What does a good shepherd do when a sheep wanders off? The greater the distance between the one missing sheep and the watchful eye and protective care of the shepherd, the more the danger. Understanding this, the good shepherd springs into action, taking risks to find   the one  lost sheep. In the parabolic picture that Jesus paints in Matthew 18:12-13, the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine and launches an urgent rescue mission to find  the one    at great risk. The use of the definite article by Jesus, the good shepherd, was an indication of his focused love, deep concern, and willingness to give all for   the one.

As the Good Shepherd has rescued you, would you consider engaging in a similar mission to help rescue others?
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Jesus’ mission was to seek and to save what was lost. He gave himself fully, even submitting to a horrific and unjust crucifixion, to bear our guilt, failure, and shame. Hours after the most powerful and hope-filled event in all of history, his resurrection, he showed his followers his hands and side declaring, “As the Father sent me, so send I you.”

As the Father sent Jesus to seek and to save what was lost, are you willing to make yourself available for him to send you to help carry out this mission, even if it costs you greatly?

As he wept over the death of Lazarus and in seeing Jerusalem filled with people who were like sheep without a shepherd, he knew his followers would weep many tears in carrying out this mission. He understood they would face mocking, rejection, insult, heartbreak, betrayal, persecution, injustice, torture, and even death just as he had faced all of these and more in carrying out that mission.
Knowing involvement in the Good Shepherd’s mission means tears and all kinds of hardship, will you remain fully engaged, not running away from difficulties but running toward them for the sake of rescuing lost sheep?

At One Mission Society, we’re passionately committed to a very strategic principle. When God uses us to help rescue   the one    who is redeemed by the power of the resurrected Christ, we seek to prepare that    one  to reach  the many.   As   the one  engages with Christ, forgiveness and restoration come. The result is a new creation in Christ; the old has passed, the new has come! In equipping   the one to become a disciple maker, this remarkable principle is lived out. God uses that one to help rescue many, who in turn are prepared to rescue many more . . . and over time with God’s help, multiplication continues, spreading widely and growing deeply!

One God-glorifying, Christ-adoring, Spirit-empowered disciple-maker can be sent on mission by the resurrected Lord to carry out his rescue mission among many. This is why we engage   the one  to reach   the many!
 

We look ahead to November 11, Remembrance Day.
The Remembrance Day Ceremony has played a major role in Canadian Remembrance since 1931. Every year, at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, we gather in memorial parks, community halls, workplaces, schools and homes to stand in honour of all who have fallen.
Pandemic restrictions have meant smaller ceremonies, or their outright cancellation. Other gatherings are being replaced with virtual ceremonies.

Nevertheless, the tradition of Remembrance will continue, and Canada’s Fallen will not be forgotten. The Royal Canadian Legion encourages all Canadians to observe a moment of silence on November 11, to mark the sacrifice of the many who have fallen in the service of their country, and to acknowledge the courage of those who still serve.

The most sacrosanct and central element in Remembrance is the Two Minutes of Silence. During this time of reflection, Canadians pause to honour, thank and remember our Fallen.
Jesus also gave us instructions to commemorate and remember something as well.
Right before his death, Jesus instituted a special meal for his church to observe. Historically, this meal was called the Eucharist, which means “thanksgiving.” Often today we call it communion or the Lord’s Supper. Although churches differ on how frequently we should take communion, the universal consensus among Christians is that this meal is an important part of our faith.

When Jesus was reclining with his disciples, after breaking some bread and distributing it to them he said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19) Many Christians have taken this to mean that during communion, we are to do our best to recollect the story of Christ’s death. We remember the gospel, and as we’re reminded, the gospel stirs our hearts in worship. This is, without a doubt, a good thing, but is it what Jesus was really getting at when he said, “Do this in remembrance of me”. (Luke 22:19) Many Christians have taken this to mean that during communion, we are to do our best to recollect the story of Christ’s death. We remember the gospel, and as we’re reminded, the gospel stirs our hearts in worship. This is, without a doubt, a good thing, but is it what Jesus was really getting at when he said, “Do this in remembrance of me”?

​Memorial language was not uncommon in Palestinian Judaism. In the Old Testament, especially in contexts relating to the service of the temple, there were “memorial” offerings (Leviticus 2:2, 9, 16). In these passages, where the context is the people of God at worship, typically it was not the Israelite worshiper who was remembering; it was God remembering.
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For example, God says to the Israelites, “On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feast and at the beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings. They shall be a reminder of you before your God: I am the LORD your God” (Numbers 10:10). In the context of God’s covenant faithfulness to his people, He would often give them signs that didn’t just serve as reminders for them but for Him!

This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and he earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and ever living creature… (Genesis 9:12-16)

The rainbow served as a covenant sign that displayed front and center God’s promise to never flood the earth. It reminded God of his promise. Communion is a covenant sign, too. Jesus called the cup of the Lord’s Supper the cup of the “new covenant” in his blood (Luke 22:20).

When he told his disciples to observe the meal for his memorial, it wasn’t simply so that they’d be reminded of the gospel but that they would re-present, or convey it through the tangible sign before God. In fact, the phrase “in remembrance” is used elsewhere in the New Testament to refer to God’s remembrance, when Peter told Cornelius, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.” (Acts 10:4)

When the church takes communion, it’s not primarily a time for our individual, subjective recollection of Jesus’ life and death. It is the objective transmission of the gospel through ordinary signs like bread and wine. The sacrifice of Jesus two thousand years ago is being set forth now, before God, as a memorial. This, to be sure, is not a “re-sacrificing” of Christ (Hebrews 10:12 makes clear that Christ could only be sacrificed once), but by faith it is the application of the benefits of Christ’s once-for-all death.

