians aren’t to practice sin, however—it should be increasingly
the exception (1 John 3:6,9; 5:18). I may get angry, but should not be
an angry person.
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8
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- Due to sin, we aren’t perfect, even though Adam and Eve were perfect in
Eden, before they sinned.
- Although we’re made in God’s perfect image (Gen. 1:27), that image is
now marred by sin.
- Spiritual growth means becoming more like God, in ways possible to us.
We’re being restored into the image of God.
- We cannot know all, be everywhere and have all power. But we can love,
be just and speak truthfully.
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9
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- It is for a Christian to become more like Christ.
- Christ is the Christian’s standard of maturity, as is the Father.
- Christians are to “be perfect,” as the Father is (Matt. 5:48)
- Christ, although sinless (2 Cor. 5:21), was “made perfect” (Heb. 5:9)
by suffering, and is the unmarred “image of the invisible God” (Col.
1:15).
- Colossians 1:28 We proclaim
him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may
present everyone perfect in Christ.
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10
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- Ephesians 4:15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all
things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 3:18 18 And we,
who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being
transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes
from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
- Note that transformation is an ongoing process (Greek present tense),
not a completed event. Also note that the Holy Spirit is the active
agent who transforms Christians.
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11
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- Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since
we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off
everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us
run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the
author and perfecter of our faith
- 2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ.
- A mature Christian thinks and acts like Jesus.
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12
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- Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the
church and gave himself up for her
26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water
through the word, 27 and to
present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or
any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
- Colossians 3:9-10 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off
your old self with its practices
10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in
knowledge in the image of its Creator.
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13
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- The hardest place to demonstrate the image of God is with our family.
Our wife or husband knows us best.
- We do not have normal social constraints within the privacy of our
family circle.
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14
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- Growth is normal to life—failure to grow is abnormal. If we are living
precisely as we lived 10 years ago, we haven’t grown. If we give or pray
as much as we gave 10 years ago, we haven’t grown.
- The Kingdom of God grows, as people become Christians.
- It cannot be stopped: Matthew 13:31-32 He told them another parable:
"The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took
and planted in his field. 32
Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is
the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of
the air come and perch in its branches.“
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15
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- 33% of humans profess Christianity, and 20% Islam. Christianity is the
largest religion on the planet. Islamic growth in the 1990s was 96% by
natural increase (excess births to deaths) and 4% by conversion (less
defections). Christian growth globally was 90% natural increase and 10%
by conversion. Hindu growth is entirely by birth (they have a negative
conversion rate).
- Michael Jaffarian, “The demographics of world religions entering the
21st century,” in Between past & future, J. Bonk ed. 2003, pp.
257-258.
- Annual Growth Rate of: All Christians
1.31%
- Muslims: 1.93%
- Hindus: 1.49%
- Barrett, Int’l Bulletin of Miss. Research, Status of Global Mission,
1/05
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16
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- Christianity grows globally (horizontally), but also in depth—Christians
becoming more like Christ.
- Christians grow at different rates.
- Mark 4:20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept
it, and produce a crop-- thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was
sown."
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17
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18
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- Christians are holy due to the sanctifying work of Christ
(positionally), yet we are becoming holy (actually).
- Heb. 10:14 because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those
who are being made holy.
- 1 Corinthians 1:30 It is
because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us
wisdom from God-- that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
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19
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- 1 Corinthians 6:11 And that is what some of you were. But you were
washed, you were sanctified [point in time], you were justified in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
- Sanctification here means “set apart.”
- Hebrews 10:29 How much more
severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the
Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of
the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of
grace?
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20
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- When a person falls in love, the beloved is “perfect.” S/he walks a foot
off the ground. There is no flaw.
- If they marry, about a month later the lover develops flaws. Reality
sets in and often we try to change one another toward our ideal.
- Before marriage is like positional sanctification.
- After marriage is like progressive sanctification.
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21
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22
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- Some in the Calvinistic tradition stress our positional sanctification
and the sovereign love of God so much that they question the validity of
even trying to please God, since they believe that we already please and
are accepted by Him. But…
- Colossians 1:10 And we pray this
in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him
in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the
knowledge of God
- 1 Thessalonians 2:4 On the
contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the
gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:1 Finally,
brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in
fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to
do this more and more.
