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News & Events TRAINING MANUAL ON THE THEME FOR 2009 The Strategy of Jesus There is no person in history who has impacted all of mankind more than Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was deeply concerned for the continuation of his redemptive, reconciling work after the close of his earthly existence, and his chosen method was the formation of a small band of committed friends. He did not form an army, establish a headquarters, or even write a book. What he did was to collect a few very common men and women, inspire them with the sense of his spirit and vision, and build their lives into an intensive fellowship of affection, worship and work. One of the truly shocking passages of the gospel is that in which Jesus indicates that there is absolutely no substitute for the tiny, loving, caring, reconciling society. If this fails, he suggests, all is failure; there is no other way. He told the little bedraggled fellowship that they were actually the salt of the earth and that if this salt should fail there would be no adequate preservative at all. He was staking all on one throw. What we need is not intellectual theorizing or even preaching, but a demonstration. One of the most powerful ways of turning people’s loyalty to Christ is by loving others with the great love of God. We cannot revive faith by argument, but we might catch the imagination of puzzled men and women by an exhibition of a fellowship so intensely alive that every thoughtful person would be forced to respect it. If there should emerge in our day such a fellowship, wholly without artificiality and free from the dead hand of the past, it would be an exciting event of momentous importance. A society of genuine loving souls, set free from the self-seeking struggle for personal prestige and from all unreality, would be something unutterably priceless and powerful. A wise person would travel any distance to join it. THINK, TALK, ACT AND LOVE LIKE JESUS Introduction “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…” Phil. 2:5 What is the mind of Christ? Concern Religious deception is rife these days. So concerned was the person that he/she had written: - “How deceitful! I thought this book was the bible. They have copied the cover of the good news bible. How deceitful religions are…” WHO IS JESUS? Jesus Christ is the Messiah, Savior, and founder of the Christian church. The Bible describes Jesus Christ in detail—his life, his work, and his teachings—in the four books called the Gospels. A picture of the same person from four different angles is the result. Yet all of the Gospels agree on one thing: Jesus is the Lord of lords and the King of kings. THE BIBLE, THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS, “…THIS MIND…” THE BIBLE IS THE EXPRESSION OF THE WILL OF GOD - OUR CREATOR AND OUR REDEEMER - WHO HAS DISCLOSED HIS NATURE IN HIS WORD. IT IS THEREFORE THE MIND OF GOD!!! The Bible links the thoughts of a man to who he is: - Prov. 23 : 7 THINK LIKE JESUS To think like Jesus will bring you into a realm of thinking that conflicts with the way the world thinks. Isaiah 55 : 7,8; Ez 18:21. A man’s thoughts are driven by his principles. The dificiencies in the principles and standards of the world are clearly seen when contrasted with the principles and standards of Jesus. This is illustrated below:
The following are topics that can be explored under ‘Thinking like Jesus’: 1. The heart as the source of all actions 2. As a man thinketh, so is he 3. The mind of Christ 4. Renewing your mind 5. Let the word of God richly dwell in you 6. God looks at the heart 7. Examining your motives 8. Doing all things to the glory of God 9. Think not too highly of yourself TALK LIKE JESUS What does talking like Jesus mean? Why should the Christian talk like Jesus? To answer these questions one has to take a look at what was unique about the things Jesus said. CHRISTIANITY IS BEING LIKE CHRIST.
NOT JUST AUTHORITY, BUT DIVINE AUTHORITY! Divine authority speaks life unto us. - John 17:13-23 - John 14:10 "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. (NKJV) Divine authority speaks life into us. - John 10:1-10 - John 6:63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. (NKJV) Divine authority speaks life through us. - Col. 1:10-14 - Matthew 5:13-15 - Col. 4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. (KJV) How do you talk when:-
“…IN THE NAME OF JESUS…” Whenever we are able to talk like Jesus, we are able to talk with authority. That authority is fully manifested when we add the phrase “…in the name of Jesus…” to our prayer or any statement expressing faith and trust in God. The following are topics that can be explored under ‘Talking like Jesus’: 1. Taming the tongue 2. Quick to hear and slow to speak ACT LIKE JESUS We cannot detach Jesus from his teachings. His actions were always in consonance with the things He said. HE WALKED THE TALK! The following instances are powerful examples of the unique, unorthodox and even “abnormal” way Jesus acted when faced with situations that can confront any follower of Christ. SERMON ON THE MOUNT (Matt. 5-7) Matthew’s record of the Sermon on the Mount presents an impressive body of teaching, mainly focusing on morals. The teachings recorded in this section were radical but not in a political sense. The central theme of the sermon is summarized in Matt. 5:48, “You shall be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Perfect here indicating wholeness, completeness and maturity. That is being all that God wants a person to be. THAT IS THE WAY WE, LIKE CHRIST, OUGHT TO ACT.
THE LORD’S PRAYER (Matt. 6:9-13) The character, passion, ministry and mission of Jesus are exposed even in this prayer that he taught his disciples. It is only a true disciple who can effectively offer this prayer without pretense and hypocrisy. It is also called the disciple’s prayer. JESUS AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES In the early stages of his ministry, Jesus was very popular with the ordinary people. Jesus and the religious leaders often clashed over the observance of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-14; Luke 13:10-17; John 5:9-18). Jesus adopted a more human-centered view. Jesus did not hesitate to confront others on issues that involved moral or religious questions. TEACHING IN PARABLES (JESUS ACTED LIKE A MATURE TEACHER) Matthew collected into a group some of the parables that concern the theme of the kingdom (Matt.13). The parable was a favorite teaching form of Jesus. The parable was valuable because everyone can relate to a story and still be challenged. Jesus did not speak in parables in order to obscure his meaning. This would be contrary to all that he aimed to do through his work and teaching. THE LORD’S SUPPER Jesus’ actions preceding and during the Lord’s Supper were remarkable and worth noting. (John 13)
THE BETRAYAL AND ARREST In John’s Gospel, the sense of approaching climax is expressed in terms of “his hour” (John 13:1).
THE TRIAL
THE CRUCIFIXION
The following are topics that can be explored under ‘Acting like Jesus’: 1. Maintaining single identity 2. Presenting your body as living sacrifice 3. Suffering for doing what is right 4. Seeking to please God, not men 5. Provoking others unto good works 6. Tolerance and forgiveness 7. Reaching to the erring 8. Condescending to men of low estate 9. Beware of trend towards materialism and covetousness 10. The care of the world LOVE LIKE JESUS Love is the medium in which all of God’s acts of redemption flows. GOD IS LOVE - “He that loveth not knoweth not Go; for God s love.” – 1John 4:8 “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” – 1John 4:16 LOVE LIKE JESUS – LOVE ONE ANOTHER “This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.” – John 15:12 John 3 : 16 EXAMPLES OF JESUS’ SHOW OF LOVE
Luke 19:10 The following are topics that can be explored under ‘Loving like Jesus’: 1. Loving God with all your heart 2. Obedience, and indication of love of God 3. Loving God means loving your neighbor 4. Love for enemies-how practicable 5. The heart as the source of all actions 6. Compassion for the lost 7. Living at peace with all men CONCLUSION JESUS ACTED IN CONSONANCE WITH THE THINGS HE TALKED ABOUT. Just as the book of Acts is the acts records the acts the Holy Spirit through the disciples, the gospels are the acts of Jesus the Christ. When we diligently study the Gospels we are studying how to TALK and ACT the way Jesus did. IF YOU TALK LIKE JESUS, YOU WILL ACT LIKE JESUS. |
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