SHARPEN 2017- Mission and the Church

This message was preached by Gurmeet Dhanowa of Tri-City Asha Church at the Regions Beyond Leaders gathering in India in July 2017.

For the audio please Click HERE

I got very excited about mission as a young boy. I had a good friend in the training in Goa. He told me stories of missionaries. As I heard these stories, something was burning in my heart. Eventually I got married. After that he spoke to both of us about moving within Mumbai and then moved to Punjab.

Definitions of mission- the vocation/ calling of a religious organisation, especially of the Christian organisation. An important job, especially a military one, where someone is sent somewhere to do.

Mission starts with God. 

John 3:16- God so loved the world that he sent his son. Mission started in eternity. We know the Great Commission. 

Matthew 28:18-20. But mission did not start from there. It started even before the world was created. God desired for a community. The Trinity itself is a community. But He desired a worshipping community of people for himself. So when He made Adam and Eve, He said, Go and fill the earth. I think one of things he meant was to fill the earth with His glory. But we know they blew it.

As we move ahead, we see the tower of Babel incident. All humans spoke the same language. They wanted to build the tower which would reach heaven. They were proud and arrogant. So God confused their language, but He did not destroy them- He scattered them. God wants a worshipping community for Himself and in order to do that. He scatters His people first. There was a judgment on them, but it was more than that.

Then for 70 years Israel was in captivity. It must have been difficult for them to believe. But If God didn’t do it, Daniel and Esther, wouldn’t be speaking to Pagan kings. There was only one Missionary the nation of Israel had and it was Jonah, and you know how he went. He didn’t want to go and God had to really force him to go there, to Nineveh which is Mosel in Iraq now. That is one of the few places in Middle-eastern countries where there is a sizeable Christian population. In the Old Testament, God gave them a vision, but they missed it. They couldn’t catch what God wanted to do. They started considering themselves an exclusive group of people.

Then in the New Testament, John the Baptist arrives and proclaims Jesus. Jesus touched many non-jewish people. Samaritan woman, centurion, etc. Jesus had begun to do what God planned for them from the beginning. He wanted a worshipping community. Then in Acts 1, Jesus says, you shall be My witnesses. The holy spirit will come upon you and you shall be witnesses to the ends of the earth. So that was Jesus commissioning them. Then we see in the New Testament- The church in Jerusalem was doing well. They were growing, signs and wonders were taking place. Then suddenly a huge persecution breaks out to the point that people have to flee the city. Then they become missionaries to all those different cities.

The early Christians had the words of Jesus, and the great Commission. Jesus told them to go into all the nations- preach the gospel, make disciples, baptise them. They took this very seriously. They could have responded in regret and bitterness, or preach the gospel wherever they went. The gospel breaks out into the entire asia and Europe. They took it seriously.

We see the story of Paul. As we read his life, his transformation. He is full of fire. Once he started, he never stopped. From Jerusalem to Antioch and then he went from one city to the next. He was labouring! He says, I have lived in plenty and I have lived in little. He has gone through great persecution. He had a mission in front of him. Jesus before going to heaven, commanded us to go into all the world and make disciples. So Paul took that seriously and until the end, he was passionately preaching the gospel. He is always thinking of going beyond.

 His life excites me.

William Carey- Came to India in a ship against the recommendation of his pastor, lost his sons to a curable disease, wife to madness and his printing press to fire. He rebuilt it and started from the scratch. Reading these biographies of these missionaries produces in us a fire to do the same thing.

Q. Why did they pay such a cost? 

I know of one missionary where God spoke to him about going somewhere after he got engaged. The fiancée did not want to go. So he left her. They were passionate about the Great Commission.

The Great Commission is not an option to be considered, but a command to be obeyed – Hudson Taylor

The average pastor views his church as a local church with a missions program; while he ought to realize that if he is in fact pastoring a church, it is to be a global church with a missions purpose."

I am not against quality, but the missionaries, they are not bothered about any material comforts. But what they are serious about is that they’ve got a strategy to reach the unreached. They have a map, gather their trainees and train them, and send them off to different places. They have a strategy of how to go to people. they just pray for the first 7 days. 90% of the time, someone comes and asks about what was going on. so they share the gospel. They start meeting and see people coming in and getting saved. They may not have what we have, but they see souls being saved.

Last Sunday we had baptisms at our church. We went to a Bible College building. It was like a haunted place. But in their hall they had painted this map of India and wrote what they want to achieve- the number of cities and villages. They train and send people.

