Today’s message concludes the four-part series on what biblical evangelism is according to Jesus. So far the text has covered that soul winning involves divine nature, everyday Christians (not exclusive for leaders), preparation for Christ’s second coming, the act of harvesting, the act of few good faithful men, the act of prayer, the act of complete obedience (love for God), the act of total dependence on God (formidable enemy Christians face), and an act of urgency (many die each day).

Soul winning is an act of mediation (v 5-6). As the Lord Jesus instructed his disciples to greet whatever house they entered to say, ‘Peace be to this house’, every Christian possesses the peace of God to bring the hope of having peace with God. Between man and God, Jesus Christ was the Mediator who reconciled the sinner and God through his death and resurrection. For Christians, they bring peace with God to sinners through the gospel of Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1). If there is no peace with God, there is only guilt and death (Jas. 2:10).

Christians have the peace of God because they have peace with God. Christians remain in God’s blessing and rest even though they might fail in their walk with God at times and when they get rejected in their evangelistic efforts. 

Soul winning is an act of hard work (v 7). Jesus commanded his disciples to “stay in that house, eating and drinking what they provide; for the laborer is deserving of his wages”. The world will call Christians hostile, dividers, and all kinds of names, but they cannot be silent because they are part of the greatest work of soul-winning. The Lord himself experienced hate from the world as the Savior who preached the kingdom of God, and it is he who blesses the work of evangelism. 

Soul winning has discrimination (v 8). Soul winning is cross-cultural. The Jews at the time of Jesus were still faithful to their kosher diet. However, Jesus commanded them to eat what they provided because nothing should hinder the sharing of the gospel message. In other words, love for the lost sinner has no bounds.

Soul winning always involves the preaching of the gospel message (v 9). As Christ’s healing and miracles revealed his authority and authenticated who he was, the Son of God, he also commanded his disciples to heal so that the gospel message was affirmed. And sinners are only able to believe in the gospel by hearing from Christians the miracles of miracles; that is, the Lord and Savior Jesus came down from heaven to die and be raised up (Rom. 10:14; 10:9).

The Christians improve gospel sharing by preaching the gospel to themselves daily because Christians face temptation and sin every day. By not believing in the gospel, they will commit perjury and hypocrisy. In addition, daily preaching of the gospel helps to articulate the message and helps the Christian when sharing it with others. Most importantly, unceasing prayer and dependence on the Holy Spirit will be the engine that drives the sharing of the gospel that brings about salvation.

Today we are continuing on the topic of evangelism. In this series, the main point is that Christians are soul winners. To recap, evangelism is an act of God, is carried out by all Christians, is preparing for Jesus’ return, is a harvesting, is the act of the few but faithful (the Christian), is an act of prayer, and is an act of complete obedience. 

Furthermore, soul-winning is an act of total dependence on God. If we depend on ourselves, then we depend on our knowledge, our experience, and eventually our authority. This type of evangelism can only end in disaster because it cannot win the spiritual battle over one’s soul. Jesus says, “I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves”. This almost sounds like a joke. It’s absurd and suicidal to send lambs out against wolves. That’s not a fight, that’s a feeding. The wolves represent the world that is full of danger and enemies (John 16:2-3). Jesus is saying the lambs must trust and depend on Him.  

Wolves are carnivores and they eat lambs. Why does Jesus use this unfair and lopsided comparison? First Corinthians 1:27 says God uses the foolish to shame the wise and the weak to shame the strong. This is the declaration of God’s power and confidence. Jesus says “I send you”. It doesn’t matter who we are, we’re just lambs, but what matters is who sends us. Jesus sends us. Jesus is the I AM, the eternal self-existent God who rules over all things (John 8:58, Isaiah 45:5) and He is the one who sends to win souls. When Jesus sends us it means He is with us. His sending is not farewell and good luck, but assuring us that He is behind us and with us. Whenever you speak, Jesus speaks. If they reject you, then they reject Jesus (Luke 10:16). 

To further clarify the need for trust and dependence on Him, Jesus tells them to not carry any money belt, bag or shoes. Simplicity and minimalism is a universal principle in evangelism. Evangelism is not strong or effective because of money or things. What we need is Jesus. We must be faithful to Jesus. Our evangelism fails because we forget that we are just mouthpieces for Christ. Many have misapplied 1 Peter 3:15 by preparing in an earthly way and relying on that preparation. The way we must prepare for evangelism is to sanctify Jesus as Lord in our hearts. By clarifying Jesus as Lord in our hearts we will depend on Him. This Lordship of Jesus rooted in our hearts results in powerful hope that is more effective than any program or strategy.