When the church gathers together to “do this in remembrance of me [Jesus]” she is proclaiming Christ’s death (1 Corinthians11:26) as a memorial before God, who sees the sign and blesses us, nourishing us with Christ’s body and blood by the Holy Spirit.  In communion, God remembers, and we receive! He remembers his promises to us, his people, and he sets these promises before us on the table. Christ’s body was given for you; his blood poured out for you. Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me”!

​Welcome back to the Commands of Christ blog series where we are examining together the nine foundational commands given by Jesus and which are essential for new disciples to understand and obey. If you missed the first eight posts in this series you can find them by clicking  Repent and Believe, Be Baptized, Pray, Make Disciples, Love, Worship, Observe the Lord’s Supper, and Give.
 
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 obey all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age,” (Matthew 28:18-20).
 
In this post, we will look at the ninth of nine foundational commands that Christ gave for disciples to obey. This command is to gather and is found in Hebrews 10:24-25.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

If there is one thing about the church that is being questioned as a result of COVID and the lockdowns which have been imposed, it is the command to gather. After all, many believers have turned to various forms of technology to encourage one another during this unusual season. We can pray for one another over the phone. We can host virtual Bible studies on Zoom. Pastors can email filmed teaching sessions to their members.

And we are grateful that we can minister to one another in these ways while scattered. I’m not writing to contribute to the conversation about whether churches should livestream “services” or send out pre-recorded material or such things during this strange time. I simply want to remind us that a church is never less than a gathering. Even though many congregations cannot now meet, assembling is of the essence of a church.

Gathering isn’t merely a nice thing to do; it’s part of what a church is.

There is a popular Christian social media catch-phrase that says, "You don't go to church, you are the church." While I understand the truth of this statement, this is an unhealthy view, pitting "being the church" and "going to church" against each other. If we truly are "the Church," then we will surely get together with other believers regularly. We cannot "be" the church if we don't go to the assembly. Not fully anyway.

The "Church" never implies a single, individual, lone-ranger Christian just going about his Christian duties, and never gathering together to worship with other believers. The "Church" by its very nature means multiple believers, who believe that, "where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I among them" (Matthew 18:20).

The Biblical pattern for church is this:

●Every Christian should gather together to hear the Scriptures and worship Jesus together with other believers weekly (see Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Acts 2:42; Colossians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Romans 16:5; Acts 20:20; James 2:2; Psalm 84:4; Psalm 37:17; Psalm 92:13)
●It is also good to meet for smaller groups of Christian community in each other's homes regularly (see Acts 2:46)
●It's good to have leaders overseeing the work and needs of each local church - this is the Biblical pattern - not all of us are called to church leadership, and so we should submit to, and serve whoever God has called to lead at the place we find ourselves (see Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5; Hebrews 13:7, 17; 1 Timothy 5:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; Philippians 1:1b; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Peter 5:1-2; Acts 20:17;)
●If there are believers who are unable for physical reasons to attend a church weekly, they should find a church or believers who will gather together with them regularly for worship in their own home. (see James 5:14; James 1:27)

So, here are ten powerful and biblical reasons why you should attend worship weekly, and why church attendance can change your life:

1. To be obedient to God’s command (Heb. 10:23-25).
2. To be equipped for the work of ministry (Eph. 4:11-14).
3. To have our minds renewed through the preaching of the Word (Rom. 12:1-2).
4. To employ our spiritual gifts for the benefit of the church (1 Cor. 12).
5. To evangelize the watching world through our love for one another (John 13:35).
6. To be held accountable by other mature brothers and sisters in the Lord (Acts 18:24-26).
7. To be discipled by older, godly men and women (Titus 2:2-6).
8. To ease the mind of your shepherd, so he is not worrying about your soul (Heb. 13:17).
9. To grow in our faith of the Lord Jesus Christ as we are taught His Word (1 Pet. 2:2).
10. To be encouraged to persevere in the faith by other believers (Heb. 3:12-14).

Don't let excuses stand in the way of what you know God is calling you to do. God will strengthen you, and empower you to do what He has called you to do. I am praying for you -- if you have encountered past wounds from leaders or from church members -- that God will bring healing and grace to you, as you seek to follow Him, and love His Church.

If you are looking for a church that preaches the gospel, leave a comment and we will try to help you find a good one.

Welcome back to the Commands of Christ blog series where we are examining together the nine foundational commands given by Jesus and which are essential for new disciples to understand and obey. If you missed the first seven posts in this series you can find them by clicking  Repent and Believe, Be Baptized, Pray, Make Disciples, Love, Worship, and Observe the Lord’s Supper.
 
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 obey all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age,” (Matthew 28:18-20).
 
In this post, we will look at the eighth of nine foundational commands that Christ gave for disciples to obey. This command is to give and is found in 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.
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Here Jesus is working on the assumption that disciples would be giving and goes deeper to the heart of how we give. We are to give as an act of righteousness and we are not to not use our giving as a way to practice this righteousness to be seen by others.

It is also worth noting that Jesus does seem to make some reference to a possible motivation for giving. “For then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”

Think about it; we are often told that if we give with an eye on what we might receive from our giving, then our giving is tainted. To be charitable is to be free from self-interest. But Jesus seems to contradict this notion and encourages the desire to receive a reward from our Father who is in heaven. Very interesting, don’t you think?

Nonetheless, there are some questions about giving that we would do well to consider. So here they are.

What should we give to God?

Each one of us has three resources that we should give to God. These are time, talent, and treasure.