We need to teach our people about mission. We must have a strategy to reach our nation. We are praying for 100 men and women who will go for church planting.

While he was on earth, Jesus taught his disciples that “this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matt. 24:14). That end is not yet, which means that the end of mission is not yet. We remain under the command and commission of our Lord and King to reach the world with the saving good news of his life, death, resurrection and ascension. However, one day, the task will be completed, and the fruit of the Son’s mission will be seen when an innumerable multitude from every nation and tribe and people and language stands before his throne and cries out, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Rev. 7:9–10). On that day, mission will be no more, but true worship will only have just begun.

   

SHARPEN 2017- Women in Leadership

This message was preached by Gary W of Urban Voice Church at the Regions Beyond Leaders gathering in India in July 2017.

For the audio please Click HERE

The last few decades have seen a great deal of change in the church’s understanding & practice
on the subject of the role that women can play in leadership. During the days when our family of
churches was known as New Frontiers International the initials (NFI) were interpreted to mean No
Females Included. This was particularly aimed at the view and belief that the bible prohibits
women from being elders but, almost certainly, was a comment on the observation that few
women seemed to be involved in leadership at an influential level. Whether those observations
were universally true or not, the fact remains that most senior (not just eldership) leadership roles
were limited to men.

What I want to do over these two sessions is to examine relevant scriptures and provide a
foundation from which we will then look at how this should be worked out in an Indian context.
We’ll begin to do this in gender groups and finish with some time altogether. I hope that we will be
able to agree some basic biblical principles but also that we will be able to agree practical steps
about how to move forward. Some assessment of current practice will be necessary.

Let me be clear from the outset that I have settled on the view that women are able to fulfil every
leadership role in the church excluding eldership.

1. Influences- The bible is our primary source and influence. However, we have to acknowledge from the outset that there are many other influences and voices that shape our opinions. Television, radio, internet, education, culture and personal life experience all play a significant role in determining what we think and how we act. None of us are able to say that we read the bible objectively, we all read scripture through glasses shaped by all kinds of experiences, beliefs and prejudices. The other issue that can influence our opinion and biblical exposition is the reality that women have suffered greatly from ungodly male domination which, unfortunately, has been supported by the church. Oppression, abuse, rape and slavery remain as realities for many women around the world but attempting to correct these by throwing out godly principles is unhelpful and has the potential to lead us into another set of biblical challenges.
    
2. Different Christian Views This subject has had much written about it over the last few decades and it is possible to find some books that will support any view you find personally most acceptable. There are probably two main camps within Christianity; complimentary and egalitarian. As far as church leadership is concerned, and broadly speaking, complimentarians believe that men and women are equal but differently created and called to different functions in the church. While egalitarians believe that men and women are equal and that biological differences do not prohibit women from any leadership role.
   
   The complimentary view is expounded by people like John Piper, Claire Smith, Don Carson and Tim Keller. The egalitarian camp is expounded by Gordon Fee, N. T. Wright, Stanley Grenz and Greg Boyd. The point is that serious theologians sit on both sides of the fence and we do well to note that as we proceed.
3. The beginning

We have to begin at the beginning and that means we begin with God. He made us and he made
us with a plan and purpose in mind. He also made men and women in his image; we are not the
product of evolution or cosmic accident. God has appointed men and women to be rulers, on his
behalf, over the rest of creation.
Genesis 1 v26-31;
“Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have
dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock
and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and
female he created them.
28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth
and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens
and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
29 And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of
all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.
30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that
creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for
food." And it was so.
31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was
evening and there was morning, the sixth day.”

Genesis 2 v15-23;
“The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And
the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the
garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day
that you eat of it you shall surely die." Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man
should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." Now out of the ground the LORD God
had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the
man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature,
that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and
to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the
LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs
and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man
he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, "This at last is bone
of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out
of Man."

• God’s plan
God made a decision to make both male and female and not a sexless creature; an androgyny.
He could have chosen to create life in any form he wanted and what he wanted was male and
female. Two creatures the same in many respects but with distinct and significant differences.

• God’s image
Men and women are both made in the image of God. Therefore, each have the same dignity,
honour and value.

• God’s delight
Throughout the account of creation in Genesis 1 God declares “…And God saw that it was
good…” Only at the end of the sixth day when both the man and the woman have been created
does the account record; “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very
good.” God takes delight in both male and female.

