Jun. 04, 2023

The King says… (4 June 2023) – Pastor John Custer

Introduction - For everyone who is a subject of a king, what the King says is pretty important.  In our case, as Christians, the words Jesus said are the most important communications any of us have ever received.  Today’s lesson and the next several will deal with this important topic.  Let’s have a look at the first one:

Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  

Of all the commands Jesus spoke to us, this one is foremost.  Many Christian are troubled about our nation’s course.  In a democracy all elements in society have a hand in running the country.  Any democracy will always have a natural mix of conservative and liberal people within it.  Political parties are natural centers of energy for marshaling groups of people for either side’s interests.  It is natural for us to assume that politicians will move the nation toward righteousness if we just elect the right ones.  This leaves an important part of a democracy unaddressed, that is, the entire electorate!  We can make all sorts of laws, but they are useless unless they are obeyed.  If the hearts of the people are bent on unrighteousness, they will still eventually elect the unrighteous, who will make unrighteous laws which will promote chaos within a country.  For example, the landmark removal of Roe vs. Wade didn’t solve the sin problem of the murder of infants; it just moved the responsibility to allow or disallow it to all the member states of our country.  It was a good move, but it was like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.  Nothing changed in the hearts of the people, so the sin still continues.  

Jesus had wisdom smarter than all of our current government wranglings.  He never lifted a finger to change the Roman Empire or any other seat of government.  He just said to pray for kings and others in authority.  Regarding immediate requirements which governments place upon us, like taxes, Jesus said this: 

Matthew 17:24-27 On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the Temple tax?” 25 “Yes, he does,” Peter replied. Then he went into the house. But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Peter? Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered? ” 26 “They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied. “Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! 27 However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.” NLT

What a lesson! Just catch a fish and your debt to the government will be paid!  This probably doesn’t mean that your next trout fishing trip will pay the year’s tax debt to the IRS.  It DOES give new meaning to the Scripture that we are “fishers of men” (Jesus’ words) and that the pacifying of the government may be connected to the catching of men!  This is an interesting parallel to the main job Jesus gave us, to make disciples.  We cannot expect our country to change unless the electorate is substantially changed.  This is done through the new birth, first, and the making of disciples, second.  Most churches in America focus on making believers.   This is only the first step in Jesus’ plan to build His church.  Let’s take a simple, quick look at how to make a disciple:

1.  First, determine if the person is a believer.  This is usually evident from the conversation you have with them: whether they need help, are depressed, asking for answers, complaining about their life, etc.  If someone asks you a question you don’t know the answer to, it is a good sign that God is not doing anything in that person and that you should move on, seeking to make other friends.  If they don’t pose the usual tricky challenges, (why does God let evil exist? Why do babies die?, etc.)  offer help: “Jesus is the answer I’ve found.” “Do you want to follow Him?  Then get baptized to declare your faith. “You don’t need to have them repeat a prayer.  Baptism is the declaration they need to make!

2.     Baptize the person.  Find water deep enough to submerge someone and stand beside the person immersing them into the water (straight down, or leaning backward or forward). Say “Do you believe in Jesus Christ with all your heart?” Then say, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, (the Lord Jesus Christ.”)

      3.  Baptize them in the Holy Spirit Teach them to pray in a tongue by telling them that, if they ask Jesus             to do it for them, they can have a private prayer language which enhances their prayers.  Just open             their mouth and speak except don’t speak in a language they have learned.  

       4.  Teach them to get involved in a small house church (branch group). There, they learn how to             teach, lead, encourage, worship, share, bear others burdens, etc.  It’s a hands-on learning lab about             how to be a Christian.  In the process, Jesus forms a church from the group.  Jesus always forms the             church in this order:  

Believers turn into Disciples which are formed into a Church.

We can change the country!  It’s up to God whether or not America will be great again.  Prayer all by itself will not get the job done.  Making disciples will.  Please don’t rely on politicians to do our job for us! You don’t need pages of theology training to get the job done.  Our job is to baptize and teach.  Every one of us can and should do this.

The next saying of Jesus we will examine touches everything else He commands us to do.  It involves faith:

Luke 18:15-17 One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him. 16 Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. 17 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” NLT

We are taught here that we must receive the Kingship of Jesus like a child.  So, we can ask ourselves “How does a child receive something from a loving, authoritative person who is over him?”  From our own experiences, we received stories and instruction from a trusted adult without question.  This scripture is not teaching us to be childish (immature in behavior and thought) but to receive Jesus as King as we would have if we first learned of Him from an adult we trusted.  Really, receiving Jesus as a child would do boils down to believing that everything Jesus said is true.   If we believe that, then we will begin acting upon everything He said to do, considering the context, audience, and applicability of what He said.   

This means doing some things you are uncomfortable doing.  (Let’s be truthful, afraid is really what we mean!)  Some fears are right and good to prevent us from walking off a tall building, jumping in a cage with a tiger, etc.  Others are counter-productive: fear of speaking, fear of being judged, fear or dislike of other believers, fear of the loss of our life and riches, fear of failing, fear of not knowing enough, etc.  There are affections, likewise, which are destructive: love of money, inordinate love of life, love of another person above God, holding something else as more important than Jesus.  Here’s what Jesus says about this subject:

John 12:25 Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. 26 Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me. NLT

Conclusion:  The making of a disciple involves faith on our part; not a lot, but an entry-level type faith.  Please don’t wait until you get filled with knowledge!  This will never happen!  You will be sitting silently, listening to the next CD or series on end-time events for the next 50 years.  Don’t let common fears paralyze you into endless knowledge-gathering: Will it be received? Will it work? What if I get laughed at or ridiculed? What if I don’t know an answer? etc.  This is the job for all of us, not just the leaders.  Go out and “make friends” over a coffee. You will gain the honor of God for simply trying!