Da review 1/6/20

Primary Audience: Users who have gone through PathwayStart and Forward. They should already be very familiar with the gospel, but this lesson is intended to remind, refresh, and deepen their grasp on the gospel. 

Title: The Good News Unpacked

Series:  Discipleship in 3D

Image: No Need

Excerpt: No Need

Introduction

Jesus referred to the “Good News” or the “gospel” as the “keys to the kingdom” (Matt 16:13-20). The gospel is the one message that unlocks heaven’s doors to us when we turn from our sin and idols to wholeheartedly embrace the Lord and Savior offered to us in it (cf John 5:24; 14:6; 2 Thes 2:13-14). It ushers us into God’s presence wherein we receive the true knowledge of God, including His kind intentions toward us through His complete pardon and the new standing He gifts us (John 3:16; Eph 2:1-10). Through the gospel we experience God’s great love and His renewing power for a life lived in the enjoyment of His presence and the pursuit of the holiness that so pleases Him and is good for us ( Thes 2:13-14; 2 Cor 7:1; 2 Tim 1:7; Heb 12:1-2; 1 Peter 1:15-16).

Again, Jesus called the gospel, the keys  of heaven. From this statement alone, we can assess the importance of grasping, digesting, internalizing, and clearly articulating this precious message. It is the very word of God, which through the Spirit, works so powerfully in our hearts (1 Thes 2:13; Heb 4:12-13). It is the very word of God preached to every creature under heaven (Matt 24:14: Col 1:6, 23), showing forth the only name under heaven by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Every good thing from God, both in this life and in the next, flows to us by faith – faith that lays hold of Christ in the gospel (cf. Rom 8:28-39; 2 Tim 1:9-10).

Key Objectives for This Lesson

• To understand the four aspects of the one message of the gospel

• To summarize the gospel in your own words

• To memorize a key gospel verse

• To pray through the gospel in God's presence

• To prayerfully share the gospel with others in your world

One Message - Four Aspects

The gospel teaches us that:

1. God Created Us, Male and Female, in His Image
   We were created in the image of the One, Sovereign, and Majestic God - unique, holy, loving, wise, and powerful - in order that we might know, enjoy, and serve Him fully (Gen 1:26-27, 2:7). We were designed and therefore find our greatest delight in returning to Him continuous thanksgiving, praise and honor (Gen 1:26-27; 2:7). In short, the term image evokes related ideas of ownership, relationship, and representation. He owns us (1 Cor 6:19-20) and we depend on Him for our very existence (Gen 2:7). He desires a deep relationship with us (Psalm 73:25), and we for our part must faithfully represent His character, will and ways in the world He created (2 Cor 5:14-15). As image-bearers we are fundamentally accountable to Him for the purity and truthfulness of our worship, our character and lives before Him, and our actions and relationships in His world (Romans 14:10; 2 Cor 5:10; Rev 22:12).

2. But, We Have Rebelled against Him
   Our first parents turned away from Him, leading inexorably to the just judgment of God and plunging all of us into spiritual and physical ruin (death) - a ruin we freely and willingly live out each day (Gen 3:1-24; Rom 3:23; 5:12-14; Eph 2:1-3; 4:17ff). We continually suppress His glorious presence and transgress His commands, thinking it wise and lofty to despise Him and His rightful claim on our existence and lives (Rom 1:18-32). We have replaced Him with ourselves, exalting our will and desires over His, staunchly refusing to give Him thanks and relentlessly pursuing autonomy (idolatry). While His image in us remains, it is seriously corrupted and polluted. We foolishly entrench ourselves daily in a misery of our own making. In short, as a divine and just consequence of our rebellion and spiritual infidelity, we live separated from the One who loves us; we live in ruin, misery, and death, personally, corporately and historically (Eph 2:1-3; 4:17-19).

3. Christ Paid the Just Penalty for Sin
   God, because of His great mercy and love for His erring, image-bearing creatures, sent His Son - the perfect God-Man - to save us from the guilt and pollution of our sin, and God's just judgment against us (1 Thes 1:9-10). He willingly and freely offered Himself to the Father as the cross-ransom for our sin, paying the penalty we incurred before our Creator, delivering us from His just wrath against us. The penalty paid, Jesus rose from the dead, victorious over sin's judgment, and now reigns as Lord and Life-giver at the Father's right hand (Acts 2:36; Eph 1:20-22) .

4. God Promises To Welcome Those Who Return To Him in Faith and To Judge Those Who Do Not
   God is working out His plan for human history (Eph 1:11) and is likewise summoning all people everywhere to repent from their sin and place their faith in Christ alone (Acts 4:12; 17:30-31). He freely and graciously promises to completely welcome, pardon and renew - now and eternally - all who turn to Him in faith (John 3:16; 5:24; Eph 2:8-9). He likewise promises judgment - present and eternal - to those who persist in their stubborn autonomy (Matt 7:21-23; 25:41-46; John 5:28-29; 2 Thes 1:8-10; Rev 14:9-11).

In Your Own Words

Try to put the gospel message into your own words, being careful to include the details of the four points. You can use the Notes pane to record your thoughts.

Memorizing John 3:16

You can use the translation that you're familiar with. Below is the NET translation of John 3:16.

3:16 For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Praying the Gospel in God's Presence

There are four main or principle parts to the one message of the gospel. Bring each one before the Lord in prayer with the following questions and thoughts in mind:

1. Lord, what does it mean to have been made in your image? To give thanks and praise to you? To enjoy, serve, and joyfully submit to your ownership of my life? What does it mean that you created me to be free in you and to be accountable to you?

2. Lord, I see sin - refusal to worship you, etc - in my life and I agree with you that I am accountable for it. Help me to see how much you love me and yet how sinful my sin really is in your eyes.

3. Lord, give me understanding; how great is my sin if Jesus - the Perfect God-Man - had to die to secure my pardon and renewal? Help me see, Lord, how Jesus' death provides the complete cleansing for my rebellion and guilt, and the sure foundation for my relationship with you. Help me see how it is the hope for every person!

4. Lord, you are summoning me to turn from my sin and embrace Jesus by faith. Help me to do this with my whole heart, knowing that you promise to receive, welcome, pardon and renew me fully. Help me to see Lord that I can return to you only through faith and trusting you, and that I dare not rely on my own autonomous effort to secure your pardon, for such would be to denigrate and render void the sin-cleansing cross of Christ. Strengthen me, Lord, to share your life-giving gospel - lovingly and wisely - with my friends and family.

Share the Gospel with God's Strength

Sharing the gospel with family, friends, co-workers and others is a great privilege. We have been called as Christ's ambassadors to do just that (2 Cor 5:20)! Therefore, let us learn how to communicate with greater skill, all the while learning to pray and trust God for the people we speak to about the gospel. Here are a few tips to assist you in sharing the gospel

• Pray for Your Friends Who Do Not Yet Know Christ

• Invest Time Listening and Asking Good Questions

• Do Not Present Christ as a Therapeutic Solution Only or Primarily

• Remember, Sharing Christ Is Often A Process

Summary & Go-Fwd

We were created for God and find our truest self in relationship to and with Him; He is most glorified in our dependence upon Him. He is glorified by our humble and willing obedience and we are most thrilled and joyful when bringing delight to Him (Psalm 149:4).

Our relationship with God, however, is not automatic; we are not born in relationship with Him, we are born separated from Him and need to understand and respond (repentance and faith) to His gracious offer in the gospel, lest we continue to expose ourselves to His wise and just judgment.

It is critical, then, to grasp the one, unified message of the gospel in terms of its four main aspects. Taken together they constitute the Christ-centered keys of the kingdom and God's gracious offer of forgiveness, restoration and renewal in Christ. To misunderstand, misstate, denigrate or deny any aspect inherent in the gospel is (1) to weaken or even destroy real, genuine, saving faith, for true faith lays hold of the one, true God according to His revelation in the gospel, and (2) to variously distort true gospel living. In short, everything claiming spiritual, moral, or eternal status is to be measured by the glorious gospel of the blessed God (1 Tim 1:11) and deviation from it justly exposes one to God's curse (cf. Galatians 1:6-9; Romans 6:17; 1 Thes 2:13; 2 Thes 2:13-14).

So the biblical gospel leads to phenomenal blessing, indeed, the blessing of the kingdom (cf. Gal 3:6-14). To enter into relationship with God through Christ (John 14:6), wherein He reigns through His Spirit and His word in our lives (Rom 8:9), is tantamount to entering the kingdom of God. The kingdom was inaugurated at Christ's first coming - through His incarnate Person and sacrificial death on the cross, leading to His resurrection, ascension, and exaltation to the Father's right hand (Psalm 2:6-7) - followed by His pouring out of the Spirit on all those who believe the gospel (i.e., the "good news")...

But, more about these amazing truths in the next lesson...

Kuanguka Toleo La 2011

Imetolewa na…
Dk. Roger Pascoe, Rais,
Taasisi ya Mahubiri ya Kibiblia
Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

“Kuimarisha Kanisa katika Mahubiri ya Ki-Bibilia na Uongozi”

Hili ni toleo la kwanza la jarida la robo mwaka kwa wachungaji, kila toleo litajumuisha baadhi ya makala katika baadhi ya mada zifuatazo: Kuhubiri, uongozi wa kanisa, maswala ya huduma za kichungaji, historia ya kanisa, Mpangilio wa mahubiri na makala juu ya Ibada kwa ajili ya kukutia moyo wewe binafsi. Huduma ya Tovuti hii hasa ni kwa ajili ya wachungaji na watu wote wanahusika katika huduma ya kikristo kwa ujumla.

Dhamira yetu ni “Kuimarisha kanisa katika kuhubiri na juu ya uongozi wa kibiblia” na tunatarajia kwamba uchapishaji huu wa kielektroniki utafanya hivyo tu pale tunapojaribu kufundisha, kusaidia, na kuwatia moyo watu katika huduma hii ulimwenguni pote, hata katika sehemu za ndani zaidi.

Mungu akubariki sana katika huduma yako kwa ajili yake, yawezekana makala hizi zikawa chanzo cha msukumo na motisha katika kukiri kwako juu ya Neno la Mungu na uongozi wako kwa watu wa Mungu.

Sehemu Ya I. Kuhubiri: Ni Nini?