• God’s appointment
In Genesis 2 v15-18 God gives the man and the woman complimentary roles in his creation; “The
Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and to keep it…it is not
good (the only time God finds something not good) for man to be alone; I will make a helper
fit for him.” The man is to work and to keep (or take care) and the woman is to help him. It is
beneficial to remember that the word helper occurs twenty one times in the Old Testament and is
applied to God sixteen times. Therefore, this is a critical appointment for the “very good” working
of God’s creation and our understanding of “helper” should primarily be determined by that truth.

• God’s command and question
It is worth taking note that God gave the man the command not to eat of the fruit of the tree of
knowledge of good and evil (who presumably then passed that command on to the woman) and
that after the act of rebellion it was to the man that God initially addressed his questions about the
act of disobedience.

        4. Serving

Our main concern is the role of women in the effective work of glorifying the name of Jesus
through the building the church. There has been a great deal of frustration among women as they
seek to work out their calling and gifting in this regard. Some of that frustration relates to a lack of
clarity about permissible areas of service but also a perceived (and actual) lack of encouragement from elders and other leaders.

• The Body

One of the major pictures that Paul gives us in the New Testament to help us understand how the
church serves Christ, is the body. It is a picture that he uses in letters to a number of churches in
different locations. We are to understand that the church is the body of Christ and that it is called
and empowered by the Spirit to do his unfinished work.
Ephesians 4 v11-16; “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the
shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the
body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of
God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we
may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind
of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the
truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from
whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped,
when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

• Individual gifting

At the heart of that truth that is that every christian (women and men) are given gifts and that
every gift (and therefore every individual) is crucial to the healthy working of the church.
1 Corinthians 12 v14-20; “For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the
foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not
make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do
not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole
body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear,
where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body,
each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it
is, there are many parts, yet one body.”

• One restriction
A multitude of books have been written and countless sermons preached on whether or not
women are called to be elders (aka overseers, pastors, shepherds, bishops). The biblical debate
centres on, but is not limited to, passages in 1 Timothy and Titus. Time and space prevent
anything but a very light skim over the surface of the issue. However, on the basis that the NT
does not record any woman as an elder, 1 Timothy 2 commands that women should not teach or
have authority over a man, the eldership qualification passages in 1 Timothy and Titus contain
specifically male qualifications and the weight of history lead me to believe that women should
not be elders. Please hear this in the context that everything else is permitted.

         5. 2000(ish) years ago

If it is clear (according to me) that the New Testament prohibits women from being elders it is also crystal clear that they have a significant role in Jesus’ ministry and in the development of the early church that should be reflected as we seek to build the church today.

• Jesus’ ministry
Jesus chose twelve men as his disciples but his attitudes and practice with regard to women was
counter-culture. Mary Magdelene, Joanna and Susanna were a significant part of his support
team (Luke 8), Mary is encouraged to be part of Jesus “Rabbi circle” (Luke 10) and a number of
women (including Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Mary the mother of James) are entrusted with the
task of telling the apostles about Jesus’ resurrection. Our attitude, understanding and practice
should be suitably shaped by these facts.

• Early church
The lead that Jesus gave in including women at the heart of his ministry is continued in the
development of the early church. Luke records that Priscilla (first named) and Aquila take Apollos
aside and teach him “…the way of God more accurately.” Paul notes the role that Timothy’s
mother and grandmother played in his faith. Paul acknowledges Euodia and Syntiche as coworkers
(Philippians 4) and Romans 16 contains many women whom Paul recognises as a vital
part of the proclamation of the gospel.

          6.The future
Q. So, what now?

Surely the proper reading of scripture should lead us to pursue leadership teams
that include both men and women on the basis of individual gifting. Elders will clearly be part of
those teams but should not be the only people who influence the way in which our churches seek
to glorify God. For this to be true it is necessary to give all leaders both responsibility and
authority in the context of accountable team relationships.

SHARPEN 2017- Worship in Church

This message was preached by Navaz D'cruz of Word of Grace Church at the Regions Beyond Leaders gathering in India in July 2017.

For the audio please Click HERE

WHY DO WORSHIP?

Firstly, we are created for worship. Westminster Shorter Catechism: The chief end of man is to enjoy God and glorify him forever.

Piper summarizes this as "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”

The bible tells us that we become like what we worship.

