Gospel | 1 Way 1 Truth 1 Life

How Do We Make Them?

Posted on March 7, 2015 by wearemorethanconquerors837

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

This passage of Scripture is referred to as the “Great Commission”. These are the words Jesus says to His disciples before He ascends into heaven to be seated at the right hand of the Father. There has been much written on this passage. There has been much discussion on how we are to live out this commission. That is what I would like to address in this post. How are we to go about making disciples and baptizing them and teaching them to observe all the commandments of Jesus? First lets take a look at the statement Jesus makes before the commission.

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Jesus is clearly telling the disciples who is in charge. He is not stating that some authority has been given to Him. He is not saying that He has some now and will get more later. Jesus says that He has all authority now! He is King and is ruling now at the right hand of the Father.

This statement is just as important as the last statement. “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end the age.” The King of all is with us as we go out and do what He commissioned us to do. We are not alone as we go and make disciples.

So how are we as Christians in this century supposed to go and make disciples? Where can we look to see how this is done? Perhaps there is a model for us in Scripture.

Let’s look first to how Jesus made disciples. Jesus went out. He went from town to town. He went from town to town preaching. He went from town to town preaching the good news of the Kingdom while often quoting Old Testament Scripture as well as performing many miraculous signs.

From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17

The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:30-32

And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. Luke 9:23-26

These are just a few examples of what Jesus said to those who followed Him and wanted to become His disciples. He did not hold back the truths of what it takes to be a true disciple of Jesus. It starts with a repentant heart and then total trust in Jesus and leaving behind all selfish ambition. Abiding totally in Jesus means a converted heart. This will lead to the second directive in the great commission of baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As Jesus preached truth the result was many following and many leaving. The more He called the religious elite out, the more they plotted to kill Him.

What examples of disciple making do we have from people other than Jesus? For that we will look at a few passages from the book of Acts. In the book of Acts we see the Apostles and other disciples spreading the Gospel of the Kingdom. We see numerous people coming to faith in Christ repenting of their sins.

How did Peter make disciples? Peter preached the Word. He told the people who Jesus is using the Scriptures. He boldly proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom as well as sometimes accompanying this with miracles by the Holy Spirit. What was the result?

Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. Acts 2:37-47

Now let’s take a look at how Paul made disciples. Also in the book of Acts, lets go to chapter 17.

Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women. But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. Acts 17:1-5

Here we see Paul, as we did with Peter, preaching to the Jews. These were people who were familiar with the Scriptures. This apparently wasn’t the first time Paul went to the places where the people were who Paul wanted to reach as we see it says it was his custom. We also see the result as many believed and many didn’t. Some joined Paul in following Jesus and some wanted to stop him from preaching the Word.

Let’s take a look at how Paul reached the gentiles also in Acts 17. The following is Paul preaching in the Areopagus, but what lead to this was Paul preaching in the open marketplace. He was open air preaching and as a result he was able to deliver this sermon to an even bigger crowd.

So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” Acts 17:22-31

What was the result?

Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you again concerning this.” So Paul went out of their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them. Acts 17:32-33

So by Paul preaching the Word of God, the Scriptures, to those who were familiar with the text had some people come with him and some not. Then Paul preaches to unbelievers not familiar with Scripture using what they know, the creation, and takes them to the cross of Christ saying that God has revealed Himself and is declaring that all repent. The result is the same. Some believe and follow while others think he is crazy.

What can we learn about making disciples from the examples of Peter, Paul, and Jesus Christ Himself? When the Word of God is preached people come to repentance and faith and are baptized, then they can learn to observe all the commandments of Jesus Christ. The other result is unbelief, anger, and people wanting to shut up the Word of God. But this is the primary tool to making disciples. The proclamation of the Word of God. The proclamation of the Gospel. It is what the apostles preached. It was what Jesus Christ preached.

But He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.” Luke 4:43

Jesus preached about Himself and what He was doing for those who believe. He lived the life He preached. He died for those who believe and rose for those as well. This is the message preached that the Holy Spirit uses to bring about repentance and faith. It is from the Word of God that we get this message.

How do we make disciples? Pray for the lost. Go to the lost. Tell them the Gospel. Love them whether they receive the message or not. Rely totally on God to make the seeds grow!!! Do not wait to tell them when you are comfortable. That is not in the Scripture. Do not think you must invest years of friendship before you can tell them the most loving message ever. Life is too short. Jesus came with urgency. The Apostles preached and moved around with urgency. If we believe what we claim to believe we must preach the Gospel with urgency. Yes with wisdom, courage, lead by the Holy Spirit and always with the love of Jesus. But if they do not hear they can not be saved and can not be a disciple being baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holt Spirit learning to observe all the Jesus commanded. Making disciples without preaching the Gospel is just a human attempt at behavior modification.

