CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH. SURREY DOCKS DISTRICT, HQ WEEK 1 TEACHINGS OF JESUS LESSON 3 SCHOOL OF DISCIPLES - JESUS MODEL O...
WEEK 1 TEACHINGS OF JESUS LESSON 3
SCHOOL OF DISCIPLES - JESUS MODEL OF PREACHING AND TEACHING
TEXT: Matthew 3:2; 4:17,Mark 1:15; 2 Cor.7:9-10
CORE OF JESUS MESSAGE
After Jesus was baptized, and anointed by the Holy Spirit to become the Christ, the Messiah. His first message or sermon is this: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Mt.4:17). The kingdom and repentance was at the heart of the ministry of Jesus and the apostles. John the Baptist Preached the Message of the Kingdom (Mt 3:1,2). Jesus Preached the Message of the Kingdom (Mt 4:17; 23-24). Many of Jesus' parables were about the Kingdom. He gave the secrets of the Kingdom to his apostles. Paul preached the Kingdom (Acts 20:25). Jesus called Men to preach the kingdom (Lk 9:60; Mt.10:7-8) and He Predicted the Continued Preaching of 'This Gospel of the Kingdom' until His Second Coming (Mt 24:14). Not only do we have Jesus and Paul as examples in this matter of preaching the Kingdom. We have the assurance from Jesus' own lips that this message of the kingdom should be preached ‘as a witness to all the world. This is the main task we as the body of Christ have. In this study we will briefly look at the two keywords REPENTANCE and the KINGDOM.
WHAT IS REPENTANCE ?
Ezekiel said “Repent and turn from your transgressions” (Ezek. 18:30). John the Baptist said “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2). Jesus said “Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Peter said “Repent and be baptized” (Acts 2:38). And Paul said God “commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).
We can see the meaning of repentance from the amplified versions of the bible:
Matthew 3:2 Amplified Bible (AMP) “Repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 3:2 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) And saying, Repent (think differently; change your mind, regretting your sins and changing your conduct), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
So repentance is a voluntary and sincere change in the mind of the sinner, causing him to turn from his sin. Repentance means you change your mind about yourself, sin, and God.
Repentance change of mind, behaviour, lifestyle about:
a. Specific sin of Rejection of the gospel
b. It can also involve sorrow over a specific sin or series of sins that an individual feels guilt over, or
conviction that he or she has committed
COMPONENT PARTS OF REPENTANCE
1. RECOGNITION OR REALIZATION OF SIN – Acknowledge sin – Luke 15:17; Ps 51:1-4; Jer 3:13,14; Acts 2:37,38; James 4:17; Acts 17:30,31– Know you have made a mistake. INTELLECT
2. REMORSE FOR SIN – Remorse, in and of itself, is not repentance. But it is necessary TO repentance. Regret and Grief over sin – 2 Cor.7:9-10 – Feel sorry for what you have done. Paul said, “godly sorrow produces repentance” (2 Corinthians 7:10). EMOTION
3. RESOLVE (CHANGE OF MIND) – Luke 15:18 – Decide to change your behaviour. At the very heart of repentance is the resolve to change one’s mind and will –Proverbs 28:13; 1 Peter 4:2. Examples of such resolve: Luke 15:18; Jonah 3:5-9; Matthew 12:41
4. REVEAL OR RECITE – Confess (admit) sins completely – 1 John 1:9; Proverbs 28:13 He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But whoever confesses and turns away from his sins will find compassion and mercy.
5. REFORMATION (CHANGE OF LIFESTYLE) – Ultimately, Biblical repentance involves a reformation of behavior. Jonah 3:10; Mt 12:41; Luke 3:7-9; Ez.18:21-22,31; Rom12:2); lK 15:17-20.
6. RESTITUTION - MAKE THINGS RIGHT WITH OTHERS, Making amends wherever possible – Mt.3:7-9; Lk.19:8; Acts 16:33. . The Old Testament demanded such (Exodus 22:1,4,5,6,7-9,10-12; Leviticus 6:1-5; 2 Samuel 12:6; Proverbs 6:30-31). Zacchaeus understood this (Luke 19:8-9).
7. RELEASE Forgive others - (Matthew 6:14-15
8. RECEIVE – Accept the gift of Forgiveness. Forgive yourself. Trust and accept God’s offer of
forgiveness. 1 Jn.1:9; Numbers 14:18; Luke 6:37; Psalm 86:5; Matthew 6:12, 14-15; Mark 11:25
9. RESENTMENT OF SIN - (Psalm 97:10a). True hatred for sin in repentance is a sure sign that godly grief
has occurred, for the natural person does not hate sin, but loves it.
10. Removal of Sin - (Isaiah 1:16). The resenting of sin prompts a removing of sin. This does not mean that you
are perfect, but that you are taking practical steps to remove the sin in your life. This is seen in not only
removing sin, but also replacing it with godly living (Colossians 3:8-14).