Psalm 135:18 (NIV)Those who make them will be like them, Yes, everyone who trusts in them.

That is a powerful statement. Therefore, the more I worship God with all my heart, mind soul and strength, the more I will become like him and reflect his glory.

Worship has always required choice and change. It identifies which kingdom you belong to, and it has always been about the glory of God.

The Father seeks for us to worship Him (John 4:24). We are to worship Him in Spirit and in truth.

Worship is a command in scripture – It is not a good idea but a God idea.

Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

Ephesians 5:18-19 “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart…”

Singing is one of the two chief ways that the Word of God dwells in us richly.

When we sing we build up each other. Ephesians 5:19: Note specifically here that it says: “addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs…”

Music, melody, art, dance, creativity—all these things give voice to the mystery and hiddenness of the human heart. Darlene Zschech

 WHO IS WORSHIP FOR?

Worship is about Jesus who deserves our highest praise for ever and ever. Its about our beautiful savior who died so that we could become sons of the most high God and free from fear … no longer slaves but Sons.

Worship is about HIS PRESENCE. In worship, we need to feel the heartbeat of God. We as worship leaders need to lead from the presence of God ushering people into His presence. We are channels, catalysts .

Worship is a lifestyle not a program or something we do for 45min each week. It’s who we are: worshippers. It’s something we do and live from 24/7. That is why who you have on your team is very important.

The most talented may not get on team if their heart is not submitted to the leadership and open to input, if they are not worshippers first. Make sure that you worship when you are not leading worship. Do not worship only when you lead. Their music cannot be their identity but rather that they are sons and daughters of God. Or else you will have a lot of trouble, ego issues etc. etc. Band is a whole topic by itself.

Worship is something that comes from the inside out, from a life of devotion. Remember that God is not looking for an outside-in, performance-based or talent-based offering. He has always been looking for an offering of the heart.

Worship is God centered, celebrating who God is, what He has done. His goodness.

Its cross centered -It’s centered on the finished work of the cross and not sin centered or man centered – a needy kind of worship is not God glorifying: begging him to do something for us.

Worship is not a means to an end. Warfare may happen in worship. It’s a hidden theme as it were. We see in Ephesians 5, the command to address one another in song comes right on the heels of “[make] the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16).

 Don’t worship in order to get miracles. Focus on the one who is worthy of worship.

 As Bill Johnson says when the reason for worship is warfare it is flattery i.e you are doing something in order to gain something. Imagine if you child only hugged you so that he could get a sweet from you? How awful!!

Worship is a response to the worth of the person we are worshipping. So matter what we are going through, his worthship is constant. That is 100% honesty, transparency and authenticity before God. It recognizes God for who He is from a place of a yielded heart. 

That releases the presence of God and his power into different situations.

Today worship has become very popular. We all want the 5-7 piece band, loud guitars/drums great voices that could win a Grammy, Dove etc. etc. All that is good provided we do not forget WHO this is about.

Let’s be careful not to shift the focus from the wonder of the person worthy of worship to the medium of worship i.e the music etc.

HOW DO WE WORSHIP?

We worship from a place of identity not to get identity– Sons of God who simply want to delight in Him and his presence. This is critical and key. If we don’t have this we get into performance, begging or religion.

Scripture gives us many indications from the Psalms , in Ephesians, Colosssians etc.

What do we do when we come together? It says each one of us has something to bring to the gathering – a psalm, a new song, scripture, a word of encouragement, the gifts of the spirit etc.

We have to teach our people how to listen to his voice, when to step up, and when to listen and hold back. Make lots of room for the work of the Spirit.

 Allow your congregation to participate. Intentionally make room for it.

So, after the first few songs intentionally pause for people to participate. Engage them. We do believe in the priest hood of all believers. Do our meetings reflect that?

 Is this possible only in a small setting? Well its easier. In larger setting have a system whereby people can contribute. Have floater mics, someone to whet prophetic up front etc. It might be messy at first but that is ok. Its like children learning to walk.  WE don’t stop them because they fall. We keep encouraging and teaching.

Worship leader need to beware seeing this as a hindrance. Often times I have noticed someone prays or brings a scripture and fits band in with what’s on my heart and that only gives me courage to share but everyone now witnesses a beautiful orchestration of the Holy Spirit speaking and building upon each contribution.

Look for connection. When we worship in community we need to have connection with the people. Understand where your congregation is at and help them on their journey in worship. Teach a little on worship every now and then.