Na Dkt. Roger Pascoe, Rais,
Taasisi ya kuhubiri Biblia,
Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

Mahubiri ya ki-Biblia ni utangazaji wa ujumbe wa wazi (Umma) wa ujumbe kutoka kwa Mungu, unaotokana na maudhui ya kimaandiko. Kuhubiri katika Biblia kunahusisha kuhubiri ujumbe kutoka kwa Mungu kwenda kwa wasikilizaji fulani mahali fulani na kwa wakati fulani, ambao ujumbe unatoka kwa neno la Mungu, maandiko matakatifu, ambayo unafafanua na unahusisha maisha ya wasikilizaji wako.

Ni muhimu sana kujua kwamba ujumbe huo huo uwe wa kwanza kukusaidia wewe a kuhusisha na maisha yako binafsi (kile tunachokiita “kuhubiri kwa mwili”) ili kwamba kile unachokihubiri kinaonekana kwako kwa njia ambayo wasikilizaji wako wanaweza kuona ujumbe unauishi mbele zao.

Kuhibiri ki-Biblia siyo mhadhara; siyo hotuba, siyo mchezo wa kuigiza. Bali iko katika mfumo wake yenyewe. “Mhubiri siyo mwandishi anayesoma swaada wake mwenyewe; yeye ni sauti, ni moto, mtangazaji, ni jasiri katika kazi yake takatifu- anazungumzia jina la Mbinguni na nguvu. Kuna waandishi wengi kwenye mimbari kuliko wahubiri.”¹

Kuna tafsiri nyingi za kuhubiri kibiblia (wakati mwingine inaitwa uhubiri wa maonyesho) kama vile:

Stephen Olford: “kuhubiri kwa maonyesho ni ufafanuzi wa nguvu iliyowezeshwa na Roho na kutangaza neno la Mungu, kwa kuzingatia ukweli wa kihistoria, kimazingira, kisarufi na mafundisho muhimu ya kifungu ulichopewa, na kitu maalumu cha kuomba matokeo na majibu ya mabadiliko ya Kristo.”

Haddon Robinson: “Mahubiri ya maonyesho ni mawasiliano ya dhana ya kibiblia, inayotokana na kupitishwa kwa njia ya maandishi ya kihistoria, kisarufi, na fasihi ya kifungu katika mazingira yake, ambayo Roho Mtakatifu kwanza huhusisha katika utu na uzoefu wa mhubiri kisha kwa wasikilizaji wake.” ²

John Stott: “Mtangazaji anafungua kile kinachoonekana kufungwa, huweka wazi kilichofichwa hufunua kilichofungwa na kufua kile kilichojaa kabisa… Jukumu letu kama wachukuzi ni kufungua (Maandishi) kwa njia ambayo inazungumza ujumbe wake wazi, wazi, kwa usahihi, sawa sawa, bila kuongeza, kuondoa au uwongo.” ³

J. I. Packer: “Wazo la kweli la (Kuelezea) mahubiri ni kwamba mhubiri anapaswa kuwa msukumo wa ujumbe wake, na kuufungua na kuuhusisha kama neno kutoka kwa Mungu kwenda kwa wasikilizaji, akizungumza tu ili kwamba ujumbe unaweza kusema wenyewe na ukasikika, na ukifanya kila hatua kutoka katika ujumbe wake kutoka katika ujumbe huo kwa njia ambayo wasikilizaji watambue (sauti ya Mungu).” ⁴

Ninazo tafsiri mbili- moja fupi na nyingine ndefu:

Tafsiri yangu fupi: “Lihubiri Neno” (2 Timotheo 4:2)

Ufafanuzi wangu mrefu: “Kuhubiri Kibiblia, ni kutangaza neno la Mungu, kwa nguvu ya Roho mtakatifu… ambayo inatafsiri maana yake kwa usahihi, inaeleza ukweli wake wazi, inatangaza ujumbe wake kwa mamlaka, na inahusisha kwa maana yake kweli (kwa mfano. Maisha ya kisasa)…Kwa lengo la kutoa majibu yenye mabadiliko kiroho kwa wasikilizaji.”

Mahubiri yote ni lazima yawe ya ki-Biblia. Lazima ichukuliwe kutoka na pia katika kweli, na kweli iwe Neno la Mungu lililosemwa na mhubiri. Mahubiri ya ki-Biblia ni ukweli wa Mungu uliotolewa kupitia wakala wa kibinadamu. Kwa hivyo mahubiri ya ki-Biblia yanahitaji mtazamo wa juu wa ki-Maandiko- kwamba yamevuviwa na Roho Mtakatifu, na pia inaaminika kabisa maandiko ndio mamlaka ya juu kwa Wakristo kwa kile tunachoamini na jinsi tunavyoishi. kwa hiyo ni mamlaka yetu pekee ya kuhubiri. Ikiwa tunashindwa kuhubiri maandiko, mahubiri yetu hayazidi falsafa.

Kuna njia mbili za kuhubiri- moja inaitwa kuhubiri Ki-Biblia (au, ufafanuzi) na nyingine inaitwa kuhubiri kwa maandishi. Mada ya kuhubiri inaanza na mhubiri kuamua juu ya mada na kisha kuikuza kupitia maandishi yanayo husiana na asehemu husika. Hatari ya ufundishaji huu ni (1) hii inaweza kuwa inawachanganya wasikilizaji kwa sababu kawaida anuwani ya maandishi hurejewa; na (2) wakati mwingine inaweza kupotosha, hasa ikiwa maandishi hutumika nje ya muktadha (ambayo mara nyingi huwa hivyo) lakini kuhubiri kwa maandishi inaweza kuwa na faida kwa sababu inatoa fursa ya kuwasilisha wigo mpana wa mafundisho ya kimaandiko juu ya mada fulani. Kwa maeneo mengine, inaweza kuwa uwasilishaji wa kimfumo wa mada ya kibiblia.

Mahubri ya ki-Biblia, kwa upande mwingine huanza na maandishi, ambayo mhubiri anakuwa ameamua mada. Kwa sababu hiyo sasa, mhubiri huanza kutoa maandishi kwanza na kitu cha pili hutoa mada kuhusiana na maandishi hayo, anashughulika tu na maandishi hayo na mada hiyo katika mahubiri yake. Hii haimaanishi kwamba hatarejelea maandishi mengine yanayohusiana na kila anachohubiri. Mara nyingi tunaleta maandishi mengine ili kuunga mkono kile tunachosema na kwa njia hii huonesha umoja wa Neno la Mungu. Kwa hiyo njia zote mbili zina uhalali, lakini naamini kuwa njia nzuri ya kuhubiri ni kuanza na Neno na kueleza mada ambayo imefunikwa katika kifungu ambacho tumechagua. Njia yeyote ile unayochukua, hakikisha “Unaliihubiri Neno!”

Kwa hiyo kuhubiri ni nini? Kuhubiri kunajumuisha mambo manne:

1. Kutangaza
2. Kutafsiri
3. Maelezo
4. Kuhusisha katika maisha

Katika maswala yanayokuja ya Jarida hili, tutazungumzia kila moja ya mambo haya ya kuhubiri. Bwana akubariki sana unapotafuta kumtukuza kwa uaminifu na kutabngaza wazi wazi ukweli wa Mungu kwa maisha ya kila mtu.

Sehemu Ya Ii. Uongozi Ni Kuwa Mfano Wa Ki-Mungu Wa Kuigwa

“Leta mfano wa kibinafsi- kimawazo, Neno na Matendo”

Na: Daktari Roger Pascoe, Rais,
Taasisi ya kufundisha Biblia,
Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

Mfano wa Kuigwa ni nini?

Mfano wa kuigwa ni kielelezo- mtu au kitu cha kuiga au kufuata. Kuwa mfano bora wa Kiungu kulikuwa na maana sana kwa mtume Paulo. Siyo tu kwamba alikuwa mfano wa kuigwa maishani mwake, lakini anatushauri na sisi kuwa mfano wa kuigwa wa kiungu katika maisha yetu. Anaiweka katika njia hii:

• “Nawatia moyo ninyi, kisha, muige maisha yangu” (1Wakoritho 4;16)
• “Mambo haya yaliwapata wao kwa ajili ya mfano…”(1 Wakorintho 10:11)
• “Mnifuate mimi kama mimi ninavyomfuata Kristo” (1 Wakorintho 11:1)
• “Ndugu zangu mnifuate mimi, mkawatazame wao waendao kwa kufuata mfano tuliowapa ninyi” (Wafilipi 3:17)
• “Hata mkawa kielelezo kwa watu wote waaminio…” (1Wathesalonike 1:7)
• “Mwajua wenyewe jinsi iwapasavyo kutufuata; kwa sababu hatukwenda bila utaratibu kwenu” (2 Wakorintho 3:7)
• “…sisi wenyewe ni mfano kwenu ili mpate kuiga kielelezo chetu” (2 Wathesalonike 3:9)
• “…uwe kielelezo kwa waumini katika usemi, mwenendo, upendo, uaminifu na usafi” (1Tim. 4:12)

Waandishi wengine wa Agano Jipya (NT) pia msisitizo wao ni umuhimu wa kuwa mfano wa kiungu, au kielelezo.

Yakobo. “Ndugu watwaeni manabii walionena kwa jina la Bwana, wawe mfano wa kustahimili mabaya, na wa uvumilivu” (Yakobo 5:10)

Petro. “Sababu hiyo mliitiwa, kwa maana Kristo naye aliteswa kwa ajili yenu, katuachia kielelezo…” (1 Petro 2:21)

“Wala si kama wajifanyao mabwana juu ya mitaa yao, bali kwa kujifanya vielelezo kwa lile kundi” (1 Petro 5:3)

Waebrania. “… Bali mkawe wafuasi wa hao wazirithio ahadi kwa imani na uvumilivu” (Waebrania 6:12).

Mtume Yohana pia anatufundisha kanuni kwamba tunapaswa kuiga mifano mizuri na kuachana na mifano mibaya: “Msifatishe yaliyo mabaya lakoni yaliyo mema” (3 Yohana 11). Gayo Yohana alikuwa akimwandikia) alikuwa anamwiga Demetrio kama mfano wa kuigwa wa kimungu, jinsi ya kuishi kama kiongozi anayemwogopa Mungu. Demetrio”alishuhudiwa na wote.” (12)- Mfano alikuwa na sifa inayojulikana- kama mtu ambaye angeweza kuaminiwa; . mtu wa kuigwa na kufuatwa. Alikuwa mtu mzuri, ambaye alitenda kweli.

