Faith

Making Jesus Famous

Question: Where did the need for missions begin?

Genesis 3:1-7 (NIV)

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, “You must not eat from any tree in the garden”?’ The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, “You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.”’ ‘You will not certainly die,’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.”

Answer: It began at the fall of mankind. 

Romans 5:12 (NIV)

“Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.”

Question: What is God’s heart for missions?

Genesis 3:8-9 (NIV) 

“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’”

Answer: To restore those lost safely back into His family. 

Luke 19:10 (ESV) 

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Question: Who is supposed to help restore those lost safely back into His family?

Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)

“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.’”

John 20:21 (NIV)

“Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’”

Acts 1:8 (NIV)

“You will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 16:9-10 (NIV)

“During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”

2 Corinthians 8:1-7 (NIV)

“Now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”

Answer: Those who are a part of God’s family are the ones who are to help restore those lost back into His family.

Jesus, Our Shepherd

Part 2

John 10:1-16 (NIV)

“‘Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.’ Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what He was telling them. Therefore Jesus said again, ‘Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me—just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father—and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to My voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.’”

When Jesus is Your Shepherd

1. You respond to His voice.

John 6:37 (ESV)

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me…”

2. He stands guard over you.

John 10:7-10 (NIV)

“Therefore Jesus said again, ‘Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’”

Acts 20:28-30 (NIV)

“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.”

Jesus, Our Shepherd

Part 1

Ezekiel 34:23 (NIV)

“I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd.”

John 10:1-17 (ESV)

“‘Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.’ This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what He was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by 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. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me, just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from My Father.’”

“I am the good shepherd.”

1. You are a sheep. 

Psalm 100:3 (NIV)

“Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.”

Isaiah 40:11 (NIV)

“He tends His flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart; He gently leads those that have young.”

Psalm 23 (NKJV)

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

The Church That Just Won’t Quit

James 1:2-4 (NIV)

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Acts 3:7-8 (NIV)

“Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.” 

Acts 4:7 (NIV)

“By what power or what name did you do this?”

Acts 4:10 (NIV)

“Whom you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead.”

Acts 4:12 (NIV)

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other Name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4:13 (NIV)

“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”

Acts 4:14 (NIV)

“But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.”

Acts 4:18 (NIV)

“Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the Name of Jesus.”

Acts 4:19-20 (BSB)

“Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you instead of God. (We have made our choice.) We cannot help (ourselves from) speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Acts 4:24 (NIV)

“‘Sovereign Lord,’ they said, ‘You made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.’”

Acts 4:25-27 (NIV)

“You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.’ Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against Your Holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed.”

Acts 4:28 (NIV)

“They did what Your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.”

Acts 4:29 (NIV)

“Now Lord, consider their threats and enable Your servants to speak Your Word with great boldness.”

Acts 4:30 (NIV)

“Stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the Name of Your Holy Servant Jesus.”

Acts 4:31 (NIV)

“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God boldly.”

Matthew 16:18 (ESV)

“I will build My Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”

The Church Living Under the Kingship of Jesus Christ

John 12:12-19 (NIV)

“The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!’ Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: ‘Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.’ At first His disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about Him and that these things had been done to Him. Now the crowd that was with Him when He called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that He had performed this sign, went out to meet Him. So the Pharisees said to one another, ‘See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!’”

How Can God’s People Miss Being Under the Kingship of Jesus?

1. We selectively read and interpret biblical promises of what Jesus our King came to do. 

2. We are consumed with defeating the wrong enemy. 

Ephesians 6:12-13 (ESV)

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”

3. Our primary focus is the earthly preservation of our nation. 

Philippians 3:20 (NKJV) 

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

2 Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV)

“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.”

How Do God’s People Live Under the Kingship of Jesus?

1. Become familiar with the heart and context of the whole Bible. 

2. Become consumed with defeating the enemy of our King.

3. Become consumed with the salvation of all people. 

Luke 19:10 (ESV)

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

The Church Jesus is Building

1 Timothy 3:14-15 (NIV)

“…I am writing you these instructions so that…you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God…”

Acts 5:42 (NIV)

“Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house…”

·       Temple courts - Large gathering

·       House to house - Small group ministry 

Genesis 2:18 (NKJV)
“The Lord God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone…’”

The Church Jesus is Building is Aware of Their Need for Each Other

1. Small groups remind us we are a part of the Family of God. 

2 Corinthians 6:18 (NIV)

“‘I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters,’ says the Lord Almighty.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NLT)

“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.”

Romans 12:15 (NIV)

“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”

1 Corinthians 12:26 (NLT)

“If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.”

2. Small groups allow for care to be given and to be received. 

Acts 2:45 (NIV)

“…They shared with anyone who was in need.”

3. Small groups help you become more mature in your faith.

1 Peter 2:2 (NASB)

“Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.”

1 Corinthians 3:2-3 (NLT)

“I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world?”

4. Small group is a place you find allies. 

Ephesians 4:29 (NLT)

“…Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”

Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NLT)

“A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”

The Church Jesus is Building is the Church Resting in Him

Mark 4:19 (NIV)
“The worries of this life...choke the Word, making it unfruitful.”

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

An Invitation from Jesus

1. Come to Me.
2. Take My yoke upon you.

“I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

The Type of Church Jesus Builds to Destroy the Works of Darkness

Acts 20:28 (ESV)
“He obtained [the church] with His own blood.”

The Type of Church Jesus Builds to Destroy the Works of Darkness

1. Is a church submitted to God’s Word over their desires, personal passions or feelings.

2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV)
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”

“We must allow the Word of God to confront us, to disturb our security, to undermine our complacency and to overthrow our patterns of thought and behavior. ― John Stott

Hebrews 4:12 (ESV)
“For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

2. Is a church where the pastors and teachers teach and proclaim the whole counsel of the Scriptures.

Acts 20:26-28 (ESV)
“Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which He obtained with His own blood.”

Colossians 1:28 (ESV)
“Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.”

Romans 10:17 (NKJV)
“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

Matthew 16:13-18 (ESV)
“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall notprevail against it.’”

What is the “Rock” Jesus is talking about?

 Interpretation #1

• The Church will be built on Peter. 

Interpretation #2

• The Church will be built on God by Jesus as the Messiah and Savior of the world. 

What was Jesus saying?

I will build my Church on top of the gates of Hell and its gates will crumble under its force.

Matthew 16:19 (NIV)
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”