Written By Rev Law Hui Seng
7th June, 2009
Posted By Teresa Han
Acts 1:1-11 (Evangelism series)
Main Idea: Jesus’ Commission.
Objectives:To teach and challenge the congregation to take up disciple making ministry.
Introduction
- You can quote me in this statement I am going to make. With all humility, based on the teaching and authority of the Old and New Testaments, I called myself a disciple of Christ. I pray that you do also.
- It is for a very simple reason, Jesus called me to make discples of all nations. If I am not a disciple, how can I make disciples. If I do not obey the teachings of Jesus, I am merely a believer or a christian who believes and believes. Whatever I learn remain as belief and not more than that.
- I am very particular about how christians in this church are disciples of Jesus. All that Jesus expects you to do is are you working towards to be more and more like Him in the matter of life transformation to do His teachings.
- I emphasize much on life transformation because you can do what Jesus tells you to do but your inner life is not changed; take for instance, you can pray very well and do mission; you read bible but your inner life is still full of sin and darkness; unrepent, etc.
- Am I exaggerating if I say only one out of ten of us are engaged in discipleship in Jesus’ way. Our Lord Jesus is not looking for part time followers. He is looking for full time followers and disciples. It is not for me to judge who is a disciple in this congregation. Only God knows best and He will judge.
- I need to teach based on the word of God on Jesus’ commission on discipleship.
- Two quotes from Tiger Woods (a famous golf player) speak to the subject of discipleship. Of his earlier days in junior golf, Woods said, “I really didn’t know where the ball was going, except forward and a long way.” Discipleship is not about finding seasoned pros who have mastered the Christian life, but about helping each other refine and improve our lives so we can experience clearer direction and greater control. Discipleship is about encouraging one another with the reality that even though you might not be doing so well today, you may really excel in the years to come. When asked about improving his swing, Tiger Woods said, “I don’t believe that there is such a thing as perfection. But I have always been a big believer of professional excellence, and that is what I try to achieve.” Discipleship helps christians realize they are not perfect, and won’t be this side of heaven, but they can and should be moving toward spiritual excellence. Even though he was talking about golf, Tiger Woods said a lot about discipleship as well.
- Can we take on this challenge to be a disciple of Jesus? Only chrisitans (disciples of Jesus) have the privilege to be commissioned by Jesus to do this job.
- Discipleship is a huge ministry and it is dificult to define as a sentence. I pray that as you listen to my series of sermon on evangelism in the book of Acts, you will begin to see a good aspect of discipleship, mission and evangelism.
- To help you to understand the whole book of Acts better, let me help you to know the purposes of the book. Luke, the author, also wrote the gospel of Luke, must have written the document to present a church history; to give a defense for Christianity among Jews and Gentiles; to provide a guide for the rest of genaerations of disciples; and to depict the triumph of Christianity in the face of bitter persecution.
Jesus made sure His Disciples will continue his ministry of disciple-making (verses 1-5)
- As I examine this passage for today’s preaching, I find that Luke, being a disciple of Jesus, who was with Jesus one way or another, had really caught the vision of Jesus. He knew the burden and mission of Jesus on earth. His life was transformed by Jesus’ teaching and remembered lots of what Jesus said. He really saw that Jesus desired His disciples at that time and today all of us to continue the disciple making ministry.
- Luke must be one of those who had witnessed the resurrection of Jesus and how Jesus remained on earth for 40 days and tried to convince people about the kingdom of God.
- Luke knew that Jesus really desired His disciples to continue His ministry of disciple making when he quoted Jesus in verse 4 and 5, “...Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
- If not for the purpose of continuity of Jesus’ ministry on earth, there was no point to send the Holy Spirit whom He promised.
Jesus commissioned His disciples to witness for Him to the ends of the earth (verses 6-8)
- Some disciples could not understand the vision of Jesus for the whole world, they thought in a very narrow. They thought Jesus was only interested in restoring Israel.
- Jesus grasped this opportunity to correct and Luke was there to listen and put down the commission of Jesus to be witnessses in Jerusalem, all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. As you read the whole book of Acts, you will see the disciples did just that.
- The command is go to the ends of the earth to be His witnesses. Are you?
Jesus proved Himself to be the God who has the authority to commission His disciples.
- You may like to ask how come Jesus has the authority to command His disciples to witness for Him.
- After the 40 days, if Jesus did not ascend to the heaven and still remain around and eventually died again, there wiould be no Christianity. The ascension proved that whatever he said in past was and is the truth and He is God, He has the authority to command His discples and all of us today to continue His ministry on earth.
- But ascension will not make Jesus so authoritative also, Chrisitianity will not be as powerful as it is now if Jesus did say not He would come back again. He will come back to judge you and me and all the former disciples who have died, see how well we do in discipleship.