Kawaida, mfano ulio bora ni ule wa Mungu na Bwana Yesu Kristo. Paulo anasema “Hivyo mfuateni Mungu, kama watoto wanaopendwa…”(Waefeso 5:1..) Tunawezaje kumuiga Mungu? Tunamuiga Mungu kwa njia zote chanya na hasi. Chanya, tunamwiga Mungu kwa “Kuishi kwa upendo, kama Kristo alivyotupenda sisi…” (2) Nasi, tunamwiga Mungu kwa kutoruhusu tabia zozote za uovu zinazofanywa kati yetu, “kwani hizi hazifai kwa watakatifu” (3)

Yesu mwenyewe alisema kwa wanafunzi wake, “Kwa kuwa nimewapa kielelezo; ili kama mimi nilivyowatendea, nanyi mtende vivyo.” (Yohana 13:15). Yesu aliwaosha miguu wanafunzi wake miguu, alikuwa akiwapa mfano mkubwa wa utumishi na unyeyekevu, ambao aliwasihi wafanye hivyo katika maisha yao wenyewe. Kiukweli, mfano mkuu zaidi ya yote ni kafara ya Bwana Yesu pale msalabani. Huo ndio mfano wa unyenyekevu, sadaka, na mateso kwa faida ya wengine. (Wafilipi 2:1-16)

Kuwa mfano wa kuigwa kwa wengine ni kile tunaita “Kushauri” Tunawashauri watu sivyo? Kuna ushauri wa kimakusudi ambapo unatumia muda na mtu na wanajifunza kutoka kwako namna unavyoishi, unavyofikri, kufanya, na vile unavyoamini, unavyoitikia, jinsi unavyohusiana na wengine n.k. Na pia kuna ushauri wa “watazamaji” ambapo watu hukaa kukuangalia kwa mbali – wakiangalia unavyofanya, wakisikiliza kile unachosema nk. Na wanajifunza kutoka kwako; wanakuiga wakati mwingine bila wewe kujua. Hii ni kweli hasa kwa wachungaji. Tunatazamwa na makutano yetu, na majirani zetu, na familia zetu na wale ambao tunafanya biashara nao. Wanatafuta kuona tunavyoishi na wanaamua ikiwa sisi ni watu ambao wanapaswa kuigwa na kufuatwa. Huwezi kujua wakati mtu anakuangalia na ushawishi ulio nao katika maisha yao. Tunachunguzwa kila wakati katika familia zetu, katika maeneo yetu ya kazi na katika jumuia yetu ya wakristo.

Mfano wako unaweza kuwa mkubwa kama Wathesalonike ambao…” nanyi mkawa waigaji wetu (Paulo anasema) na wa Bwana, kwa kuwa mlilipokea neno chini ya dhiki nyingi pamoja na shangwe ya roho takatifu. hivi kwamba mkawa kielelezo kwa waamini wote katika Makedonia na katika Akaya. Ukweli ni kwamba, si kwamba neno la Yehova kutoka kwenu limevuma tu katika Makedonia na Akaya…” (1 Wathesalonike 1:6-10). Kile walichokiona na kukisikia kutoka kwa mtume Paulo kilikuwa ni kiini cha maisha yao na mashahidi, hivyo wakawa kielelezo kwa wengine. Hii ndiyo athari kwamba kuwa mfano wa kuigwa unaweza ukawa kwa watu wengine! Unawafanya wengine waone kile unachofanya, unachosema, unachifikri, na jinsi unavyojisikia, na matokeo yake wanakufuata kwa sababu wewe ni “Mfano kwa kundi” (1 Petro 5:3)

Wacha tuwe waangalifu na wenye kusudi la kuwa mfano mzuri, wa kimungu, mfano wa Kikristo wa kuigwa ambao wengine wanaweza wakafuata kwa ujasiri. Kuna mambo mengi ya kuwa mfano wa ki-Mungu wa kuigwa. Katika Makala hii, tutangalia moja tu na kisha baadaye tutachunguza mambo mengine. Leo, tunataka tuangalie inamaanisha nini kuwa…

Mfano wa kujitoa

Mtume Paulo alikuwa mshauri kwa Timotheo, alimhimiza Timtheo awe mfano wa kujitoa: uwe mfano mzuri kwa waaminio katika kusema, katika mwenendo, katika upendo, katika imani, na katika usafi… zama katika hayo, ili maendeleo yako yaonekane wazi kwa watu wote. (1 Timotheo 4:12,15) kujitoa kunamaanisha “kuchukua maumivu katika vitu hivi; kunyonywa au kufyonzwa nao.”

Tukiwa mfano wa kuigwa wa kiungukatika maisha yetu ya Kikristo na kwa huduma zetu za kichungaji, tunapaswa kuhusisha na kile ambacho Mungu ametuita kufanya. Maisha ya Kikristo ni moja ya kujitoa kikamilifu, ikiwa tutakuwa wanafunzi wa Yesu. Yesu alisema, “Hakuna hata mmoja kati yenu anayeweza kuwa wanafunzi wangu asiyeachilia mali yake yote” (Luks 14:33) inasikika kama kujitoa kwa asilimia 100%, sivyo? Na ni aina ambayo hupata usikivu wa wengine na inashawishi wengine kujitoa kikamkilifu kwa Bwana.

Kwa kweli , kama wachungaji na viongozi wa kanisa, agizo hili linafaa zaidi ikiwa hatujajikabidhi kwa Mungu nani atakayetufuata? Maisha yetu lazima yawe ya tofauti na ya kusisimua sana, ili kwamba watu wengine watambue kuwa tumejitoa kabisa kuwa wanafunzi wa Kristo , maneno, mawazo na vitendo. Tunapaswa kuwa na nidhamu ya kila siku na kujitoa kama wanariadha, wakulima, na maaskari, mtume Paulo anasema (2 Timotheo 2:4-6) Ni tabia zipi za watu hawa ambazo wanaweza kuonyesha katika maisha yetu wenyewe?

Kwanza askari (2 Timotheo 2:4) sharti la askari wazuri ni kujitoa kwao kwa nidhamu katika uvumilivu. Lazima wawe kwenye kazi kila muda. Lazima wawe macho kila wakati kwa ajili ya ishara ya maadui. Hawawezi kulala kazini kwa kusimamia uaminifu wao na utii kwa “Aliyewaajiri (wao) kutumika kama maaskari. Kazi yao ni kutumikia na kulinda nchi yao. Hiyo ni kujitoa kwao bila kujali hali inaweza kuwaje.

Pili, mwanariadha (2 Timotheo 2:5) Tabia ya Msingi ya wanariadha ni ile kujitoa kwao kwa kufanya mazoezi. Wanariadha lazima wawe wenye nidhamu sana katika kujitoa kwa mazoezi ili kuendelea kuwa bora katika mazoezi yao. Wanariadha lazima wajinyime raha nyingi ambazo marafiki zao wanapata kwa sababu ya maisha yao ya kinidhamu. Lazima wapate usingizi wa kutosha, kula chakula kizuri, kuepuka tabia mbaya, na kuacha shughuli zingine (ambazo zinaweza kukubalika kikamilifu ndani yao) ili waweze kutekeleza malengo yao. Kwa kweli wanariadha wameunganishwa na zaidi ya kujitoa kwa mazoezi ya nidhamu. Lakini pia wafungwa na kujitoa kwao kwa utii wenye nidhamu. Wanariadha lazima wajue na kutii sheria kwa ukamilifu.vinginevyo hatari ni kwamba wanaweza kushinda mbio lakini baada ya hapo watagundua kuwa wameshindwa kwa kuvunja sheria za michezo.((Tazama 1 Wakorintho 9:24-27). Pia, juhudi zao zingekuwa bure.

Tatu, mkulima (2 Timotheo 2:6) wakulima ni mfano bora wa kujitoa lazima wafanye kazi kwa nguvu na kujitoa kikamilifu. Wanaweza wakafanya kazi kwa nguvu ili kuzalisha; kuandaa udongo, kupanda mbegu, na kupalilia magugu. Hii inaonyeshe nidhamu binafsi maana hakuna mtu anayeweza kufanya kazi hizi shambani mwake. Angeweza kuamua kuishi kirahisi. Kuchukua wiki chache bila kufanya kazi. kuacha shamba na mazao yajihudumie yenyewe. Lakini matokeo yake ni mabaya. Mkulima aliyefanikiwa ni yule anafanya kazi kwa nguvu na anapomaliza kazi yeke, lazima ategemee, Mungu pekee anatuma jua na mvua ili kufanya mazao yakue. Mkulima amebanwa katika sehemu anayoweza kufanya. Hata kama angefanya kazi kwa bidii, hawezi kufanya mmea ukue ni Mungu pekee anaweza. Hivyo anahitaji kumtegemea Mungu kikamilifu.

Hitimisho

Kufuatia mfano huu wa kujitoa kwa (Askari, wanariadha, na wakulima) naomba kukutia moyo utenge muda na nguvu kujiendesha mwenyewe katika kazi yako binafsi na huduma katika jamii kwa kuwa mfano au kielelezo cha kujitoa, kupitia uvumilivu na nidhamu. Wacha wengine waone kuwa wewe una ushuhuda na huduma katika Kristo. Acha wengine waone kuwa unamaanisha kuhusu huduma ya kikristo na huduma yako ya kichungaji kuwa siyo kazi yako ya kawaida lakini ni kazi ya wito.

Usivunjike moyo katika kujitoa katika kazi ya Kristo na huduma. Ujinga hauna sehemu katika huduma ya Mkristo. Yote tunayofanya yanapaswa kuwa katika utukufu wa Mungu, maana yake yale tunayoyafanya kwa nguvu zetu zote, pamoja na ubora na kujitoa kote.