Evangelism requires urgency. “Greet no one on the way.” This restriction seems unfriendly or rude. However, Jesus is warning against being distracted by trivial things. The verb tense commands us urgently to not delay the act of evangelism. Like a fire truck on the way to the fire with its light flashing and siren blaring, we should go quickly to those who need the gospel because their situation is urgent. The life of an unbeliever is uncertain, unpredictable, and short (James 4:12-14). We never know when someone will die and face judgment. We must go quickly unless we regret our delays (John 3:18, Hebrews 9:27). 

The reality of hell also puts urgency in our evangelism. Hell is more horrible than we can imagine. Jesus clearly described the horrors of hell. There will be no end to weeping and gnashing of teeth. People in hell will beg for one drop of water but be denied any relief for all eternity. Multitudes upon multitudes of people will end up there without the gospel. They must be warned and pleaded with to repent and believe in Jesus Christ so they might be saved.

Jesus sends us to evangelize and true disciples follow Jesus before all things (Luke 9:59-60). There should be no delay. Respond to the call. Love is the first sign of true conversion. We used to love the world but now we love Jesus. So we respond to His calling by loving the lost as He loved us.

To recap the prior week’s part 1 of the series on evangelism or soul winning, Luke writes how the Lord Jesus Christ appointed seventy-two disciples to evangelize in every city and place where he was going (v 1). Evangelism requires the act of God, the act of every Christian, the act of preparing for Jesus’ second coming, and the act of harvesting (God has already planted before the foundation of the world). In today’s part 2 of the series on evangelism, Luke writes how soul-winning is the work of a few good faithful men of God. There is always a need for more laborers to be part of Jesus’ harvest and ministry. 

Soul saving is an act of the few. Throughout Scripture, the Lord prefers those that will totally surrender to him. God has chosen few to be his elect to change the world (Matt. 22:14). And these few have entered through the narrow gate. Genuine faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is what differentiates the few from those that have entered through the broad gate. Scripture also reveals that Satan and the demons believe in God, but what sets apart Christians from them is their heart transformation by turning from sin to God. Through regeneration of the Spirit and true conversion, Christians possess a sincere love and passion for the Lord. Christians are the few laborers this text describes whom God uses in evangelism.

Soul saving is an act of prayer. Those that are passionate about evangelism know the importance of prayer. Without prayer, evangelism does not work. There are three things to consider regarding prayer in this text. First, Jesus is the Lord of harvest. Salvation is solely up to the Lord Jesus Christ. So, prayer is a means of supernatural communication to the mighty God who saves. Second, prayer is commanded by Jesus if you’re in the business of saving souls. Christians heed the Lord’s command to pray because it is the work of the Spirit to save. Jesus exemplified the importance of prayer as he unceasingly prayed himself. Jesus could have used many different means to save sinners, but prayer was at the forefront of his evangelism.

When Christians fail to pray, they will inevitably fail at evangelism. Prayerlessness manifests an attitude of arrogance that they can save sinners without God. Conversely, prayer without ceasing shows a man who depends on God to complete his work through them. “What compels [the Christian] to pray when it comes to evangelism is the belief that only God can save the sinner. If [Chrisitans] are convinced that the gospel really is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe, [Christians] should be asking the Lord to take the message and use it in the hearts of people” (Tim Bertolet). Moreover, Christians should pray for themselves in that God provides boldness and opportunities to reap good results.

Soul saving is an act of complete obedience. Soul saving must be every believer’s ultimate goal as it comes from the Lord; therefore, all Christians are to obey. In today’s text, the Lord Jesus commands the disciples to “go” (v 3). There are three implications to the word “go”.

Going implies that the disciples’ obedience is demonstrated in going with Jesus Christ as an act of love, worship, and honor to him. Loving, worshipping, and honoring God leads to a life of pleasing him and “will prove to be a holy life when followed on from day to day” (Anthony Norris Groves). Habitually going on in life with the Lord Jesus Christ leads to a life of being above reproach. 

Going implies walking or obeying through the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit, Christians are unable to obey. How often have people experienced emotional highs attending church retreats, revival nights, and others that seemingly stir up a desire to live for the Lord, but how quickly that desire falls as the emotions dissipate when they come back to their respective homes. In contrast, true born-again Christians are led by the Spirit to live in obedience despite circumstances. God is the one that puts his Spirit and power in the believer to keep his laws (Ez. 36:27; Acts 1:8). Walking by the Spirit will also help the believer not to gratify the flesh because the power of the flesh deters them to do God’s work (Gal. 5:16).

The few laborers armed with prayer and the Spirit are able to accomplish God’s soul-saving work no matter the circumstances. Those that say otherwise are speaking lies. Everyone is living on God’s borrowed time. Christian, passionately ask God to work through you to prayerfully share the gospel of Jesus Christ!

