John 14:12

12 "The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. (NLT)

 

Did you hear what Jesus said? The truth is … that you will do greater works then Jesus. Wow, isn’t that great? Yes, yes it is. Jesus has absolutely no doubt in His mind that you will do great things for Him. Jesus has confidence in you that you can do great things. Why do you doubt yourself? Jesus said it -- therefore it is. It will happen. Do you believe it? Jesus called you, yes you, to be a part of His ministry and He has given it to you to do great things for Him.

Part of Jesus’ ministry was to teach and train replacements to carry on His ministry. He even personally trained the Apostle Paul.  In the ministry that Jesus has called you to you should also be training someone to replace you and carry on the ministry. Jesus said to “go make disciples” so they too can do the ministry of the gospel. Jesus kept on teaching and sharing and demonstrating so that others and groups would learn that they had the power to do what He had done.

Jesus trained His replacements.

 

Engage the Present – Create the Future – With Jesus Christ

1Samuel 17:26-32

26 David talked to some others standing there to verify the report. "What will a man get for killing this Philistine and putting an end to his abuse of Israel?" he asked them. "Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?" 27 And David received the same reply as before: "What you have been hearing is true. That is the reward for killing the giant."

28 But when David's oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. "What are you doing around here anyway?" he demanded. "What about those few sheep you're supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and dishonesty. You just want to see the battle!"

29 "What have I done now?" David replied. "I was only asking a question!" 30 He walked over to some others and asked them the same thing and received the same answer. 31 Then David's question was reported to King Saul, and the king sent for him.

32 "Don't worry about a thing," David told Saul. "I'll go fight this Philistine!" (NLT)

 

In essence David said, “Why not me.” David put His trust and faith in God. When he tended the sheep in the wilderness he leaned on God and God’s strength to protect him and his flock. God gave David great strength and gave the Lion and the Bear into his hand. David was not any different than us. He was not any more talented or special then we are today. David was willing to trust God because he learned through experience that God keeps His word. When all of Israel were in their tents scared of Goliath, David said, “Why not me.”

In Heaven, when God asked who will go to save the lost on earth, Jesus stepped forward and said, “Why not me.” Jesus was willing to go all the way to the cross to die because He knew that it would bring honor and glory to God the Father. Jesus looked beyond the now and looked at what will be. When all of Heaven was silent Jesus said, “Why not me.”

Where are you in your walk with God? Do you trust Him? Have you put your complete faith in Him? Jesus says that God has given you everything you need to have a relationship with Him. You don’t need anything else. You already have it within you. Accept it, claim it, receive it and believe it. Just trust God. When the opportunity arises ask, “Why not me” and then follow God’s leading.

 

 Engage the Present – Create the Future – With Jesus Christ

Matthew 25:40

40 And the King will tell them, 'I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!' (NLT)

Matthew 25:45-46

45 And he will answer, 'I assure you, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.'  46 And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life." (NLT)

 

Some people treat God as a hobby or something they do every Sunday. But God yearns to have an intense and intimate relationship with you. He will not force Himself on you because He has given you a free will, so He waits for you to come to Him and then He comes to you. God has said that He loved David so much because David had a heart that was totally in love with Him and God loves you this much too. Read the Psalms and see how David wrote about how much He loves God. If you think that God is not interested or does not need our personal display of affection, then read the Song of Solomon. Jesus loved you so much that He died for you personally.

How much do love others? Do you love them the way God loves them? Do you think of others as being a child of God like you? Take a look at verse 40, these people helped others as though it was second nature to them. They never gave it a thought, they just loved others and helped them out where needed. As the saying goes “see a need, fill a need.” When you love and help others you are doing it unto Jesus.

Now look at the other group. They refused to help others. They only thought of themselves, what they wanted and they were too busy to help. They blinded  their eyes to those who needed help, who were hurting and who could not do for themselves. They will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.

Read Matthew 25:31-46 and see that there are two different attitudes. Both groups say the same thing but the tone and attitude is very different. The first group is more like “we were only doing what we saw you do, Lord” and the second group is like “what, when, I didn’t see anything.”