11. Rejoicing over Forgiven Sin - Repentance should end in rejoicing-being joyous over the fact that your sin is
forgiven and that you can experience renewal as God restores you from the effects of sin.
A Biblical Example – Luke 15 – Prodigal Son
1. Recognition – He came to himself or His Senses(17) - HIS REASONING OR INTELLECT
2. Remorse and Reveal – I have sinned against heaven (18) a
3. Resolve – I will arise and go to my father (18)
4. Reformation – He arose and went (18)
5. Restitution – I am not worthy to be a son (21) [restore relationship]
ACRONYM OF REPENT
Regret, Godly sorrow, deep conviction of sin (Psalm 38:18)
Expression, confession of the sin (James 5:16)
Purposeful decision, a "setting of oneself" with one's free will to change that sin conduct (Romans 2:6-7) Entering His Path, taking actual steps towards God's Way of Holiness (1 Peter 1:14)
Never again picking up that sin pattern (Proverbs 26:11)
Taking up the Cross; bearing fruit of the Holy Spirit worthy of repentance as a witness to others (Matthew 7:5)
THE KINGOM
This "kingdom of God" is mentioned in Scriptures several different ways throughout the Old and New Testaments: Mt 6:33;13:41;20:21;3:2;4:17;8:12; 13:14; 13:29 Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:43; all refer to the “kingdom of Christ. Even though the exact wording differs between Christ, God, and heaven, all Scriptures are symbolizing the same concept with different aspects. Here are three things that the Kingdom of God means:
1. The rule of Jesus Christ on earth
2. The blessing and advantages that flow from living under Christ’s rule
3. The subjects of this kingdom, or the Church
THE THREE TENSES OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD OR KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
THE PAST TENSE OF THE KINGDOM
Matthew 25:34 tells us that the kingdom has been in preparation since the foundation of the world. It has been in existence all along, in different forms. God was a King to Adam and Eve; he gave them dominion or authority to rule; they were his vice-regents in the Garden of Eden. Although the word “kingdom” is not used, the first humans were essentially in a kingdom of God, under his rule and ownership.
THE PRESENT TENSE OF THE KINGDOM
THE KINGDOM AS PRESENT
The distinctive feature of Jesus teaching on the Kingdom of God is that while future, it is also at the same time present in his person and ministry. Luke 16:16; 6;20; 17:21; 7:22. Lk.4:18-19,21; Mt 13:11-17, 30, 38-43, 47-50).
When we pray and seek the Kingdom of God, we are also praying for the rule and reign of the kingdom of God in our lives. This is when Jesus is in charge. On one occasion Jesus said, “For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21), where He was speaking of himself. When you are under His lordship, and when He is in control of your life, that is the kingdom of God. It is not rules and regulations, but “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).
Now we can have the kingdom of God here on earth. It is now. It is the power of God in us, it the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and defeated death. It is not a place it is royal power from the King of kings that is in us. It is the peace and joy that surpasses all understanding.
Let’s look at some verses that indicate the kingdom is already functioning. After casting out demons, Jesus said, “If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God [and he did], then the kingdom of heaven has come to you” (Matt. 12:28; Luke 11:20). The kingdom is here, he said, and the proof is in the miraculous work. The power of God is invading the domain of evil, expelling the powers of evil.
In Mark 10:15, Jesus indicates that the kingdom is something we must receive in some way, apparently in this life: “Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
Some Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom would come (Luke 17:20). You can’t see it, replied Jesus: “the kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation.” But he also said, “The kingdom of God is among you” (verse 21).
THE FUTURE TENSE OF THE KINGDOM
Virtually all interpreters agree Jesus taught the future aspect of the Kingdom. Lk.6:21-23. When we suffer setbacks and persecutions, when we see that most people reject the gospel, we gain strength from the knowledge that the fullness of the kingdom is in a future age. And when we try to make the world a better place but encounter setbacks along the way, we do not give up, but take comfort in the fact that good will prevail in the end. The book of Daniel predicts a kingdom of God that will rule the earth (Daniel 2:44, 7:13-14, 22); the New Testament Apocalypse describes its arrival (Revelation 11:15, 19:11-16).
We pray for the kingdom to come (Luke 11:2) – but even so, we want God’s will to be done now, as well as in the future. The poor in spirit and people who are persecuted await a future “reward in heaven” (Matthew 5:3, 10, 12). People “enter the kingdom” not just now, but also on a future “day” of judgment (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 13:22-30). Jesus gave one of his parables because some people thought the kingdom would become powerful right away (Luke 19:11). God reiterated this point through the prophet Zechariah, who in describing the second coming of Christ to earth said, “And the Lord shall be King over all the earth” (Zechariah 14:9). This point is restated in several New Testament passages (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 11:15; 17:14; 19:16).
Conclusion: Jesus here model for the church what is supposed to be the core of our message. The good news of the coming Kingdom. This is the motivation and the great hope of all Children of God. If only in this world we have our hope, we are indeed of all men most miserable. The challenge for us is to continue to live our life in the power of the Holy Spirit with the coming Kingdom in view.
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