What is the purpose of the church? In China, one of the words used for church actually comes from the word ‘teaching’ which is very appropriate because it also represents what Jesus did in His ministry (Acts 1:1-2). The purpose of the church is evangelism (Acts 1:8). Charles Spurgeon says “A church is a soul-saving company or it is nothing”. Luke 10 begins similarly to chapter 9 with Jesus sending out the disciples to preach the gospel. Jesus is constantly focused on evangelism, the spreading of the Gospel.

Soul winning (evangelism) is an act of God. It is the work of God working through men. Evangelism itself is a divine work based on God’s divine nature. If we understand this then we will also realize that evangelism is not a church program. “The Lord appointed seventy others”. Luke calls Jesus “Lord” (Philippians 2:10-11). Jesus is the omnipotent Lord who appoints you to proclaim the gospel. We cannot disobey Jesus who is our Lord. There should be no other authority above Jesus, no excuse that is more valid than Jesus (Romans 10:9-10; Luke 9:23).

Jesus appoints and sends the seventy in pairs to every city. We are also sent into the world every day. We are sent to where we go to work, go to school, go to shop, eat, go to play. Where we are is according to God’s sovereign wisdom. You might think you are not worthy or ready, but God knows who you are and sends you. You are sent to share the gospel you already know, the gospel by which you were saved. You can trust God because He is the Alpha and Omega. St. Patrick was captured by Irish pirates and enslaved, but during his captivity was when he was saved. After escaping Ireland, he went back to those who kidnapped and enslaved him to share the gospel. St. Patrick understood God’s wisdom and sovereignty over the events in his life. Joseph also acknowledged God’s sovereign plan in sending him to Egypt as a slave. We are all sovereignly placed by the wise choice of God to be here in the city of LA where there are over three million people who need to hear the gospel. If you are not sharing then you are disobeying God’s will for you.

Evangelism is also the act of the average Christian. It is not reserved for a few who seem to have the desire and skills for evangelism or ministry leaders. In Acts 11, the city of Antioch was reached through the lay Christians scattered. We don’t know the names of the seventy appointed but we know that they decided to follow Jesus wholeheartedly, unlike the three who were rejected at the end of Luke 9. They were normal Christians who submitted to the Lordship of Jesus and wanted to follow Jesus. There are only a few Christian names we remember through the centuries of the church, yet there are countless Christians saved by their fellow unknown Christians. God mostly uses the average Christian to share the gospel. His promise is to be with us as we obey the great commission (Matthew 28:20). His promise is not to the group or the organization but to the believer. He is with you as you witness to your friends, to your family, to your cowards, and your neighbor.

Soul winning is the act of preparing for Jesus’ return. The only way to face Jesus when He returns as King will be through the gospel. The seventy were sent ahead of Jesus to prepare them for the Messiah, to get them ready to receive Jesus. John the Baptist fulfilled a similar role for Jesus first coming (Luke 3:4) by preaching repentance and baptizing with water. We prepare the sinners for Jesus’ second coming through the same message of repentance and faith. If you know the love of God and if you truly love God then you will desire to save souls just as you were saved. There must be an urgency because Jesus is coming and when He returns it be to judge (John 3:17, Revelation 1:7). Evangelism is the way we prepare everyone for His return. Peter calls us to be fervent in prayer and sober-minded because the end is near (1 Peter 4:7-8). Jesus warns those who are lazy, that they will be punished (Matthew 25:26). Are you preparing for Jesus’ return? We don’t know when the day of judgment is coming so we must be ready. (1 Thessalonians 5:2)

Evangelism is an act of God’s providence. God provides through His wisdom, love, and power continually. This is because evangelism is a harvest of what God already planted since the foundation of the world. “The harvest is plentiful.” We did not plant the seeds, tend the field, or cause the growth. We are called to harvest. God has already chosen the elect from the beginning of time and they will respond with saving faith to the gospel. We don’t know who the elect are, which is why we share with everyone whenever we can. Plentiful refers to the fact that there are elect everywhere in every place and not a single one will be lost or forgotten. Zaccheus was a tax collector, an outcast with no chance to get close to Jesus (Luke 19:4-6), yet God provided the tree for Zaccheus to climb so that Jesus at the right moment, Jesus looked up and saw him. God saves His chosen through providential grace. This is why one thing God despises is a lazy Christian. He’s already provided everything, we are called to harvest. Thomas Brooks said a holy disposition and an idle life are a contradiction. The believer must not be lazy because the work is too important. God sends you to be fishers of men.