Time is one commodity you have that God can use for His purpose. But you might not have even thought about it. Your time is probably like a lot of people’s time…there is precious little of it, but if you are spending your time on the right things, then you are making good use of your time. You are being a good steward with what you have been given, and since none of us know when our last day will be, we must make the most of the time God has given us. Think of your time as an offering; unless we use our time wisely, we’ll spend it uselessly, like we tend to sometimes do with our money. Try to keep track of what you are using your time for. You might be surprised how little time you are spending for or with God. We are challenged to redeem the time because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:16). So let’s decide to do a better job with our time.

Talent is another commodity we have that can be given for God’s use or not. I believe everyone has a talent of some kind. Many have several talents, but everyone has at least one talent. You have a God-given talent for something, perhaps something that can be useful for the Body of Christ (Matt 25:35-36). Whatever it is, you can use it for the glory of God and for Jesus Christ Himself (Matt 25:40). What is done for the least of those is done for Jesus, so what is your talent? I’m sure you have one. Maybe it’s your smile and positive attitude, and living a life of faith that others find attractive. Perhaps it’s a skill for listening and not judging, but just letting others talk. If could be in music, art, writing, plumbing, or just being a diligent person. These can all be used for the kingdom of God. Whatever talent you have, use it for the glory of God.

Our treasure is usually where our heart is. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt 6:21). This is why the Lord said, “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” (Matt 6:19-20). Whatever you store up here will do no good for God, but whatever you do for God on earth you are storing up treasure in heaven. You can’t take it with you, but you can forward them ahead. And it is no surprise that funds are usually necessary for ministry to happen, especially when that ministry takes place across the ocean, as is usually the case for missionaries.

So let’s be generous with our time, talent, and treasure.

Why should we give to God?

The first answer to this question is that we are commanded to give.

The second answer to this question is that giving changes us. God can do so much more through a wise, giving, mature person than a person who is overly concerned with possessions of this world. Our money and belongings can disappear or get destroyed at any time and if we place too much value on them, we will be devastated when they are gone. God wants our treasure and worth to be with those things that can never be destroyed or taken from us, namely Himself and the people He has put in our lives. “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (Matthew 6:19-21).

As God changes our hearts to be more like Him we learn to focus on what is eternally important instead of on the temporal things of this world. Paul reminded the Corinthians to do this: “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever” (2nd Corinthians 4:18). By opening our eyes to what God may be doing behind the scenes, we can step out in faith, obey when He asks us to give, and rest in His plan in the midst of unknowns and seemingly scary circumstances.

The third answer to why we should give is that our giving glorifies God. Giving simply is not part of our sinful human nature. We are born looking out for our own desires and comfort. As we grow up and learn values, especially as we get to know God and submit our lives to Him, He changes us to be others-minded and to trust in Him to meet our needs. The fact that selfish, sinful human hearts can be changed to put others first can only be attributed to God, thus our giving gives Him glory.

And the fourth reason why we should give is the blessing that we will receive. Jesus said in Luke 6:38, “give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” There can be no mistaking what He says here. Give generously because the measure you use to give is the same measure that will be used back to you.

How should we give to God?

There are basically three things to consider when we ask how we should give to God.

The first is that we should give generously. In Matthew 10:8 Jesus gives the principle that since you have received freely, you should give freely. Since you are the recipient of God’s lavish grace and His generous love in Jesus Christ, we should also be lavish and generous with the time, talent and treasure that we give as well.

The second is that we should give cheerfully. 2 Corinthians 9:7 tells us that God loves someone who gives cheerfully. Period.

And the third is referenced in the command of Matthew 6. We are told that our giving is to be done in secret, without any attempt to be seen by others. And the reason seems to be that there can only be one reward for our generosity. Either we receive a temporary reward from man or we receive an eternal reward from God.

Who should we give to when we give to God?

Acts 4:34-35 gives us a picture of who the early church gave to.

There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

Their giving was directed to all who had need. This ought to be our pattern as well.

So how are you doing with your giving? Do you consider your time and talent a resource to be given like your treasure?

Is one of these three easier to give than the others?
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What change can you make this week to be more intentional about giving in one of these three areas?

​Welcome back to the Commands of Christ blog series where we are examining together the nine foundational commands given by Jesus and which are essential for new disciples to understand and obey. If you missed the first six posts in this series you can find them by clicking  Repent and Believe, Be Baptized, Pray, Make Disciples,Love, and Worship.

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 obey all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age,” (Matthew 28:18-20).
 
In this post, we will look at the seventh of nine foundational commands that Christ gave for disciples to obey. This command is to observe the Lord’s Supper and is found in Luke 22:7-20.

“And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks He said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”  And He took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.”

So Jesus made it clear that the disciples were to participate in this kind of ceremonial meal as a remembrance of Him, “Do this in remembrance of Me.” This is the command. But there are probably questions that arise from this command, perhaps even among Christians who have been observing the Lord’s supper in a fellowship. We are going to look at some of those questions and hopefully bring some clarity and understanding to the practice.

What is the Lord’s Supper?

It is significant that Jesus makes the connection to the Passover celebration. The Passover took place when the Jews were slaves in Egypt and God, through Moses, brought about the deliverance of His people after the plagues were unleashed against the Egyptians. The tenth plague was the one resulting in the death of every firstborn. And God gave very specific instructions to His people so that they might avoid having their firstborn killed.

The instructions were very clear; they were to take a lamb for the household. The lamb had to be without blemish, a male a year old, taken from the sheep or the goats, and the lamb would be killed at twilight. Then some of the blood of the lamb was to be put on the two doorposts and the lintel of the house in which they ate it. The blood would be a sign for them, on the houses where they were. And when God saw the blood on the doorposts and lintel, He would ‘pass over’ them and the plague would not befall them to destroy them when God struck the land of Egypt.