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23
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- Progressive sanctification is another name for “growth.” Some in the
“holiness” tradition teach that Christians at some moment in time attain
to entire sanctification, or sinless perfection. This contradicts that
we are “being made holy,” and other scriptures already quoted.
- I met a man who could not recall any sins he’d committed. An
exasperated older friend burst in, “What about the woman you’re living
with?” [they weren’t married]
- There are “spiritual” and “worldly” Christians—I haven’t met a perfect
one (1 Corinthians 3:1-3).
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24
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- “The Wesleyan-Arminian concept of holiness maintains that ‘the
Christian’s tendency to sin is extinguished’, while others, such as the
Keswick Convention, teach that this tendency is ‘merely counteracted by
victorious living in the Spirit’.”
- The New International Dict. Of the Christian Church, 1974. s.v.
“Keswick Convention,” Ian Sellers, p. 564.
- 1 John 1:8 If we say that we have
[ongoing] no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in
us.
- Others teach “absolute surrender” to God or to “let go and let God.”
Both are passive states, and while good as far as they go, do not
provide the energy or direction needed to walk the Way.
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25
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26
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- 2 Peter 1:3 “His divine power has given us everything we need for life
and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own
glory and goodness.” God
provides the means.
- If we don’t grow spiritually, it is not God’s fault.
- He provides the “means of grace” and means of growth—primarily the Holy
Spirit, the Church and the Bible.
- He both actively moves to make us grow, and provides means to make us
grow.
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27
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- 1 Thessalonians 5:23 “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you
through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless
at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is entire sanctification.
Sanctify = άγιάσμός “make holy,
consecrate” Friberg Greek Lexicon
- Jude 1:24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you
before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—
- 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common
to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what
you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out
so that you can stand up under it.
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28
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- Hebrews 12:14-15 Make every
effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no
one will see the Lord. 15 See to
it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up
to cause trouble and defile many Άγιάξω =
holy, sanctified, pure Friberg Lexicon #212
- WE are to make “every effort” to be holy. At the same time, we must not
miss the “grace of God,” which enables us to deal with others’ sin.
- We cannot be passively holy, or find holiness through meditation or
right doctrine. Holiness is shown in the furnace of life, and requires
our active cooperation.
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29
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- Colossians 1: 22 But now he has
reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you
holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation--
- 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from
the hope held out in the gospel.
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30
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- 2 Corinthians 3:18 And we, who
with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed
into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord,
who is the Spirit.
- Romans 8:4 in order that the
righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not
live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
- The New Testament is more demanding in its commands than the Old
(Matthew 5:21-48, for example). The only possible way to keep them is
to live according to the Spirit.
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31
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- 1 Peter 1:2 who have been chosen
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the
sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and
sprinkling by his blood
- 2 Thessalonians 2:13 But we ought
always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from
the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of
the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
- 1 Corinthians 6:11 But you were
washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
- When we choose a bride, she is “perfect” to us.
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32
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- Galatians 5:16-18 So I say, live
by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what
is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful
nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what
you want. 18 But if you are led
by the Spirit, you are not under law.
- Romans 8:13 For if you live
according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you
put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,
- I once was mastered by a sin as a Christian. Finally I cried out to God
to put it to death in me, because I couldn’t. Within a few days the
Spirit had put it to death. The sin simply was not worth the pain it
brought.
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33
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- Galatians 5:22-25 But the fruit
of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, 23 gentleness and
self-control. Against such things there is no law.
- This is the character of Christ that the Spirit produces.
- 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature
with its passions and desires. 25
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
- The Spirit may have us refrain from a particular ministry. He makes us
uneasy until we engage another ministry. He burdens our hearts. He
shows us when to stop something He earlier led us to engage.
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34
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- We need to carefully keep up with the Spirit, neither getting ahead of
Him, or lagging behind.
- Our spirit needs to be tuned into the Spirit—listening to nudges to go
or to wait or to stay.
- Once after a time of prayer I asked God if He had anything that He
wanted to say to me. Into my mind came, “I want you to go to Africa.” I
hadn’t been there and hadn’t thought of going to Africa for about 10
years. I told Him that I was certainly willing. About 10 days later two
friends at church were discussing who could go to Africa with one of
them. They asked me if I know of someone, and I said that I was
interested. All the funds had been already raised, and within 50 days
of God speaking I was on a British Airways jet headed for Uganda. This
was the first of 10 trips to Africa.
