Jesus' Approach to His Mission

When we call ourselves Christians it means that we are committed to share in the mission of Jesus. For us to be involved in Jesus’ mission we need to understand Jesus’ approach to fulfilling His mission and use His approach, not ours.

Jesus Offered People His Friendship

John 15:12-15

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

Jesus would rather call them friends than servants. He had taken His disciples into His confidence. The disciples had shared experiences with Jesus. The disciples had intimate fellowship with Jesus. The disciples had served others with Jesus. Jesus shared life with the disciples so He viewed them as His friends.

Jesus offered His friendship to those who were outcasts to the Jewish culture:

prostitutes and tax collectors.

Jesus offered His friendship to those who rejected Him: the rich young ruler and the religious leaders.

Jesus offered His friendship to those who betrayed Him: Judas.

Luke 15:2

And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

Jesus was a friend of sinners.

As God’s people, the church needs to be a friend of sinners.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls means we as followers of Jesus are to be friends to sinners.

Jesus started where people were.

When Jesus approached people, He started where they were and found a link between their interest and His truth.

When Jesus called His first four disciples, who were all fishermen, in Mark 1, He calls them to be fishers of men.   

When Jesus begins a conversation with an immoral woman at a well in John 4, He begins by asking for a drink of water.

Jesus connected with people by using the natural things with which they were interested to teach them a spiritual truth. All of Jesus’ parables are stories that used the normal every day things of life to teach a deep spiritual truth.

The early church used that approach also.

In Acts 8 Philip along with other believers were scattered because of persecution. Philip went to Samaria and God used him to spark a revival. Then God led him to go down to a road that was between Jerusalem and Gaza. While he was there, he met an Ethiopian eunuch who was a court official in the Queen of Ethiopian’s court. He had been to Jerusalem to worship God. He was reading from the book of Isaiah. Philip asked the Ethiopian if he understand what he was reading. The Ethiopian said that he couldn’t unless someone explained it to him. So, Philip according to verse 35, began with the scripture that the Ethiopian was reading and told him about the good news of Jesus.

Philip, just like Jesus, began where people were to share truth with them. We many times try to begin sharing the Gospel in a way that does not connect with people because we don’t begin where they are, we begin where we are.

We live in a culture that is post Christian and not very knowledgeable about God and His word. So, to try and begin based on our relationship with God or our knowledge of His word is futile. We have to find ways of connecting with where they are so that they can understand and connect their lives with Jesus.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls means lovingly starting to share the Gospel with people based on where they are so they can come to know and love Jesus.

Jesus was patient with people.

Jesus was patient with the disciples when they didn’t get it.

Jesus was patient with Peter when he denied Him.

Jesus was patient with James and John when they wanted to destroy people for not accepting Him as Lord and Savior.

Jesus was patient with Nicodemus when he, a learned Jewish scholar, did not understand what Jesus was teaching.

Jesus didn’t force things on people. He shared truth with them and let God apply it to their lives. He did not force them to change or reject them when they didn’t immediately understand and begin to follow Him.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls means we are patient with people as we love them and share the gospel with them.

Jesus’ approach was focused on befriending people and patiently sharing truth with them based on where they are and not rejecting them when they don’t immediately believe and follow Him.

With Jesus and Using His approach Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                                              Joe