This celebration was a regular part of the Hebrew calendar on the fifteenth day of Nisan, which usually falls in March or April in our calendar. It is this celebration that Jesus was anxious to celebrate with His disciples. But they had no idea that this was going to be the institution of the new covenant. And this new covenant was something that the Jews had been anticipating for a long time.

“And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My rules and obey them. And they shall be My people, and I will be their God,” (Ezekiel 11:19-20). (Ezekiel 36:26, Jeremiah 31:33, Hebrews 8:10)

Why do we observe the Lord’s Supper?

The most straightforward reason we observe the Lord’s Supper is because we are commanded to do so. “Do this in remembrance of Me,” (1Cor 11:24-25). We are commanded, so we obey.

But there are other reasons tied up in the command as well.

The observance of the Lord’s Supper serves as a reminder of Jesus and what He accomplished for us in establishing the New Covenant. Jesus has become our Passover lamb, without blemish, at whose blood we are spared from the judgement. If this isn’t an event worth celebrating, I don’t know what is.

Observance of the Lord’s Supper also serves to proclaim the Lord’s death until He returns, (1 Corinthians 11:26).

It also serves to remind us that His body was broken and His blood was shed to secure our salvation.

And observing the Lord’s Supper also indicates loyalty to Christ and not to idols. There can be no compromise. “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake at the table of the Lord and the table of demons,” (1 Corinthians 10:21-22). To eat at Jesus’ table is to be committed to Him, identified with His people, and dedicated to the service of His cause in the world.

How do we receive the Lord’s Supper?

This question of how and the next one of who are closely related to each other. When considering how we are to receive the Lord’s Supper, we need to look into 1 Corinthians 11:27-32. It is here that Paul makes it clear. We must receive the Lord’s Supper in a worthy manner.

Paul first says that whoever eats the bread and drinks the cup in an unworthy manner is guilty concerning the body and the blood of the Lord. This is serious business with serious consequences. Verse 30 tells us that there were those who did eat and drink in an unworthy manner who died as a result. To come to the table, holding onto one’s sin does not only dishonour the ceremony, but it also dishonours His body and blood, treating lightly the sacrifice of Jesus for us. Doing so mocks the sacrifice for sin by holding on to sin.

So Paul tells us that one must examine oneself before partaking of the Lord’s table and if there is unconfessed sin, one must make confession with a repentant heart. If the sin involves a brother or sister, one must seek forgiveness from the offended person. In this way we are able to ensure that the Lord’s Supper is observed in a manner worthy of the sacrifice.

Who should receive the Lord’s Supper?

It should be clear that only those who have been born again may receive the Lord’s Supper without fear. Only those who have been born again and have made sure that there is no unconfessed sin that remains.

This is a command that we need to observe if we are to be disciples of Jesus. So how are you doing? Do you observe the Lord’s Supper? How have you been doing so during the lockdown? How often do you celebrate the Lord’s Supper?
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If you haven’t been doing this, when will you begin?

​Welcome back to the Commands of Christ blog series where we are examining together the nine foundational commands given by Jesus and which are essential for new disciples to understand and obey. If you missed the first four posts in this series you can find them by clicking  Repent and Believe, Be Baptized, Pray, Make Disciples, and Love.
 
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 obey all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age,” (Matthew 28:18-20).
 
In this post, we will look at the sixth of nine foundational commands that Christ gave for disciples to obey. This fifth command is to love and is found in Matthew 4:10.

Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve." 

You are probably familiar with the context of this verse. Jesus has been baptized by John in the Jordan River. As He came up out of the water the Spirit descended on Him like a dove, and the voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Then the Spirit led Him out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He had been fasting for forty days when He was tempted and this verse is His response to the devil following the third of three temptations. Jesus had been taken to a high mountain, from which the devil showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and all their glory. He told Jesus, “All of these I will give to You if You will bow down and worship me.”

Jesus responds to the devil by saying, “Be gone, Satan. For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.”

There is the command to worship God. But like many Christian ideas, concepts, and words, they are used by many without much real thought as to what they mean. So what is worship?

Internal Essence of Worship

We must understand at this point that there are two elements of worship. There is the inner essence of worship and the external expression of worship.

John Piper believes that such a distinction ought to be made because he believes that Jesus does the same in Matthew 15:8-9.

“This people honours Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me; in vain do they worship Me.”

In this verse, the internal is the heart and the external is the lips. And when the lips say things that do not accord with what the heart believes, the worship is described as vain or empty. It is not worship. It is not worship if there is not the heart aspect to it. So, you can do as many deeds as you want and go to as many church events as you want and never be worshipping if it is all external and nothing is happening in your heart toward God. All true worship is, in essence, a matter of the heart.

So what is that inner experience of the heart toward God that we call the experience of worship? Maybe Jesus was pointing us toward an answer in John 4: 23-23.

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Note that worshipping in spirit is not contrasted with worshipping in the body or with the body. Instead, it is put alongside worshipping in truth.

What is Jesus saying here? I think the point is that right worship, good worship, pleasing worship depends on the right grasp of the way God is – truth. If we worship an idol of our own making, we are not really worshipping God.

An important implication or worshipping in spirit and truth – having a right grasp of the way God is – is coming to value Him as that which is most valuable. Worship depends on a correct spiritual or heart understanding of God’s supreme value. True worship depends on a right understanding of God’s nature and it is a right valuing of God’s worth.

Of course, His worth is infinite. So, true worship is a valuing or a treasuring of God above all things.