- We need to actively crucify sinful “passions and desires,” even when in
step with the Spirit (God). Here again is the interplay between God’s
work and our work.
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35
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- Hebrews 12:7 Endure hardship as
discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined
by his father?
- Hebrews 12:10 Our fathers
disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God
disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
- God actively steps in to stop our sin by providing immediate negative
consequences.
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36
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- Discipline--“to provide instruction, with the intent of forming proper
habits of behavior” Παιδευω Louw-Nida
Lexicon # 33:226
- Hebrews 12:11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.
Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for
those who have been trained by it.
- So we need to welcome this gracious instruction from God. I was rebuked
by a “prophet” for saying harsh things to my wife.
- Psalm 32:8-9 I will instruct you
and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch
over you. 9 Do not be like the
horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled
by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.
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37
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- Trials may be translated (1) as God's examination of man--test (1Peter
4.12); (2) as enticement to sin, either from without or within temptation–
Πειρασμός (LU 4.13); 21267
Friberg Lexicon
- God uses it to examine us, while Satan uses it to entice us to sin.
Potiphar’s wife was likely both a test and a temptation to Joseph.
- Discipline is more targeted, as a parent disciplines for specific
reasons (the root word of discipline is “child”--παισ).
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38
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- James 1:2-4 2 Consider it pure
joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of
your faith develops perseverance.
4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and
complete, not lacking anything.
- Romans 5:3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because
we know that suffering produces perseverance;
- God seems to be more interested in our holiness than in our happiness.
But suffering can actually produce joy.
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39
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- 1 Peter 1:6-7 6 In this you
greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer
grief in all kinds of trials. 7
These have come so that your faith-- of greater worth than gold, which
perishes even though refined by fire-- may be proved genuine and may
result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
- God may use financial trials to purify us.
- He may use marriage to refine us, or health problems.
- He may use religious persecution.
- 1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of
Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
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40
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- Trials impel us to seek God, and to purify our motives and behavior.
- I owed $800.00 in taxes 2.5 weeks before due and sought God based on
Psalm 50:14-15.
- Going into the world with the Gospel involves us in trials. We need
funds, protection, wisdom and guidance that isn’t needed if we remain
home. We learn that God is with us (Matt. 28:20) and will never forsake
us (Heb. 13:5).
- Job, Joseph, David, Joshua, Paul and many others grew in their knowledge
of God through trial.
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41
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- 2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of
the Lord is, there is freedom.
- Is there freedom in your church?
- Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm,
then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
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42
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- We must not get so wrapped up in disciplines that they become a tyranny,
or begin to look down upon others who don’t share our favorite
disciplines.
- Disciplines can easily degenerate into “the righteousness of man” and
into legalisms.
- Legalism is a system of righteousness other than that of Christ’s
righteousness, imputed to a person by faith in Christ. Fasting became a legalism to me. I
was afraid not to fast and indecisive as to when to fast.
- Romans 10:2-4 For I can testify
about them [Israelites] that they are zealous for God, but their zeal
is not based on knowledge. 3
Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and
sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's
righteousness. 4 Christ is the
end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who
believes.
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43
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- Ephesians 4:11-13 It was he who
gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists,
and some to be pastors and teachers,
12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body
of Christ may be built up 13
until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of
God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of
Christ.
- The Church is God’s garden for growth.
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44
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- The work of the church is to get Christians to look like Jesus Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 12:7 Now to each
one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
- Each Christian has at least one spiritual gift, to be used for the good
of the Church.
- Evangelists are used to give birth to (baby) Christians.
- Converts need to become members of churches. This can be very
difficult.
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45
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- Pastors teach the Bible, counsel, comfort, challenge, rebuke and
encourage their flocks to become mature—to be like Christ.
- Teachers go deeply into Christian doctrine and application.
- Colossians 1:28 We proclaim him,
admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may
present everyone perfect in Christ.
- Prophets (according to one’s theology) speak a direct word from the
Lord, but not on the same level as the Bible in authority.
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46
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- The church is God’s enduring institution.
- Matthew 16:18 And I tell you
that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the
gates of Hades will not overcome it.
