Victory Life KY

Commissioned IV

Episode Summary

It’s important that we understand we’ve been commissioned by the Lord to carry on His mission, to do the things He did, to follow His example, to imitate Him.

Episode Notes

Commissioned- Committing or entrusting someone with supervisory authority for a specific action.
Matthew 28:16-20,NKJV- Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.
When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

This assignment isn’t just about telling people that Jesus offers humanity eternal life, but extending His Lordship through us, His Spirit empowered church.

It’s creating disciples that openly acknowledge our allegiance to Christ.
Embracing the fact that all the commands Jesus gave His first disciples are just as much a reality for us today.

Remember, Jesus said, anyone who believes in Me and the works I do, they will do also.

Then Paul adds to that by making this statement in Corinthians, “imitate me as I imitate Christ.”

It’s important that we understand we’ve been commissioned by the Lord to carry on His mission, to do the things He did, to follow His example, to imitate Him.

Now, as with everything pertaining to God, Heaven, eternity, etc... the principle that governs this new world of Christianity, is faith.

And the foundation it all has to be established on is God’s word.

In Acts 17, there’s a group of believers that received the word of God with all readiness, and search the scriptures daily to make sure what Paul was teaching was truth.

2 Peter 1, God has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them we may participate in the divine nature...

One of the most foundational truths about the Bible is that it is a living, continual unfolding of the revelation of Christ to His redeemed.

God knew that without inspired revelation directly from Him to His people, we would be left with just human intelligence.

But if we'll allow it, His word will transform our soul. How we think.

Change the way a person thinks, change the way they believe, change the way a person believes, changes their life. That’s what repentance really is. We have to yielding to His Divine guidance.

And one of the most amazing things about God's plan is that He chose from the beginning to use everyday people like you and me to advance His Kingdom. He commissioned us, supervisory authority.

When we're open to His guidance, never underestimate what He'll do through someone who will dare to believe Him. So don't underestimate yourself.

God knew that because of free will, humanity would have to have a point of reference that truth stems from. Living Word, written word.

And because we've been created to live by faith, faith is the only way the bible, a spiritual book can ever be comprehended by a human.

Hebrews makes an interesting statement, the word they heard didn’t profit them, not being mixed with faith.

Remember when Jesus appeared to His first disciples giving them final instructions, commissioning them? Some worshiped, but some doubted.
I believe this is God’s point in Hebrews, we’ve got to add our God given faith to the things Jesus tells us.

Let’s go back to His instructions in Matthew, teach them to observe all things that I have commanded you. It’s very important that we approach our discipleship with this kind of faith filled attitude, “all things are possible to him that believes.”

So as we go back to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, one of the first things we see is Him getting baptized, showing every follower the way. Remember, He’s the first born.
Luke tells us that Jesus grew in wisdom, stature, and favor with God. He’s the first born.

Matthew 3:16,NKJV- When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.

Here’s the thing, why would Jesus have to have the Spirit come upon Him? Think about it, He’s the first human born of the Spirit. And just like He had to have the Spirit on Him to do the things of the Kingdom, so does everyone else born of the Spirit.

And in chapter 4, right away the enemy comes to tempt Jesus. Hey, if satan tempted Jesus, don’t think for a second you’ll be exempt.

Matthew 4:4,NLT- But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

A key point here is to understand Jesus didn’t start His ministry until after the Holy Spirit came on Him. And the first thing he says is, “repent because the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” Change what you’re doing.

Then He starts His recruiting plan for His first disciples at the same time that He’s establishing Kingdom realities.

Matthew 4:23-25,NLKV- And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.
Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.
Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

Chapters 5-7 is what’s called the sermon on the mount. He covers beatitudes, that we’re salt and light, that He’s the fulfillment of the OT law, deals with issues of the heart, love your enemies, don’t worry, don’t judge, put the Kingdom first, and lastly, build your life on everything He says.

And the first thing He does when He finishes preaching is start healing people.

Matthew 8:1-3,NKJV- When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I AM WILLING; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Here’s something I want all of us to take a closer look at as part of His body here and now; we’re good at teaching and preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, but what’s up with the healing part?
Teaching, preaching, and healing is one of the first thing He shows His disciples. Wonder what they’re suppose to do with that example?

Matthew 8:7,NKJV- And Jesus said to him, “I WILL come and heal him.”

We’ve got to understand that repeatedly God reminds us that He shows favoritism or partiality to no one. The scripture also makes it clear that Jesus and His word doesn’t change.

Matthew 8:14-17,NKJV- Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever.
So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.
When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses.

Remember, we’ve been commissioned, entrusted with supervisory authority for a specific action.

And that action is to go and make disciples, teaching them to observe all things Jesus commanded.

So why would He train His first disciples to live and minister a certain way,
Then command them to train everyone they discipled to live the same way,
Then He move back to Heaven and expect us to live a different way and not even say anything about it to His closest followers, not to mention something in His Word?

When we follow the life of Jesus, why do you think He healed everywhere He went?

John 6:38,NKJV- For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

He even said, "if you've seen Me, you've seen the Father."

This assignment isn’t just about telling people that Jesus offers humanity eternal life, but extending His Lordship to all of humanity through the Spirit empowered church.

Creating disciples that openly acknowledges our allegiance to Christ.

I think it’s important we have talks like this because there are so many different views on the life and ministry of Jesus, especially healing. And unfortunately to the degree that we leave it out of the gospel message.

Matthew 4:23,NLKV- And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.

Matthew 8:7, Jesus responding to the centurion said, “I WILL come and heal him.”

v.13, Jesus tells the centurion, “As you have believed, so let it be down for you.”

Heres a very important point, God repeatedly reminds us that He shows favoritism or partiality to no one. The scripture also makes it clear that neither Jesus or His word change.

Remember, Jesus told us, "if you've seen Me, you've seen the Father." So the whole if it be God’s will thing is out.

I believe that everything Jesus did with His life here was not only pointing to what He was about to accomplish for all on the cross, but showing what humanity, anointed by the Holy Spirit is supposed to look like.

Remember Matthew, You go and teach them to observe all things I’ve commanded you.”

Matthew 8:23-26,NKJV- Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.
And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep.
Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

Then they land in the region of the Gadarenes and some demon possessed men met Jesus and said, “have you come to torture us before our time?”

In Matthew 9, Jesus goes back to His home town and right away, guess what’s the first thing He does? I like Marks version of this passage.

Mark 2:1-12,NKJV- And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them.
Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.
When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘ Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’?
But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins” —He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Then He calls Matthew to be a disciple and immediately goes to hang out with Matthew’s sinner friends, where He makes this radical statement from the prophet Hosea in v.13, “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

In v. 17 Jairus comes to Jesus about his daughter and is interrupted by the women with the issue of blood.

Once again Mark gives us much more detail. Jesus tells Jairus, “Don’t be afraid, only believe.”
Then he tells two blind men, “According to your faith, let it be done to you.”

Matthew 9:35-38,NLT- Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few.
So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

Matthew 10:1,NKJV- And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.