The inner essence of worship is the response of the heart when the mind is rightly understanding God and the heart is rightly valuing God. Or you could use words like treasuring or prizing God or delighting in God or reverencing God. All of these inner responses to God reflect His infinite worth and beauty. That is what worship was designed to do: put the supreme worth of God on display.

External Acts of Worship

So, we worship God truly when we know Him truly and treasure Him properly. Then the word worship refers to that inner valuing and treasuring becoming visible in the world in two basic ways in the New Testament. One is acts of the mouth; acts of praise (speaking or singing) and repentance in worship services or small group gatherings. The other is acts of love with the body and the hands and the feet, acts of love that show the supreme value of God by what we are willing to sacrifice for the good of others.

We can see these two basic ways in Hebrews 13:15-16.

Through Him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

These verses begin and end with sacrifice. The idea of sacrifice is an echo from the Old Testament sacrifices which were at the centre of worship and were to display the value of God as we gave up a bull or a goat or some grain and showed that God is precious to us.

We treasure His redemption that comes to us through Jesus Christ. So through Christ, two things become worshipful sacrifices in our life: first, the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name (public and private singing and praying and repenting and confessing) and second, the fruit of deeds.

Worship ought to be a part of our everyday life, not music that we listen to or how many church services or events we attend. Let’s worship God in spirit and truth.

So offer to God the fruit of your lips in praise and worship. And don’t neglect to do good. Both are pleasing to God and both are necessary acts of worship.

How has worshipping God helped you in your everyday life? What have you learned? How have you been encouraged or challenged? Please share in the comments, we would love to hear from you!
 

​Welcome back to the Commands of Christ blog series where we are examining together the nine foundational commands given by Jesus and which are essential for new disciples understand and obey. If you missed the first four posts in this series, you can find them by clicking Repent and Believe, Be Baptized, Pray, and Make Disciples. 

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 obey all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age,” (Matthew 28:18-20).
 
In this post, we will look at the fifth of nine foundational commands that Christ gave for disciples to obey. This fifth command is to love and is found in Matthew 22:37-39.

And He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself.

So it’s clear, then, that love is something that must be done as a disciple of Jesus who is intent upon obeying all of His commands. And there likely aren’t very many disciples who would deny this love imperative. But what does it mean to love? What does love look like? How do I know what love is and who to love?

What is love?

Ask 100 people on the street what love is and you will probably get 100 different answers. But there is only one answer that a disciple should seek and that is the one given by Jesus. In John 15:12-14, Jesus gives the sense of what love is. He says that there is no greater love than the willingness of one to lay down his life for another. This is the ultimate definition of what love is.

And most of us in North America are pretty safe in saying that we love like that because the likelihood that I might be placed in the position of having to lay down my life for another is pretty remote. But is that the extent of what loving by laying down your life for another really means? Is it possible to lay down your life daily?

I believe that love is laying down your own life, your plans, your schedule, your agenda for the sake of others. Kind of like the Good Samaritan that Jesus talked about in Luke 10:25-37. He set aside his plans and schedule to care for the person who had been attacked on the road and left for dead. The Samaritan invested his time, energy and resources to care for him. And Jesus held this Samaritan up as an example of love.

Why do we love?

In John 13:34-45 Jesus says to us, “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.”

From this, we see three reasons why we are to love. First, because it is commanded; “A new commandment I give to you,”. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. We are commanded to love each other. Second, because Jesus loves us; “As I have loved you,”. And third, because this is the way the world will know that we are disciples of Jesus; “By this all people will know that you are My disciples.”

Who do we love?

In Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus makes it clear who we are to love.  “And He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”

These are also commandments. We are to love God and we are to love our neighbours.

How do we love?

John 14:15 tells us that we love Jesus by obeying Him. And so we are fond of saying to people, “Love Jesus and do what He says.”

God has loved us with a love with the greatest love there is, the love that moves one to lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). But this doesn’t mean that Jesus loved us, His friends, more than His Father. It means that Jesus loved us best because He loved His Father most (John 17:26; Mark 14:36). And “if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11). That means that we also ought to love with a love that moves us to lay down our lives for others, particularly those who do not know the good news that God loves them.
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So how are you doing with this command to love? Are you loving Jesus and doing what He says? How are you being a good neighbour like the Good Samaritan that Jesus spoke about? Let us know in the comments section. We would love to hear how you are doing and how we might support you in your desire to be a better disciple of Jesus.

 
​Welcome back to the Commands of Christ blog series where we are examining together the nine foundational commands given by Jesus and which are essential for new disciples to understand and obey. If you missed the first three posts in this series you can find them by clicking    Repent and Believe, Be Baptized and Pray.

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 obey all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age,” (Matthew 28:18-20).

In this post, we will look at the fourth of nine foundational commands that Christ gave for disciples to obey. This fourth command is to make disciples, and is found in Matthew 28:18-20 which is quoted above.
 
3 Reasons Why Being a Disciple Matters

Why does discipleship matter? If we claim to be a Christian, then we are claiming to be a follower of Jesus and if we are a follower of Jesus, then we are one of His disciples.

Here are 3 reasons why being a disciple matters:

1. Jesus Commands Us to Make Disciples

When Jesus gave the disciples the Great Commission, He told them to make disciples of all nations. How can you make a disciple if you aren’t a disciple yourself? In order to make a disciple, you have to be a disciple of Jesus.

If you are not strong in your faith, you wouldn’t be able to train and make disciples. No matter where you are or what profession you’re in, you’re called to be a disciple of Jesus. He will use you wherever you are, whoever you are.

2. A Disciple is a Doer of the Word
Anyone can say they are a disciple of Jesus but are they obeying what Christ commanded? This is the difference between being a hearer of the word only and being a doer of the word. This is made clear in James 1:22-25.

