Community Baptist Church
Sunday, April 19

      • Psalm 67:3–4NKJV

      • Psalm 67:1–2NKJV

  • My Life Is In You
  • Blessed Assurance
  • Build My Life
  • Because He Lives

      • John 16:16–23NKJV

  • From the very start of Jesus’ time with His disciples He always intended for them to be the bearers of the message.
    Yes, Jesus came teaching and preaching - Mark 1:38 “And He said to them, “Let’s go on to the neighboring villages so that I may preach there too. This is why I have come.””
    At least twice Jesus sent our groups of disciples to proclaim the kingdom of God:
    Luke 9:1–2 “Summoning the Twelve, He gave them power and authority over all the demons, and power to heal diseases. Then He sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”
    Luke 10:1 “After this, the Lord appointed 70 others, and He sent them ahead of Him in pairs to every town and place where He Himself was about to go.” Luke 10:9 “Heal the sick who are there, and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near you.’”
    After the 12 returned we are told:
    Luke 9:7–9 HCSB
    Herod the tetrarch heard about everything that was going on. He was perplexed, because some said that John had been raised from the dead, some that Elijah had appeared, and others that one of the ancient prophets had risen. “I beheaded John,” Herod said, “but who is this I hear such things about?” And he wanted to see Him.
    Then after the 70/72 returned Luke records this:
    Luke 10:17–18 HCSB
    The Seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name.” He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a lightning flash.
    As Paul looked back on his time with the Thessalonicans he notices a similar pattern:
    Let’s trace this out:
    1 Thessalonians 1:5–6 HCSB
    For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we were among you for your benefit, and you became imitators of us and of the Lord when, in spite of severe persecution, you welcomed the message with joy from the Holy Spirit.
    For at least three weeks Paul, Silas, and Timothy taught in the synagogue. Likely they stayed for an additional few days or weeks teaching in the home of Jason (see Acts 17:1-5).
    Paul and his associates addressed people from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Messiah must die and be raised again, and that this Jesus they proclaimed was God’s Messiah.
    As a result: Acts 17:4 “Then some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, including a great number of God-fearing Greeks, as well as a number of the leading women.”
    Writing to the believers some time after those events, Paul reminds them of the significant changes in their lives-
    they experienced the power of the Holy Spirit
    they chose to imitate Paul, as he imitated Jesus.
    However there is more to the account:
    1 Thessalonians 1:7–10 HCSB
    As a result, you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. For the Lord’s message rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place that your faith in God has gone out. Therefore, we don’t need to say anything, for they themselves report what kind of reception we had from you: how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead —Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

    When Jesus is proclaimed news gets out!

    Just as when the disciples and the 70/72 were sent out the world takes notice!
    In the late 1500’s a Roman Catholic monk named Martin Luther began pushing back of the Roman Catholic emphasis on salvation by works. Luthe began to preach that we are not justified by works but only by the effective work of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascnesion.
    Not long after John Knox began preaching in Scotland. It is reported that
    Today in Christian History: Daily Stories May 2

    He thundered so loudly for reform that riots broke out in Perth. The rioters smashed Roman Catholic images and looted the wealthy friaries of the city. These riots provoked the Queen Regent, Mary of Guise, to raise an army. Protestant and Catholic forces clashed for several years.

    More current descriptions would focus on Southern California in the late 1960-early 70s with the outbreak of what we now call ‘the Jesus People’
    We don’t have time to dive deeply into the multitude of movements that have grown up through the proclamation of Jesus.
    What we can say:
    WHEN JESUS IS PROCLAIMED, NEWS GETS OUT!

    Proclaiming Jesus is costly

    Paul acknolwedges that for he and his team as well as those who received the message experienced affliction/persecution - 1 Thessalonians 1:6 “and you became imitators of us and of the Lord when, in spite of severe persecution, you welcomed the message with joy from the Holy Spirit.”
    Paul and his companions had been forced out of Philippi - that’s how then ended up in Thessalonica.
    Then, as we saw in Acts 17 they were forced out of Thessalonica.
    Listen to Paul’s own explanation:
    2 Corinthians 11:23–30 HCSB
    Are they servants of Christ? I’m talking like a madman—I’m a better one: with far more labors, many more imprisonments, far worse beatings, near death many times. Five times I received 39 lashes from Jews. Three times I was beaten with rods by the Romans. Once I was stoned by my enemies. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the open sea. On frequent journeys, I faced dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the open country, dangers on the sea, and dangers among false brothers; labor and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and lacking clothing. Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my care for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation? If boasting is necessary, I will boast about my weaknesses.

    Turning to God…turning from idols

    First, it was clear that these men and women turned to God. Only then could they turn awat from the idols and falsehoods that had ruled their lives.

    …to serve the living and true God…

    Immediately these men and women devoted themselves to serving God.
    When Paul was first converted notice what he did:
    Acts 9:18–20 HCSB
    At once something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. And after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for some days. Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: “He is the Son of God.”

    …to wait for [God’s] Son from heaven…

    These believers were actively seeking the return of Jesus - the ascended Son of God, who had been crucified, resurrected and was currently at the right hand of the Father.
    The word translated ‘wait’ in our English Bibles can also mean ‘hope.’ They were not debating and discussion eschatology. Rather they simply were focused on the return of Jesus.

    REFLECT AND RESPOND

    How has your life changed since Jesus came into your life?
    Is your life a living example of His power, the presence of His Holy Spirit, clearly anticipating His return?
    Are we as the people of God - commissioned and sent with the backing of the authority of Jesus and with the promise of the Holy Spirits empowering - ready to stir up our community?
    Are we ready, like those believers willing to pay any pricen order that Jesus might be proclaimed?

      • Luke 9:7–9NKJV

      • Luke 10:17–18NKJV

      • 1 Thessalonians 1:5–6NKJV

      • 1 Thessalonians 1:7–10NKJV

      • 2 Corinthians 11:23–30NKJV

      • Acts 9:18–20NKJV

      • 2 Corinthians 12:9NKJV

Community Baptist Church
sschenewerk@gmail.com
5416799569
http://www.winstoncommunitybaptist.com
6 members • 1 follower