How To Bring About Change As Jesus Did - Luke 5:15,16
Quote: Some people will change when they see the light. Others change only when they feel the heat.
Traditional.
Quote: Everything continues in a state of rest unless it is compelled to change by forces impressed upon it.
Issac Newton, First Law of Motion.
Quote: Cornford’s Law: Nothing is ever done until everyone is convinced that it ought to be done, and has been convinced for so long that it is now time to do something else.
A number of conservative people do not trust new innovations as their conservative orientations makes them less willing to change. They gain security from their traditions. They are generally comfortable in "that old time religion". For this reason, many of their movements eventually wax and wane with the passing ages. Without an ability to remain relevant, contemporary, and adaptive to the changing needs of the people, some conservatives miss opportunities to impact society.
The following list is useful in helping security obsessed people to see how Jesus Christ made major changes. See if you can reflect how some could modify their views to conform more to the motivations and methods of Jesus our Lord.
The following are several ways through which Jesus tried to bring about change.
1. Jesus prayed and relied on the Holy Spirit for every change. (Luke 5:15,16) "Yet the news about Him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."
2. Jesus made declarative statements of His purposes, processes and motives to all that would listen. (John 6:38) "I have come not to do my own will but the will of Him who has sent me."
3. Jesus was not afraid to speak the truth to authorities that were hindering the progress of His kingdom’s qualitative and quantitative growth. (Matthew 22:29) Jesus told the Pharisees, "You err because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God."
4. Jesus emphasized that change must first occur internally before external changes should be made. (Matthew 9:17) Jesus said, "Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."
5. Jesus built relationships with people. He challenged those who would listen to change on the basis of their love for Him and the heavenly Father’s will. (John 21:15-17) "When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ’Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?’ ’Yes, Lord’, he said, ’You know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ’Feed my lambs.’ Again Jesus said, ’Simon, son of John, do you truly love me?’ He answered, ’Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ’Take care of my sheep.’ The third time he said to him, ’Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ’Do you love me?’ He said, ’Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ’Feed my sheep.’"
6. Jesus emphasized a balancing of the letter and the spirit of the law in His changes. (Mark 2:25-27) "He answered, ’Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions. Then Jesus said, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."
7. Jesus gave people hope, encouragement and love before asking them to change. (Matthew 11:28-30) "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
8. Jesus taught others to avoid hypocritical change. (Matthew 7:1-3) "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way as you judge others, you will be judged and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? First remove the plank from your own eye then you will see clearly."
9. Jesus used positive authority in helping to effect change. (Matthew 7:28,29) "When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law."
10. Jesus realized that His job was not to change everything and everyone in society. He also understood that His primary job was not to bring about social, political or economic changes in his community. (Mark 10:45) "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many."
11. Jesus emphasized trust and obedience to God in producing long lasting change. (John 14:21) "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
12. Jesus emphasized right behavior that would be measured and rewarded by God. (Luke 6:46-49) "Why do you call me, ’Lord, Lord’ and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man that dug down deep and laid a foundation for his house upon a rock. When the flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."
13. Jesus believed in getting people involved in effecting change. First, Jesus required the change agents to be committed to Him and God’s will before enlisting them as His disciples. (Luke 9:23-25) "Then He said to them all, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his soul?"
14. Jesus used superb timing in effecting changes that would make a permanent difference. (John 2:1-4) "On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, ’They have no more wine.’ ’Dear woman, why do you involve me?’ Jesus replied, ’My time has not yet come."
15. Jesus would occasionally delay bringing a change in order to produce the greatest quantitative and qualitative results. (John 14:26) "All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
16. Jesus declared Himself as the key to eternal changes. (John 14:6) "Jesus said, ’I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me."
17. Jesus knew that people needed His knowledge and wisdom to effect the kind of changes that would bring blessings without any sorrow. (Col. 2:3) "In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."
18. Jesus knew that His great commission would be the crux to future change. (Matthew 28:18-20) "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
19. Jesus knew that the church would be a key agent for producing change. (Matthew 16:18) "And I tell you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."
20. Jesus knew that there would be a harmonization of a wide diversity of gifts, roles and responsibilities to effect the greatest changes in the world. "The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don’t need you! And the head cannot say to the feet, ’I don’t need you!’ On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable. … So that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other." (I Corinthians 12:21,22,25)
21. Jesus practiced selection, association, consecration, impartation, demonstration, delegation, supervision, and reproduction principles to produce changes through His disciples. (Robert Coleman’s Master Plan of Evangelism, Revell)
Conclusion:The clerk of Abbington Presbytery, outside of Philadelphia, approximately 100 years ago gave these 5 kinds of attitudes about change:
1. Early innovators (2.6%), run with new ideas
2. Early adaptors (13.4%), influenced by (1) but not initiators
3. Slow Majority (34%), the herd-followers
4. Reluctant Majority (34%)
5. Antagonistic (16%), they will never change
The majority of ministers are being nibbled at by the last group. They focus on the minority opinion. This group is basically carnal. You expect antagonism from them.
Howard Hendricks, in The Monday Morning Mission.
