Unequally Yoked - part 12
Yoking equally, partnerships, fellowships, on the same accord with, sharing and agreement, all of this is what makes up the Scripture passage that we have been blessed to preach from, but two weeks ago I asked the question; what should our response to the world be? As a pastor, as a public school teacher, as a citizen of these United States and a residence of metropolitan St. Louis, we as a people are more and more apathetic in our behavior. Apathy is the absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement. It is the lack of interest in or concern for the things that others find moving or exciting. And this is spreading downward to our young people and inward into our churches. So as an introduction, or preface, listen to these words from my name sake Peter; we know that this apathetic attitude is surrounding us,
2 Peter 1:10-13. “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder.”
This is my intention today. Now, here is my message in a sentence. In order to know what our response should be, as we look forward (to the future), we must understand what the commission is (now in the present) and to do that we must look back (at the past). Open your Bibles to Matthew 28:18-20 and stand with me while I read this passage of Scripture.
Matthew 28:18-20. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
In this passage, there is authority, there is the ability to make disciples and there is the imperative to teach them. The issue is not with the authority, some may have issues with making disciples but I am convicted today that the greatest issue and the most serious problems are with the teacher and teaching.
The authority, that points to Jesus, period. Jesus didn’t say some authority has been given to me nor did He say that just heavenly authority had been given to Him. But all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him!
Authority means having the power, having the ability to do, act and accomplish something. It, authority, means to adjudicate, to pronounce, decree, administer justice, and establish jurisdiction. It also means that one has the right, and the power to administer commands and determinations. Some synonyms, words that have similar meaning to authority are; rule, power, sway, control, and influence. And Jesus proclaims that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him!
If this was a trial or a test by combat, between Satan and Jesus, then Jesus won; if between Death and Jesus, then Jesus won. This entire realm of reality is now under Jesus’ jurisdiction, His control, His influence, His power and His rule. In heaven and on earth all authority has been given to Jesus. Life and death are in His control; salvation and condemnation are under His rule; His power control light and darkness; and knowledge and ignorance are subject to His influence. Jesus the Christ is the King of kings and Lord of lords, amen!
It is within the legitimate context of His authority that the command ‘go’ is declared. Without the authority, the command is debatable but with the authority, our response must be ‘Amen Lord!’ But it is not just a command to go but to also ‘make disciples.’ As a side note, this is the same as the first commission of the Bible; be fruitful and multiply because in the making of disciples, we are actually reproducing disciples like ourselves.
And, my Brothers and Sisters, to make one you must be one. To teach, you must be a student first! And even in the teaching process, you will never stop being a student, never stop learning. What is amazing is the fact that we know this every where else except the church. And let me again say that we still must be reminded and we are still learning how to remember Jesus for the Word still say in Matthew 11:28-30. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
When this charge, this commission falls under the heading of ‘Evangelism’ some in the church have issues with this. Some feel that it is for the pastors only or there must be a special call to be an evangelist. Saints this is a commission for the church, the believers, for those who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives and yes we need to be reminded of that. It is not a chore or some difficult task but it is a wonderful privilege. There is a reason why the song writer wrote the song “I said I wasn’t going to tell anybody but I couldn’t keep it to myself” There is a reason why you have said and heard others say; “I didn’t plan to say anything but,” or “I didn’t plan to say all of that”
Allow me to clarify, Jesus with all authority says; “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” As disciples yourself, you can rest assure that Jesus has prepared His church to accomplish this, listen Acts 1:8. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” It starts with Jesus and what He does to us and then it spreads, the old preacher would say that it takes sheep to beget sheep. And allow me again to remind you that when this passage in Matthew 28 verse 19 says; “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit,” that something wonderful has happened by the grace of God, someone has been born again!
You are not being commissioned to go out and just throw water on someone but you go with the message; “Truly, truly, I say unto you, unless one is born again he can not see the kingdom of God!” It is not so much about getting water on them but making sure that Jesus is in them! Yes it starts with Jesus but it continues with us in our Jerusalem and on to Judea and Samaria and even to the end of the earth. I leave this point reminding you again that Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth are all in Jesus’ jurisdiction.
The authority of Jesus and even our making disciples is not areas where we have much difficulty but this next area is troubling to me. Verse 20 says; “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Stop here and go no further for a moment.
We have accomplished the goal of making disciples now (and actually this is all one sentence so it is part of the making disciples part) so now we must teach them. And hear this New Hope, we do teach them but the lesson plan is given to us and we can not use our own. We are to teach them to be observant, to see, to watch, to perceive and to notice. Teaching them to observe means to regard with undivided attention with the goal of seeing or learning. And thus teaching to observe ends up being learning how to obey, comply, and conform to.