Be very patient. We keep having new people in our church. WE go through cycles of new people and every new season. I have to re teach on worship because people are either new Christians, or from another worship experience or from traditional churches. Don’t beat your sheep, feed them. Pray for them. We carry a pastoral responsibility toward the people as well.

Spontaneous Vs Rehearsed

I hear too much of a debate on this point. I think it’s a bit of both. Being prepared is not being in the flesh. God who gave prophetic words to his people hundreds of years before they came to pass can speak to us about what course the worship should take.

This is a topic for a worship band training so I won’t go into lengths here. However we need to straddle both. Eg) A good vacation is one that is planned and has room for the spontaneous. It’s a problem if we are rigid about a setlist. It’s equally bad not to prepare and expect something magical to happen.

We are not program driven, neither are we personality driven. We are people lead by the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and He is a God or order and the suddenlys.

Make room for spontaneous singing. We are slowly loosing this in our congregations. God activity releases his presence. We are a people of His presence. Its not about whipping up some kind of spiritual high.

Worship comes in waves and we need to be attentive and catch the wind of the Spirit.

So we need to take care of what we are singing. Let our songs be rich in theology, doctrine. The Wesley brothers knew that the people could not read nor write so they put scripture and theology to song. In today’s blip age of one liners, 2 min video clips, whatsapp size messages people’s retention span has greatly reduced.

 Most people remember songs. What are your people singing when they leave your service? People often go back home humming a song not a sermon (I mean no disrespect here). In times of joy and sorrow what are our people singing? Find songs that are rich in content and not just some happy clappy mumbo jumbo. Make a special effort to find or write good Hindi songs.

C J Maheny said “worship is take home theology”

Impact on the unbeliever -Think of the impact on someone who does not know Christ. Do they hear the gospel n our worship? This is why Tim Keller says:  “Good corporate worship will naturally be evangelistic”

Let our worship be multi-generational – What do I mean by this? I love new songs. I believe they are written for a season and have an anointing for a season maybe.

At Word of Grace we introduce an average of 12 new songs every year – both homegrown and from around the world. . Be intentional about new songs and choose carefully what you introduce to your church. When was the last time you introduced a new song and is it being done regularly. Timeless truth sung in a fresh way does something to the worship.

 However, retain some of the old as well. There are older people in the congregation that find it hard to keep up with new songs and styles but don’t get stuck there.

Worship builds a Launchpad for the prophetic. You want that in your meetings. Ask God for the prophetic every time you meet

There needs to be a good working relationship between the pastor and the worship leader. There needs to be trust and honour for both to release each other to flow in the spirit. So if your pastor tells you have only 30 mins. Honor that and make every song count. 

In time he will trust what you are sensing the Spirit and allow you to flow understand that God is bigger your understanding of time. Please do not say I’m being stifled etc. Learn to honor. God can do something in an instant if we trust him.

DOES WORSHIP HAVE ANY PARTICULAR FORM?

Remember what we started this out with. Worship is about a person. Its a connection with the object of our love – Jesus.

The expression of this will differ depending on the cultural context. We need to beware to imitating styles that people cannot relate with. Know your congregation and use the right tools to help them engage.

We also need to be aware of the culture of the Kingdom of this world vis a vis Kingdom culture. What things in our culture are a hindrance to heartfelt authentic worship?

We need to deal with any religiosity that is dead works. It could be fear/shame. It comes from a place of a slave mentality and not sonship. When you do this there will be no pressure to perform and make something happen.

WHEN WE HAVE DONE THIS WHAT IS THE RESULT?

The glory of God will fill the place. People will be filled with his presence and take is presence into the world wherever they go. That is how the earth shall be filled with the glory of God even as the waters cover the sea.

There will be rest in your worship

Make worship in your church a safe place where people are not afraid to be themselves.

SHARPEN 2017- Cross Centred Preaching

This message was preached by Nigel Pereira of Harvest of Grace Church at the Regions Beyond Leaders gathering in India in July 2017.

For the audio please Click HERE

The need for Preaching

We cannot minimise the relevance of preaching to build God’s church. 2 Tim 4:2- Preach the word, be prepared in season and out of season. Correct instruct and encourage. Preaching actually helps build strong churches. So when we come to stand to preach we must have reverence and trust that God is going to speak to his people. therefore we need to take proper time in preparation ot preach God’s word. Improving our skills at preaching, making our messages relevant and interesting, and knowing that we stand on behalf of God himself. We offer our own hearts to God in our messages so that God’s voice may be heard. 