Sehemu Ya III. Storia Ya Kanisa: “Kukumbuka Yaliyopita”

Na: Dr. Michael A. G. Haykin
Profesa wa Historia ya Kanisa na Kiroho Ki-Biblia.
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky

Kwa nini tunahitaji kukumbuka yaliyopita

Mojawapo ya zawadi nzuri ambazo Mungu amewapa wanadamu ni kukumbuka mambo yaliyopita. Kukumbuka mambo yetu ya zamani ni muhimu yanatusaidia kujua sisi ni nani na kujua utambulisho wetu binafsi. Sote tunajua magonjwa ambayo yanaharibu kumbukumbu ya mtu huharibu uwezo wa mtu kufanya kazi kwa njia zote mhimu hasa kwa kipindi tulichonacho. Ndivyo ilivyo kwa jamii na mataifa mbalimbali. Kama jamii au taifa lolote linasahau lilikotoka hujikuta limechanganyikiwa kabisa na haliwezi kusogea mbele.kama halijui limetoka wapi haiwezi kuweka njia kwa ajili ya wakati ujao. Kiukweli, ni kama zawadi nzuri inapodhurumiwa. Inaweza kumpofusha mtu, hata kama ni jamii, humfanya mtu kuwa na majuto, au kutosamehe au chuki za kulipiza kizazi.

Lakini ikiwa ni kweli kwamba ufahamu wa zamani ni muhimu kwa uhalisia wa maisha ya leo na yajayo, naamini ni ndivyo ilivyo, Uinjilisti wa kisasa unakabili siku zijazo, hakika kwa sisi tunaishi katika siku ambayo ufahamu wetu wa zamani kama injili ya Kristo iliyo chini.wazee wa zamani walikuwa akina nani na waliamini nini? Je, walikuwa na uzoefu gani juu ya Mungu na makanisa walioanzisha, makanisa tulioyarithi? Nini kiliwafanya wawe walivyokuwa na tunaweza kujifunza nini kutokana na maisha na kufikiria kuishi maisha bora kama wakristo wa siku tulizonazo? Wainjilisti wengi sana hawajui na kama wanajua hawajali suala hili, kwa kweli hawatofautishwi kutoka kwa tamaduni ya sasa, ambayo ni ya kupenda upendo wa sasa, na kutaraji kwa hamu siku zijazo, kutojali kabisa siku za nyuma au ikiwa nia ya kupiga kichwa imeonyeshwa hapo zamani hutumika kama gari la burudani. Hakuna ugomvi mkubwa na wa zamani ili kupata hekima kwa sasa au siku zijazo.

Maandiko, kwa upande mwingine, hufanya mengi ya kukumbuka: ⁵

• 1 Mambo ya Nyakati 16: 12 / Zaburi 105: 5: “Kumbuka kazi za kushangaza ambazo yeye [ndiye Bwana, amefanya] miujiza yake na hukumu alizotamka.”
• Waebrania 13: 7: “Kumbuka viongozi wako, wale waliokuambia neno la Mungu. Fikiria matokeo ya maisha yao, na uige imani yao. “[Kumbuka: wito huu wa ukumbusho unakuja baada ya sura ndefu zaidi katika Waebrania, sura ya 11, ambapo mashujaa wa imani ya Mungu wanakumbukwa].
• Mika 6: 5: “Enyi watu wangu, kumbukeni kile ambacho Balaki mfalme wa Moabu alidhania, na Balaamu mwana wa Beori alichomjibu, na kile kilichotokea kutoka Shitimu mpaka Gilgali, ili mjue matendo ya kuokoa ya BWANA.”
• Kumbukumbu la Torati 24: 9: “Kumbuka kile BWANA Mungu wako alimfanyia Miriamu njiani ulipokuwa ukitoka nchini Misri.” Cp. Luka 17:32: “Kumbuka mke wa Lutu.”

Katika kipengele hiki cha robo mwaka cha jarida hili, tunataka kukumbuka matukio na watu wa zamani, kutoka siku za mwanzo za Kanisa hadi Marekebisho makubwa na kwa matukio ya hivi karibuni na watu. Tunafanya hivyo kwa sababu matukio ya siku hizo yamesaidia kutufanya tuwe leo. Ikiwa matukio ya miaka hiyo hayajafanyika mambo yangekuwa tofauti kabisa leo. Hatukumbuki, sio tu, kupata wazo bora la wapi tumetoka, lakini kwa sababu watu kutoka siku hiyo wanaweza kutupatia hekima kwa wakati huu.

Sehemu Ya IV. Mawazo Ya Ibada

Kuhubiri kwa mamlaka ⁶

Na: Dr John MacArthur, Mchungaji
Kanisa la Jamii la Neema, Sun Valley, Calif.

“Tangu wakati huo Yesu alianza kuhubiri” (Mt. 4:17)

Mola wetu alitangaza ujumbe wa injili bila shaka. Dhamira yake haikuwa ya kubishana au kupingana na wapinzani wake bali kuhubiri ukweli wa wokovu. Hakutangaza tu ukweli fulani, lakini alifanya hivyo kwa mamlaka makubwa (soma Mathayo 7:29).

Waandishi hawakuweza kufundisha kwa mamlaka kwa sababu walikuwa wamechanganya maoni na tafsiri nyingi za kibinadamu na ukweli wa kibinadamu kiasi kwamba hisia yoyote ya mamlaka kwao ilikuwa imepotea tangu zamani. Kwa hivyo ilishangaza sana wakati watu waliposikia tena mmoja kama Yesu akihubiri kwa mamlaka halisi, kama nabii walikuwa halisi (taz.Mat 7: 28-29).

Yesu pia alihubiri sawasawa kabisa na kile Baba yake alichomwagiza kutangaza, ambavyo bila shaka ilizidisha nguvu yake. Alishuhudia ukweli huu moja kwa moja, “Sikuongea kwa hiari yangu, lakini Baba mwenyewe aliyenipeleka amenipa amri ya nini cha kuongea na cha kusema” (Yohana 12: 49; taz. 3: 34; 8:38).

Kwa msingi wa mamlaka hii ya Kimungu, Kristo hututuma ulimwenguni kama mabalozi wake kwa kusema, “Nimepewa mamlaka yote mbinguni na duniani. Basi enendeni mkafanye mataifa yote kuwa wanafunzi “(Math. 28: 18b-19a). Waumini wote ambao ni mashuhuda waaminifu kwa injili watatangaza ukweli fulani wa Mungu kwa mamlaka yake - na kwa nguvu zake.

Jiulize: Mamlaka ya Yesu ambayo iliyosajili na watu wa nyakati zake pia ilikuwa na kitu cha kufanya juu ya uhalisi wake. Ikiwa watu hawaonyeshi heshima kwa Mungu na Neno Lake leo, ni kiasi gani, je, hiyo ni kwa sababu ya ukosefu wa mamlaka katika watu wake? Omba kwamba tutoe ukweli wake uliojaa neema ijaayo uhalisia.

Sehemu Ya V. Muhtasari Wa Mahubiri

Na: Dk Roger Pascoe,

Rais wa Taasisi ya Mahubiri ya Kibiblia
Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

Kusudi la kukupa muhtasari wa mahubiri katika Jarida la Wachungaji la NET ni kukusaidia na maandalizi yako ya mahubiri. Mara nyingi, moja ya sehemu ngumu zaidi ya maandalizi ya mahubiri ni kugundua muundo wa kifungu unayaenda kuhubiri. Katika maswala ya baadaye ya Jarida la Wachungaji la NET nina mpango wa kujadili kwa undani jinsi ya kwenda kutafuta muundo (au, muhtasari) wa kifungu kama mwandishi wa biblia alivyokusudia.

Muhtasari huu wa mahubiri unakusudiwa kukuonyesha matokeo ya kumaliza ya muhtasari mwingine wa mahubiri yangu. Natumai utakuwa na uwezo wa kuona jinsi wanavyohusiana moja kwa moja, na kutoka moja kwa moja kwa kifungu cha Maandishi yenyewe.

Sehemu kuu katika muhtasari huu wa mahubiri ni taarifa za kanuni ambazo zinafanywa katika kifungu hicho, yote ambayo yanahusiana na mada moja ya kifungu. Hizi kanuni zimetamkwa kwa njia inayowaunganisha wasikiaji wa mahubiri. Kwa kutumia njia hii ya kusema mambo kuu, mahubiri sio hotuba juu ya kipande cha historia ya zamani, lakini ujumbe kutoka kwa Mungu kwa wasikilizaji wako leo. Wanaposikia mambo haya kuu katika mahubiri yote, huchorwa kwenye mahubiri kwa sababu wanaona kwamba kanuni za kifungu zinahusiana na maisha yao - shida zao, tabia zao, maamuzi yao, mitazamo yao, hali yao ya kiroho, familia zao nk.

Nitaanza na safu ya maelezo juu ya Injili ya Yohana. Maelezo haya hayatakuwa katika sura na mlolongo wa aya lakini yatagawanywa na; Kwa sababu mahubiri haya ni kumbukumbu kwa wasikilizaji wa redio (sio huduma za kanisa), utagundua kwamba kuna mahubiri kadhaa ya kukamilisha muhtasari mmoja.

Tafadhali jisikie huru kutumia muhtasari huu mwenyewe. Unaweza kuzitumia kama vile zinavyochapishwa au unaweza kuzirekebisha ikiwa unataka. Ikiwa utatumia muhtasari huu au la, tumaini langu ni (na madhumuni ya kuyachapisha ni) kwamba utaona kanuni zinatoka wapi katika kifungu cha Maandiko na jinsi ya kuyatamka kwa wasikilizaji wako wa sasa.

Kisha, hapa kuna muhtasari wa mahubiri matatu kwa vitendo saba vya asili vya Yesu.