Now here is the good part, the lesson is all (there’s that three letter word again) all that I have commanded you. And it is here where we get in trouble. First do you know what Jesus has commanded you? For if you don’t know then you can’t teach it, the student shows up but the teacher is absent or not prepared. Second do you like what Jesus has commanded you? For if you don’t like it, you will teach it but it comes across as a dread or a fear. As an illustration, in the discipline of teaching Mathematics at the high school level, we reintroduce fractions in the Algebra classes. There are many students who can’t do fractions and there are others who dislike fractions. When you look back at the teachers who introduced the students to fractions you find a correlation between the teachers attitude toward math in general and fractions in particular and the students’ likes or dislikes. Notice one other thing, my brothers and sisters, this was taught by observation, by perception and by the student watching the behavior of the teacher. Now allow me to talk about us. Search the scripture for they speak of me, said Jesus do you have issue with Bible study? Then in your teaching phase it comes out. But I’m not a teacher or a pastor in the church. If that is your reply then remember what I said earlier this commission is addressed to the church and you are a part of that. And you are being observed more that you may think. Let me go on. I have said that we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. We have growth group meetings, fellowship meetings and church school. The new disciple may ask well where is brother so-in-so or sister so-in-so, where is the leadership, where is the choir? Has a lesson been taught? Is that lesson the lesson that Jesus has commanded you? Jesus says in John 13:34-35. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” How will they know? They know by observing you doing it.
Again I ask do you know the commands that Jesus has given you. And are you listening to the commands that He is giving you this very moment? Plus are you preparing yourself to receive the future commands that He has in store for you? Because ready or not you are being observed up close and at a distance, by young and old alike, and from inside and outside of this fellowship.
Why would people use the word hypocrite to describe the church membership? Is it because of what they have observed? Why do we lose our young people to the world? Could it be because they have observed that we can not put to practice what the Word of God says? Did they hear something, see something, or had something done to them that they know is not right? So New Hope, each one of you must ask yourself, what’s my teaching like?
Again as a teacher, when my class or an individual student is not successful, I must ask; did I do my best, was I prepared enough, how can I do better, is there something else I need to learn and how was my attitude.
What if God is not happy with our praise, and what if He is not pleased with the way we give? The great commission is not about me, it is about my yielding to the authority of Jesus and obeying his command to make disciples and then teaching them correctly. I should be able (and all of us in the place should be able) to say to that new believer or even that new member, follow me as I follow Christ, follow Him in my prayer life and my worship and my study but it must go on because we will leave here and go out into the world so observe me, my brother, my sister, in the streets, on the job, at the market, at the hospital and the funeral home. Observe and learn how wonderful our Jesus is.
Let me close my giving you some other commands of Jesus. These can be found in the Sermon on the Mount Matthew chapters 5 through 7.
Matthew 5:16. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (observation out in the world)
Matthew 5:22-24. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. (observation in our homes)
Matthew 5:27-48. “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 lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. (Being observed as to how you react to the opposite gender)
“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Observed how we handle marriages and the marriage relationship)
“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil. (your integrity being observed)
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Being observed as to how you react to the enemy or even to be more practical your race relations are observed)
Matthew 6:1-4. “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Matthew 6:16-25. “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Observed as to how you deal with your treasure and this is usually finance)
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
Matthew 6:31-34. Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Matthew 7:1-5. “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
And the precepts of Jesus goes on but we close with the last statement
And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Precepts of Jesus.
Explicitly Stated, or Implied in Didactic Discourse: Matt. 5:16, 22–24, 27–48 Luke 6:27–36. Matt. 6:1–4, 6–8, 16–25, 31–34 Luke 12:12–31. Matt. 7:1–5 Luke 6:37–42. Matt. 7:6–14 Luke 13:24. Matt. 7:15–29; Matt. 16:24 Mark 8:34. Matt. 18:8–10, 15–17, 21, 22; Matt. 19:16–19 Mark 10:17–22. Matt. 20:25–28; Matt. 22:34–40 Luke 10:28–37. Matt. 24:42–51; Matt. 25:34–46; Mark 6:7 [Matt. 10:5–42.] Mark 6:8–11; Mark 9:35, 38, 39, 42–51; Mark 10:9, 11, 12; Mark 11:22; Mark 12:17 Matt. 22:21. Mark 13:33–37; Luke 12:15; John 7:24; John 13:34, 35; John 14:11, 15, 23, 24; John 15:2, 4, 5, 7–12, 14, 17, 20–22