Presenting Jesus As Lord, Savior and Shepherd (Luke 19:10)
For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save those which are lost. (Luke 19:10)
Too often people in the world perceive Christianity as an exclusivist religion whose people are intolerant bigots. In contrast many Americans want to appear to be inclusivists, pluralists and accepting of people. Actually, when we have the right attitude we can present a relationship with Jesus with love, graciousness and greater understanding for the concerns of most people in our society.
Paul wrote, "Speaking the truth in love..." (Eph. 4:15)
Illustration: Presbyterians: Jesus is True, But Not Necessary for Salvation Kevin Eckstrom, Religion News Service
Nearly three-quarters of Presbyterians believe that the "absolute truth for humankind is in Jesus Christ," but fewer than half say that only Christians will be saved, according to a new church survey. The periodic
poll of members of the Presbyterian Church (USA) found that 70 percent of members, 75 percent of elders, 71 percent of pastors and 55 percent of specialized clergy (such as chaplains) agreed that the "only absolute truth for humankind is in Jesus Christ." When asked if "only followers of Jesus Christ can be saved," 43 percent of parishioners, 50 percent of
elders, 39 percent of clergy and 24 percent of specialized clergy agreed. The nature and role of Jesus in salvation has divided the church in recent years. A furor erupted in 2001 when one pastor rhetorically asked, "So, what’s the big deal about Jesus?" and suggested there may be other avenues for salvation. A statement passed by the church’s 2001
General Assembly affirmed salvation through Jesus but remained silent on the destiny of non-christians. "Although we do not know the limits of
God’s grace and pray for the salvation of those who may come to know Christ, for us the assurance of salvation is found only in confessing Christ and trusting Him alone," the resolution said. In other findings, two-thirds of members and 80 percent of pastors and elders believe that "Jesus will return to earth some day," and 86 percent of members and 96
percent of pastors believe in life after death. While 93 percent ofparishioners believe in heaven, only 78 percent believe in hell.
Quote: Charles Van Engen says, "The only truly unique and distinctive aspect of Christian faith is a personal relationship of the Christian with the resurrected and ascended Jesus Christ of history."
1. Learn to present Jesus as one who wants to have a loving and saving relationship with everyone. That is what is most appealing about the Lord Jesus that He wants to meet people at the heart of their greatest need - to be loved.
2. Learn to present Jesus as one who came to seek and to liberate, deliver and rescue people from their greatest problem - separation from God. (Luke 19:10) When Jesus invited Zacchaeus to come down from the sycamore tree with a desire to stay in his house, he communicated acceptance, a personal love and willingness to remove all the shame, indignity and isolation that Zacchaeus felt. Let us be concerning for the felt needs of people as that generally leads to their own conviction of sin and awareness of their need to trust Christ as their personal Savior and Lord.
3. Learn to present Jesus who is able to relate to a plurality of cultural, social and class backgrounds. The wonderful truth about faith in Jesus is that it is not limited to any culture, background or social standing. Jesus transcends all cultures because created all mankind with their own unique differences. We need to learn hwo to distinguish the gospel from all human cultures.
Quote: Paul Hiebert, a professor of missions at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School wrote, "The gospel must be distinguished from all human cultures. It is a divine revelation, not human speculation. Since it belongs to no one culture, it can be adequately expressed in all of them.
The failure to differentiate between the gospel and human cultures has been one of the greatest weaknesses of modern Christian missions. Missionaries too often have equated the good news with their own cultural background. This has led them to condemn most native customs and to impose their own customs on converts. Consequently, the gospel has been seen as foreign in general and Western in particular. People have rejected it not because they reject the lordship of Christ, but because conversion often has meant a denial of their cultural heritage and social ties." (Anthropological Insights for Missionaries, Baker, p. 531)
4. Learn to present Jesus as the one who has been given all authority in heaven and earth so as to proclaim the good news to every people group on the planet. The Lord Jesus said:
He said, "All authority has been given to me."
He declared, "I am the way the truth and the life
He stilled the wind and the sea with the words, "Hush be still."
He cast out demons and sent them into the abyss.
He commanded us to love the Lord our God with all their heart, soul, strength and mind
People said to Him, "Lord, if you are willing, heal me."
He said, "You call me Lord, Lord, but do not do the things that I say."
He said, "You call me Lord and you are right. If I washed your feet you should also."
Peter said, "Lord you know all things."
5. Learn to present Jesus as a loving, wise and contextualized teacher. Jesus exemplified excellence in teaching as in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Jesus said:
He said, "A pupil after he is trained will be fully like His teacher."
The rich young ruler asked, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Nicodemus, senior Pharisee said to Jesus, "We know that you are teacher sent from God."
He taught His disciples many things through His words and lifestyle.
He grew in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and men.
He taught them to pray by His example.
He taught them by sending the disciples out to witness Even the Pharisees asked the disciples, "Why is Teacher eating with sinners?"
He said, "I speak just what the Father has taught me." He taught not just human wisdom but spiritual wisdom
His teaching contained all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge He was the great Master teacher of all
His life backed up everything He taught. As the Father has sent me, so send I you.