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Romans 10:17

If you are not a believer and made it to this part through all the Scripture, thank you. I want you to know the good news. We can’t earn heaven. In fact we deserve hell. Wait….. Where is the good news? Here it is… God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to live a perfect life that we are supposed to live but all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and the penalty of sin is death. Then Jesus Christ died on a cross being tortured along the way before He was nailed to the tree. That is the death you and I deserve. Then He rose after 3 days in the grave proving He was who He said He was and now when we repent (turn from our sin) we are forgiven. We get eternal life like Jesus. We then follow Him as Lord putting of our old life of being a slave to sin and we are free in Jesus Christ. Now on the day of judgment we stand before a Holy and just God and He doesn’t see our ugly sins. He sees His beautiful Son who paid our penalty with His blood. He paid our fine. We are free. Free in deed. This is good news!!!! This is the best news ever!!!!! This is the Gospel!!!! Hear it!!!!!

I pray you believe this. I pray you are free to be a slave to Jesus Christ. I pray He takes your heart of stone and gives you a heart of flesh to repent and believe. In the saving Name of Jesus Christ Lord and Savior I pray. Amen!

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16

What A “Good” Lie!

Posted on August 26, 2014 by wearemorethanconquerors837

I have had more than a few conversations with people about destiny. No, not what you think the future holds for you in a way of career and family, but what eternity holds. What happens to you when you die? Most people have told me they believe in heaven. Then I ask the million dollar question…. How do you know that is where you are going? Most common answer. “I am a good person”.

Is this how we get to heaven? Do we need to be “good people”? How do we know what “good” is? Do I use our own standard of “good”? Do I use someone else’s standard of “good”? Or do I use God’s standard of “good”?

Some will use their own standard of “good”. I recently heard a Tim Keller sermon in which he made the point that if someone uses their own standard of good and took a tape recorder and put it around their neck, then at the end of the day played back everything they said, they could not even live up to their own standard of “good”. I agree. I know me and know I couldn’t do it.

So let’s look briefly at someone else’s standard. If I can’t live up to mine how can I live up to theirs? Unless theirs is so low that they allow me to live how I want. This may be so they can live without the guilt of not living up to their own standard.

Now let’s look at God’s standard. How do we know God’s standard for good? We have His Word. We have the bible. We have in the bible the commandments given to Moses. I will not list them but I will test myself against a few to see if I live up to the standards God’s wants me to live by.

Have I ever taken the Lord’s name in vain? Have I used it as a curse? Yes! One commandment broken.

Have I ever dishonored my parents? Yes! Strike two!

Have I ever taken something that wasn’t mine? Maybe even something small like a pencil? Yes! Strike three!

Have I ever been angry with someone and not forgiven them? Yes! Jesus says this is like committing murder in your heart. Strike four!

“You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. Matthew 5:21-22

Have I ever looked at a women with lust? Yes! Jesus says if you look at a women with lust you have committed adultery in your heart. Strike five!

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:27-28

Let’s stop at five. I can keep going because I have broken them all. There is no one who hasn’t.

as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; Romans 3:10

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23

So what does this mean? We can’t live up to our own standards. We sure can’t live to God’s standards. He will judge us. If God is just, He will give us what we deserve. He will not weigh the good we have done against the bad. That would not be just. That would be like if a person commits murder and goes to the judge and says “judge, look at all the good I did. It must outweigh the bad.” Would he be a just judge to let the murderer go?

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

Here is the GOOD NEWS!! Here is the GOSPEL!!! We have someone who took our punishment for us. God sees our sins and says “guilty”. My punishment is death. But, God came down and became a man in the form of Jesus. He was fully man and fully God. He lived that perfect life that God commands. He was tempted as we are tempted. He did not sin. Then He took a sinners punishment being whipped with a cat of nine tales being lashed to the bone. He was spit on and mocked made to wear a crown of thorns. He took my cross up Cavalry and had nails driven into His wrists and His feet and before He died said “It is finished.” He atoned for our sins. Now we can repent and put our faith in Him for our forgiveness. We no longer have to be slaves to sin. We can be free as slaves to Jesus Christ.