1. Yohana 2: 1-11, Yesu Anabadilisha Maji kuwa Mvinyo

Mada: Imani Katika Matendo

Kidokezo # 1: Imani Inaonyesha Usadikisho usio na mwisho (2: 1-5)

1. Kujiamini kwamba Yesu anajua juu ya hali zetu (2: 3)

2. Kujiamini kwamba Yesu anajali shida zetu (2: 4)

3. Kujiamini kwamba Yesu anajibu mahitaji yetu (2: 5)

Kidokezo # 2: Imani Hujibu Kwa Utii Usio na shaka (2: 6-8)

1. Utii katika vitu visivyo na akili (2: 7)

2. Utii licha ya kile wengine wanaweza kufikiria (2: 8)

Kidokezo # 3: Imani Inatambua Baraka Zisizostahiliwa (2: 9-11)

1. Imani inatambua ni wapi baraka zisizostahili zinatoka (2: 9-10)

2. Imani inatambua kile baraka isiyostahili kuashiria (2)

2. Yohana 4: 46-54, Yesu Anamponya Mwana wa Nobleman

Mada: Imani katika Neno la Mungu

Asili / mpangilio: 4:46

Kidokezo # 1: Hitaji letu la Mungu Unaonyeshwa Na Tamaa Yetu ya Binadamu (4: 47-50a)

1. Tunaona mahitaji ya mwili ambapo Mungu huona mahitaji ya kiroho (4: 47-48)

2. Tunaendelea bila ujinga ambapo Mungu anapinga kwa busara (4: 49-50a)

Kidokezo # 2: Imani Katika Mungu Ni Suluhisho La Kuangamizwa Kwa Kiroho (4: 50b-53)

1. Imani huanza na kuamini Neno la Mungu (4: 50b)

2. Imani inatenda kwa utii kwa mapenzi ya Mungu (4: 50c)

3. Imani inathibitishwa na ushahidi wa kazi ya Mungu (4: 51-52)

4. Imani imethibitishwa na hakika juu ya ukweli wa Mungu (4:53)

3. Yohana 5: 1-47, Yesu Anamponya Mtu Mlemavu huko Bethesda, sehemu ya. 1

Mada: Jibu kwa Mamlaka ya Yesu

Asili / mpangilio: 5: 1-5

Kidokezo # 1: Ishara ya Mamlaka ya Yesu (5: 6-9, 14)

1. Yesu anauliza swali la kutafuta: “Je! Unataka kuponywa?” (5: 6-7)

2. Yesu anatoa amri ya kusisimua: “Inuka, chukua mkeka wako utembee” (5: 8-9)

3. Yesu anatoa onyo kali: “Usitende dhambi tena ...” (5:14)

Kidokezo # 2: Mzozo juu ya Mamlaka ya Yesu

1. Mzozo juu ya hatua ya Yesu siku ya Sabato (5: 10-13, 15-16)

2. Mzozo juu ya madai ya Yesu ya uungu (5: 17-18)

¹ Joseph Parker, aliyetajwa katika Stephen F. Olford, Preaching the word of God (Memphis: Taasisi ya Mahubiri ya ki-Biblia, 1984), 34.

² Haddon W. Robinson, Biblical teaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1980), 20.

³ Stott, Between Two Worlds (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1982), 126.

⁴ Iliyofafanuliwa kutoka The Westminster Directory 1645

⁵ Marejeleo yote ya Maandiko ni kutoka ESV.

⁶ John MacArthur, “Jesus’ Authoritative Preaching” in Daily Readings from the Life of Christ (Chicago: Mood publisher, 2008), Januari 29.

June 15, 1986

The summer of 1969 I lived near UCLA in Westwood. In Westwood village that summer a number of smiling, energetic young people would approach you on the streets and ask if you knew about chanting. They would then launch into testimonies of how their lives had been changed by chanting. I remember a wholesome looking girl who told me that she had chanted for a new Corvette and had gotten it. She had been alienated from her parents, but since she started chanting the relationship had been restored. Some of my friends went to their meetings, which reminded them of Campus Crusade’s “College Life” evangelistic meetings. The room was filled with happy, singing people of all ages who testified how chanting had changed their lives. They were members of the Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist sect, and they all chanted a prayer in some foreign language.

I tell that story to make the point that we live in a day when experience is seen as the supreme test of reality. “If it’s real for you, then it’s real.” “If it feels good, do it.” “If I experienced it with my own senses, then it must be real.” These are some popular expressions of our existentialist culture. Truth is seen as relative to a person’s experience.

There was no doubt that these people were having a spiritual experience which was greatly affecting their lives. The problem was that their experience was not based upon the truth of God’s Word, and thus was demonic and dangerous.

The Bible claims to be the infallible and absolute guide for how we ought to think and act. It is the final authority and test of reality (Matt. 4:4; John 10:35; 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21). With regard to any experience, the question is not, did I have an experience, but rather, did I have a biblical experience? This is especially true with regard to speaking in tongues. Many are having this experience. The question is, are they having a biblical experience?

Speaking in tongues is not strictly a Christian phenomenon. Non-Christian cults such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons claim to speak in tongues. Article Seven of the Mormon Articles of Faith states, “We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, etc.” (James E. Talmage, A Study of the Articles of Faith [Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1972], p. 217.) The Encyclopedia Britannica cites many instances of tongues speaking in pagan cults. One man reports that in East Africa, many people possessed by demons speak in fluent Swahili or English, although under normal circumstances they do not understand either language. Ecstatic speech is found among the Mohammedans and the Eskimos of Greenland. The Roman poet Virgil (70-19 B.C.) refers to the tongues speaking of the Sibylline priestess on the isle of Delos (these examples cited by Joseph Dillow, Speaking in Tongues: Seven Crucial Questions [Zondervan, 1975], pp. 172-173).

Since at least some tongues speaking is not from the Holy Spirit, we need to be careful to test any experience of tongues by the Scriptures to determine if it is valid. We are told to test the spirits to see whether they are from God (1 John 4:1). Concerning prophetic utterances we are told to examine them carefully and hold fast to that which is good (1 Thess. 5:19-21).

Tongues must be tested for validity against the biblical criteria.

I want to give you some biblical guidelines by which you can test any experience of tongues speaking to tell whether it is of the Lord or not.

Tests for biblical tongues:

1. Biblical tongues are foreign languages, not gibberish.

I consider this to be a major point which undermines most current tongues speaking. Since I developed this last week, I am not going to go into it in depth here. But let me briefly review.

First, the tongues in Acts 2 are clearly foreign languages, not ecstatic utterances. Men from various locations, visiting Jerusalem for the Day of Pentecost, heard the band of disciples speaking in their own languages, even though the speakers had never learned these languages (Acts 2:4, 6, 8, 11). It was not a miracle of hearing, but of speaking.

If the tongues in 1 Corinthians are substantially different from the tongues in Acts, then the burden of proof is upon those making that claim. Paul and Luke (the author of Acts) were close friends, both familiar with the tongues at Jerusalem and at Corinth. Yet both use the same Greek words to describe the events, without any explanation of differences.

The Greek word used for tongues means foreign languages in every other New Testament and Greek Old Testament occurrence. The word “interpret” used in connection with tongues means to translate or give the sense of something. Ecstatic utterances do not make sense to anyone. Only language, which has structure and grammar, has meaning and thus can be translated. Interpreting tongues as foreign languages fits consistently with every occurrence of the word in reference to the gift of tongues in the New Testament. So I believe that if tongues are valid, they will be translatable foreign languages, not meaningless nonsense syllables.

It is interesting that 73 percent of those who speak in tongues claim that their tongue is a foreign language (Dillow, p. 178). In his book, They Speak With Other Tongues (Spire Books, 1964, pp. 17-20), John Sherrill tells of Harald Bredesen, a Reformed Church pastor, speaking in Polish and in ancient Arabic. I have read and heard of other accounts of tongues speakers speaking in foreign languages.

However, Dillow (writing in 1975) states that every study to that date had failed to turn up a legitimate instance of a foreign language by those who speak in tongues. Dillow spoke in a Sunday School class Marla and I attended in Dallas. Three of his friends who spoke in tongues allowed him to tape record them. He played the tape for us. One speaker, we all agreed, sounded like he was speaking in German, another in French, and the third in Chinese.

Dillow took the tapes to experts in these languages and asked if there was any resemblance. The experts replied that there were occasional syllables which sounded like words in those languages, but that the tongues speaking was just meaningless gibberish.

J. Rodman Williams, a modern charismatic scholar, admits that there are no concrete data (from tape recordings, for example) of tongues being an unlearned foreign language (in Evangelical Dictionary of Theology [edited by Walter Elwell, Baker, 1984], p. 206). He argues that biblical tongues are neither foreign languages nor ecstatic utterances. Rather they are what he calls “spiritual” languages. If someone says that he heard a person speaking in his own language, this occurs because the Holy Spirit immediately interpreted what was said. Thus it was not a hearing of but a hearing in one’s own language. The tongues both in Acts and 1 Corinthians were utterances of the Holy Spirit, understood only when interpreted by the Holy Spirit (ibid.).

He claims that speaking in tongues is not irrational but suprarational utterance. He is not disturbed by linguists who claim that tongues speaking has no observable language structure, for if such were the case, speaking in tongues would not be spiritual but rational speech. He sees tongues speaking as transpsychical, belonging to the realm of the spirit (ibid., p. 207).

But Williams is begging the question. His view allows no way to verify any experience of tongues speaking, because the one doing it can say, “It was a ‘spiritual’ utterance, and if you didn’t understand it or thought it sounded like gibberish, you just weren’t in tune with the Holy Spirit.” It doesn’t seem to fit God’s character and power to have such a crucial miracle, which served to substantiate the authenticity of the apostles and the gospel message, be a totally unverifiable thing that took place in the heads of those present, not in the actual languages spoken.

Williams calls tongues “the vehicle of communication par excellence between man and God ... the language of transcendent prayer and praise” (ibid., p. 206). But if it is “communication” and “language,” it should have the mark of language, which is structure. A linguist can readily discern the difference between meaningful communication and nonsense syllables, even if he doesn’t know the particular language. To call meaningless gibberish a “language” or “spiritual communication” stretches credulity.

Furthermore, Williams has to bend the obvious meaning of the account in Acts 2:4-11 to say that the speakers really weren’t using translatable foreign languages. As I pointed out last week, a number of verses in 1 Corinthians 13 and 14 also fit better with translatable languages, not ecstatic utterances or “spiritual” utterances, as Williams calls them (cf. 13:1; 14:10-11, 21).

So the first test of biblical tongues is that it must be translatable foreign languages, not gibberish. If Williams is correct in stating that there are no concrete data of an unknown language being spoken, most of the tongues speaking in our day is invalidated.

2. Biblical tongues are not pushed as a necessity for every believer.

This point is so obvious, biblically, that I find it incredible that anyone could disagree. Note 1 Cor. 12:30: “All do not speak with tongues, do they?” The Greek text requires a negative reply. In the context of chapter 12 Paul is arguing that the body is many members, not one member. While we are one body, we all have different gifts, sovereignly bestowed by the Holy Spirit (12:11, 18, 24, 28). One member of the body is not to envy another member: “If they were all one member, where would the body be?” (v. 19). Paul puts the gift of tongues at the end of the list (12:28, 30) to show its relative importance to the body, and then takes all of 14:1-25 to argue that prophecy is more important than tongues, because it builds the body.