- No other institution—schools, mission agencies, NGO’s—has lasted for
2,000 years and has Jesus’ promise that even the Devil will not conquer
it.
- The church both broadens, by evangelism, and deepens, by maturity, the
work of Christ.
- She is the Christian’s primary community.
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47
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- Regardless of one’s theological view of this sacrament, at the very
least it should provoke self-examination and repentance—always necessary
for growth. Sin must be identified and admitted before it is forsaken.
Others, such as John Wesley, and many in the Reformed tradition, have
taught that it conveys God’s grace http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/wesley/disciple.stm accessed 9/21/05
- 1 Corinthians 11:28 A man ought
to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.
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48
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- Baptism is a symbol of dying to the old man and being raised to new
life:
- Colossians 2:12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with
him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the
dead.
- Baptism means public identification with Christ, and as such is an act
of obedience.
- Matthew 10:32 "Whoever
acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my
Father in heaven.”
- That public identification can motivate us to represent Christ well.
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49
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- Next to the Spirit and the Church, the Bible is God’s most important
instrument for spiritual growth.
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture
is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and
training in righteousness, 17 so
that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
- Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God
is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it
penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges
the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
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50
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- 1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies,
crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your
salvation…
- “crave” = “long for, desire; perhaps yearn over (James 4.5)” Barclay-Neuman
Greek-English Dictionary έπιποθέω
#2480
- Mark 4:20 “Others, like seed
sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop--
thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.”
- Obedience to the Word of God determines spiritual productivity.
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51
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- John 17:17 “Sanctify {17 Greek hagiazo
(set apart for sacred use or make holy)} them by the truth; your word is
truth.”
- The Bible is God’s Word, and God does not lie. The Bible has the amazing effect of
making us holy.
- Acts 20:32 "Now I commit
you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and
give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
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52
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- The Bible contains nurture both for new Christians (“milk”) and for more
mature Christians (“solid food”), who gain insights into what is right
and wrong.
- Colossians 1:10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life
worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in
every good work, growing in the knowledge of God
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53
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- “Knowledge” =έπιγινώσκω--'to
know about, to know definitely about’ 28.2 Louw-Nida Lexicon
- The Bible is the best and most reliable way to know God. A growing knowledge of God pleases
Him.
- Experience must be judged by the Bible, and the Church and her
preachers must be judged by the Bible.
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54
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- The Bible almost takes on a life of its own. It’s impact upon people is
powerful and its spread worldwide. “98.7 % of people have access to
scripture in 6,700 languages leaving 78 million in 6,800 languages with
no access at all.” World Christian Trends, David Barrett & Todd
Johnson, 2001, p. 3.
- Acts 12:24 But the word of God continued to increase and spread.
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55
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- Like the Church, the Bible spreads. Acts 6:7 So the word of God spread.
The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large
number of priests became obedient to the faith.
- Acts 19:20 In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in
power.
- Colossians 1:6 that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is
bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since
the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth.
- One of the best evangelism strategies is to give the Bible or portions
of it to the lost. It helps to determine if a person is spiritually
ripe for witnessing.
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56
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57
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- Colossians 1:12-13 12 giving
thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance
of the saints in the kingdom of light.
13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and
brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves
- Only God is greater than Satan, so He must wrench us from Satan’s grip
and deliver us into His Kingdom
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58
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- Acts 26:17-18 I will rescue you
from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to
them 18 to open their eyes and
turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so
that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who
are sanctified by faith in me.‘
- Once delivered from Satan’s power, we can exercise our will to avoid
his snares.
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59
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- Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore,
my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-- not only in my presence,
but now much more in my absence-- continue to work out your salvation
with fear and trembling, 13 for it
is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good
purpose.
- We work out our salvation through obedience.
- God plants His will into our will and His purposes into our plans.
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- As discussed already, God provides the means, and we are expected to use
them. His means for growth are worthless if we ignore them.
- I meet Christians who ignore God’s means for growth. They are too
weak-willed to resist temptation and obey Christ, even at small cost.
- In fact they are double-minded, wanting to have both God and the
pleasures of sin.
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- James 4:4-10 You adulterous
people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward
God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of
God. 5 Or do you think Scripture
says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies
intensely? 6 But he gives us
more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but
gives grace to the humble." {6 Prov. 3:34} 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come
near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you
double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn
and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord,
and he will lift you up.