I do not write this to make you feel bad. I do not write this to lift myself up in self righteousness. I struggle with sin everyday! I am not perfect but I am being made perfect through Jesus Christ. I am a wretched sinner in need of the Savior. My hope is that you think about these things: “Am I good? By what standard? Can I live up to God’s standard on my own? Why did Jesus die? Can I put my faith in Him for taking my punishment and repent? Can I pick up my cross and follow Jesus?

I know this is a popular Scripture but it is truth.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16

My prayer is always that you are “whoever”.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Saved by grace alone, through faith alone, through Christ alone, by God alone.

The Pursuit Of………………..

Posted on July 22, 2014 by wearemorethanconquerors837

Everyday is a gift. I know this is a cliché but it is true. Even if that day you have been given is a rainy one. It is a gift. The air we breathe we take for granted. The water, the food, the clothing, the shelter are all gifts. This is what allows life to continue. What happens in that life may not feel like a gift. You may feel your life is terrible. Maybe even unlivable. Maybe you are jobless, friends less, or homeless. Maybe the life you were living suddenly changes because you lost a loved one to death or they left you. Maybe you get up everyday and go to a job you don’t like going to. Maybe there is some “dream” you want to be living.

There are a few ways you can look at those situations. Some say life is what you make it. If you want to go after your dream just go get it. You can do this but be careful. Make sure going after your dream doesn’t negatively affect others you love. Even before that, make sure going after your dream doesn’t negatively affect your relationship with God. This should be first before you go after that dream.

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? Mark 8:36

Go to any book store and you will see a huge self-help section. There will be many books about improving yourself. There will be many books about how to succeed in business, health, and life overall. There may even be a few of these books in the religious section teaching you how to live your best life now. But what good is any of this if you lose your soul? What good is any of it if you don’t have a relationship with God? What good is any of it if you don’t know Jesus?

That which has been is that which will be,
And that which has been done is that which will be done.
So there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9

I was one of those people with ambitions to be successful in business. I was chasing that American dream. Mean while things in my life weren’t firing on all cylinders. More than that, I didn’t know Jesus. I was truly just doing my own thing. I was just after making me happy and serving myself. I was my own god.

I see this as a common occurrence in the world. People are chasing success. Again, there is nothing wrong with going after your vision, but your why is what is important. Are you chasing that dream to say you did it? Are you chasing that dream because the world says you have to leave that type of legacy for your life to mean something? Are you chasing that dream because it is now your identity?

I chased it for these reasons. But if I would achieve what the world sees as success what would I really have? What would I really have if I didn’t know Jesus? In the end I would still end up dead. I may end up with a bunch of money to hand down, but I would still be dead. If I was to live my entire life successfully, as the world sees it, and not know Jesus, I would end up dead and forever separated from God. I would have lived for nothing. All would be in vain.

But all of that changes when you know Jesus. Your heart changes. Your thirst for the things of this world will be quenched. He gives you living water that is so much better than the water of the world.

Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14

When you know Jesus you will have eternal life. Will that make your life easy? No! It may make it harder. Following Jesus is not the easy road, but it is the road that leads to life. It leads to an abundant life. Not with the things of the world that are perishable, but with the things of heaven.

I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:9-11

My prayer is that if you don’t know Jesus, He begins to work in your heart. I pray you know that He came down to earth

to take our punishment for our

sins. We deserve death, but He took our death on the cross and gave us life.

I pray you repent and put your faith in Jesus and live the life He gives.

I pray that if you know Jesus that you are living for Him and not chasing your own god.

I pray you aren’t thirsting for the water of this world but that you

share the water of Jesus Christ by sharing His gospel. From there what you do is not what defines you.

Jesus Christ defines you.

The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

Get in His Word! Stay in His Word!

Be More

Posted on April 7, 2014 by wearemorethanconquerors837

Have you ever loved someone so much you would do anything for them? Have you loved someone so much you would risk getting hurt for them? Have you loved someone so much that you would give it all for them? Have you ever loved someone so much that you would go to battle and die just to win that battle for them? Have you been willing to give everything you have because you believe the one you love is worth more than you are?

Many warriors fight for these reasons. They go to war for their country, friends, family, and other loved ones. They are willing to go into battle and risk their lives for loved ones. Losing limbs or life is worth it to them. Conquering the enemy to free loved ones says the loved ones more important than their own life.