In spite of this, many charismatics argue that speaking in tongues is for every believer. The way they get around the obvious meaning of 1 Corinthians 12 is to say that not all Christians have the gift of tongues to be exercised in the church meetings. But all can and should have a “prayer language” for use in personal devotions, received when the believer receives the baptism of the Spirit.

There are two matters to sort out here: the baptism of the Spirit, and the so-called “prayer language.” The charismatic movement believes that the baptism of the Spirit is a distinct experience, either at the moment of salvation or subsequent to salvation, when the believer is filled with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit (Williams, ibid., p. 205). Williams writes, “Baptism with the Holy Spirit is understood to result from ‘the gift of the Holy Spirit,’ wherein the Spirit is freely ‘poured out,’ ‘falls upon,’ ‘comes on,’ ‘anoints,’ ‘endues’ the believer with ‘power from on high.’ This event/experience is the moment of initiation into the Spirit-filled life” (ibid.).

I believe in the absolute need of every believer for the enabling and power of the Holy Spirit. I believe in the need for the Spirit’s anointing for us all. But I think that to call that anointing “the baptism of the Spirit” is a misnomer. It is not just a quibbling over words, though, because it is important that we use biblical words as the Bible uses them. Let’s briefly look at how the term “baptism of the Spirit” is used in the Bible.

John the Baptist predicted that Jesus would baptize His followers with the Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:11). Just before His ascension, Jesus told the apostles to wait in Jerusalem for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:4-5). That baptism took place on the Day of Pentecost (even though the term is not used in Acts 2).

In Acts 8, the Samaritans believed through Philip’s preaching. Peter and John were summoned from Jerusalem. When they arrived, they prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. Although the text doesn’t say so directly, we can safely assume that they spoke in tongues as the manifestation of receiving the Spirit (Acts 8:17-18, “saw”).

In Acts 10, the Gentiles at Cornelius’s house believe, receive the Holy Spirit immediately, and speak in tongues (10:44-46). In Acts 11:15-17, Peter is giving an account of this event, and he equates it to the same thing that happened to the Jews on the Day of Pentecost, and ties both into Jesus’ words about the baptism of the Spirit.

In Acts 19:1-6, Paul comes upon some men who had been baptized with John’s baptism, but had never heard of the Holy Spirit. They were “Old Testament” believers. When Paul told them of the Lord Jesus, they were baptized in His name, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

Charismatics use these passages to argue that the baptism of the Spirit is in some cases subsequent to salvation, and that it is always accompanied by the sign of speaking in tongues. But I think they are misunderstanding these Scriptures.

If these were the only verses in the Bible on the subject, I would have to agree with the charismatic interpretation. But there are some other verses that we must integrate with Acts. In Romans 8:9 Paul states that if you do not have the Spirit dwelling in you, you do not belong to Christ. In 1 Cor. 12:13 he states that we all (including the carnal Corinthians) have been baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ. Furthermore, we are never commanded to be baptized with the Spirit. The filling of the Spirit is commanded as an on-going, repeated experience (Eph. 5:18; Acts 2:4; 4:31). But the baptism of the Spirit is not an experience at all. It is a spiritual fact in which the believer both receives the Holy Spirit and is baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ at the moment of salvation. If you believe in Jesus Christ as Savior, then you have been baptized in, with or by (same Greek word) the Holy Spirit.

How then do I explain the Book of Acts? Acts is a transitional book, linking the old dispensation of the law with the new dispensation of the Spirit. In the old dispensation, not all believers received the indwelling Spirit. Those who did receive the Spirit could lose Him (Ps. 51:11; 1 Sam. 16:14). But in the new dispensation, all believers receive the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2 we see the Jewish believers receiving the Spirit; in Acts 8 the Samaritans; in Acts 10, the Gentiles; and in Acts 19, those away from Palestine, in a pagan city, representing “the uttermost part of the earth.” This is the pattern laid out by our Lord in Acts 1:8. It was necessary for the apostles to be present because the keys to the kingdom were given to the apostles through Peter (Matt. 16:18-19).

Thus in the case of the Samaritans, the Lord did not give them the Spirit at the moment of believing because the apostles were not present. Their authority was required to open the age of the Spirit to this new people group. In Acts 10, with Peter present, the Gentiles received the Spirit immediately upon believing. In Acts 19, the men were not really believers in the Lord Jesus until Paul spoke to them, at which point they received the Spirit.

In each case, tongues was the authenticating sign of a new group receiving the Spirit. But there is no indication of that sign accompanying any other conversion in Acts (such as the women at Philippi, the believers in Thessalonica, or the islanders on Malta). Once the Spirit was given to the Jews, the Samaritans, the Gentiles, and to those outside of the Jewish nation (Acts 19), the transition from the old dispensation of God working solely through the nation Israel under the law to the new dispensation of God working through the church composed of every tongue and tribe and nation was complete. The authenticating sign of tongues to affirm the transition was no longer needed as the sign of the baptism of the Spirit.

Even if we assume that Acts is normative for the baptism of the Spirit and tongues, modern charismatic practice does not conform to it. In Acts, all the believers received the baptism at once, and seemingly all spoke in tongues at once. But Paul forbids the Corinthians to speak all at once (1 Cor. 14:27). Furthermore, except for Acts 2, none of the groups were seeking the baptism or tongues as an experience subsequent to salvation. It was a sovereign act of God. The Bible gives no command (except for the exceptional event at Pentecost) for believers to seek the Holy Spirit or the gift of tongues. (Jesus’ words in Luke 11:13 were spoken before Pentecost.)

The other matter which I need to speak to is the so-called “prayer language.” Charismatics argue that while not every believer has the gift of tongues for public ministry, every believer can and should have a personal prayer language for private devotions. This seems to be based on Paul’s private use of tongues (1 Cor. 14:18-19, 28--see last week’s message) and on Rom. 8:26: “And in the same way the Spirit helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

Concerning the private use of tongues, I think we must say that it is legitimate for those who have the true gift (foreign languages). This person is exhorted to pray for the ability to interpret his tongue, so that he will be benefited even more (1 Cor. 14:13).

Concerning Rom. 8:26, it is far from clear that the verse is referring to tongues. If it is, it is the only verse in Romans to do so, and neither tongues nor spiritual gifts are anywhere in the context. There may be some commentators who take it as tongues, but I could not find any who do so. Also, it is not the person who is speaking in groanings too deep for words, but the Spirit Himself, interceding before the Father. The word “groanings” means an inarticulate groaning (cf. Rom. 8:22), not a foreign language. To build a whole central doctrine of the spiritual life (that every believer is to have a prayer language) on one unclear verse, especially when the doctrine contradicts the specific, clear teaching of Paul elsewhere that tongues are a spiritual gift only for a few, seems risky at best.

Thus biblical tongues are foreign languages, not gibberish; and they are not pushed as a necessary experience for every believer.

3. Biblical tongues are not to be sought as a means to spirituality.

The Corinthians spoke in tongues but were carnal and immature. If tongues were a means to spirituality or spiritual growth, somewhere the Bible would command us to seek the gift. But it does not. As I mentioned last week, Paul’s wish that all believers spoke in tongues (1 Cor. 14:5) does not contradict what he stated a few verses earlier, that all do not speak in tongues (12:30). He is merely expressing a wish because speaking in tongues is a legitimate gift of the Spirit, just as in 7:7 he expresses his wish that all could be single, because that gift enables a person to have more time to serve the Lord. If everybody should seek the gift of tongues, then everybody should seek the gift of celibacy!

The Bible does not teach that spiritual maturity comes through a supernatural experience with the Spirit which instantly transports us to a higher plane of spiritual victory (such as the so-called “baptism of the Spirit”). That notion is very appealing, to be quite frank. But it is not biblical. Neither does the Bible indicate that spiritual growth comes through continued speaking in tongues.

How does spiritual growth take place? We are exhorted to walk (not leap, run, or fly) by means of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:16). We are told to discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness (1 Tim. 4:7-8). There is effort and steadfastness required on our part (1 Tim. 4:10,15, 16). It is an on-going, gradual process which will not be complete until we meet Jesus Christ face to face (Phil. 3:12-14).

At the same time we are assured that we all have been made complete in Christ (Col. 2:10). Every believer has been enriched with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph. 1:3). “His divine power has granted us everything pertaining to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3). “We were all made to drink of one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13).

While we need to learn to appropriate all the riches which are ours in Christ Jesus, we do not need to tarry or wait or plead with God for the gift of the Spirit or tongues. It is not a mark of spirituality which we must seek. If God gives it, He gives it sovereignly to some according to His purpose, for the building up of the church.

Many godly saints in the past were mightily used of God but did not speak in tongues: our Lord Himself, John the Baptist, Augustine, Martin Luther, John Calvin, George Whitefield, George Muller, Hudson Taylor, D. L. Moody, and Billy Graham, to name a few. You are not missing one of God’s blessings if you do not speak in tongues.

Thus biblical tongues are foreign languages, not gibberish; they are not pushed as a necessary experience for every believer; they are not to be sought as a means to spirituality.

4. Biblical tongues in a church gathering must be in conformity with certain guidelines.

Paul spells these out in the passage we will cover next week, 1 Cor. 14:26-40, so I will only mention them briefly now. While I believe that the tongues speaking in Acts and in 1 Corinthians are both the same phenomenon (foreign languages), there are a number of differences in terms of the practice of the gift which are not observed in our day. If Acts describes the transition to the new dispensation of the Spirit, then 1 Corinthians prescribes the order to be followed during that dispensation. In other words, 1 Corinthians, written to the church, is the guide for the practice of tongues, not Acts which describes how the gift came to the church.

In Acts, the tongues were outside the church; in 1 Corinthians tongues were in the church meeting. In Acts, tongues accompanied the initial receiving of the Spirit; in 1 Corinthians, they were subsequent to receiving the Spirit. In Acts, it was a large group all speaking at once; in 1 Corinthians, it was to be one at a time, by two or three at most. In Acts, there is no interpretation recorded; in 1 Corinthians it must be accompanied by interpretation. In Acts, it came on everybody in the group in an uncontrollable fashion and seems a bit chaotic; in 1 Corinthians, not all had it, it was controllable, and it was to be done in an orderly manner. In Acts, there is no mention of love or edifying others; in 1 Corinthians, it can be done only if done in love to edify others.