·       Command to Preach

-       A command to preach (nations will change) … preach the gospel to the ends of the earth

-       Mat_24:14  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

·       Preaching & building city churches

-       Apostle Paul went from place to place – stayed 2 to 3 yrs – preached & built churches  & set apart elders – that’s how he saw the “preaching of the gospel” in the nations

-       We cannot minimize the relevance of preaching to build God’s church & herefore to reach the nations

-       Command to preach – in season & out of season

-       2Ti_4:2  Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction.

-       Should have a reverence for the pulpit – God is present when we preach!

·       Therefore - Preparation to Preach

-       We must take some pains at “preparation” for preaching

-       Not just to improve our skills – or making it more interesting (these are necessary) – but you stand on behalf of God Himself

-       Know God’s heart “on the subject being preached” – offer your heart to change – pray for anointing & the power of God so that hearers are changed (be convincing)

-       We are preaching for the salvation of our hearers – saving of the unsaved & saving of the Xn. (Augustine simply urged preachers to do their work and Go would do His)

·       Subject I’ve been given – CROSS CENTERED PREACHING

-       1Co 1:18  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Cor. 1:17-18) (There is a Message of the Cross)

-       1Co 1:17  For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. (Authorized to Preach the Gospel – about the Cross & its power)

-       1Co 1:23  but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,

-       Colin shared beautifully on “CHURCH” – and provoked us with questions to build church right

-       Today – I want to share on “Cross Centered Preaching” for building the Local Church

Cross Centered Preaching

·       What is Cross Centered Preaching?

-       Paul’s references to preaching only the cross…

§  And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified (1 Cor 2:1-2)

§  May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Gal 6:14)

-       Apostle reminds Timothy (and all pastors by application) to "guard" the gospel, and warns that flirting with a slanted gospel is to flirt with damning lies. Paul's hope for the spiritual transformation of sinners was centered in the gospel (Cross focused)

-       Above Scriptures are not pledges to preach only the Crucifixion, but that “… it represents God’s entire redemptive work i.e. past, present, and future… and includes (1) the resurrection, (2) Jesus the advocate pleading for us, (3) Jesus’ reigns through his victory provided on the cross…”

-       Therefore It should represent everything that the cross stands for – & not just one aspect of what the cross does

§  Why did Jesus die? Most ppl say “To save me from my sins.” … as though that is the only thing about the cross… (OVER EMPHASIS ON THIS)

§  Investigating all the explanations for the death of Jesus in the NT, while atonement does have a strong basis… it is far from the only theology of the cross – there’s much more than that

-       However we can realize by now - The Cross is at the center of everything Christ came for – so All preaching in one form or another should be about the Cross

·       Now…Some suggest Christ Centered, OR Gospel Centered OR Kingdom Centered Preaching

-       Truth is = They are all inter-linked (no dispute from one against the other)

-       But the key … Jesus dying made it all possible (the KOG coming, the gospel…)

§  Jesus died for the KOG to come, the gospel to go forth…

§  To preach the cross is = to preach the gospel, for Paul equates the preaching of one with the other (1 Cor. 1:17-18 ; Romans 1:16)

-       Someone said: If the pulpit is not committed to this utter centrality of the Cross, then our preaching, however, brilliant, is doomed to sterility and failure.

·       So coming back to Cross Centered Preaching – I’m gonna be speaking in the context of who it addresses – i.e. So we’ll look at it … (1) Personally (2) Corporately

Cross = A Personal Msg

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Cor. 1:18).

-       Preaching the Cross = (1) those who are perishing (2) from them some are saved Þ PERSONAL

-       Preaching the Cross = Preaching to all “about being saved” firstly - (Salvation)

§  Preaching Cross = Preaching “Ingredients of Salvation” (We need to hear the “msg of the cross” i.e. the ingredients)

-       Preached to “those being saved” = Xns  - Paul is apostle & says “us” – Cross is a msg to Xns (again PERSONALLY)

-       I’m touching on a few INGREDIENTS to us PERSONALLY first

1.   Total Depravity (Preach with this understanding – we are totally depraved)

·       As Preachers we must preach knowing this – all are sinners – they have no hope…DEPRAVED – no chance to rescue themselves

-       All have sinned fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23)

-       there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. (Rom 3:11)