When warriors come back home from war their entire family is victorious. Even those who did not fight on the front lines share in the victory. The mighty warriors defeated the enemy and now the family has them home. While the warrior was fighting, the family may have been fighting battles at home. Living while that loved one is away at war is tough. Many challenges arise, but through the warriors bravery, the family battles on because they know how important they are to the warrior. Sadly, sometimes that warrior doesn’t return. He dies in battle while conquering. He conquerors for them and the family is still victorious through the mighty warrior.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can beagainst us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” Romans 8:31-36

The warrior loves for the people he fights for. He gives all of himself. This is what God did for us. He gave himself. He took our place because He loves us. We conquer because He conquered. Because Jesus overcame we overcome. Because Jesus defeated death, we have eternal life. But there is more to it than just a victory.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37

We don’t just conquer because of Him. We are more than conquerors. We are seen by Him as more. We are so loved by God that He became a man and was tempted as we are tempted. We are so loved by God that we are worth dying for. We are so loved by God that we are worth suffering the worst torture and death in the history of the world. We are so loved by God that He suffered all of this and still is the victor and our Savior. We are so loved by God that, once we believe on Jesus Christ, nothing can take Him away.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

When you are a warrior you fight not just for yourself, you fight for who you love. When you are a warrior you fight with passion for someone more than you. You conquer for those who are more than conquerors. Jesus conquered the grave for us because we are more than conquerors through Him.

Do you believe you are more than a conqueror? Do you know Jesus? Is He your Savior?

If He isn’t, He can be. If you think there is more to this world than what we see, pray for Him to show you. If you are asking, the Holy Spirit is already be at work in your heart. He will show you.

If you feel you don’t deserve the love of someone who died for you, you don’t. It is by grace Jesus forgives. It is why He died. He said “It is finished”. He conquered not for the perfect, but for the broken. He conquered for me, the biggest of all sinners. And if he conquered for me, He definitely conquered for you.

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

If you feel like you have done too much wrong to deserve forgiveness, you haven’t. It is not about doing or deserving. But we can turn to Him. He died knowing what I have done. He felt what I have done. It was nailed with Him to the cross. Now I am no longer a slave to sin, but I am free as a slave to Christ. You can be too. You can be “whoever”. I pray you are.

For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John 3:16-17

You can be more than a conqueror.

Limits on the Limitless

Posted on March 24, 2013 by wearemorethanconquerors837

I often make this mistake. I put limits on the limitless. I think it can never happen because I can’t make it happen or someone else can’t make it happen. The truth is nothing is impossible. It can happen. What I need can be provided.

Often times I think of God in human terms. I put my limits on Him. I forget that He created the universe. I forget He parted the sea. I forget He made the walls of Jericho fall. I forget He walked on water and calmed the storm. I forget He made the blind see, healed the sick, and casted out demons. I forget He came to earth as a human, was crucified, then came back three days later from the dead. What can He not do?

These are just a few examples of what God does. He can do anything. God makes the impossible possible. He can make the impossible very possible for all who believe. Not only believe but pray to Him.

Sometimes I realize I hold back praying about the things I see as impossible because I forget who He is. I find myself thinking that He is too busy and won’t help me. I think He doesn’t have time for me but the truth is, He is above time. We think in terms of years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, and seconds. I believe God doesn’t have a watch. When we think He doesn’t have time for us He does.

The other mistake I make is thinking my need is too small for Him. I feel it may be something He wouldn’t waste energy on. Like, God has a small amount of energy? He is God. He has unlimited energy.

The problem often is I don’t have big enough prayers. My prayers aren’t bold enough. I have big needs but I do not ask them. I do not pray enough for the things I am limited to. If I don’t pray for them do I really believe God is unlimited? If I don’t pray big enough do I really believe He can do all things?

I do believe He can and I must remember He has. I must, and I encourage you all, to pray for big things. Pray bold prayers. Pray for cancers to be healed. Pray for finances to be secure. Pray for families to be mended. Pray for lives to change. Pray for non believers for come to Jesus. Pray for all of your needs. God will provide. Keep your eyes, ears, heart, and mind open to the ways He will deliver. Read His Word to remind yourself who God is. Read His Word to see how to pray. Read His Word because He gave it to us for prayer and much more.

God wants to hear our prayers. He wants us to cry to Him. He wants to see that when we struggle we still have faith in Him to calm the storms.

Are you praying big prayers?

Do you have faith that God will provide?

What would have happened if Daniel didn’t pray and have faith when he was with the lions? Daniel 6

What would have happened if the disciples would have let Jesus pass by on the lake? Mark 6:48

The examples go on. The point is not to forget we worship a loving and all powerful God Who created us.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5 (NIV)