Many times when I have been in charismatic churches these guidelines are ignored. Everybody speaks in tongues at once for their own edification, there is no interpretation, and it is not orderly. Obviously these folks were having an experience, but it was not a biblical experience!

Also, if tongues are of the Lord, they will not be divisive to the church. When a group of people start pushing tongues on everybody else in disregard of these biblical guidelines, it splits the church. That is not of the Lord, who prayed that His church may be one, that the world would know that the Father sent Him. Churches which exclude someone who practices tongues in line with these guidelines are equally divisive. I know of churches where anybody who speaks in tongues is suspected as being under demonic influence. That excludes the charismatic brother, just as much as those who gather around charismatic gifts exclude the non-charismatic brother. The basis of our unity is not to be our view of the gift of tongues, but rather our common Lord (Eph. 4:1-6).

Conclusion

You may be wondering: If most speaking in tongues today is not the biblical gift, how do you explain it? Why is God seemingly blessing charismatic churches? Why do those who practice tongues seem to get such a blessing from it? I’ve heard testimonies of renewed love for the Lord, new zeal in prayer, new power over sin, all as a result of the “baptism of the Spirit” and tongues.

Again, let me emphasize that the Bible must be our test of reality, not experience. If the tongues experienced in our day are not in line with the biblical gift, they are not valid, no matter what the seeming results. Obviously I cannot deal with every situation here. But let me offer a few observations.

First, God works with imperfect vessels. If He waited for us all to arrive at a point of doctrinal or personal perfection, His work would not get done. Many charismatic brothers and sisters have a sincere love for the Lord Jesus, and He works with them in spite of their mistaken view of the gift of tongues.

Also, many charismatics have a real dependence upon the Holy Spirit, even though their terminology may be incorrect. They call it the baptism of the Spirit; I think that biblically it is the filling of the Spirit. But I would rather have somebody mistaken in his terminology and complete in his yieldedness than correct in his terminology and halfway in his yieldedness. The Pharisees knew the Scriptures, but they lacked reality with God. May that never be said of us! I believe God blesses many charismatic people and churches because they have a fervency for the Lord that non-charismatics have lost. I’d much rather worship in a charismatic church where there is a fervent love for the Lord Jesus than in many non-charismatic churches which have theological accuracy but have lost their first love.

In my opinion, most of the tongues speaking in our day is purely psychological. Some rare cases may be demonic, some rare cases may be of the Lord. I think there are spiritual dangers in the psychologically explained tongues. Satan loves for us to substitute anything counterfeit in the place of Christ. Many who think that they are praying “in the Spirit” (in tongues) are just babbling gibberish, no matter how happy it makes them feel. There is a real danger of substituting that kind of purely psychological activity for the discipline of prayer and Bible study which lead to solid spiritual growth.

One former charismatic pastor who came to question and then to abandon the gifts of tongues and prophecy, wrote about the process of his struggle,

I think I realized (in my heart at least) that my tongues were not a linguistically definable language. And now the argument came to me with renewed force. No one could listen to me speaking tongues and then marvel that the mighty acts of God were being proclaimed in an understandable language. And so this fact alone was enough to invalidate the gift for me.

I suppose that I could have sidestepped this line of reasoning by taking refuge in the idea that tongues are not necessarily a known language. But even so, I still had to admit that the Scriptures teach that tongues are a miraculous gift. What happened on the day of Pentecost was a miracle! ... Therefore, even if tongues aren’t necessarily a known language, I still had to ask myself, “Is there any evidence that my tongues speech is of a miraculous nature? Is there any indication that my utterances originated with the Holy Spirit and not just my own mind? (Neil Babcox, A Search for Charismatic Reality [Multnomah Press, 1985], pp.63-64.)

After he came to the conclusion that his tongues were not of the Holy Spirit, this pastor still had trouble quitting. Speaking in tongues had seemed like such an enriching aspect of his personal devotions. He writes,

However, I soon began to realize that speaking in tongues was not as edifying as I had previously thought. How could it be, since I was uttering words and phrases of my own invention? Therefore, I was beginning to understand that, far from being a deeper dimension of prayer, praying in tongues was an evasion--a failure to grapple with the profundities of prayer (ibid., p. 65).

I don’t share any of these things to club anybody who speaks in tongues. It would be a gross misuse of this message if those of you who do not speak in tongues used it to club those who do. I share it because I believe it is crucial to base our experiences on the Word of God. I believe that the church will be stronger and the Lord’s work will go forth in greatest power when we order our lives in accordance with His Word. Most of you who read this may not practice tongues. Don’t get smug about “having the truth.” Learn from your charismatic brothers to be fervent for the Lord. If you do speak in tongues, I ask you to evaluate your experience by Scripture. Above all, let us all pursue love.

Discussion Questions

1. Do you agree that it is wrong to divide the church along charismatic lines? How can this be avoided in a specific situation where both elements are in a church?
2. What would you say to someone who pointed to the obviously good results in his spiritual life due to his experience with tongues?
3. Would you rather be in a church that had correct doctrine on tongues but was restrained in devotion for the Lord or one which emphasized tongues but was fervent in devotion for the Lord? Why?
4. Discuss: If the Holy Spirit left your life today, how soon would you discover that fact? What about if He left our church? How can we depend on Him more?

Copyright 1986, Steven J. Cole, All Rights Reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible © The Lockman Foundation

Gideon, Lesson 2

January 19, 2020

There is a common misconception in evangelical churches that when you become a Christian, you have two optional plans. The most popular plan by far is the Convenient Plan. In this plan, you agree to go to church when it’s convenient, drop a few bucks in the offering when you can afford it, and live for the American dream of accumulating enough money and stuff to live a comfortable life. Under this plan if you have time, you may volunteer to serve at church, but only if it’s convenient. Your goal under this plan is to enjoy yourself, live a good life, and someday to retire and spend your last years finishing your “bucket list.”

The other plan is the Committed Plan. It’s far less popular than the Convenient plan. The Committed plan is only for gung-ho, “Green Beret” types. In this plan, you give up the American dream and any right to your own will for your life. You become a slave of Jesus Christ. Your aim is to seek first His kingdom and righteousness. You give away gobs of money to support the Lord’s work. You may even be called to give up the comforts of America and go live in a difficult or dangerous place to reach people for Jesus. It can be a hard way to go. But, remember, you signed up for the Committed Plan! You’ll have more rewards in heaven!

But Jesus was clear: there is only one plan. He summarized it in Luke 9:23-24: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.” The cross was not a piece of jewelry that you wore around your neck. It was a grisly instrument of death. Jesus meant that those who follow Him must die daily to self as they live to serve and glorify Him in whatever circumstances He chooses for them. To put it in other terms, there are no convenience volunteers in Jesus’ army. There are only conscripts who serve because Jesus has bought them and saved them from God’s eternal judgment with His blood. Now they belong completely to Him. They are His slaves.

The story of Gideon and his 300-man army poised to take on 135,000 Midianites (Jud. 8:10) provides some important truths about victorious service for the Lord. These truths are especially important in a time when many pastors drop out of the ministry due to burnout, moral failure, or other reasons and when most churches lack committed workers in various ministries. We need to know how to serve the Lord in victory over the overwhelming forces of darkness that surround us.

In our last study, we looked at Gideon’s calling and saw that he was an unlikely hero to lead Israel in victory over the Midianite horde. Although the angel of the Lord addressed him as a “valiant warrior” (6:12, which he would become), at that spiritually dark time in Israel’s history he was defeated, dense, depressed, down on himself, and doubtful of God’s promises. But God chose him and began to work with him to build his faith. In this section we see Gideon’s conditioning. The principle is:

To serve the Lord in victory over the forces of darkness, obey God’s Word, trust in Him, and seek His glory.

First, we need to understand what this story clearly illustrates:

1. The evil forces of darkness that the Lord’s servants face are many and are strong.

To review, the Midianites were a nomadic tribe that lived southeast of the Jordan River. Because of Israel’s idolatry and disobedience to the Lord, He sent this vast horde into Israel every harvest season. They would devour Israel’s crops like locusts and take their farm animals. Israel was reduced to hiding in dens and caves in the surrounding mountains. After seven years of this, Israel finally cried out to the Lord. He raised up Gideon to deliver them.

Midian is a picture of the evil forces of darkness that we face as we seek to serve the Lord in our current spiritually dark times. We still have it relatively easy in America as far as persecution goes. In the past few years our nation has grown noticeably more hostile toward our faith. But at least we do not face almost certain persecution or martyrdom if we take a stand for the Lord as many of our brothers and sisters in Muslim countries do. And yet we still are surrounded by unseen evil forces that oppose the gospel. The apostle Paul wrote (Eph. 6:12-13):

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

If we try to battle these unseen spiritual forces of wickedness with human strategies or schemes, we will not win. And we won’t see victory if we volunteer to serve the Lord in a rush of emotional excitement without counting the cost. When Gideon sounded the trumpet to call Israel to battle, 32,000 signed up. But when they saw the enormity of the enemy, 22,000 had to admit that they were afraid and returned home. One of the biggest mistakes a general can make in warfare is to underestimate the power of the enemy. Our enemy is evil and he is strong. If we dabble in spiritual compromise or sin, we will be defeated. Our enemy is like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet. 5:8). So these principles of how to defeat him are essential for your spiritual survival!

2. To serve the Lord in victory over the forces of darkness, obey His Word.

This is the main lesson in Judges 6:25-35. The Lord begins with a difficult command to Gideon (6:25):

Now on the same night the Lord said to him, “Take your father’s bull and a second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal which belongs to your father, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it; and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of this stronghold in an orderly manner, and take a second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.”

Gideon’s father, Joash, had built an altar to Baal. Next to it he had erected a pole called an Asherah that represented a Ugaritic goddess who was the consort of El and mother of Baal. But this wasn’t just a private altar because when Gideon destroyed it, the men of the city demanded that he be killed. It was a community worship center for the false gods of the Canaanites. According to Deuteronomy 13, the men of Gideon’s village, not Gideon, should have been put to death because of their idolatry. Gideon’s obedience teaches us five things about obedience:

A. Obedience begins when you begin to follow the Lord as your God.

In verse 26, the Lord commands Gideon to build an altar “to the Lord your God.” Gideon apparently had resisted the example of his father and the townspeople to worship false gods. Following the Lord must be a personal decision, even if it means going against the beliefs and practices of your family or your culture. But following the Lord as your God means obeying Him.

