FollowingChrist

Following Christ's as Itinerant preacher?

The following article was found in a Swedish newspaper, written by a reporter who attended a convention for clergymen at Linkopling.

A minister arose and asked to speak. He then said, "Honorable fathers and brothers." I have been asked to speak on the subject of what a minister should be learning from Christ. I will attempt to indicate what Jesus spoke to His disciples and what He taught them. Jn 12:26 says, "If any man serve me let him follow me." Now as for us ministers, it is impossible for us to follow Christ, because we are bound to the regulations of the church. Our Lord and Savior did not become a public teacher until He was 30 years old, but our ministers are ordained in their youth to lead and teach others. Jesus was never ordained as a clergyman. He did not want, or have a pulpit, or a place in the temple. If He were now living, He would not be given an opportunity to speak from any pulpit without being ordained. He would not be allowed to speak in any of our church buildings. Jesus spoke as one sent of God, not of people. He did not have church authorization. Yet today we do not honor those who preach in this manner, without being sent or having the consent of the people. We think they are doing a work they have no right to do and we forbid them.

Christ did not wear priestly robes. What we wear is similar to what the heathens wore and the old Egyptian, Chaldese and Roman priests. I also want to draw your attention to the fact that our Savior did not serve an altar, which is also from the heathens. Not at any time did the Lord ask people to build church buildings for worshipping the Almighty, but just the opposite. To the Samaritan woman He said, "Woman believe me, the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him."

The Lord did not use the ringing of church bells, and He did not try to charm the people with church music. He did not use all kinds of instruments as the Salvation Army does. All these things were later inventions as substitutes for empty and spiritless sermons that were given to the people. Then we read on that Jesus said He was greater than the temple, and that the Almighty does not live in temples made with hands, but wants to live in our hearts.

The Lord did not preach written sermons or read His prayers. I probably should not criticize our way of doing, because it is so much easier to use the written prayers. Jesus was not taken up with religious ceremony either. He did not perform the marriage ceremony, nor speak at funerals as we are asked to do. People say He did not baptize anyone. When someone asked Him about burying the dead, He answered, "Follow thou me and let the dead bury the dead." He did not ask to have a funeral service for Himself. Think what a disloyal situation it has become.

We ministers use heathen habits and are teaching people that it is Christ-like, such as the anointing and the baptizing. We who should be free from sorcery. Christ went forth through cities and towns preaching-sometimes on mountaintops, in orchards, in fishing boats, etc., healing the sick and feeding the hungry. There is not a minister in this whole country that would decide to follow Jesus in this way with Christ as his example. And if he did, he would be putting himself in a place to be ridiculed by everyone.

Our Lord left those who would not hear Him, but we cannot leave our congregation when they do not want to hear us. When people sought Him to depart out of their coasts He left (Matt.8: 34), but we have to stay where we have been sent, even though oftentimes people do not wish to hear us. There is no comparison here, only a great opposition. Jesus did not seek to please people to win their friendship and consent for Himself, because He told the honorable Scribes and Pharisees of Israel they were like whited sepulchers and the King Herod, He called a fox. If Jesus were here now, He would not be chosen to serve as the court chaplain, or as the minister to open Parliament. Now I would like to ask you a question, which of us would dare to say to the rich people, "Woe unto you." as Jesus did? We have to honor kings, obey people instead of God. We are told to read the prayers, not just before our sermons but also afterwards, and I find myself wondering what Jesus prayed for. He usually went off to pray and taught others to do the same. Those who prayed in public, He judged as hypocrites. Undoubtedly, we have distorted the teachings of Jesus, but still we call ourselves servants of Jesus Christ.

Jesus did not own a pillow for His head, but we have homes with modern conveniences. Our standard of living is similar to the rich Caiapas or Pilate. Our course in life is more like them than the lowly Nazarene. Jesus disapproved of the desire to be rich, and He sent his disciples out without gold or silver. We continue to try for larger congregations and salaries. Jesus and His disciples were kept by free will offerings. The law of our country tells the churches to pay their ministers so we do not have to ask God for our daily bread, the way Jesus taught His disciples.

We teach others that Godliness with contentment is enough, (1 Tim. 6:6), but I'm sorry to say we fail to manifest this. We recite Matt.16: 26 to our congregations, "What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his soul." Yet we take whatever we can get and give no thought to whether or not it is detrimental to our soul. Jesus said, "If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed nothing would be impossible." Jesus said, "The work that I do can be done by those who believe in Me, alut" but we do not dare to try it without a steady salary, bringing the Lords' message.

We possess none of that strong faith that Jesus had and what He taught. We do boast about it, but in truth we are not followers of Jesus. He was not a liar and not a hypocrite. I believe it is dangerous for us to say that Jesus is our example. On the contrary, it seems that Judas the traitor is our example. When our Lord needed money, He went fishing. Our ministers get it from the mission fund or some place similar when they are in need. Jesus is not our example or pattern anymore - not for our lives or for what we teach. We would find it impossible, indeed, to accept His example and way, and to teach it, because we, as ministers, have bound ourselves with an oath to the god of this world and find it necessary to still the voice of conscience.

