Chapter 8 - Appointed and Anointed.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not a man-made way to God but a unique revelation from God for our salvation. "I'm NOT ASHAMED of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes" (Romans 1:16). It's a message from God, with great authority. Thus it must be preached with boldness. It's not a suggestion, but an official declaration from the Throne of God offering amnesty, pardon and reinstatement (righteousness) in the Kingdom of God to all rebels (the human race). We have rejected God's authority over us and are under a sentence of death. It's outside our power to put things right. The King is just and must punish sin. But the King's Son offered to take the punishment for our rebellion upon himself and died in our place. Thus, the King could send ambassadors to the rebels with a 'Good News' message of forgiveness if they repent and accept His authority. When we share the Gospel we're bringing a message from the King. We are not sharing our own ideas.
When an ambassador speaks for his King, it is not his word but the King's, he speaks with the authority of the King. He makes it clear he is not giving rumours or his own ideas but that he comes in the NAME of the King. He declares himself as an authorized messenger from the King so that his word is received with the importance it deserves. If they don't believe your authority, how can they accept the gospel you proclaim as a message from God? We want them to accept it as God's word, so they must accept us as God's mouthpiece. So we must speak with boldness knowing we have been SENT with a message from God, as AUTHORISED AMBASSADORS OF GOD.
(1) KNOW WHAT THE GOSPEL IS. We preach Christ (the Anointed One and His anointing), that God's saving power is now present in Christ to be received by faith. This power has been made available through the death and resurrection of Jesus and outpouring of the Spirit.
"For we preach not ourselves, but (1) Christ Jesus the Lord; and (2) (we preach) ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake" (2Corinth 4:5).
The main part of our message is to PREACH CHRIST ('Jesus is anointed to save you') The 2nd part is that we are sent and anointed with His power. We are bringing God's Word, power, salvation healing and Kingdom to them. The bolder we are in our call and anointing, the more faith they will have to come to God through our message and the more power is released. They will let us take their hand and lead them to Christ in prayer. It takes boldness to preach the gospel, to speak in the Name of Jesus, to confront people with the Lord and bring them to a decision to accept or reject. It's a sharp sword that produces positive and negative reactions. But if they reject, they don't reject us but God, so we shake off the dust and go on.
JESUS' MINISTRY. Jesus declared his anointing and authorization when he preached the Gospel.
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has ANOINTED me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has SENT me....to preach the acceptable year of the Lord... and he began to say to them, 'This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." (Luke 4:18-21). Jesus told how he was baptised and the Spirit came upon him like a dove (His anointing) and God spoke out of heaven(His authorization or appointing)
"I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But every nation... is accepted with Him (it's the acceptable(Jubilee) year for all nations). (God has told me to declare to you, v33: ) the word ('LOGOS' = message) which God sent to...Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all (Jews and gentiles-so now the same message is to you) that (spoken) WORD ('RHEMA'), I say, you know, which was PUBLISHED (lit: which CAME TO PASS, HAPPENED or FULFILLED ITSELF. This means the spoken words of the gospel contain and make the saving power of God present to the hearers, so that the word fulfils itself in those who believe and receive it) through all Judaea... after the baptism which John preached. That spoken-word that we and Jesus preached was: Jesus of Nazareth : How God ANOINTED him with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good (being a rich and generous benefactor of that anointing), and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for GOD WAS WITH HIM (authorised Him)" (Acts 10:34-38).
JESUS APPOINTED and ANOINTED HIS DISCIPLES.
"When he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them...and said to his disciples, 'The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will SEND forth labourers into his harvest" (Matthew 9:36-38)
"when he had CALLED his 12 disciples, He gave them AUTHORITY (and power) against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and disease. These 12 Jesus SENT forth, saying, 'GO, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:1,5-8; Mark 6:7, Luke 9:1-6).
"GO YE into all the world, and PREACH the gospel to every creature. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be condemned (that’s authority!) These signs shall follow them that believe; IN MY NAME ... they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working WITH & confirming the word with signs following" (Mark 16:15-20)
"Peace be unto you: as my Father hath SENT me, even so SEND I you (authorization) and then he breathed on them and said, 'Receive ye the Holy Spirit (power)" (John 20:21).
- (1) RECONCILED us to Himself by Jesus Christ (peace with God) and
- (2) given to us THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION (which is) that (i.e this is what we preach):
(1) God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them(Christ and His work in His death and resurrection)
and (2) (God) has COMMITTED TO US the WORD of reconciliation. Now then we are AMBASSADORS for Christ, as though God did beseech you through us: we plead to you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He has made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. We then, as workers together with Him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.... behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation."
We are conscious that we're sent by God and that He's speaking through us. This gives us the boldness to challenge them to respond now. We are authorized to open the door of the Kingdom to them by the gospel and to invite them to enter in and be saved. (John 10:9)
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