It says,“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

In order to live out your life as a disciple, you must be growing in your obedience to do what Jesus commands.

3. You Become More Conformed to the Image of Christ

When you lay down your life for the sake of Christ, you are making a step towards becoming more Christ-like. Discipleship is a direct result of sanctification.

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” We are made new when we repent and believe in Christ and allow Him to work in us.

In order to become more like Jesus, we should surrender our lives daily and deny our flesh. We will never live a perfect life but we can walk in the Spirit, take up our cross daily, and quickly repent when we fail and then get back up and go again!

The 3 Main Goals of Discipleship

Once you have committed to being a disciple of Christ, there are three main goals of discipleship you should keep in mind: share the Gospel, make disciples, and glorify God.

1. Share the Gospel

To be a disciple of Jesus, you must share the Gospel, this is what Jesus told His disciples to do before He left the earth.

Put yourself in places where you will have the opportunity to share the Gospel. For example, volunteer at a homeless shelter or help your neighbour with a painting project.

Not only are we to share the Gospel to those in our community but we are called to share with every nation. If you’re not called to be a full-time missionary, you can support missions from home with your finances and prayers. You can also pray for an unreached people group in the world (for more information on Unreached People Groups visit Joshua Project).

Pray and ask God to guide you and provide you with opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus!

2. Make Disciples

After sharing the Gospel, we are called to make disciples. This means teaching people how they can live out their faith and encouraging them in their walk with Jesus.

You may consider volunteering at your church’s youth group or mentoring someone. Discipling people will look different for everyone depending on your age and how mature your walk with God is. Again, I would encourage you to pray and ask God who He has placed in your life for you to disciple.

3. Glorify God

The most important part of being a disciple of Christ is to glorify God. Let all that you do be honouring and glorifying to Him. Do all things for His glory rather than your own.

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10)

We can show God glory by being responsible at work and complete tasks with diligence, by having healthy relationships and growing alongside each other, and by setting aside devotional time every day. We don’t just bring Him glory when we are at church; we can bring Him honour during our everyday tasks too.

Lastly, we can give God glory by praise God throughout the way day. When you are working or running errands, tell Him how grateful you are for the blessings He has given to you!

Now that you know your call as a disciple is to make disciples of all nations and teach them the ways of Jesus, it’s time for action. Pray and see how God wants to bring discipleship into your own life and how you can disciple others.

Lastly, remember the most important part of being a disciple is to bring God honour and glory!

If you want to know more about discipleship and making disciple-makers, contact us via the comments or by sending an email or giving us a call at 800-784-7077.

Welcome back to the Commands of Christ blog series where we are examining together the nine foundational commands given by Jesus which are essential for new disciples to understand and obey. If you missed the first two posts in this series,  you can find them by clicking   Repent and Believe and Be Baptized.

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 obey all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age,” (Matthew 28:18-20).

In this post, we will look at the third of nine foundational commands that Christ gave for disciples to obey. This third command is to pray. Most people have an idea of what praying is, but why is it so important?

In Matthew 6:9-13, we find Jesus telling us how to pray, and every one of my generation can almost certainly recite this model prayer because when we were in elementary school, this prayer was recited every morning before school began. It is commonly called the Lord’s prayer.

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Matthew 5, 6 and 7 are referred to as the Sermon on the Mount because Jesus went up onto a mountain to teach the people. It is Jesus’ longest, most detailed teaching recorded in the Gospels. It contains some of the most essential principles for living a genuine Christian life.

According to John R.W. Stott, “The Sermon on the Mount is probably the best-known part of the teaching of Jesus, though arguably it is the least understood, and certainly, it is the least obeyed” (The Message of the Sermon on the Mount, 1973, p. 15).
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So, as disciples who want to obey everything that Jesus commanded us, prayer is something that we must do.

The first reason we must pray is that, without God, we can do nothing (John 15:5). He is the Creator and sustainer of all things, including ourselves, so it makes sense that we would communicate with Him. Prayer is an indicator of the relationship and a way to develop that relationship.

The second reason is that He tells us that He will hear us when we pray. That’s an incredible thing. We have the ear of the Creator of all things, the King of kings. Nothing could be more compelling for prayer than this reality.

There are many other reasons why we need to pray. Prayer will help us recognize and remember that we are not God. We realize that there is strength to be gained from God Himself. We will better understand that things do not begin and end with us. We learn how to surrender control to God, admitting that He is better in the driver’s seat than we. We are able to communicate our true feelings in a safe space. The more we come to trust that God hears our prayers, the more we come to trust Him with the outcomes. Through prayer, we can be encouraged to take steps of faith. And we have the assurance that God is waiting to act in response to prayer
(John 15:7-8).

So how should we pray? In the book of Matthew passage, Jesus gives a model for prayer and it is a good one.

“Our Father in heaven...” - acknowledge who God is and who you are - Father, child.

“hallowed be Your name...” - this is a request, not a statement of praise - asking that God’s name be hallowed means to ask that God would be glorified in my life and that men and women from every people group would also glorify God.

“Your kingdom come, Your will be done…” - I must surrender to God’s kingdom and His will being done in and through my life.

“Give us this day our daily bread…” - I must go to God to meet all of my needs.

“Forgive us our debts…” ask for forgiveness of my sins and acknowledging the necessity of forgiving others.

“Deliver us from evil…” - I must pray for deliverance when I face temptation.

So how does this sound to you? Scary? Intriguing? Exciting? Or utterly confusing?

All of those are natural responses. Prayer is a mysterious activity because, in prayer, you choose to humble yourself before someone you cannot literally see, hear or touch.