When he had finished speaking there was a long silence. The words that had been spoken, were not accepted more, but because the gathering was open to the public and to the press. Then one of the visitors got up and said that he was in accord with what they had been hearing, and felt it was the unadulterated truth, and that it couldn't be otherwise, but he could see that the honorable church fathers could not discuss this any further. However, he felt there is no forsaking as bad as to call Jesus our Lord and not do as He commanded, and that there is no greater deception than to call ourselves Christians, and not follow Christ. He then thanked them for allowing him to speak.

FAMILY RESEMBLANCE

"It's amazing to me," one woman said, "how so many people all around the world have the same problems, no matter where they are from. It's like we're one big family!"

I wonder, if we are family, is there a family resemblance? Is it simply that we are human, or are there some identifyingcharacteristics that mark us as belonging to each other?

An unusual thing happened to me a few years ago. I spoke casually with a woman who served tables at a restaurant I frequented. We knew each other by first name only, but usually spoke to for a few minutes each time I dined there. One day she asked me, "Do you have a son about eight years old?" "What has he done?" I thought. I nodded. She pressed on, "Does he play soccer?"

When I said that he did, she asked if he played in a game the previous week at a particular field. Again, I answered, "Yes." "I thought so," she smiled. "I saw him and thought he must be your son."

Since there were tens of thousands of young boys in the city, I was amazed! "I didn't know he looked that much like me!" I exclaimed. "Oh, I didn't see his face," she said smiling as if she were keeping a secret.

"Then how did you know he was my son?" Now I was puzzled. "I was just sitting in the car," she continued, "and I saw a little boy in a baseball cap walking across the field. He WALKS like you!"

When I told my son what she said he spent the next three weeks practicing a different walk! But it didn't work. It must be something that runs in the family. In a greater sense, maybe the way we walk in this life is the identifying mark of the family. Some people walk in gentleness. Others walk in anger. Some walk in love, others in fear. Some walk in joy and some in peace, some in kindness and some in tolerance. Many walk in hope and in faith.

If we are family, then we are connected by common needs and hopes. These cannot be seen. But we will always be recognized by the way we walk!

Five Unique Marks of Jesus' Ministry!

Jesus sent them Two and Two:

Testimony of two witnesses are true; The older apostles (Paul, John, Peter, etc) to teach the younger apostles (Timothy, Silas, Titus) to Proclaim the gospel message of Salvation through Jesus Christ as the Truth and Way to God, Shepherding the Church of God, continuing the gospel work to the end of the Gentitles time/period have been fulfilled.

A. (Matthew 10:1-40) Jesus sent (Apostles) the 12 disciples and gave them Authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. These 12 Jesus sent out with following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans (YET!). As you go preach this message "The Kingdom of heaven is near."

The good news about the kingdom was to be proclaimed FIRST to Jews Only in (Matthew 10 and Luke 10). Why? To the Jews First on their First Mission and second Mission. The answer is found in: (Acts 3:25,26; 13:46-48) "Ye are the children of the prophets and of the Covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, and in thy Seed shall All the kindred's of the earth be Blessed. Unto you (Jews) FIRST God, having raise up his Son Jesus, sent Him to Bless you, turning away everyone of you from his sins."

Before His death Jesus said, "And This Gospel of the kingdom will be Preached in the Whole World, as a Testimony to All Nations, and then shall the end come." (Matthew 24:14) After Jesus' Death and Resurrection, He commanded them to proclaim the Message to be taken to ALL Nations (Matt 29:16-19).

(Acts 1:1-8) Jesus appeared to his disciples/Apostles, being seeing of them 40 days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.... "Ye shall receive Power, after that the Holy Ghost comes upon you: and ye shall be Witnesses unto me Both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the Uttermost part of the earth."

(Romans 1:16,17) For I, (Paul) am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the Power of God Unto Salvation to Everyone that believes. First for the Jews, then to the Gentiles. For in the Gospel a righteousness from God is Revealed, from Faith to Faith: As it written, "the Just shall live by Faith."

(Luke 10) After this the Lord Appointed 70 others and Sent (Apostles) Two by Two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. (Acts 3:1-10) One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of Prayer- at three in the afternoon. The Holy Spirit allowed the Apostles to heal a lame man who sat at the Temple gate begging for money.

(Acts 11: 1- 21) The Spirit told me (Peter) to have No Hesitation

about going with three Gentiles. These 6 brothers (born again Jews) also went with me. (Acts 13:1-3) While they were worshiping the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas, and Saul (Paul) for the work to which I have called them." So, after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

(Acts 15:1-35) Then the Apostles and elders with the whole church decided to chose some of their own and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabas) and Silas...

(Acts 15: 36-41) Paul and Barnabas had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark (John Mark the one who wrote the gospel of Mark) and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.

(Acts 19:21-22) Paul decided to stay in Jerusalem...he sent Two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia... (I Thessalonians 1:1) Paul, Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the Church of Thessalonians...