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- Christians are told in Scripture to put off sin and to put on
righteousness. Therefore, we must be able to do both.
- Ephesians 4:22-24 You were
taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self,
which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of
your minds; 24 and to put on the
new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
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- Similarly, “Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ [put on], and do
not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” Romans
13:14
- Paul lists sins to put off:
- Falsehood, simmering anger, unwholesome talk, bitterness, rage, anger,
brawling, slander
- And actions to put on:
- truthful speech, take a useful job, helpful talk, kindness, compassion
and forgiveness
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- Similarly,
- Romans 6:11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to
God in Christ Jesus.
- Romans 6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that
you obey its evil desires.
- Our wills are potent. We can choose the good and resist sin. The demons
cannot force us to sin. God always provides an escape in temptation (1
Cor. 10:13).
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- One of the most important decisions is to give God our body. Another is
not to let the world conform you to its way of thinking.
- Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge
you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living
sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-- this is your spiritual act of
worship. 2 Do not conform any
longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will
is-- his good, pleasing and perfect will.
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- John 15:4-5 Remain in me, and I
will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain
in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I
in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
- “It is sovereign grace from start to finish, but the responsibility of
abiding in Christ is placed squarely upon man’s shoulders, exactly
where it belongs. Without exertion there is no salvation. But the power
to exert oneself and to persevere is God-given!” Wm. Hendriksen, The
Gospel of John, p. 299, ISBN: 0801040515
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- We cannot serve God independent of a close walk with Christ and close
observance of his commands (John 15:10). The heart of discipleship for
Christ was obeying His commands.
- Fruitfulness is dependent upon the vine.
- Trying to be fruitful apart from Christ is trying to live the Christian
life in the flesh.
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- We cannot touch upon every biblical command to Christians, but will
mention various disciplines which help us to abide in Christ.
- Repentance
- This was the first command to the unsaved of John the Baptist (Matt.
3:1-2), of Jesus (Matt. 4:17), and of the apostles (Mark 6:7-12; Acts
3:19; 26:20). Yet Christians must also repent.
- Revelation 2:4-5 Yet I hold
this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5 Remember the height from which you
have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not
repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
- Christians must continually repent of known sin, and ask God to reveal
secret sins (Psalm 139:23-24; James 5:15-16). Fathers should be the
quickest and best “repenters” Joe Novenson
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- Purity--consecration, dedication, sanctification, holiness= άγιασμος
Barclay-Neuman Greek-English Dictionary, # 41
- Avoid sexual immorality and impurity (1 Thess. 4:3,7).
- 2 Tim. 2:21 If a man cleanses himself from [“ignoble” purposes, v. 20],
he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the
Master and prepared to do any good work.
- The more pure we are, the more God can use us.
- Holiness is not being “pious.” It is not wearing large crosses and
clerical clothing. It is not being sanctimonious, such as were the
Pharisees—conservative Bible-believing Jews who loved to be honored
(Matthew 6:1-6). Holiness is simply being like Jesus.
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- 2 Peter 3:11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way,
what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness (New
American Standard Bible).
- Romans 6:22 But now that you
have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit
you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
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- Amazingly, we can pray, and Christians will mature.
- Colossians 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ
Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that
you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.
- 2 Corinthians 13:9 We are glad
whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is for your
perfection.
- Ephesians 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds
of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on
praying for all the saints.
- For whom are you praying for maturity?
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- Galatians 5:24 Those who belong
to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and
desires.
- Notice that it is I who crucifies myself. This is a decision.
- Missionaries crucify themselves by denying their own culture,
including language and customs and close proximity of their extended
family.
- They discomfort themselves and may expose themselves to danger.
- When we forsake sinful pleasure, we crucify self. For example, I refuse
myself a second or third look at a beautiful woman.
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- Luke 9:23 Then he said to them
all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take
up his cross daily and follow me.”
- Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with
humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves (New
American Standard Bible)
- Others are not intrinsically more important, but we regard them as
more important. We take the place of least importance—of
servanthood--instead of the place of prominence.
- Self denial helps us to deal with a self-centered perspective on life.
