What is an offering that would please the LORD? Malachi 3:8-10,
Does God want an offering of your money? Sometimes. I suppose if it has the power to bring the nations to Christ, then yes. But on the other hand sometimes God likes to accomplish things without our resources, so we can see the difference between our effort and God's power; so He can increase His own fame.
The prophetic book of Isaiah ends with an interesting take on offerings made to God. It describes STRANGERS as the offering God is seeking. Isaiah 66:18-21,
While some of the evangelism described here makes us think these verses are fulfilled in the church age (now), all brothers from all nations have not been brought to Jerusalem (being referred to as the holy mountain which speaks of the future dispensation).
If the age of the 1000 year reign of Christ is characterized by this, shouldn't our Spiritual duty today look the same? From the beginning of the promise uttered to Abraham, God has been patiently seeking the redemption and transformation of unchurched people! The excellence... of the power of God on display in lives being changed. What if that is what He will have His servants offer Him?
And if in the Kingdom era there will be literal pilgrimages to Jerusalem of new believers in Jesus, shouldn't that be fulfilled now in a Spiritual sense? Malachi 1:7-8,
If this is true, ... Then what, do you think possibly...
Lame = ?
Sick = ?
Blind = ?
Disciple Making Means the Unchurched will Follow Him
We quote God's Word in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20) a lot, but what does a discipling movement look like? The word "disciple" means "follower, learner". Disciple-making therefore means making disciples of the unchurched. Wait a second, you might say: I make disciples of the people who already attend church! Isn't that also disciplemaking? Well, of substance yes, but let me explain a little further.
By definition, a disciple is someone who is willing to follow Jesus. Once someone is willing to follow, then your engagement in making a disciple is done. The disciple is made - and a certain amount of maintenance remains. We might differentiate disciple-maintaining from disciple-making.
Help me tell the story of Jesus.... Jesus saw the crowds following Him, picked out 12 to be His first missionaries... and then: did He send them to minister to the crowds already following Him on foot?
Is that how the story goes?? No :) On two occasions (prior to Pentecost) Jesus gave the 12 the power to speak and do as He did. Who were they sent to? They were empowered to reach the nearby villages where people had not heard the good news so they could be given the chance to follow Jesus too.
The Necessary Work of "Disciple-Maintenance" (Shepherding)
"Disciples" are the willing. They showed up. How about at church? Who shows up at church, usually? Isn't it the willing? Those who have chosen in some motivation to follow Christ?
Jesus didn't concern Himself with developing the 12 missionaries' Christianity very far at all before He anointed them to successfully make followers of the LORD. They weren't intelligent, they weren't professionals. It's not necessary for a "movement." We all want Christians to have character, granted; and they will by God's grace.
God has a plan in disciple-maintenance, and maybe that is your passion to serve Him. What I mean by "disciple-maintenance" is the giftings of Shepherd and Teacher. In His concern for sin, Jesus said, "You follow me because I fed you the bread." He continually ministers to develop godly character. This is the sanctification process and we're all working on becoming who He has destined us to be. We come together as a Body to refresh and strengthen our willingness to follow, to learn.
There is a small percentage of followers that aren't what they seem. But even that God has under control. On occasion, disciple-maintenance leads us down a road of departure. Followers "work themselves out." 1 John 2:19,
Stolen = Researchers have been reporting that most church growth statistics come from transfers from other congregations of people who are already Christians...?
What if the most beautiful offering in God's eyes is the testimony of His presence in a stranger's life? What if He loves to hear a new people overwhelmed to discover God as alive, as powerful, as near, as protective, as saving, as gracious.
It can't be bought with money.
Can you give it to Him?
"Will a man rob God?
Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say,
‘In what way have we robbed You?’
In tithes and offerings.
You are cursed with a curse,
For you have robbed Me,
Even this whole nation.
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it."
Does God want an offering of your money? Sometimes. I suppose if it has the power to bring the nations to Christ, then yes. But on the other hand sometimes God likes to accomplish things without our resources, so we can see the difference between our effort and God's power; so He can increase His own fame.
 |
| Simon trying to buy the Spirit he already had as a believer, Acts 8 |
"For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see my glory. I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish ad Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles. Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the LORD out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem," says the LORD, "as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD. And I will also take some of them for priests and Levites," says the LORD.
While some of the evangelism described here makes us think these verses are fulfilled in the church age (now), all brothers from all nations have not been brought to Jerusalem (being referred to as the holy mountain which speaks of the future dispensation).
If the age of the 1000 year reign of Christ is characterized by this, shouldn't our Spiritual duty today look the same? From the beginning of the promise uttered to Abraham, God has been patiently seeking the redemption and transformation of unchurched people! The excellence... of the power of God on display in lives being changed. What if that is what He will have His servants offer Him?
And if in the Kingdom era there will be literal pilgrimages to Jerusalem of new believers in Jesus, shouldn't that be fulfilled now in a Spiritual sense? Malachi 1:7-8,
"You offer defiled food on My altar,
But say,
‘In what way have we defiled You?’