Applications
- (1). Jesus is also commissioning you today to make disciples of all nations. Take this as a privilege. And you need to make a stand whether you are responding or not. I love this commissioning. If Jesus did not issue this command, there will not be christianity either. What Jesus command has been taken very seriously by the churches throughout the world. Are you willing to pay the price to do the commission? Personally, I find that Christians can only respond if we have understood and really appreciate what Jesus has done on the cross for. Unless our lives are changed by Jesus, otherwise, we cannot respond. I pray that everyone of us who call yourself children of God will sense God’s calling to make disciples of all nations.
- (2). Jesus equips you to make disciples. When Jesus issued a challenge like that, He was most practical and He did not leave everything to us. He equips us with the most powerful, most needed Holy Spirit to guide us, and empowered us; and to give us whatever we need to make disciples. You tell me what you need in order to make disicples. Money? Miracels? Skills? Facility? God will give all that, the only thing now left is are we now willing to take the step of faith to do it. Here in the church, at home, at work place, at long houses, at Belaga, Cambodia, etc.
- (3). We need to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. If whatever we do here is only limited to blessing those in the church, four walls of the church, then, we are still not completely faithful the commission of Jesus. I pray that we are strong enough to extend our territory, and believe the Jabez prayer, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!” (1Chronicles 4:10). Any person who regards himself as a disciple of Christ will say, “That is God’s desire for me.” Unless we trust God to extend our territory, our discipleship will be limited to this small world of our families and church only. Then, of course we cannot do justice to the commission of Jesus.
- (4). We need to prove that Jesus is living in our lives. Jesus has resurrected and ascended to heaven and He is still living. But is he living in your life? If so, is Jesus real in your life? Has your life being changed by Jesus? Your darkest part of you life, has it being given to Jesus and allow Him to take over and cleanse it and repent? What is it you cannot let go and leave it to Jesus? You have to prove that Jesus is living in your life to Jesus, otherwise, your life on earth is only so so. You will be the same person as yesterday; 10 years ago; and 5 years in future: 10 years in future, etc. Unless you prove Jesus is living in you, otherwise, you can do nothing with the commission. You will sit on it only. You will only give lip service only. You will ask others to do it; and you are indifferent about it.
Conclusion
- I pray that you will be able to imagine this, one day, as you come to the end of your life, you will be able to say to Jesus, I have done my best in executing your commission, I have no regrets living on earth. I can face you now.
7th June, 2009
Posted By Teresa Han
Acts 1:1-11 (Evangelism series)
Main Idea: Jesus’ Commission.
Objectives:To teach and challenge the congregation to take up disciple making ministry.
Introduction
- You can quote me in this statement I am going to make. With all humility, based on the teaching and authority of the Old and New Testaments, I called myself a disciple of Christ. I pray that you do also.
- It is for a very simple reason, Jesus called me to make discples of all nations. If I am not a disciple, how can I make disciples. If I do not obey the teachings of Jesus, I am merely a believer or a christian who believes and believes. Whatever I learn remain as belief and not more than that.
- I am very particular about how christians in this church are disciples of Jesus. All that Jesus expects you to do is are you working towards to be more and more like Him in the matter of life transformation to do His teachings.
- I emphasize much on life transformation because you can do what Jesus tells you to do but your inner life is not changed; take for instance, you can pray very well and do mission; you read bible but your inner life is still full of sin and darkness; unrepent, etc.
- Am I exaggerating if I say only one out of ten of us are engaged in discipleship in Jesus’ way. Our Lord Jesus is not looking for part time followers. He is looking for full time followers and disciples. It is not for me to judge who is a disciple in this congregation. Only God knows best and He will judge.
- I need to teach based on the word of God on Jesus’ commission on discipleship.
- Two quotes from Tiger Woods (a famous golf player) speak to the subject of discipleship. Of his earlier days in junior golf, Woods said, “I really didn’t know where the ball was going, except forward and a long way.” Discipleship is not about finding seasoned pros who have mastered the Christian life, but about helping each other refine and improve our lives so we can experience clearer direction and greater control. Discipleship is about encouraging one another with the reality that even though you might not be doing so well today, you may really excel in the years to come. When asked about improving his swing, Tiger Woods said, “I don’t believe that there is such a thing as perfection. But I have always been a big believer of professional excellence, and that is what I try to achieve.” Discipleship helps christians realize they are not perfect, and won’t be this side of heaven, but they can and should be moving toward spiritual excellence. Even though he was talking about golf, Tiger Woods said a lot about discipleship as well.
- Can we take on this challenge to be a disciple of Jesus? Only chrisitans (disciples of Jesus) have the privilege to be commissioned by Jesus to do this job.
