Jesus' Methods Part 2

The most important aspect of Jesus’ method of fulfilling His mission was that He went to His Father for His message and power.

The first thing that we are to do is to proclaim the Gospel. We are to be Proclaimers.

In Luke 24:44-49 we see Jesus proclaiming the basics of the Gospel to the two men on the road to Emmaus.

Then He said to them, “These things are My words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

We are called.

We are commissioned.                                                  

We are empowered.

Proclaimers of the Gospel of Grace

John 20:19-23

On the evening of that day, the first day of week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Proclaimers of the Gospel of Peace and Forgiveness

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is proclaiming the Gospel of grace and peace and forgiveness to others.

The second thing we are to do is to witness for the truth of Jesus empowered by the Spirit. We are to be witnesses.

Acts 1:4-8

And while staying with them He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, He said, “You heard from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So, when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority. 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.”

We are to be witnesses about the truth of God and His love for us. A witness is someone who shares with others through word and actions the truth of who God is and how much He really loves His human creation.

Witnesses to the Reality and Love of God

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is witnessing to the reality of God in our lives.

The third thing we are to be is makers of disciples of Jesus. We spend our lives enabling others to know Jesus and be equipped to follow Him.

Matthew 28:16-20

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him, but some doubted. 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.”

We are told to go - go where the people who need Jesus are.

We are told to make disciples of all nations.

We are told to connect people with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

We are told to teach all that Jesus has commanded us to teach.

This is all done though the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

Makers of Disciples for Jesus

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is committing our lives to make disciples who follow Jesus.

If there is a time when we as God’s people, the church, need to be proclaimers. witnesses, and disciple makers, it is now. We live in a world that is fearful, angry, and divided. The people of God are the instruments God has chosen to bring God’s love to cast out all fear, to replace anger with grace, and enable people to connect with Jesus and follow Him.

Being Proclaimers, Witnesses, and Disciple Makers to Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls,

                                               Joe