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- Matthew 6:16-18 "When you
fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their
faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have
received their reward in full. 17
But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to
men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and
your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
- Fasting distances us from life’s immediate and normal concerns. It
allows us to focus upon God in prayer. Jesus assumes that His followers
will fast and says that the Father will reward fasting.
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- You should not reveal the fast.
- Your wife needs to know of your fast, however, since you need her
permission to abstain from normal relations with her.
- 1 Corinthians 7:5 Do not
deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you
may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan
will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
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- God does not seem satisfied with our current level of maturity (if we
aren’t perfect). He finds
challenges to our faith.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and
rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love
every one of you has for each other is increasing.
- 2 Corinthians 10:15 not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in bother
men's labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be,
within our sphere, enlarged even more by you
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- How does our faith grow? Through
overcoming obstacles.
- God makes something increasingly difficult, to flex the muscles of our
faith.
- When considering returning for a graduate degree for three 3-month
periods (about 625 miles away), I had one child in college, and three
expecting to enter. I had no money for the courses, or a second car,
and there was no room available at the school. After my wife and I
prayed, in one day God provided all three.
- For the next 3-month period God provided less money, and even less for
the last period, yet He provided so that I graduated (after 10 years)
without debt, and all four children graduated from colleges.
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- Veterans of our short-term mission trips each year find greater
challenges to raising the needed funds. In 2004 I was given $2,000 USD
to come to India. In 2005, $1,200.
- George Mueller, who founded orphanages for over 2,000 orphans, found
that some of his most severe trials of faith came when he was in his
70s.
- Often we don’t see trials as opportunities to see God at work (see Mark
8:14-21). Jesus expects growth from us.
- We need to break out of the exoskeletons of current faith, as locusts
break out of their shells and fly.
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- Faith grows as we see God’s answers to prayer. Therefore, we need to
have an intentional prayer life.
- Construct a list of the most important needs of your life, including
those of your family and ministry. Praying through this list produces
great hope. I have greatest hope when I’ve just prayed. As God answers
we are given boldness to pray for the less and less likely items on our
list.
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- Jesus spent much time in prayer.
- Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got
up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
- Luke 11:1 One day Jesus was
praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said
to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his
disciples."
- He said, “I do nothing on my own…” (John 8:28). Before selecting the 12
apostles, He spent the entire night in prayer (Luke 6:12-13). Prayer
demonstrates our dependence upon the Father, and our sonship.
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- Matthew 6:6 But when you pray, go
into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.
Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
- Jesus assumes that we’ll pray and that God will reward secret prayer.
- The priority of the apostles was prayer (Acts 6:4). What is your
priority?
- 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray
continually
- Colossians 4:2 Devote
yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
- As we commune with the Father, our goals, vision and desires are
conformed to His. We invite this.
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- Growth also comes from someone who intentionally helps you to grow—but
the disciple needs to be willing and able to learn.
- “Amazing as it may seem, all Jesus did to teach these men [the apostles]
His way was to draw them close to Himself. He was His own school and curriculum.”
- Robert Coleman, The Master Plan of Evangelism, p. 38
- A leader gets his people involved, carrying them into action. Jesus demonstrated before He delegated.
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- Demonstration: “He appointed twelve—designating them apostles—that they
might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have
authority to drive out demons.” Mark 3:14-15.
- Luke 8:1 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to
another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve
were with him…” He mentored the 12.
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- Delegation: Luke 9:1-6 When Jesus
had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to
drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to preach the
kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
3 He told them: "Take nothing for the journey-- no staff, no
bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic.
4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that
town. 5 If people do not welcome
you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a
testimony against them." 6
So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel
and healing people everywhere.
- Jesus put them to work. He went beyond Bible studies.
- How would this mission strengthen their faith?
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- Christ gave them “power and authority.”
Power is the ability to do something, and authority is the right
to use that ability. He didn’t regard them as threats, or as people to
keep busy, but as arrows in the hand of God. He sent them out!
- Christ also gave them a very specific job, including how to do that job
(Luke 9:3-5).
- Then the apostles reported back to Jesus (Luke 9:10).
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- Christ didn’t appoint people to stay with Him. He brought them alongside to serve
with Him, then He sent them out.
- These were not associate pastors selected to simply sit behind the
pulpit and orbit the pastor.