Signs of a church that neglects evangelism

– Ingrown and only focusing on the problems within

– Tunnel vision instead of seeing God’s greater purpose

– Sound doctrine arrogance which leads to a lack of grace

– Not ready to take up the cross because of pride

– Pursue to be nice instead of holy, or culturally sensitive

– Full of gossip and slander

– Thinking evangelism is the leader’s job

– Would rather keep the status quo than grow

We must repent genuinely of our disobedience to the evangelism commission. So far we have had a fake repentance. A fake repentance results in shallow and temporary praise of Jesus. Genuine repentance brings change, a change of judgment and a change of will, and a change of life. The truly repentant knows God and loves the lost as God does.

Understanding the meaning of discipleship according to Jesus is crucial. A disciple generally means a student or learner under a teacher. Context is important. Christian and disciple are interchangeable terms (Acts 11:26). The disciples of Christ were ultimately Christ-like people. In other words, if you’re Jesus’ disciple, you share the lifestyle of Jesus.

Biblically, true discipleship begins immediately after following Jesus as Lord and Savior (Matt. 4:22). Jesus’ discipleship is full of suffering but many do not understand because they merely think of discipleship as a title or that it might bring prosperity and success. The Son of Man and Creator was treated worse than even the animals. Jesus’ life was full of rejection and humiliation (Jn. 1:10-11; Matt. 2:13; Lk. 9:22). What kind of life, then, should disciples of Christ expect?

Jesus implies that the true cost of discipleship warns the prospective Christian to be ready for suffering for his sake. Why did Jesus suffer when he was sinless? Sinners hated him and were hostile against him because he preached the truth by confronting their sin and unbelief (Jn. 15:22-23). Unless sinners understand the holiness of God, they will never understand their own sinfulness. Those that love their sin hate God and Christ (Jn. 15:18). If sinners fail to understand the aforementioned truths of what it means to be Jesus’ disciple, unbelievers cannot become his disciple.

Discipleship is suffering as Jesus did. But what explanation can be given to those that think following Christ will result in a better life? The teaching and life of Jesus must be known and understood so that a true disciple of Christ is properly prepared. Jesus is essentially saying if anyone desires to follow him, they must count the cost.

Jesus helps to realize what the top priority must be when they become his disciple. Knowing and understanding what his disciples must do is to know their primary function. Abraham was a great example. God told him that his purpose was to become the father of all future believers. The man who wants to bury his father (v 57) has a seemingly legitimate reason to justify delaying to follow Christ. After all, he wants to honor his parents, which is one of the Ten Commandments. God gives warning to this kind of thinking (Prov. 14:12).

Christ Jesus is relentless when he responds by saying, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead”. Jesus makes it clear what the priority must be for anyone that wishes to follow him. It sounds harsh and uncaring or even perhaps too narrow, but what is the Lord trying to say? He wants to show that the things of God are far greater than worldly matters. Burying the dead is the unbeliever’s business and not the Christians.

Many first-world country Christians confuse and compromise the calling of Christ with other “equal” or “justifiable” things in their life. Examples of universal justifications to deny the Lord’s command to follow him are health, career, relationships after kids have grown up, etc. But Christians must understand that he calls all believers to respond to his calling to proclaim the kingdom of God (i.e., the gospel of Jesus Christ). The primary job of a believer is to win souls. 

The heart of a disciple has a true love for Jesus Christ. Only those that have totally surrendered to Jesus as Lord are able to love him. Without total surrender, true salvation never takes place by the Holy Spirit. Who can deceive omniscient God? Total surrender requires the Christian to forsake all for the Lord Jesus Christ no matter what the circumstance may be (Lk. 14:26). And the Christian understands that suffering experienced in this life reap rewards in eternity for the glory of God.

Today we are looking at the city of Antioch which is very distant from Jerusalem. At this point in Acts, there was no church in Antioch but it was a large and famous city. The city was a center for liberal studies and gathered many intellectuals while also being very corrupt and immoral. One day, Greek-speaking Jews, who most likely came to believe after hearing Apostle Peter preach in Jerusalem, were scattered throughout the land because of the persecution that started with the murder of Stephen. Even though the church had just started, it was a fearful time to be a Christian with many Jews, like Saul of Tarsus, wanting to eliminate all who professed Jesus as Christ.

At first, the gospel was only being shared with the Jews, even though Jesus had revealed to Peter that all nations would be included (Acts 10:14,34-35). By the leading and power of the Holy Spirit, the gospel was being shared and bearing fruit with the Greeks as well, so much so, that the Jerusalem church sent Barnabas, who declares this growth is the grace of God. Evangelism and the salvation of sinners truly is the grace of God. With that in mind, we will learn who God calls to evangelism, how to evangelize, and why.

Who?