Engage the Present – Create the Future – With Jesus Christ

Matthew 7:12

12 "Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. (NLT)

 

Has God not done this toward you? Has God not treated you the way He wants to be treated? Has God not sacrificed for you? God has done everything for you. He has adopted you as His child and gives you an inheritance as His child. His own son was your sacrifice to pay your debt of sin paid in full by Jesus’ blood. If God called you on the phone and you knew that it was God would you not do anything for Him? Of course you would. So then God wants you to treat everyone like He treats you. He wants you to be His ambassador right where you are and to show others Christ in you. Jesus told the Pharisees that He only does the things that He sees His Father do. Do you know your Father? He has written everything you need to know in His Word for you to follow and how to treat others the way He wants you to treat them.

Jesus did only that which He saw His Father do.

 

Engage the Present – Create the Future – With Jesus Christ

Matthew 7:7-8

Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened.  For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks. (NLT)

 

As you come before the living God who has adopted you into His family do not be afraid to ask. Jesus says not to give up, but keep asking and God will answer you. God answers in three ways, yes, no and wait. If God does not reply it does not necessarily mean no -- it may mean just to wait for His timing. Sometimes in the waiting God wants to know where is your faith, do you trust me and are you willing to wait. So take one step at a time, keep asking, keep looking, keep knocking for God will give you the answer you need. It may not be the answer you want but it will be the answer you need. Remember God is in control of ALL things and nothing ever escapes His notice.

Jesus put His trust in God and God alone.

 

Engage the Present – Create the Future – With Jesus Christ

The Most Important Commandment

Matthew 22:35-40

35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 "Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?"

37 Jesus replied, " 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.'   38 This is the first and greatest commandment.  39 A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'   40 All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments." (NLT)

 

Do you want to be happy? Do you want to have a life full of  joy? I think most all of us would. We can. Jesus summed up the whole law to this, love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. This is the first and greatest commandment. This is where real true life begins. Yes there will be trials and storms in your life but without loving God the way He loves you it is meaningless. Without walking with God life will be upsetting and lonely. It starts with putting the Lord Jesus first. The greatest thing you can do is live your life with Jesus always being first.

The second commandment is to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love those who the world deems as unlovable. Jesus came to save those who need Him, those who want Him and those who need to be loved. Your walk with Jesus is all about love. You can love because Jesus first loved you. He loved you enough to put you before Himself and died for you and for everyone else. Jesus wants you to follow Him, to follow His example and to follow Him in unconditionally loving others. Jesus basically said if you want to be happy then follow these two commandments.

 

Engage the Present – Create the Future – With Jesus Christ

Matthew 21:12-13

Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the merchants and their customers. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the stalls of those selling doves. 13 He said, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be called a place of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves!" (NLT)

John 2:14-16

14 In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; and he saw money changers behind their counters. 15 Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and oxen, scattered the money changers' coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. 16 Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, "Get these things out of here. Don't turn my Father's house into a marketplace!" (NLT)

 

Why did Jesus do this? Two reasons, one He had the authority and second He was very passionate about God’s Temple. Jesus was bold about what He believed what He felt and what He knew was true. “My Temple will be called a place of prayer.” God wants the Church to be a place of worship and prayer -- not the buying and selling of merchandise. Jesus did not apologize or back down when it came to what He believed, but instead He proclaimed it boldly to all. For the message He had was true and it is life changing. Jesus did not mumble or whisper the gospel, but spoke it boldly. He shouted. He stomped. He flung tables and merchandise. He cried out. He groaned. He didn’t whine about it. He spoke out boldly the message of the good news. Jesus boldly took His authority. He flew His banner high and carried it day by day. He took the canvas of His life and painted a message big enough, bold enough, and bright enough for everyone to see.

Jesus was bold.

Q: What would you do if you were ten times bolder?

            Go out and do it.

 

Q: What has it cost you in life not to be bold?

 

Engage the Present – Create the Future – With Jesus Christ