- They were not sent to temples (other churches) or told to show up
whenever the temple opened. Their job was not to stay, but to go fight
spiritual warfare on the fringes of Christianity.
- They eventually fanned out around the world—Thomas to India, by strong
tradition.
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- Give them freedom and encouragement to serve outside the local church.
Have a Kingdom, perspective, rather than local church, perspective.
- Send them to evangelize with church members. Send them on short-term mission trips
in the US and abroad.
- Our purpose is not fellowship, but works of service.
- The quickest way to spiritual maturity is to put disciples into
situations where they must trust God for success.
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- Jesus was concerned for the physical and emotional needs of the
people—for healing (Matt. 4:24; Mark 3:5), for food (Matt. 14:18-21),
for comfort (Matt. 9:36).
- James 1:27 Religion that God our
Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and
widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the
world.
- To be like Christ, we will also have compassion for the needs of
others.
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- Mark 1:33-39 33 The whole town
gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus
healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but
he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. 35 Very early in the morning, while it
was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary
place, where he prayed. 36 Simon
and his companions went to look for him,
37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is
looking for you!" 38 Jesus
replied, "Let us go somewhere else-- to the nearby villages-- so I
can preach there also. That is why I have come." 39 So he traveled throughout Galilee,
preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
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- Jesus healed and drove out demons, but His priority was the spiritual
needs of the people. Healing may postpone death. We want them to avoid
entirely the second death (Rev. 2:11; 20:6).
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- Where did He send them? First to
Israel, but then to Samaria (to Jewish syncretists) and to the uttermost
parts of the earth (Acts 1:8). The mission did not begin and end with
the Jews.
- He made this clear in Matt. 28:18-20, where He told them to “go and
make disciples of all nations.”
Some try to make even these passages say that we should stay in
Jerusalem.
- Does the mission of your church and its leaders begin and end with your
own people? Or do your people go into all the world?
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- Jesus was concerned for those outside Israel—the Samaritan woman, for
example. He sent his disciples to the uttermost parts of the earth. He
died for the sins of the world—not just the Jews’.
- As we grow into Christ, our horizon will rise to the nations, beyond
our own people.
- If we do not go to the nations, we can go to our neighbors. Witnessing
will cause us to depend more upon God and to understand our great
salvation.
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- In summary, there are four parts to delegating authority to disciples:
- 1. Giving power
- 2. Giving authority (Lk. 9:1)
- 3. Giving a specific task (Lk. 9:2-6)
- 4. Accountability for the outcome (Lk.
9:10).
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- We live the Christian life in the spirit.
- Galatians 3:3 Are you so
foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain
your goal by human effort?
- Some try to live Christianity apart from the power of God. They start
by faith, and go on by works.
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- Galatians 5:16-18 So I say, live
by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful
nature. 17 For the sinful nature
desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary
to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you
do not do what you want. 18 But
if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
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- Galatians 5:25 Since we live by
the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
- We wait and proceed as the Spirit speaks to our spirit.
- An excellent example is Paul: Acts 16:6-8 Paul and his companions traveled
throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the
Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of
Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not
allow them to. 8 So they passed
by Mysia and went down to Troas.
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- Focus upon the Lord, instead of upon self and circumstances.
- Hosea 6:1-3 "Come, let us
return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has
wounded us, but He will bandage us.
2 "He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on
the third day, That we may live before Him. 3 "So let us know, let us press
on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He
will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the
earth.“ (New American Standard Bible)
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- Philippians 3:10-16 I want to
know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of
sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the
resurrection from the dead. 12
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made
perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took
hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not
consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do:
Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
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- 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called
me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 15
All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on
some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to
you. 16 Only let us live up to
what we have already attained.
- Don’t slip in areas where you have matured, as you seek growth.
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- Matthew 22:36-40 "Teacher,
which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord
your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love
your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on
these two commandments.“
- This is the key to most ethical decisions. We move in the direction of
love for God and people.
- Keep studying the Word of God to discern what is best.
- Hebrews 5:14 But solid food is
for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to
distinguish good from evil.
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- 2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be
comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace
shall be with you.
- Here is the interplay of God’s work (“be made complete” is in the
passive), and our own responsibility.
- 1 John 3:2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be
has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears we shall
be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
- Perfection is coming, although the road is long and twisting. Be
encouraged!
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Notes