Evangelism is not just for pastors or leaders. It’s not reserved for those who have free time. It’s not only for veteran and educated believers. Evangelism never happens because it’s a title or position. Evangelism is voluntary work for every Christian. It does not depend on your theological knowledge but on your personal experience of the gospel. Every Christian should realize they are sent because they have been bought by the blood of Jesus. Not just their duty but their joyful service which will also be rewarded. In Acts 11:19 it says “those who were scattered”. There’s no qualifier here except that they were scattered. It wasn’t a specific person or a particular title of Christian, but the average no-named believer (Acts 8:1). They all shared the gospel wherever they went.

Also, the Great Commission which is given in the four gospel accounts is for all Christians. Jesus commands all of us to make disciples. This is Jesus’ last and perfect will that summarizes the goal of His saving work. Therefore, evangelism is our faithful obedience to Jesus our Lord. To share the gospel is the work of faith regardless of whether the hearer will listen or not. The Great Commission is our job description and failure to evangelize is failure to do our work. This is why God calls us (Luke 4:43). Our purpose is not to gain earthly fame, riches, or comforts. Our glory awaits us in the next life. This life is reserved for the work of evangelism. 

We have the same message as Jesus and the Apostles. The gospel hasn’t changed in either content or power. What we do with the gospel has also stayed the same. Just as the Apostles and the early church proclaimed the gospel, we proclaim. The church in Thessalonians became an example by following the example of evangelism demonstrated by Jesus and the Apostles (1 Thess 1:7-8). The Thessalonians were not famous people and we don’t know their names. We know very little about them but they are remembered for being faithful and fervent to evangelize. God recognizes those who are faithful to evangelize.

How to be effective in evangelism?

Effective evangelism is not determined by numbers. Instead, it is a result of consistent faithfulness. In Antioch, evangelism was effective because of the hand of God (Acts 11:21). In Scripture, the hand of God means the power of God. God does not have a physical hand, but His hand is His power (Exodus 9:3). When we evangelize, we need God’s power because our goal is not moral or intellectual enlightenment, but to rescue sinners from the power of sin and death. Sinners will be happy to enjoy the company of Christians until they mention Christ and their need for Him because they are dead and in bondage (Eph 2:5). To rescue them, they need the power of God. The power of God is with those who are faithful.

• God’s blessing is attained with constant and fervent prayer for the lost. Salvation requires God’s presence and God’s personal delivery (Isaiah 53:1). This need is seen, when those people we would never think could be saved, those who have committed horrible sins, come to repentance and salvation. They are powerfully and personally saved by God. The arm of God has delivered even some of the most wicked, like Moses and Paul (who were murderers) or John Newton who was a slave trader. Our role is to pray for them while God is the one who saves them.
• As God’s messengers, we must have confidence in the gospel. The gospel is the truth that the world needs most desperately but denies so stubbornly. We must be like Apostle Paul who constantly and boldly proclaimed Jesus is alive before the courts. Not just confidence but passion. We must not be timid or ashamed because the gospel is the power to save (Romans 1:16).
• We must be changed. We have left our old life and been given a new life in Christ Jesus. The Christian is transformed within and continually sanctified. Our change is evidence of the authenticity of the gospel. Before we hated God and others, but now we evangelize to share the love of Christ.

Why do we evangelize?

The Christian desires to evangelize because they are converted. They are no longer dead but alive (Galatians 2:20). They realize that they are loved by God, therefore nothing will deter them from following Jesus. Their true conversion through the gospel compels them to obey Christ and love those who are still unconverted.

Conclusion

We are all evangelists and when we faithfully practice then people will be saved (Acts 11:21,23). When Barnabas arrived in Antioch he witnessed the grace of God and encouraged them. We must ask ourselves, why does our church not grow? Simply, we are not evangelizing. Maybe we evangelize once in a while but where is our consistent, diligent, passionate evangelism? We limit our evangelism to programs or holidays. Evangelism is not an event but the very purpose of our new life. We need faithful evangelism in our church by the grace of God. It is our serious sin that we fail to center our obedience around personal evangelism.

Evangelism is a loving work. It is good for the church to teach and grow in knowledge. The early church devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching (Acts 2:42). However if one fails to turn that teaching into action then it is a great danger and failure. Even with a little knowledge, the faithful can put the true gospel into action (1 Cor 15:3-4). Evangelism is also a work of prayer. We don’t have to pray hours or eloquently but we must pray. Pray in the morning, pray at your work, pray in your free time. We pray for God’s work and blessing in the hearts of the sinners (1 Kings 18:37). Evangelism is a work of love (Acts 2:47). Before we were saved we had no love. But ever since we knew God, we know love and we love the lost souls.

