Author: JDMann

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Building a Church through Preaching the Word. John 17:6

John17:6 I have MANIFESTED thy name unto the MEN which thou GAVEST ME out OF THE WORLD and they HAVE KEPT THY WORD.

Discipleship is the key that unlocks the door to personal and overall church growth. It is discipleship that Christ used to grow His followers in to the disciples that became not only the 12 but the foundation of HIS Church. I invite you to underline theses words.

    1. — Manifested –is preaching the Word
      1. The Word was heard.
        • Sent out in two into the city – John 10:1-12 Sermon on the mount Matthew 5:1
          • Seeing the multitudes
          • He positioned himself to be heard
            • What do we do in the church and our lives to be heard?
            • Positionally and Personal
        • John 7:28-29
          • What do people preserve Christians of this church to be like?
          • If you talk with the unsaved would they be astonished that you knew scripture?
      1. The word spread
        • Go INTO all the world – Matthew 28:18-20
        • Preaching the WORD which is Christ
        • Tell others about the risen savior as the women did on the day of salvation
          • John 4:28-30
            • Jesus must need go
            • The women was saved after hearing
            • She was so excited she went to the men
            • The men came to hear Christ
            • The discipleship continued.
    1. Men are drawn to the Preaching
      1. A man was lowered through a roof because there was a crowd. Mark 2: 2-5
        • What did Jesus do to draw this crowed
          • He simply entered the city
          • Others spread the word that Christ was there. Is Christ here?
        • What can we do to draw a crowd
          • Don’t walk by the blind John 9:1-6
            • Spiritually blind all around us
            • Do we stop and let the Light of Christ that is in us shine through
          • Don’t walk by the lame John 5:5-9
            • Spiritual lame
            • Physically lame as well
        • “See a need fill a need.”
      1. Look at examples in the Old Testament
        • Jonah 4:4-5
        • The life of Jeremiah
          • He drew a crowd through some ridicules ways. Yet God used him to warn the people.
      1. The opening of the temple drew a crowd and Ezra proclaimed the Word
        • We are to proclaim the Word
        • We are to memorize the Word Ezra was a scribe that memorized all of Moses law.
    1. Gavest me –is leading someone to Christ and they get saved (fruit)
      1. Christ is the branch John 15:1-5
      2. We are the vine
        • A wise man is a Soul Winner Proverbs 11:30
        • Bringing fruit (souls) to Christ
    1. out of the world —is what happens at salvation
      1. We transform to a new creature II Corinthians 5:17
        • Newness comes in us we need to get it out of us by sharing.
      1. We change our ways and our weapons
        • Armor of God Eph 6:12-17
          • The Armor defends
        • Fruit of the Spirit Gal 5:22-23
          • This Fruit attracts
    1. Have kept thy word –is the result of discipleship as they the new Christian follow the great commission.
      1. Each one reaches one.
      2. Great suggestion? NO commandment!
      3. The fruit is there for the plucking
      4. The fish is in the water just need to ask Jesus where to put the net down at?
        1. John 21:6
        2. Are asking Christ where to find souls?
Concluding thoughts:
The Commission given is to the church which is filled with people like you. To have church growth there has to be personal growth. Often times the Holy Spirit will prod our hearts to do something and we don’t. For this is to our shame. Where are you in your walk? Maybe you have never asked Christ to save you from your sins. Maybe your Christian walk is hindered by the lack of reading his word. Remembering the four pillers of a Christians life…..

  • Hear instruction from the Word.
  • ~Proverbs 8:33~ Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
  • God’s fruit is better than money
  • ~Proverbs 8:19~ My fruitisbetter than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
  • Jesus is the vine or giver of life
  • ~John 15:1~I am the true vine,
  • If we love Jesus we will love others – this is the commandment.
  • ~John 15:8~Herein is my Father glorified, thatyebear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
    ~John 15:9~As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
    ~John 15:10~If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. .
 Preached at Calvary Baptist Church Sept 16,2012
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God Notices the Walk you live

 

 

Luk 1:5  There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

Luk 1:6  And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

The pen of the Doctor records for us what he observed through the life of Zacharias and Elisabeth. There righteousness before God was pure. This is not saying that they were sinless or perfect, but they lived right. You didn’t find them at the BINGO hall you found them at the temple as we will soon see. Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:4   “that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” this is the life that this couple lived. What we as Christians need to be known for in the dark sin filled world is the righteousness of Christ displayed in our lives.

 

“Walking in all the commandments” this is a action phrase. It is NOT enough to know the commandments, it is not sufficient to hear the commandments of God, we MUST walk them out. You see they read in Joshua where God instructed him to read the Books of Moses. They read the stories of the sin filled wicked lives of Nineveh and Sodom and Gomorrah. They knew that evil living and self filled living is a choice. They knew that walking in all the commandments was also a choice. As Joshua said “As for me and my house, We will serve the Lord.” This is a declaration of life more than a decoration on the wall.

Here are four simple ways to ensure that we “walk in all the commandments”

1. Be born again.  John Chapter 3

2. Be right before God I John Chapter 1

3. Be on the path with light.  Psalms Chapter 119

4. Be in Church.  Hebrews Chapter 10

 

“in the days of Herod” is how these few versus of Luke starts. Days lead by a evil king. Herod didn’t walk in the ways of the Lord. This shows us that our life is not dependant on the political but on the promises of God. We cannot have excuses as Christians we must honor our Lord and walk in his commandments. This will lead to a life that God can use. Be available, be clean and be holy before God and he will uses you mightily for his name’s sake.

 

Question: What is the importance of your personal testimony with those around you?

 

 

 

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The Book of Luke- Introduction

Luke 1:1-4

Luke starts with the Birth of Jesus then he works his way through the life of Jesus and ends with the ascension of Jesus. Much like in our own lives we must be born of Christ, live for Christ and then we will ascend to heaven and be with Christ. This is a thought by thought study of the Book of Luke it will not follow the outline or restrictions of chapter and verse divisions.  Each post will be confined to about 500 words for quick reading.

Luke was written from the perspective of a physician about the great physician himself Jesus. Written around the early to late 60’s B.C.. Christ Jesus is introduced to us here as the Son of Man. The great Christmas story heard so often is found in the second book of this recording of the life of our dear Savior.  Written from the view of a Gentile to a gentile world Luke unravels the gospel through the life of Jesus and introduces us to others as well. The Gospel account of Luke is written to be clear and concise understandable and applicable lessons from Christ. A quick outline of the Book could look as this

I. The Introduction of the Son of Man

II The Ministry of the Son of Man

III. . The rejection of the Son of Man

IV. The Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Son of Man.

 

Luke 1:1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,  2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;  3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,  4 That thou mightiest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

Our first thought is found in the first sentence. Luke recognizes that others have come along and written about the life of Christ but he has concerns that the story may not be right. He will “set forth in order” the “eyewitness” account of the ministry of Christ. This is truer today than ever before. How easy is to start a blog, getting a following and mis-teach and mis-lead people? We can easily read others writings and think that they are Godly when in fact they are not. Everything must be washed through the Word to find the truth. Facebook updates and tweets from a little bird can quickly mislead. We must know the Word to be discerning. “That thou mightiest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.” Oh be careful what is read and heard concerning the things of Christ. One can easily be misled. Eve for example was perfect yet given a choice went the wrong direction with just a few words from a serpent.

Question? How do you chose what you read for daily devotions?