- Discipleship is a huge ministry and it is dificult to define as a sentence. I pray that as you listen to my series of sermon on evangelism in the book of Acts, you will begin to see a good aspect of discipleship, mission and evangelism.
- To help you to understand the whole book of Acts better, let me help you to know the purposes of the book. Luke, the author, also wrote the gospel of Luke, must have written the document to present a church history; to give a defense for Christianity among Jews and Gentiles; to provide a guide for the rest of genaerations of disciples; and to depict the triumph of Christianity in the face of bitter persecution.
Jesus made sure His Disciples will continue his ministry of disciple-making (verses 1-5)
- As I examine this passage for today’s preaching, I find that Luke, being a disciple of Jesus, who was with Jesus one way or another, had really caught the vision of Jesus. He knew the burden and mission of Jesus on earth. His life was transformed by Jesus’ teaching and remembered lots of what Jesus said. He really saw that Jesus desired His disciples at that time and today all of us to continue the disciple making ministry.
- Luke must be one of those who had witnessed the resurrection of Jesus and how Jesus remained on earth for 40 days and tried to convince people about the kingdom of God.
- Luke knew that Jesus really desired His disciples to continue His ministry of disciple making when he quoted Jesus in verse 4 and 5, “...Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
- If not for the purpose of continuity of Jesus’ ministry on earth, there was no point to send the Holy Spirit whom He promised.
Jesus commissioned His disciples to witness for Him to the ends of the earth (verses 6-8)
- Some disciples could not understand the vision of Jesus for the whole world, they thought in a very narrow. They thought Jesus was only interested in restoring Israel.
- Jesus grasped this opportunity to correct and Luke was there to listen and put down the commission of Jesus to be witnessses in Jerusalem, all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. As you read the whole book of Acts, you will see the disciples did just that.
- The command is go to the ends of the earth to be His witnesses. Are you?
Jesus proved Himself to be the God who has the authority to commission His disciples.
- You may like to ask how come Jesus has the authority to command His disciples to witness for Him.
- After the 40 days, if Jesus did not ascend to the heaven and still remain around and eventually died again, there wiould be no Christianity. The ascension proved that whatever he said in past was and is the truth and He is God, He has the authority to command His discples and all of us today to continue His ministry on earth.
- But ascension will not make Jesus so authoritative also, Chrisitianity will not be as powerful as it is now if Jesus did say not He would come back again. He will come back to judge you and me and all the former disciples who have died, see how well we do in discipleship.
Applications
- (1). Jesus is also commissioning you today to make disciples of all nations. Take this as a privilege. And you need to make a stand whether you are responding or not. I love this commissioning. If Jesus did not issue this command, there will not be christianity either. What Jesus command has been taken very seriously by the churches throughout the world. Are you willing to pay the price to do the commission? Personally, I find that Christians can only respond if we have understood and really appreciate what Jesus has done on the cross for. Unless our lives are changed by Jesus, otherwise, we cannot respond. I pray that everyone of us who call yourself children of God will sense God’s calling to make disciples of all nations.
- (2). Jesus equips you to make disciples. When Jesus issued a challenge like that, He was most practical and He did not leave everything to us. He equips us with the most powerful, most needed Holy Spirit to guide us, and empowered us; and to give us whatever we need to make disciples. You tell me what you need in order to make disicples. Money? Miracels? Skills? Facility? God will give all that, the only thing now left is are we now willing to take the step of faith to do it. Here in the church, at home, at work place, at long houses, at Belaga, Cambodia, etc.
- (3). We need to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. If whatever we do here is only limited to blessing those in the church, four walls of the church, then, we are still not completely faithful the commission of Jesus. I pray that we are strong enough to extend our territory, and believe the Jabez prayer, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!” (1Chronicles 4:10). Any person who regards himself as a disciple of Christ will say, “That is God’s desire for me.” Unless we trust God to extend our territory, our discipleship will be limited to this small world of our families and church only. Then, of course we cannot do justice to the commission of Jesus.
- (4). We need to prove that Jesus is living in our lives. Jesus has resurrected and ascended to heaven and He is still living. But is he living in your life? If so, is Jesus real in your life? Has your life being changed by Jesus? Your darkest part of you life, has it being given to Jesus and allow Him to take over and cleanse it and repent? What is it you cannot let go and leave it to Jesus? You have to prove that Jesus is living in your life to Jesus, otherwise, your life on earth is only so so. You will be the same person as yesterday; 10 years ago; and 5 years in future: 10 years in future, etc. Unless you prove Jesus is living in you, otherwise, you can do nothing with the commission. You will sit on it only. You will only give lip service only. You will ask others to do it; and you are indifferent about it.
Conclusion
- I pray that you will be able to imagine this, one day, as you come to the end of your life, you will be able to say to Jesus, I have done my best in executing your commission, I have no regrets living on earth. I can face you now.
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