It is possible for the church to grow. It is possible for all of us to be evangelists. Jesus warns and encourages us in Revelation 3:4-6. We must follow Him faithfully and overcome. Therefore repent and obey. It is time to work and our church will grow by the grace of God.

In today’s text, biblical tolerance is demonstrated by Christ Jesus in dealing with the Samaritans as “they did not receive him, because he was traveling toward Jerusalem” (v 52). The 1828 Webster dictionary defines the word tolerance as “the power or capacity of enduring; or the act of enduring”. Tolerance is a Christian idea as the United States is founded on the First Amendment. Tolerance is other-centered rather than self-centered; it never retaliates. Biblical tolerance holds fast to the truth, yet showing compassion and leniency.

Jesus’ goal was to end up in Jerusalem as he approached his ascension. His ascension would include Jesus’ suffering, death, resurrection and ultimately his ascension into Heaven. In other words, the idea of going to Jerusalem is motivated by God’s love demonstrated through the sending of Jesus into the world to save sinners. And heading into Jerusalem was the beginning of the Lord’s tolerance in spite of sinners’ unbelief and hatred of him. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). 

God shows his tolerance and leniency so that sinners would repent. Prior to the sinner’s repentance, God extends his tolerance in the form of common grace to the world. “[Common grace] means that God, without renewing the heart, exercises such influence that even the unsaved man is enabled to perform good deeds toward his fellow man” (Norman Geisler). Why is God so tolerant? Because he is gracious and understands people are sinners.

Even though tolerance is a biblical idea, not all tolerance is good. Tolerance has its boundary. Biblical tolerance always is regulated by the truth. Truth can only be found in the Word of God. In other words, the Bible regulates what is tolerance. Anything else is a byproduct of cultural relativism. 

Moreover, biblical tolerance only bows to God and his word. Jesus exercises intolerance as well when anything goes against God and his word. The tiebreaker between tolerance and intolerance is the Bible. Therefore, Christians are to be tolerant based on what Scripture reveals. “I am not permitted to let my love be so merciful as to tolerate and endure false doctrine. When faith and doctrine are concerned and endangered, neither love nor patience are in order. … When these are concerned, neither toleration nor mercy are in order, but only anger, dispute, and destruction—to be sure, only with the Word of God as our weapon” (Martin Luther). 

Warning signs when Christians become tolerant unbiblically.

• Overlooking sin in others and to confront the sin.
• Offender might be in danger due to the sin (Gal. 6:1-2).
• When the sin hurts the church.
• Sin causing a broken relationship.

It is not the job of Christians to condemn sinners. God judges sinners. Biblical tolerance practiced by believers is demonstrated in their desire for the sinner to repent and put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. God is tolerant but not tolerant for sin. This applies to the church and the Lord commands each member to be intolerant of sin.

Jesus is fully God and fully man, the sinless one, the Messiah, and His goal is the ascension. Without distraction or deterrence, He is determined to go to Jerusalem to fulfill His goal. His goal is not just dying on the cross or resurrecting from the grave, it is beyond that to the ascension. The doctrine of ascension is often overlooked and rarely preached, however, it is good to know about Jesus’ ascension as He fulfills His roles as Prophet, Priest, and King.

The ascension means Jesus is crowned as King as He sits on the throne high in heaven above. He takes His place as the Lord of lords and King of kings. Jesus’ ascension happened 30 days after His resurrection in the presence of His disciples. After He ascended, the Holy Spirit descended on the day of Pentecost and the church began. The ascension begins the session of Christ. Session means the act of sitting as King over all things. We use a similar term for the U.S. Congress or for legal courts when we say they are “in session”. Jesus’ court and kingdom is now in session. Therefore there is no other name by which we can be saved because no one else sits at the right hand of God (Acts 4:12). At this moment, Jesus is waiting for the repentance of sinners and one day He will give His final judgment (Acts 19:20). 

The ascension is alluded to all over the Bible. For example, Moses went up to the mountain (Exodus 19:20), Jesus also went up the mountain (Matthew 5:1), and Enoch was taken up into heaven and the final rapture for believers (1 Thess 4:17). However the ascension is overlooked because Christianity focuses on Jesus’ death and resurrection. The ascension is the bridge of Christianity and absolutely crucial because Jesus’ ascension brings the Holy Spirit (John 16:7). Jesus could not remain physically but through the Holy Spirit, He is with us wherever we are (Matthew 28:20). By His ascension, Jesus is standing before God interceding on our behalf.

Jesus had three roles while here on earth, Prophet, Priest, and King. Due to His ascension, He continually fulfills these roles.