Perhaps you could use some structure to get you started. There is an app that can offer a great deal of help with prayer. It is called “Try Praying.” It is available in Google Play, the Apple Store and the Windows Store.

So, what now?
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Listen to Jesus and do what He says. Commit to pray daily. Pray for the lost and for more labourers (Matthew 9:37-38).

​​Welcome to the Commands of Christ blog series where we will examine together the nine foundational commands given  by Jesus and which are essential for new disciples to understand and obey.
 
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,” (Matthew 28:18-20).
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In this post we will look at the second of nine foundational commands that Christ gave for disciples to obey. This second command is to be baptized. In the reference above, Jesus speaks to His disciples about baptizing new disciples in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. But what does baptism mean? Is it just dunking (or getting dunked) in water, or is there something more to it?

Four Questions to Answer

1.What is baptism?

Let’s take a look at the biblical account of Phillip’s interaction with the Ethiopian official found in Acts 8:26-38.

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:

“Like a sheep He was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opens not his mouth. In His humiliation justice was denied Him. Who can describe His generation? For His life is taken away from the earth.”

And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

The story begins with an angel of the Lord instructing Philip to run up to a chariot owned by an Ethiopian eunuch. Philip heard the eunuch reading the book of Isaiah, specifically a prophecy of Jesus’ death. Philip is able to explain the passage to the eunuch and tell him the good news about Jesus. And now a new believer, the eunuch, in faith, eagerly gets baptized as soon as he sees a body of water.

In this story, we see that although baptism is done in water, it’s a symbol of something more.

According to Romans 6:3-4, baptism is a symbol of Jesusʼ death, burial and resurrection. It means we have died to our old life and been raised to live a new life with Jesus. Matthew 3:13-15 depicts even a scene of Jesus receiving a water baptism, and so should we. Receiving baptism means we identify Jesus as our Lord. It’s something for new believers to do not out of tradition but out of a desire to solidify and symbolize their new life in Jesus. It really is an initiation rite into the church, the Body of Christ.

2.Why should we be baptized?

There are a number of answers to the question of why we should be baptized. The first is that Jesus set for us an example in Matthew 3:13-15. Jesus received baptism and so should we. The second is that Jesus has commanded it. Matthew 28:19 is where we see it in the Great Commission, which we have already looked at. A third reason why we should be baptized is that it was taught and practiced by the early church. Throughout the book of Acts we see examples of new believers being taught to be baptized and actually being baptized.

3.Who should be baptized?

In Acts 2:37-38, Peter responds to the crowd who had just listened to his sermon following the Pentecost events in the upper room. These people were cut to the heart by the sermon and knew that something had to be done. Peter answers them in this way.

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

It should also be noted that Luke records the response to the command of Peter.

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls (Acts 2:41).

This specifies that baptism was administered only to those who “received his word” and therefore trusted in Christ for salvation (repentance and belief).

As we saw in the first Command of Christ, repentance and belief are connected. Here Peter gives the process. Repentance and belief are prerequisites to baptism. Only those who have repented and believed should be baptized. Because of Paul’s teaching in Romans 6 that baptism is a symbol of our union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection, that union, which happens through repentance and faith, must be a reality first which is then demonstrated by the ordinance of baptism.

4.How should we be baptized?

The practice of baptism in the New Testament was carried out in one way: the person being baptized was immersed or put completely under water and then brought back up again.

Baptism by immersion is therefore the mode of baptism or the way in which baptism was carried out in the New Testament.

It is also evident in the Acts 8 and Romans 6 references above that immersion is in view when mentioned by Peter and Paul.

So how are you doing with this command? Have you been obedient? Have you challenged those you are discipling to be baptized? Have you baptized anyone? We would love to get your comments. Just respond in the comment section below.
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Have a great and obedient day.

Welcome to the Commands of Christ blog series where we will examine together the nine foundational commands given by Jesus which are essential for new disciples to understand and obey.

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15).

The first command of Jesus’ public ministry was to repent and believe. He spoke this command indiscriminately to all who would listen and it was a call for radical inward change toward God and man.
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When Jesus said “Repent,” He was talking about a change of heart toward sin, the world, and God; an inner change that gives rise to new ways of living that exalt Christ and give evidence of the truth of the gospel.

What does it mean to repent? The New Testament Greek word translated as “repent” is METANOEŌ. It has two parts: META and NOEŌ. The second part, NOEŌ, refers to the disposition of your inner self, your “default setting” toward reality. The first part, META, is a prefix that means movement or change. META, or “change,” plus NOEŌ, or “disposition” equals “to change your disposition towards life and reality, to have a transformed default setting about what’s important.”

Jesus explained that when our default setting is changed by the Holy Spirit, it shows, as we “bear fruits in keeping with repentance” (Luke 3:8). Genuine repentance is an inner change of heart that produces the fruits of new behavior. Acting differently, speaking differently, and living differently (these are the fruits) are the inevitable outward result of being made completely different on the inside (that’s repentance).

An excellent example of this inner change producing fruits of new behaviour is Zacchaeus.

Zacchaeus was a chief tax-collector by profession. This was a job synonymous in people’s minds with deceit, theft and lies. At that time, the chief tax-collectors were reliable servants of Rome. While they ensured that taxes were paid, they managed to enrich themselves in a number of legal and illegal ways, at the expense of Jews who were poor. By this method, Zacchaeus became rich and acquired lots of material goods. He wasn’t a person for whom other people felt admiration, love and respect. He was someone who exploited his fellows. His relations with them were hypocritical and based on his own advantage.

