The Three Biggest challenges

Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at

TDAgiantslayer@gmail.com 

 

Brought to you by wellbuiltbody.com Gym Apparel for men and women that rocks and shocks and ain’t for everybody - but just might be for you. wellbuiltbody.com

 

3 challenges I didn’t expect in following Jesus.

 

Keeping the mission the mission #1. You have probably heard the quote Keeping the main thing the main thing. 

I sometimes feel like we are the only soldiers that sign up for duty, take the pledge, read the commands, give our oath to our Leader and then completely just ignore the mission. 

 

four commands of the Great Commission as found in Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 16:15-18. In the Great Commission, Jesus commands us to:

1. Preach the gospel to all nations and people

2. Work miracles in Jesus’ name to testify to the gospel

3. Baptize new believers, and

4. Disciple those who receive Christ.

 

preach the gospel

According to Barna, “Almost half of [practicing Christian] Millennials (47%) agree at least somewhat that it is wrong to share one’s personal beliefs with someone of a different faith in hopes that they will one day share the same faith.”

 

We wouldn’t want to offend anyone… 

2 Cor. 2:15, 16 The gospel is like perfume to some and the smell of death to others. Its our job to say it… not spray it. What do I mean? I will speak the gospel in love, how they smell it is up to them. 

 

But again- don’t forget the mission. 

 

signs and wonders

In Mark’s record of the Great Commission, Jesus makes a shocking promise: “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:17-18 NASB). Yes, Jesus promises that as we go he will flow! 

 

baptize

The truth is clear—if we don’t baptize new believers, we’ve failed to obey the Great Commission fully. Water cannot save you; only blood—the blood of Jesus. But in baptism, we make “an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21 NASB). Baptism is the biblical “sinner’s prayer.”

 

In some countries they don’t bat an eye for you to accept Jesus, but if you get baptized you are stepping over the line and it is offensive… even causing your family to denounce you. 

How many of you think a pastor has to baptize? Yep thats part of the problem. You preach, you baptize, you do it all. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A PASTOR! 

 

disciple

In the late 1800s, Evangelist William Booth warned, “The chief danger that confronts the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, heaven without hell.” Booth sure got it right.

 

It is up to us to disciple people in the word of God in all areas of life. not just theology. Do you know verses to share and teach new believers on politics? Health care? Money? Forgiveness? Sex? Marriage? Business? 

Study to show thyself approved in all areas of life. 

 

 

"There is an old story about a lighthouse keeper who worked on a rocky stretch of coastline. Once a month he would receive a new supply of oil to keep the light burning so that ships could safely sail near the rocky coast. One night, though, a woman from a nearby village came and begged him for some oil to keep her family warm. Another time a father asked for some to use in his lamp. Another man needed to lubricate a wheel. Since all the requests seemed legitimate, the lighthouse keeper not wanting to offend anyone  of course tried to please everyone - 

late one night a northeaster whipped up like no other… when the lighthouse keeper went to light the massive lamp… it was out of oil. That night ships ran into rocks and into the shore and hundreds of lives were lost…. The next day the state authorities came. The young man said he was deeply sorry and really tried to do the right thing and be helpful… He was arrested and tried on 131 counts… lives lost forever. The judge looked at him before sentencing and said “you were given one job, and you failed and because of it hundreds lost their lives”.

Jesus gave us on main job- share the gospel- period!