"Choosing A Current Team For Future Crowds and Challenges"
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
There are conditions and circumstances that we as the children of God must expect, if we are to experience success in the mist of our challenges in life!
Against overwhelming odds, everyone, including Jesus, had to face the challenges and circumstances that crowds of people presented as their problem that needed solutions.
When people gather to create crowds and to make protest, they only present their challenges to the power who can create positive change to their life’s circumstance and condition!
The same is true today, as it was yesterday! Only God can cause a positive and permanent change in our various circumstances and conditions in life.
When individuals discover that God showed up on the Sabbath (The Christian’s Sunday), and healed in the Synagogue (The Christian’s Sanctuary) Then we will find our pews being filled again!
Jesus knew and understood the times and seasons in which HE Lived, and which were to come!
He knew, that HE there was only a short period time to put into place and order HIS CHURCH, that would withstand everything, including the “gates of hell!”
So after, Jesus had to suffer the indignation of “HARD HEARTEN” INTERMEDIARIES, HE pressed HIS way towards the deep, towards the Sea of Galilee!
ANTITHESIS (The Current Challenges of CHRISTians in an Ancient/Contemporary Context)
THESIS (The Necessary Solution for CHRISTians in an Ancient/ Contemporary Context)
I. When Crowds Come To See and Challenge CHRISTians
I. When Crowds Come To See and Challenge CHRISTians
7 Jesus went out to the lake with his disciples, and a large crowd followed him. They came from all over Galilee, Judea, 8 Jerusalem, Idumea, from east of the Jordan River, and even from as far north as Tyre and Sidon. The news about his miracles had spread far and wide, and vast numbers of people came to see him.
7 But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea
The philanthropic press of public opinion, has always been effect towards communicating extreme good or bad news. Especially, when it contrast against powerful political, religious and financial groups in the capital.
When the miraculous news about about a poor man, which Jesus stood up for against the challenge of the Pharisees and against the law on the Sabbath, it raised the curiosity about, “What Man is This?”
I must prepare us, that we cannot wait, until God to move amongst us, before we try to manage THE CROWD!
Crowds will come, when they hear about Christ being among AGAPE doing GREAT THINGS!
When it becomes evident that Jesus the Christ, Son of the Living God is in our mist, then people will come bringing their many kinds of problems!
Because people who are sincerely seeking God, are looking for the solutions for their problems!
II. CHRISTians Escaping Challenging and Crushing Crowds
II. CHRISTians Escaping Challenging and Crushing Crowds
9 Jesus instructed his disciples to have a boat ready so the crowd would not crush him. 10 He had healed many people that day, so all the sick people eagerly pushed forward to touch him.
From a visionary leadership point of view. I consider what Jesus Christ knew about HIS assignment, challenges, enemies, supporters and time table.
Today, I consider from where God has brought us and how God has kept us, and where God wants to take us. FORWARD!
I consider that we have 20x the land and 4x times the facilities that we must develop and occupy to meet the growth that is to come!
“To much is given, much is required!”
We will have to do greater outreach among the crowds, while developing disciples into ministers. It will take everyone in order to meet the needs of the people who have overwhelming life challenges.
The amount and weight of peoples demands for spiritual, physical, emotional and psychological solutions, will feel crushing to individuals who have not experienced these magnitude of challenges.
5 “If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you,
Then how can you contend with horses?
And if in the land of peace,
In which you trusted, they wearied you,
Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?
God has blessed Agape, by increasing our responsibility to supply solutions to the coming challenges in our community!
III. Crowds Catching Sight of CHRIST as HE Sternly Command
III. Crowds Catching Sight of CHRIST as HE Sternly Command
11 And whenever those possessed by evil spirits caught sight of him, the spirits would throw them to the ground in front of him shrieking, “You are the Son of God!” 12 But Jesus sternly commanded the spirits not to reveal who he was.
Now we have entered into a season of PRAYER, to focus our attention in becoming closer to God through seeking to please GOD!
We must understand why did it take Jesus 30 years, for HIM to prepare for 3 years of ministry?
Christ our Messiah, who reigned with GOD, before appearing on earth as GOD in the flesh, was 100% spiritually divine and 100% human.
Now, that Jesus had encountered, the disruption and assignment of satanic presence in location of his ministry campaign who were dwelling in residence where the bodies of God’s creation, called human beings were sent to interfere with God’s plan to create enemies of God.
By exposing the identity of Jesus, then the religious enemies could create a conflict to destroy the momentum of the Kingdom of GOD and the BODY OF CHRIST!
The Lexham Cultural Ontology Glossary Demons and Evil Spirits
Definition
Supernatural beings, most often malevolent towards human beings often possessing them and/or influencing their activities in negative and harmful ways.
However, these evil demonic spirits recognized the sovereignty of GOD in Christ, as being the SON OF GOD!
These fallen angels/evil spirits knew Jesus before they were kicked out of heaven!
While crowds of people among Jesus, even his disciples, whom HE had declared as apostles, really did not understand nor did they had the knowledge, understanding, belief or faith to believe who Jesus was as the sovereign of GOD among them!
Only humans were allowed to not acknowledge or look pass a sovereign with ignorance and disrespect!
The fallen angels even demonic spirits knew they were defeated, and had to submit to the authority of God, that is why they always obeyed Jesus!
We believers, who have submitted ourselves to the authority of Jesus Christ, can be sent out to preach and cast out demons.
IV. CHRIST Called, Appointed, Anointed, Accompanied, Assigned, Authorized
IV. CHRIST Called, Appointed, Anointed, Accompanied, Assigned, Authorized
13 Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones he wanted to go with him. And they came to him. 14 Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles. They were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach, 15 giving them authority to cast out demons.
Even Jesus, went to a ROCK/Mountain, that had a higher vantage point than being among the crowds!
Historically, it was alway on top of the Mountain, that God showed HIMSELF mighty, among those HE had CALLED!
CLOSING:
MOSES: on Mt. Sinai, 7,497 feet above sea level. He received the The 10 Commandments, as God’s covenant with his people, the children of GOD!
ELIJAH: Showing God Mighty on Mt Carmel 1,724 feet above sea level, destroying the gods and prophets of BAAL!
JESUS: Revealed HIMSELF, as is truly is, 100% GOD, while being confirmed by the presence of the two greatest prophets (MOSES and ELIJAH) on the Mount of Transfiguration 1,886 feet above sea level (; ; )
JESUS: Is was on Mt Calvary,
13 Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones he wanted to go with him. And they came to him.
V. CHRISTians Chooses The Right Disciples For His Present & Future Team
V. CHRISTians Chooses The Right Disciples For His Present & Future Team
16 These are the twelve he chose:
Simon (whom he named Peter),
17 James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them “Sons of Thunder”),
18 Andrew,
Philip,
Bartholomew,
Matthew,
Thomas,
James (son of Alphaeus),
Thaddaeus,
Simon (the zealot),
19 Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).
Notice the order and discover the significance of who/why Jesus chose?
Notice that John Mark listed Peter first
Notice that John Mark listed Judas Iscariot last
Notice that John Mark listed James and John together