B. Obedience must begin at home.

Gideon had to overcome his fear to tear down the family idol. If he had done it in broad daylight, the men of the town would have stopped him, so he did it at night. An altar to Baal discovered by archaeologists near Ophrah was 26 feet square and four feet high, made of stones cemented by mud (Gary Inrig, Hearts of Iron, Feet of Clay [Moody Press], p. 100). So Gideon needed the help of ten servants to tear it down. God also commanded him to erect an altar to the Lord and to sacrifice his father’s seven-year-old bull on it.

Obedience to God’s Word is often a radical action because your example confronts the idolatrous ways of the world around you. Gideon’s obedience could have resulted in his being disinherited, kicked out of his family, or killed. But genuine obedience always must begin at home. As C. H. Mackintosh put it (Miscellaneous Writings, “Gideon and His Companions” [Loizeaux Brothers], 2:36), “Those who see most of us should see most of Christ in us.”

Thankfully, Gideon’s father had a change of heart and came to his defense when the men of the town demanded his death. From this bold act of obedience, Gideon got a nickname, Jerubbaal, which meant, “Let Baal contend against him.” Since Baal didn’t do anything when Gideon tore down his altar, the men of his town probably joined Gideon when he gave the call to battle against the Midianites.

C. Obedience must be total, not partial.

Gideon didn’t compromise by building an altar to the Lord next to the altar to Baal. That would have sent the message to the town, “Both are legitimate options; take your pick.” The Lord is the only true God; He demands total obedience, which means destroying all our idols.

D. Obedience requires courage to confront the idolatrous culture around us.

When you confront the sacred idols of our culture, you will catch flak. I’ve written numerous letters to the editor of our local paper against the abortion movement. Invariably, I catch flak for it from someone because I’m tearing down his or her idol. The same is true when you call the LGBT movement what the Bible calls it: sin. They hate you when you tear down their idols! But we cannot obey God without confronting the idols of our godless culture.

E. Obedience requires decisive, Spirit-powered action, not mere good intentions.

Verse 34 reveals the power for Gideon’s actions: “The Spirit of the Lord came upon him.” (Literally, the Spirit clothed him.) That Hebrew phrase is only used one other time when the Spirit clothed Zechariah to confront King Joash’s idolatry (2 Chron. 24:20-21). He was stoned to death as a result. The Spirit’s clothing these two men was a special anointing for a specific task. While we cannot do anything to obtain such a special anointing, we are commanded to walk by means of the Spirit (Gal. 5:16) and to be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18). We do this by yielding to the Holy Spirit on a moment-by-moment basis, allowing Him to control our lives.

Once Gideon obeyed the Lord by destroying his father’s idols, he had to rally the troops to go against Midian. This shows us that victorious service is not just individual. We must serve in conjunction with all the saints as we each use our gifts for God’s kingdom. Victorious service begins with obedience to God’s Word.

3. To serve the Lord in victory over the forces of darkness, trust in God.

As Hebrews 11:6 puts it, “Without faith, it is impossible to please Him.” Remarkably, three very flawed judges, Gideon, Samson, and Jephthah, are all listed in Hebrews 11:32 as men of faith. Gideon’s story teaches us that …

A. God takes us where we’re at and works with us to build our faith.

When the angel of the Lord first met Gideon, he was fearful of the Midianites and wondering why God had abandoned His people (Judges 6:13). The angel commanded Him to go and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian, assuring him that God would be with him and that he would defeat Midian as one man. But now, Gideon says to God (Jud. 6:36-37), “If You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken, behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken.” God graciously granted Gideon’s request on this and on his second fleece request, even though Gideon acknowledged that the Lord had grounds to be angry with him (6:39).

Suffice it to say that putting out a fleece is not an approved method for determining the will of God! This is especially true when God has clearly spoken in His Word. I’ve had young women tell me that it was God’s will for them to marry an unbelieving man (even though God clearly forbids it) because they had prayed about it and felt a peace about it! Just because God was gracious to Gideon’s weak faith does not mean that we should imitate him!

God also built Gideon’s weak faith by gradually reducing his army from 32,000 down to 10,000 and finally to 300 men. This also would have built the faith of the remaining 300 as they saw the odds against them grow beyond any human hope for victory! Then the Lord graciously gave Gideon an unasked-for sign to strengthen his weak faith. He directed Gideon and his servant to go to the outskirts of the Midianite camp where, in God’s gracious providence, they heard a soldier recounting a dream about a loaf of barley bread upending and crushing a Midianite tent (Jud. 7:9-13). Barley bread was the food that poor people ate. And, as C. H. Spurgeon humorously observed (Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit [Pilgrim Press], 31:657), “If I had to cannonade an encampment I should not try to bombard it with biscuits.” The dream pictured impoverished, weak people conquering a powerful foe. The Midianite soldier’s friend rightly interpreted the dream (Jud. 7:14), “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given Midian and all the camp into his hand.”

The Bible has many examples of the Lord graciously working with His servants to build their weak faith. With the conniving Jacob, He gave the dream of the ladder reaching into heaven. Later, the angel of the Lord wrestled with Jacob and disabled his strength so that he had to trust the Lord in his fearful encounter with his powerful brother, Esau. The gospels reveal how Jesus patiently worked with the often dense and unbelieving apostles to bring them to stronger faith in Him. I confess that when I began to follow the Lord, it was for the very immature and selfish reason of wanting Him to give me a satisfying marriage. But He took me in my weakness and has progressively revealed more of Himself to me over the years.

B. God has to teach us that our trust must be in Him, not in any human methods or techniques.

At first, Gideon probably thought that 32,000 was an insufficient army to battle 135,000 Midianites. But God told him that they were too many. He needed to send the cowardly home (Deut. 20:8). They had their focus on the huge enemy, not on the all-powerful God. And, fearful unbelief is contagious. Gideon probably watched with growing alarm as the ranks dwindled to 10,000. But maybe he still thought, “With God’s help and a good strategy, we can still win.”

But God said, “You’re still too many.” So He had Gideon test the soldiers by the way they drank water from the brook. There is debate about the meaning of this test as to whether it was purely arbitrary or whether it winnowed out the less vigilant. But whatever the meaning, by reducing the army to 300, the Lord was teaching Gideon and the remaining troops that they could not trust in any human methods or techniques. They had to trust in God alone. We are all prone to trusting in the latest methods or techniques, whether for success in ministry, marriage, child-rearing, or whatever. While some methods and techniques may be helpful, be careful to put your trust in the Lord, not in the method.

So to serve the Lord in victory over the overwhelming forces of spiritual darkness, obey His Word and trust in Him. Finally,

4. To serve the Lord in victory over the forces of darkness, seek God’s glory.

It’s easy to get excited about some ministry or cause for Christ and sign up as a volunteer, especially when many others are doing the same. Perhaps the 32,000 hoped to be heroes when they returned home after winning the war. But it’s another thing to persevere over the long haul in the face of huge and frightening opposition. So all the fearful returned home. They probably had reasonable excuses to give to their hometown people about why they returned: “Gideon is crazy to think that he can win with a poorly armed and untrained army against 135,000 experienced Midianite warriors. It’s a suicide mission!” But their focus was not on God and His glory; it was on self-preservation.

To serve the Lord in victory over the forces of darkness, you can’t ride on group enthusiasm. You can’t be focused on protecting yourself. You have to realize that serving the Lord is spiritual warfare against the unseen forces of darkness. Your focus has to be on seeking God’s glory, even if you end up getting wounded or killed in battle. Otherwise, when the battle heats up, you’ll run for cover.

Numbers or human methods don’t matter to the Lord. He can win the battle with no soldiers, as He would later do when King Hezekiah prayed and the Lord killed 185,000 of Sennacherib’s troops in one night (2 Kings 18-19). Or, He can use 300 courageous, trusting men to rout 135,000 Midianites. But however He does it, He wants the glory to go to Him.

During my years of serving as a pastor, I’d often get ads inviting me to some conference put on by a megachurch promising similar results if I used their method for church growth. But if you use a “proven method” that works for others and it works for you, guess where the glory goes? The method gets the glory! If you obey God’s Word and trust in Him when there is no human explanation for victory, then He gets the glory. So my “method” for church growth was to try to do what the apostles did (Acts 6:4), “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

Years ago, Stacey King played on the Chicago Bulls with the legendary Michael Jordan. One night, Jordan scored 69 points and King scored one. He facetiously said later, “I’ll always remember this as the night that Michael Jordan and I combined to score 70 points” (Reader’s Digest [10/1991], p. 22). Well, the Lord is pleased to use weak people to win the victory. As Gideon’s army would shout (Jud. 7:20), “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” But we need to make sure that everyone knows, “The Lord scored 69 points; I only scored one. He should get all the glory!”

Conclusion

To apply this message, the first question to ask is, “Have you put your trust in Jesus Christ and begun to walk with Him as your Lord?” Is the Lord your God? You can’t serve Him rightly until you first have come to the cross as a guilty sinner and trusted in His sacrifice for you.

Then ask yourself, “Where and how am I serving the Lord?” It’s more of a mindset than a formal position of service. Each day, whether it’s with your family, at work, at school, or wherever the Lord has you, yield yourself to His Spirit and ask Him to use you as a channel of His grace to others. As 1 Peter 4:10-11 states,

As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

You are a steward or manager of God’s manifold grace. You don’t have to be perfect or have arrived at some high level for Him to use you. Begin where you’re at. Do what His Word commands as it pertains to your current situation. Trust Him, even if what He is calling you to do is way beyond your ability. As you see Him work, your faith will grow to trust Him more. To serve the Lord in victory over the forces of darkness, obey Him, trust Him, and seek His glory above all. He is gracious to work with us in our weakness!

Application Points

1. Why is it important to recognize that you are not wrestling against flesh and blood, but against the unseen forces of darkness in heavenly places (Eph. 6:10-20)?
2. Where specifically does God want you to obey Him right now? What steps do you need to take to do it?
3. What are you trusting God for that is way beyond your human ability to accomplish?
4. How should you respond when someone compliments you on how you served in some capacity? Is it always necessary to say, “The Lord did it,” or can you just say, “Thank you”?

Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2020, All Rights Reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The Lockman Foundation