Prophet:

The prophet proclaims the Word of God and performs miracles. Jesus did this while on earth (Luke 9:19). Now Jesus continues to build His church through the Holy Spirit and the preaching of the Bible (John 14:12). How is it possible that the church grows where it is persecuted? How does the church grow when they are martyred? Because Jesus is still building His church. Jesus works as the Prophet and so do we. You must be filled with the Holy Spirit and share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the world. Jesus ascended not to cease His work but to continue it through us as we live a transformed life.

Priest:

In the OT, priests slaughtered the lambs as an atoning sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins towards God. They acted as an intermediary between God and man. Jesus is the one who died as a sacrifice, was raised and is now at the right hand of God, interceding for us (Romans 8:34). We are not blessed because of our riches or strength or merit but because Jesus intercedes for us. We are forgiven and blessed because Jesus is our heavenly Priest. We are also made priests through Jesus’ priesthood (1 Peter 2:5). Therefore we intercede on behalf of our brothers and sisters to Christ and serve one another. 

King:

While on earth, Jesus kept declaring that the kingdom of God is near. Jesus’ ascension and session is the actualization of Jesus’ kingdom (Matthew 28:18). He is the conquering King who defeated His enemies and is now the head of the church and ruler over all things (Ephesians 1:22). Because Jesus is King we are also a royal family. Originally we were nothing but wretched sinners with nothing but sin’s debt. But Jesus paid the ransom for us with His blood and made us co-heirs with Him. So we have no need to worry because we have Jesus as King. He has the final say in everything.

Additionally, the ascension helps us understand the cross. When Jesus was crucified, He was alone, abandoned, and betrayed by His disciples. At that moment they failed to realize the hope of the cross (Luke 24:21). Afterwards, they finally realized the purpose of the cross, that without His death there would be no resurrection or ascension (John 2:22). Apostle Peter who had once betrayed Jesus, stood firm in Christ against all worldly authorities (Acts 5:29). The ascension gave courage and conviction to the Apostles and gave to us as well. Our hope is in Christ and His crucifixion but only because He ascended! When we see the cross, we also see His resurrection and ascension. The ascension means Jesus’ death was successful. His sacrifice was accepted. It fills us with joy knowing we are forgiven and hope knowing Jesus ascended. The ascension shows that it is worth giving our lives for Christ because the result of death is ascension. 

Another important observation is that the ascension is the beginning of His return. Jesus is not here but He has promised He will come back to gather His people (Acts 1:9-11). Jesus’s return begins with His promise. God always keeps His promises.

In conclusion, through the lens of the ascension, we can gain a clearer view of Christ, His beauty, His majesty, and His glory. Repent and believe in Him and He will be ready to forgive and receive you.

The Lord Jesus desired all of his disciples to be great in the eyes of God. But the problem is that people in general want to be great in the worldly sense. Alexander the Great exemplifies someone that was considered to be one of the greatest men to ever live. He conquered and expanded his kingdom as he desired to spread Hellenism to the world. So, in many ways, he was considered great. But in God’s eyes, he is insignificant because he did not do great things for God. In today’s text, the Lord Jesus uses this moment to teach what it means to be great in the kingdom of God. Christians are to be ambitious but in the way of God. To be great in God’s eyes, Christians must avoid the hindrance of pride, invite Jesus into their hearts to have childlike faith, and have greatness assured when seeking it in the Lord.

Christians must avoid the danger of pride. When the disciples began to argue among themselves, the issue at hand was not who would be greater, but who would be considered the greatest. What was behind the disciples’ desire to be the greatest was driven by pride. Pride always put one’s own opinion above all, including the truth. In other words, pride causes blindness. But pride is most dangerous because it attempts to challenge God. Case in point, pride is what caused Lucifer to overthrow God, but rather leading to his fall and destruction (Ez. 28:17). 

“Nothing comes more naturally to fallen human beings than pride, manifesting itself in self-centeredness, self-love, self-promotion, and self-fulfillment. Pride is the defining sin of fallen human nature, the soil in which all other sins sprout, take root, and grow. It is the damning sin that produced angelic rebellion against God and sought to topple Him from His throne as the sovereign ruler of the universe” (John MacArthur). 

By the gospel of Jesus Christ, the proud are transformed to become humble. In the gospel, it is all done by God’s grace and work of salvation. For those that desire to be great in the kingdom of God, pride must be mortified through faith in Christ Jesus.

Inviting Jesus into our hearts with childlike faith. The problem is man’s corrupt heart that pursues pride and chooses self-will over God’s will. Why is Jesus’ knowledge so important? In verse 47, Jesus emphatically shows how to be great; that is, the Christian is changed by loving God and others. Prior to receiving a new heart, unbelievers love self. The least love the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:26).

