April 28, 2006

Welcome back! Thanks for joining us today. This has been an exciting week with the launch of our combined blog and podcast. Today I would like to continue talking about the disciples and evangelism:

The important thing was they were honest men willing to confess their need. They had a sincere yearning for God and they were teachable. They were fed up with the hypocrisy of the ruling aristocracy. They represented a cross section of the population and were proof that Jesus could use anyone who wanted to be used! Jesus concentrated on those that he was going to use. You can’t transform the world except as individuals in the world are transformed. The principle is to select a few helpers and at the same time keep the group small enough that you can work with them.

 

As the number of Jesus’ followers increased, there came a time when Jesus had to select the twelve in order to keep the group manageable. Jesus intended that these men would have special privileges and responsibilities in the Kingdom work. Within the twelve, Peter, James, and John seemed to enjoy even a more special relationship with the Master.

The more concentrated the size of the group being taught, the greater is the opportunity for effective instruction.

 

Jesus cared deeply for the masses, but he avoided playing to his popular sentiment. Whenever he would heal someone, he would request that that person say nothing about it to anyone. When applauded by the crowd, Jesus would slip away with his disciples and go somewhere else.

 

Jesus’ purpose was not to impress the crowd, but to usher in a kingdom. He needed people who could lead the masses. It would have done him no good to arouse the masses and then have no trained leaders to lead them. The masses were like sheep without a shepherd. They would have followed anyone. Unless Jesus’ converts were given competent men of God to lead them and protect them in the truth, they would very soon fall into confusion and despair.

 

Jesus was no dummy! He realized the fickleness of human nature. He knew that he would need leaders inspired by his life to lead them. He devoted himself to a few men so that in the end the masses could be saved. Strangely enough, this method is scarcely comprehended in practice today.

 

Most of the evangelism efforts of the church today begin with the masses. The result is our emphasis on numbers of converts, candidates for baptism, and more members in church. Little or no concern is manifest for establishing these people in the love and power of God say nothing of continuing the work of Jesus Christ.

 

If the pattern of the work of Jesus means anything, it teaches us that the responsibility of the church is to lay the foundation on which can be built a continuing evangelistic ministry to the masses. Time and effort spent on a few people does not neglect the rest of the world. In time, a few dedicated people will shake the world for God. Everything that is done for the few is for the salvation of the many.

Thanks again to our sponsor: www.thegreatcommissionchurch.org . Please visit their web page. Please send any comments regarding this blog to: [e-mail] . Remember-your input is important to us!