In Your Bible Read This
Acts, Chapter 22
Here Is Your Memory Verse
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation,
a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of
him
who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9
Afterwards Talk About
This
In what practical ways could you all as a royal priesthood
offer the
costly spiritual sacrifices that we have found in the Bible in
this lesson?
Something To Do Before
Next Time
Ask the Lord to direct you into a situation between now and
next time
where you can do something that Jesus did. Then when it happens,
remember this lesson, make no excuses but step out in faith and
in his mighty name.
Written Diploma Work
Write down an explanation of what Jesus asked when he went
to the Father to make it possible for you minister
in the same way that he did. John 14:12
Meditate Word By Word On
This Verse
John 14.12
- Spend
a Minute to Change the World
- Pray For Thailand - 60,000,000
people in Asia
- Much corruption,
immorality, drugs, 93% Buddhist, only 1% Christians
-
Be sure to
teach this lesson to others.
-
Always pray
and prepare well adding
-
your own verses and stories to
bring it to life.
Who Are You, Lord?
This was the first question on Sauls
lips when he unexpectedly walked into God's glory as he was
travelling to Damascus, Acts 22,8-10. As soon as Saul, later to
be called Paul, understood that he was in the presence of the
risen Lord Jesus, he asked a second question ~
What Shall I Do?
That same question is still upon the lips
of many believers today who want to serve the Lord rather than
follow worldly ambitions. Sadly, not everyone finds a way of
expressing their faith because in some churches everything is
done by the professional clergy or the paid leaders, leaving the
people little to do except attend platform-led Sunday meetings
and pay tithes and offerings without explanation of where it all
goes. Instead of being mobilised the church is all too often
paralysed.
On the other hand, many pastors complain
that there is no one to help them but fail to see the provision
of God before them.
The Missions Force Is In The Pews
The missions force may well be in the pews
but an army that does not march never conquers. In the history of
the Church there are two clear peaks of amazing growth. You can
find them in the first century and in the sixteenth century, in
what is called the Reformation.
At those times many of God's people not
just the leaders were especially motivated and mobilised and went
far and wide telling the good news even under fiery persecution.
The army of God marched on in power and the world was shaken.
At some other times in history the clergy
even refused to allow the people to read the Scriptures let alone
express their gifts and faith. Even today God's very capable
people can feel deeply frustrated if they are kept as onlookers,
uncertain as how they might serve God as the sermons they
frequently hear tell them to.
History also teaches us that if that
frustration boils over, or if an alternative presents itself,
then an established church can quickly suffer loss. However the
Bible teaches us about a better way altogether.
Every
Member A Minister
The apostle Peter writes, " you also...like living
stones are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy
priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God."
1 Peter 2. 5; and see 9 too. The New Testament standard is
the priesthood of all believers, not a professional
priesthood and that unbiblical word - laity. And have you
ever seen what Jesus said that believers can do, in Mark 16,
16-18?
Does This Mean That We
Should Not Have Any Church Leaders?
No, not at all. The Bible is very clear
that God places leaders in the church, Ephesians 4.11,12, but
their chief responsibility is to prepare and release the whole
church into the priesthood of service that God has
planned in advance for each believer. Eph. 2.10.
-
What Then Does A Priest Do?
He reflects the holiness of both God
and of his High Priest, Jesus. 1 Peter 1.15; Hebrews 7.26;
10.10
He intercedes before God for man.
He represents God before man.
Yes, of course that is the job of the
clergy, but you can, and should still do, all of these things
every day, being a priest to the people just where they are.
-
What Else Can We Do As Priests?
We can and should offer spiritual
sacrifices. 1 Peter 2.5
The Bible says that they are -
Sacrifices of praise to God. Heb. 13.15
Sacrifices of money or material goods.
Philippians 4.18; Hebrews 13.16
Sacrifice of our body offered to God.
Romans 12.1
Sacrifices of doing good.
Hebrews 13.16, Acts 10.38
A well loved missionary was disappointed
because he did not see many people healed or delivered when he
prayed for them. When he prayed about this the Lord pointed out
Acts 10.38 to him and suggested that if he did the first part
first as Jesus did - that is going about doing good, then the
second part about healing all the oppressed of the devil would
follow. Sure enough when he gave himself to do simple acts of
kindness then the Lord fulfilled his word with miracles.
-
Everyone
Can At Least Do Good
Jesus did countless acts of kindness
and Paul told Titus to tell the people to learn to devote
themselves to doing what is good. Titus 3, 8,14.
See also Eph. 6.8; 2.10, 4.12; Matthew
5.16 and James 2.14-26
Do You Have Faith In
Jesus?
Then read what Jesus said in John 14.12.
Jesus taught that whatever he did is exactly what anyone of us
who has faith in him can do today, in his name.
-
What Did Jesus Do?
Jesus spoke the truth and did ~
Twenty-three miracles of healing,
Three times he raised the dead,
Twice he fed thousands of people,
He commanded nature,
He paid taxes miraculously,
Twice he provided catches of fish for
food and for sale and storage,
He provided wine for celebration.
A wise church leader will help himself and
bring great blessing and satis-faction to his people by making
sure that every man and woman is trained to be like Jesus and
then released under supervision to be a minister
either at home or a missionary further away. If he will do so
then the whole army of God will surely march on in love and
conquer all before, and the pastor will no longer have to
everything himself.
Taken from the
Joshua Project Unreached Peoples List
these people have no church and as yet
no cell, church or mission has committed themselves
to prayer, adoption or church planting among this people.
Turkmenistan
|
People Name |
Language |
Population
|
Baluch, Western |
Baluchi, Western |
34,000
|
Tatar |
Tatar |
41,000
|
See all of the
lessons