But something sparked inside of him when he heard that Jesus was coming to Jericho. Perhaps he was having a crisis of his soul, realizing that the riches and possessions did not lead to the happiness he so desperately wanted. Perhaps he had heard that Jesus had granted the wish of the blind beggar at the city gate and hoped that he might do the same for him. So he decided to see who this Jesus was. But the crowd was big and Zacchaeus was small and he couldn’t possibly see Jesus. So he climbed up into a sycamore tree near where Jesus would need to pass by.

As He entered the town, Jesus saw the crowds of people with a look that was full of authority, yet loving and merciful. His eyes came to Zacchaeus, who was up the tree. The Lord called him by name. This personal call from Jesus to Zacchaeus indicates his personal preparation for salvation. He climbs down from the tree, full of happiness and joy, and welcomes Jesus into his home. He publicly acknowledged the sinfulness of his ways and began ‘bearing fruits in keeping with repentance’, by giving half his substance to the poor and restoring fourfold to anyone he had wronged. ‘Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold’. This is what repentance and faith look like.

Jesus made it clear that repentance and faith are like opposite sides of the same coin. Mark 1:15 records the inspired summary of Jesus’ message as He began His ministry: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Repentance and faith go together because if you believe that Jesus is the Lord Who saves (faith), you have a changed mind about your sin and your self (repentance); and if you repent, it’s because you trust that Jesus is the Lord Who saves.

That’s because faith, as Scripture defines it, is trusting that Jesus is who He said He is and that He does what He said He would do. The important thing about this biblical definition of faith is that it focuses on who Jesus is, not on you or your efforts. Here’s what that means for you. Think of faith as having three parts: knowing, agreeing and relying.

The knowing part of faith means that you learn from the Word of God Who Jesus is and what He has done to save sinners. That why the Bible says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).

The agreeing part of faith comes as the Holy Spirit convinces you of the truth about Jesus. You agree with God’s testimony and admit, “What God says is true.” This is one of the primary ministries of the Holy Spirit. In John 16:13, Jesus said, “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth…”

The relying part of faith means you stake your life on the truth you know and agree with. This is where faith becomes personal, as you entrust your eternal soul to Jesus only.

The first two parts of faith — knowing and agreeing — are like going to an airport, watching people get on airplanes, and seeing the airplanes take off. By observation, you come to know that these big winged objects can carry people thousands of miles at amazing speeds; and you agree that it happens all the time. The third part of faith, relying, is like you boarding an airplane. It’s one thing to know and agree that planes can take people to faraway places. It’s another thing to get on a plane yourself.

Biblical faith is just like that. You come to know from God’s Word the truth about Who Jesus is and what He has done for you. Then, the Holy Spirit convinces you of the truth of God’s Word, and you agree that the gospel is true. And then you take it personally: you renounce reliance on your own efforts to achieve salvation, and place your life in the hands of Jesus, trusting that Who He is and what He did are sufficient to save you.

Romans 3:23-26 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God has passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

Repentance and faith are absolutely essential for the disciple of Jesus. Have you repented? Have you placed your faith in the gospel, believing that what Jesus did in his death, burial and resurrection cleanses you from your sin and secures a relationship with the God who created you?

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Let’s be encouraged to come boldly before God not only to confess our sins, but also to repent and believe.

Okay, so most of us reading this blog will be familiar with the Great Commission. We know that discipleship is an important part of God’s plan for the church and the kingdom. But how many of us have actually stopped and thought through a strategy for how we could implement an intentional process to see people who are far from God become disciple-makers themselves? Perhaps not many of us have.

And, when Jesus tells to teach them to obey every command he gave, what does that involve? How many commands are there? Are some more important or more critical for a new Christ-follower to master?

Now, I think that we need to acknowledge that obedience-based discipleship is generally not a popular topic in the Canadian Christian context. We have transformed our Christianity into something that is about us and for us and intended to give us a comfortable feeling. Being confronted about obedience or our lack of obedience certainly does not give us a comfortable feeling, so we usually reject it.

However, obedience is exactly what is required, even demanded. So, what are we to do?
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I must first acknowledge that I was created by God and He can require of me whatsoever He pleases and I have absolutely no grounds for argument.

The apostle Paul speaks to this reality in Romans 9:20 when he says, ‘Who do you think you are, talking back to God? Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?’’

Second, I need to evaluate how I am doing with my own obedience. I mean, honestly assess where I am. The reality is that there is no way I can move from point A (where I am right now) to point B (a position of obedience) unless and until I know where point A actually is. Unless and until I determine where I actually am, I am lost in terms of obedience.

Third, I need to systematically begin to do a better job of obeying the commands of Christ. John Piper, in the book What Jesus Demands from the World, states that when you account for repetition within the four gospels, there are recorded about 250 commands of Christ. How do I handle these in a way that contributes to the discipleship process and leads to healthy church members and healthy churches?

And finally, I need to make sure that as I make disciples, this process of intentionally working on obedience to the Commands of Christ is implemented from the very beginning. I need to begin the process of implementing a culture-shift within my sphere of influence away from a comfortable Christianity to one that is committed to increasing obedience to everything that Jesus commanded.

I have been researching the topic of discipleship for some months now and I have come across a list of nine commands of Christ that can form the foundation upon which a movement can be built. These nine commands will be the subject of a new series of blog posts. I hope you will take the time to read each post and ask God to help you to be more obedient to it.

So what are the nine foundational commands? Here is the list and the date each will be posted.

What do you think about obedience-based discipleship? Does this make you uncomfortable? Are you doing this already? I would love to know what you think. Leave a comment and let me know.
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And, if you would like to be involved in a group that can help you do this kind of discipleship and don’t know where to turn, send an email to [email protected] and I can help you find the help you want and need. We are in this together.