He always taught through the power and leading of the Holy Spirit
Illustration: Just this past year Dr. Billy Graham was interviewed by Larry King. During the course of the interview Larry King asked Dr. Graham what his biggest disappointment in life was. Dr. Graham said without question it was when President Kennedy called and asked me to come to the Oval Office. He asked me if I believed in the rapture of the church and I told him that I did. He said, gAs you know I am a catholic. Does my church believe in the coming of the Lord?h Dr. Graham said yes they do believe it. It is in their creeds and catechisms. President Kennedy said then why donft they talk about it. Why donft I ever hear anything about it from my priest. He said Dr. Graham I want you to come to the Oval Office and talk to me about the rapture. Billy Graham said Ifve got the flu and Ifve been sick and under the weather, just give me a couple of days and Ifll come. He never got another opportunity to speak to the President because he was assassinated just a few days later. Dr. Graham said that was my biggest disappointment in this life. There was a man that was hungry for God and I put it off.
Don’t put it off today.
Don’t shrug your shoulders and say not now.
Don’t turn off that conviction that you feel.
Don’t say I’ll get right with God during the next service
Don’t say I’m not ready to make a commitment to God
Courtesy of Thomas Dibble’s Message on sermoncentral.com
6. Learn to present Jesus as a good shepherd, who lovingly cares for all the needs, especially those who are lost and have gone astray. Jesus spoke kindly, compassionately and discretely as a Shepherd saying:
He said, "I am the good shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep."
He had compassion on the multitudes because He saw them as sheep without a shepherd.
He protected them from the devil, the world and the wolves who sought to destroy His flock.
The sheep listened to the voice of their Shepherd and followed
He led His sheep through His example of sacrifice and service
He warned people against the hired hand who is a phony shepherd
He knew His sheep and His sheep knew Him and followed Him He said to Peter, "Shepherd My sheep."
The shepherd comforted His sheep amidst hardships He said, "You will become one flock with one shepherd."
He chastened the sheep that went astray so they could avoid being eaten by wolves
He guided His sheep through dangerous circumstances
He fed, led and protected His sheep from harm
He exhorted, reproved, and encouraged His sheep according to their strengths or weaknesses
7. Learn to present Jesus as one who is positive that He will provide the answer to lifefs most perplexsing questions. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father, except through me." (John 14:6)
What is our general attitude toward sinners?
Do we look down on them for the way they talk, look, dress, and carry themselves?
Are we utterly disgusted with their mannerisms and ways to the point where we avoid them at all costs?
Or do we see them in their misery as "scattered... sheep," desperately in need of Biblical guidance for their lives?
They are all around us. They are our neighbors, coworkers, plumbers, electricians, mechanics, analysts, physicians, surgeons, dentists, nurses, landlords, repairmen, painters, carpenters, secretaries, beauticians, barbers, etc.
They are our family and many of them are the friends with whom we grew up or went to school.
Every day we meet up with them at the gas station, at the coffee shop, on the elevator, at the terminal, at the library, in the classroom, in the office, at the grocery store, or on the highway.
Matthew 9:37 - The Lord Jesus told His disciples - "...The harvest truly is plenteous..."
So many are looking for answers to life’s problems. They are disillusioned and are searching for meaning and purpose behind it all. They are trying to make sense out of all that has happened and is happening in their circumstances and situations. They are searching for Love and oftentimes all in the wrong places.
Matthew 9:37 - The Lord Jesus goes on to say - "...but the labourers are few."
Why is that? Why would the "labourers" be "few"?
* Could it be that the Church is too busy "playing church" rather than "being the church"?
* Are many so caught up with their own problems and situations that they have no time to consider anyone else’s troubles or predicaments?
* Is it because we have developed an "ease in Zion" mentality and have become so comfortable in our Christianity whereby we don’t want to be stirred from our "easy chairs," so to speak?
* Or perhaps we are too busy "chasing after God" that we don’t have time for the harvest? We would rather bask in the Presence of the Lord all day long on the mountaintop rather than come down into the valley where the demon-possessed are.
* Or maybe we are afraid that we will be rejected and meet with Great Persecution when we begin to speak for God so we decide to be a "silent witness."
*Some may be afraid of the powers of darkness and don’t want to have to deal with the devil.
They simply lack the Power of God in their lives.
* And then others may feel that they can never witness to another about Freedom From Sin because they are still Slaves To Sin. They cannot witness about Liberty when they themselves are not walking in it.
We can show great confidence, assurance and hope in the Lord Jesus who knew that He had the solutions to the most grave problems that people face everyday. When we are able to offer people the root solutions to their problems rather than merely treating symptoms, as the world does, we are able to speak to the deepest level of human and spiritual needs.
Our Lord Jesusf grace is sufficient for all problems. Then we can learn to trust and obey the fact that He makes us adequate when we feel inadequate as servants of the new covenant, not of the letter but by the Spirit. For the letter kills but the loving, empowering and wise Spirit gives life.
Quote:In order to love my children, I must remember that
(1) They are children.
(2) They tend to act like children.
(3) Much of childish behavior is unpleasant.
(4) If I do my part as a parent and love them despite their childish behavior, they will be able to mature and give up childish ways.
(5) If I only love them when they please me (conditional love), and convey my love to them only during those times, they will not feel genuinely loved. This in turn will make them insecure, damage their self-image, and actually prevent them from moving on to better self-control and more mature behavior. Therefore, their behavior is my responsibility as much as theirs.
(6) If I love them unconditionally, they will feel good about themselves and be comfortable with themselves. They will then be able to control their anxiety and, in turn, their behavior, as they grow into adulthood.
Dr. Ross Campbell, How to Really Love Your Child.