How are Christians able to love fellow believers and where does it come from? Only true conversion enables the Christian to turn away from pride and living in opposition to the former life for the glory of God. True conversion results in childlike faith, which is simple faith. Childlike faith makes them the least, which ultimately makes them the greatest in the kingdom of God.

Greatness is assured when sought in the Lord’s way. The Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest in the kingdom of God. Jesus is the only One who knows how to become great in the right way before God, so believers are to heed his words. What Jesus says is that “whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:4). Even though Christians cannot see God, their childlike faith will lead them to fully trust in Jesus to do great things for the kingdom. And childlike faith inevitably produces a gift of humility.

To have faith in God gives the believer assurance of the Father’s protection and guidance through life’s challenges and circumstances. Moses had childlike faith and God considered him to be great (Num. 12:3).

Greatness in God’s eyes is accomplished through humility and childlike faith following the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ. Greatness in the kingdom of God can never be achieved through man’s effort but through obedience and sanctification. God desires to be the source of our greatness for his glory and the growth of the believer’s faith.

We need faith every day. Without faith, we would constantly be defeated in our struggle against sin and Satan. The Oklahoma Sooners’ softball team is becoming famous for having an amazing record of over 50 wins and only 1 loss. They are headed to the collegiate World Series. When asked about their success and joy, the three players that were interviewed all replied that their joy and stability is because they play for the glory of God. Their faith was greater and more important than their impressive record and accomplishments. In this passage, we see Moses also practiced faith and chose to live for God instead of the world.

Parting Faith

Faith is active. James warns that faith without works is dead (James 2:17). “By faith [Moses] left” The verb “left” implies that Moses left with a heroic determination, akin to Matthew the tax collector who left everything behind to follow Jesus (Luke 5:27-28). It was a dramatic and sacrificial parting, marking the end of that life. It required an act of faith by Moses.

A parting faith considers everything secondary to Jesus Christ. Moses left Egypt, the place he called home. In the Bible, Egypt represents the world (Isaiah 30:1-2). The world might seem appealing and secure but it is foolish to dwell and place your faith here (Genesis 13:10). Jesus says He is not of the world and we are not also. This is because the world has nothing to offer. We have all that we need in Jesus. True faith recognizes Jesus as its one and only Lord and will have no other.

Fearless Faith

There are many who are in danger if they leave their old life and follow Christ. Think of an ex-gang member who might be targeted because of his departure. Many others face danger or persecution by remaining faithful. Daniel and his friends are well-known examples of the dangers faith brings. Moses also made an enemy of Pharaoh, the most powerful man in the world. Through Moses declaring the plagues in Egypt, Pharaoh suffered greatly and even lost his first son. Yet Moses did not fear Pharaoh’s wrath because faith does not fear the creature but trusts in God. By faith, we see the impossible as an opportunity for God’s sovereignty and loving will (Romans 8:31-34). We have no need to fear bad news if we live by faith (Psalm 112:6-8).

Enduring Faith

Moses’ faith was a lasting faith that patiently waited on God. His life was full of endurance: 40 years in Egypt, 40 years in the wilderness, and 40 years leading the nation of Israel to the promised land. True faith does not only trust in God when life is going well. True faith walks through the narrow gate and endures all the hardships of life. When faith endures, then God works. By faith, Jesus endured over 30 years of life and ministry and excruciating hours on the cross to accomplish the great work of our redemption. The faithful men of old like Abraham and Job, though their lives were filled with hardships, endured and ended their lives well because they lived by faith (Genesis 25:8, Job 23:10, Job 42:17). Faith must endure.

Depending Faith

Faith is trusting in God who is unseen. We cannot see God because God is spirit. To see God’s face would mean death to us who are mere creatures (Exodus 20:4-6, Gen 32:30). Even though we cannot see God, we know God exists and is real (Romans 1:20). More importantly, we see and know God clearly through Jesus His Son (John 1:18).

In fact, trusting in God by faith is better than seeing Him with our eyes. The crowd hurling insults at Jesus on the cross were the exact ones who had seen Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead. Their sight was useless to them. Jesus tells Thomas, “Blessed are they who did not see and yet believed.” (John 20:29) Apostle Peter explains that though we do not see God, we love Him (1 Peter 1:8). Love is the means of experiencing and seeing God. Love makes tangible that which is invisible.

How do we know we trust and love God? If we have inexpressible joy (1 Peter 1:8). That inexpressible and unquenchable joy is full of glory. It is not a joy rooted in the world, but in the glory of heaven based on the promise of God (Romans 8:18). The joy that comes from an inheritance that will never fade and cannot be taken away.

Conclusion

What kind of faith do you have? Do you practice faith like Moses did? A parting, enduring, fearless, and depending faith. What Moses went through, we all go through in our lives. Examine your faith. You will find that faith like Moses is how God works.