By saying,
‘The table of the Lord is contemptible.’
And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice,
Is it not evil?
And when you offer the lame and sick,
Is it not evil?"
If this is true, ... Then what, do you think possibly...
Lame = ?
Sick = ?
Blind = ?
Disciple Making Means the Unchurched will Follow Him
We quote God's Word in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20) a lot, but what does a discipling movement look like? The word "disciple" means "follower, learner". Disciple-making therefore means making disciples of the unchurched. Wait a second, you might say: I make disciples of the people who already attend church! Isn't that also disciplemaking? Well, of substance yes, but let me explain a little further.
By definition, a disciple is someone who is willing to follow Jesus. Once someone is willing to follow, then your engagement in making a disciple is done. The disciple is made - and a certain amount of maintenance remains. We might differentiate disciple-maintaining from disciple-making.
Help me tell the story of Jesus.... Jesus saw the crowds following Him, picked out 12 to be His first missionaries... and then: did He send them to minister to the crowds already following Him on foot?
Is that how the story goes?? No :) On two occasions (prior to Pentecost) Jesus gave the 12 the power to speak and do as He did. Who were they sent to? They were empowered to reach the nearby villages where people had not heard the good news so they could be given the chance to follow Jesus too.
The Necessary Work of "Disciple-Maintenance" (Shepherding)
"Disciples" are the willing. They showed up. How about at church? Who shows up at church, usually? Isn't it the willing? Those who have chosen in some motivation to follow Christ?
Jesus didn't concern Himself with developing the 12 missionaries' Christianity very far at all before He anointed them to successfully make followers of the LORD. They weren't intelligent, they weren't professionals. It's not necessary for a "movement." We all want Christians to have character, granted; and they will by God's grace.
God has a plan in disciple-maintenance, and maybe that is your passion to serve Him. What I mean by "disciple-maintenance" is the giftings of Shepherd and Teacher. In His concern for sin, Jesus said, "You follow me because I fed you the bread." He continually ministers to develop godly character. This is the sanctification process and we're all working on becoming who He has destined us to be. We come together as a Body to refresh and strengthen our willingness to follow, to learn.
There is a small percentage of followers that aren't what they seem. But even that God has under control. On occasion, disciple-maintenance leads us down a road of departure. Followers "work themselves out." 1 John 2:19,
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
His Power is in Disciple-Making Movements
How big is the testimony of God in the world if we only offer up the incremental faith of the already faithful? Compare the faith of Paul from the writings of 1 Timothy to 2nd Timothy - can you see his faith grow between writing these two books? Probably not, I'd guess. By contrast, can you tell the difference between Saul the persecutor of Christians, and Paul the convert of Jesus? Absolutely! Conversion is His renown! Isaiah 61:5,6,9,
Would our God be more awe-inspiring, and be more glorious if we could bring the unchurched, the un-gathered, the non-following? Saved... from the grip of hell on earth, transformed like nobody's business? Can you remember the last time you heard the story of someone who just accepted Jesus as Savior? What happened to your soul? The newly converted remind us of what is important. I love to hear how touching it is for a person to finally meet God in all His love for them. How "lame" in transformation are wonderfully but predictably faithful Christians compared to a babe in Christ? Malachi 1:12-13,
How big is the testimony of God in the world if we only offer up the incremental faith of the already faithful? Compare the faith of Paul from the writings of 1 Timothy to 2nd Timothy - can you see his faith grow between writing these two books? Probably not, I'd guess. By contrast, can you tell the difference between Saul the persecutor of Christians, and Paul the convert of Jesus? Absolutely! Conversion is His renown! Isaiah 61:5,6,9,
Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks,
And the sons of the foreigner
Shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers....
You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles,
And in their glory you shall boast....
All who see them shall acknowledge them,
That they are the posterity whom the LORD has blessed.
Would our God be more awe-inspiring, and be more glorious if we could bring the unchurched, the un-gathered, the non-following? Saved... from the grip of hell on earth, transformed like nobody's business? Can you remember the last time you heard the story of someone who just accepted Jesus as Savior? What happened to your soul? The newly converted remind us of what is important. I love to hear how touching it is for a person to finally meet God in all His love for them. How "lame" in transformation are wonderfully but predictably faithful Christians compared to a babe in Christ? Malachi 1:12-13,
"You also say,
‘Oh, what a weariness!’
And you sneer at it,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
“And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick;
Thus you bring an offering!
Should I accept this from your hand?”
Says the Lord."
Stolen = Researchers have been reporting that most church growth statistics come from transfers from other congregations of people who are already Christians...?
What if the most beautiful offering in God's eyes is the testimony of His presence in a stranger's life? What if He loves to hear a new people overwhelmed to discover God as alive, as powerful, as near, as protective, as saving, as gracious.
It can't be bought with money.
Can you give it to Him?
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