-       ALL ARE DEPRAVED

·       Let me ask you a question – “When did you decide/give your life to Jesus?” (tell your neighbor)

-       Another question – “Who else from your family/friends saved?” – Why you? (tell your neighbor)

-       1^st Q - If you answered & meant – my salvation has to do with me – I MADE THE DECISION TO FOLLOW JESUS… (that’s why I am saved)…OR…

-       2^nd Q - Amongst my family/friends… I’m more humble & that’s why God chose me… it shows you have not understood the Gospel/Cross…

·       CROSS = None of us can make a decision to follow Christ (WE are DEPRAVED TOTALLY) & have NO HOPE to be saved

-       When we preach the gospel to the church we must know this – the person I’m preaching to has no hope – unless God does something

-       GOD DID SOMETHING FOR YOU (BORN AGAIN)

2.   Cross (Atonement), Justification & Shameless Grace

·       Though totally depraved with no hope… here’s the question…

-       How can a man, with big account of sin – no chance of taking that sin away… how can he be forgiven with all the sin/crime he has done?

-       This is the incredible MESSAGE OF THE CROSS… not just forgiving the sinner… but JUSTIFYING the sinner (He is 100% holy before God)

§  Rom_4:5  However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.

§  To the man who does no work (the Xn has done nothing)… but trusts God (that’s all)… Trust in the Cross (that’s it)

§  Lord forgive me a sinner – he went home justified Luk_18:14  "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

·       JUSTIFIED

-       He is righteous before God (Adam banished with 1 sin – we still have many sins & we stand righteous) – Sinner DECLARED RIGHTEOUS

-       NO CONDEMNATION (Judgment day has been declared already for us)

-       Col_2:14  having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.

-       Our LEGAL DEBT is taken away

-       The GREAT SWAP (Jesus’ righteousness for your sin)

·       Shameless Grace

-       Grace is given… Grace upon grace…

-       But I say SHAMELESS… because “you have to lose your shame to take it”

§  There is nothing that you have earned in there

§  There’s nothing that you can say “But I did this – that’s why Jesus accepted me”

§  Jesus has taken something from you definitely – that’s why you are RIGHTEOUS! – Your filth – YOUR SIN – YOUR WORST … (That’s all)

§  The cross reminds us that our acceptance before God is based upon the obedience of Christ (not upon our obedience), our objective hope rests in the complete work of Christ (despite my subjective feelings) and there is no condemnation for believers (despite painful memories of past sin)

-       World trains us to EARN everything we have (we want to pay for something even in the gospel)

§  Msg of the Cross – You have earned nothing / you can earn nothing (just hell)

§  MSG OF THE CROSS = SHAMELESS GRACE

§  Can anyone in any church stand & say “I did it” – NO!

§  That is the msg of the Cross – foolishness to those who are perishing

§  SHAMELESS GRACE saves you (That’s the Msg of the Cross) – Cross Centered

§  ARE WE PREACHING THIS?

3.   Change/Sanctification

·        Message of the cross continues to save us by its power (1Co 1:18  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God)

-       Being Cross Centered = Not enough to preach “Shameless Grace” by itself

-       That would leave “Christians weak in Grace” – always with a tendency to use “Grace” to live in sin & weakness… but…

-       This Scripture = we are “being saved”… though we are saved

-       The Cross has a msg to fit with “being saved”

·       Predestined to be like Jesus – SCRIPTURE

-       Luk_9:23  Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (you & I must pick up y/our cross…DAILY)

-       Preaching Cross Centered = Preaching “Obedience to the Gospel” also (BOTH)

-       If a person is saved by the gospel, he must also obey it

-       1Pe_2:24  "He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed."

-       Includes - Repentance & Change

-       Some areas that should be covered in Cross Centered Preaching

§  Change from sin

§  Change in the way - Handling painful trials & suffering

§  Change from attitudes that defile you & others

·       Many Xns live as enemies of the Cross of Christ (… if we don’t cover the above…)

-       Php_3:18  For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.

·       Today I'm concerned where "being Xn" is heading

-       More Xns want to know “what do I least need to do?” They excuse themselves with GRACE

-       Using the Cross/gospel of the K & abusing forgiveness/Grace

-       Hey! Do you know the power of the cross is in you - not called to only seek forgiveness – we are called to CHANGE & bring change in the world…

-       We MUST PREACH CHANGE (but in a Cross way – not Pharisee way)

·       E.g. A father asks son to set the house for dinner bcos of work – Counting on his son’s faithfulness - Son agrees but on way back from college, friends persuade about mall. Forgets, comes back & realizes. Father is doing the work – guests have come – you can see father’s disappointment on his face. Son asks forgiveness - Father obviously forgives – but Father’s purpose of serving the guests well is not fulfilled – even though the son was full of sorrow & regret & his forgiveness. The job still was not done. LESSON: God is not looking for sons who will always say sorry & “I’m under grace”. He needs sons who will fit into the K story to save the world. God’s KOG is not merely about forgiveness of sin – THERE’S A JOB TO DO! That needs faithful men/women – sons who Co-operate with Him through their whole lives.

-       If you believe in the Cross (Gospel) – YOU WILL CHANGE

-       ARE YOU PREACHING THIS CROSS CENTERED MESSAGE –CHANGE!

-       If we only preach grace without responsibility, a result of such preaching will be the destruction of the plain pattern of gospel obedience and of behavior in the house of God (1 Tim. 1: 16; 3:14,15). 

4.   Living Relationship with God, not technical Salvation

·       You believe in God (Jas 2:19) – not enough to believe (msg of Cross = relationship)

·       Reconcile us to God

-       2Co_5:18  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

-       The Cross brings forth a relationship – Curtain torn in two

·       Our preaching must include “A Living Relationship with Jesus” – People don’t know how to pray & read their bibles

Cross = A Corporate Msg – Ongoing Story

1.   Cross Centered Preaching includes… Preaching the “Church”

·       If preaching only addresses the individual Xn Þ not completely Cross-Centered

-       We produce churches where ppl only think of themselves & how God will bless them, & how Cross is all about them (Some say “if only you were there – Jesus would come for you)

-       Cross is not about me & God but about being put into a body. Our preaching must leave people with this – they are part of a church

-       Jesus died for the CHURCH (Eph 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her)

-       Functioning as part of a body (not Christ & me alone – don’t get me wrong – Christ & me is the foundation for anything else – but it must lead to being part of the body)

-       Keeping good relationships (therefore dealing with things that hamper relationships from my side e.g. (1) must be preaching on this

·       To preach the cross of Christ, one must preach the church that He purchased with it (Acts 20:28 Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood), that those reconciled by the blood of the cross (Col. 1:20) are reconciled ``in one body'' (Eph. 2:16) which is His church.

-       One can't preach the cross and not preach the importance of the Lord's church in our salvation.

-       the church has great influence in the spread of the gospel (ppl must know that) – Getting this msg across regularly is CROSS CENTERED PREACHING

-       Preaching must bring ppl back to something bigger on the cross also – THE CHURCH

-       E.g. Joyce Meyer – addresses all personal issues – many tune in – they need it – but the Cross then comes down only to the individual

-       E.g. If we only preach the church, then people will go where they are fed on personal issues

-       CROSS INCLUDES BOTH

2.   Preaching the Cross = Preaching “Mission”

·       Preaching the Cross = Preaching Mission (Jesus came for the world – Jn 3:16)

-       Jesus died for the WORLD – MISSION & GOSPEL PREACHING

-       The Cross is about the world (Is this being covered in the church?)

3.   Above 2 points – Cross Centered Preach = Preach from an Ongoing Story

·       When we look at the church/Israel it is part of a story of God’s plan – has a PAST, PRESENT,FUTURE – all connected by the Cross

-       E.g. Philip preaches to the Eunuch – links OT to the Cross – OT is also part of the Cross story

-       Therefore Preaching the Cross = Preaching God’s story = getting ppl to fit into the story

-       GET PPL TO SEE A STORY – where they fit in

Cross = Transforming Power

·       Not Preaching the Cross for keeping ppl interested or to remark “That was a nice sermon”

-       Reinhard Bonkhe said to pastors “Don’t deliver sermons! Deliver People my brother!”

-       1Co 1:18  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God

-       So when we preach we must have expectation…GOD’S POWER…

·       What Expectation should a preacher have? (in Cross Centered Preaching)

-       People will change in a moment (Moses was changed at the Burning Bush when He heard God) – don’t despise moments of preaching!

-       What Preaching does to Churches/People who hear

-       Greg Haslam - Raises the dead to life (Vijayan – takes one moment to transform a person)

-       Healings & Miracles –

-       Mar 16:20  Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.