Why? Did Jesus send the Apostles 2 and 2 or sometimes 3 or more at the time to preach the good news? (John 8:17) Jesus said, "In your own law it is written that the Testimony of Two men is Valid. I am One who testifies for Myself; my other Witness is the Father, who Sent Me."

(Deuteronomy 17:6) On the testimony of Two or Three Witnesses a man shall be put to Death, but no one shall be put to Death on the testimony of One Witness. (Deuteromy 19:15) One Witness is not enough to Convict a man accused of any crime or Offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the Testimony of Two or Three Witnesses. (Amos 3:3) Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?

(Matthew 10;Luke 10) When Jesus sent the 12 and 70 in their First Mission to the Jews only with the Gospel message that the Kingdom of God is near he said, "Whatever town or village you Enter, Search for some Worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. If the home deserves, let you Peace rest on it. If not let your Peace return to you. If he will not Welcome you or Listen to your Words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that Home or Town. I tell you the Truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the Day of Judgment than for that town." (Although Sodom was so sinful that God destroyed it, the people who heard the message of Jesus and his disciples were even more Accountable, because they had the Gospel of the kingdom Preached to them. Here it represented an act of solemn Warning to those who rejected God's message). Be on your guard against men...All Men will hate you because of me. If the head of the house (Jesus) has been called Beelzebub (Satan), how much more the members of his household! So do not be afraid of them...Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the Soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in Hell."

(Romans 2:1-16) In the Day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to My (Paul's) Gospel.

1. God judges according to Truth. (v.2)

2. According to Deeds (v.6-11).

3. According to the Light a person has. (v.12-15). The people in who lived and heard Paul's gospel will be judged accordingly by what they had heard.

The Pilgrim Church: written by E. H. Broadbent

Chapter V page 85-86 (1100-1230 A.D)

Brethren from Bosnia and other Balkan countries making their way through Italy came into South of France, Finding Everywhere those who shared their Faith. The teaching they brought with them found ready acceptance. The Roman Clergy called them Bulgarians, Cathars. Patarenes and other names, and following the habits of centuries in Asia minor and in the Balkan countries... The result of spiritual movements which developed in such a way as to bring Multitudes of persons, who belong to nominally to that communion, to leave the religious services to which they had been accustomed, and to gathered round those who Read and Expounded to them the Word of God.

Prominent among such teachers was Pierre De Brueys, an able and diligent Preacher who for 20 years, braving all dangers, traveled throughout Dauphiny, Provence, Languedoc, and Gascony, drawing Multitudes from the Superstitions in which they had been brought up, back to the Teaching of the Scripture, until he was Burned at St. Gilles (1126). He showed the Scripture that NONE should be baptized until they had attained to the full use of their reason; that it is useless to build Churches. As God accepts sincere Worship wherever offered.

The Bread and Wine are not changed into the Body and Blood of Christ, but are Symbols Commutative of His Death; and the Prayers and good works of the Living cannot Benefit the dead.

He was Joined by Henri, a monk of Clunny in Deacon's order whose striking appearance, Powerful Voice, and Great gift of Oratory compelled attention, while his denunciation of the crying Evils that abounded, his convincing expositions of Scripture, and his Zeal and Devotion, turned Many to Repentance and Faith, among them notorious sinners, who were converted and became changed in Life.

Priests who tried to oppose him were terrified by the power of his Preaching and at the Sight of the Multitudes that followed him. Undeterred by the Violent death of his Elder and Admired Brother and Fellow-Worker, he continued his testimony until Bernard of Clairvaux at that time the most Powerful man in Europe, was called to oppose him, as being the only one could hope to do so successfully.

Bernard found the Churches Deserted and the People wholly turned from the Clergy, and although Henri was obliged to Flee from his Powerful opponent, all Bernard's oratory and authority could only put a temporary check on the movement. Henri, was able to elude capture for a long time and Continue his Fearless Work, but falling at last into the hands of the Clergy he was imprisoned and either died in prison or was put to death there (1147).

In accordance with the inveterate habit of attaching some Sectarian Name to any who endeavored to return to the Teaching of Scripture, many were called at This Time Petrobrussians, or Hericans, Names which they Themselves Never Acknowledged. Bernard of Clairvaux complained bitterly of their Objection to taking the Name of Anyone as their Founder. He said: "Inquire of the Author of their Sect and they will Assign None. What heresy is there, which from among men has not had its own heresiarch?"

5. Jesus is the Founder of this no Name Sect! Jesus is the

Cornerstone! (Ephesians 2:19-22) Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people, and members of God's household, built on the Foundations of the Apostles and Prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the Chief Cornerstone. In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a Holy Temple in the Lord...

(I Cor. 3:10-11) By the Grace of God has me (Paul) I laid a foundation as an Expert builder, and Someone else is Building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For No One can lay any foundation other than the One Already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

(I Cor. 3:4-6) For some says, "I follow Paul," and another, "follow Apollos," Are we not mere men? What is after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only Servants, through whom ye believe---as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the Seed, Apollos watered it , but God makes it grows.

Paul's (planted) work was of a pioneer in Corinth, preaching where no one had ever preached before. Apollos (watered) worked in the established church, edifying the converts Paul has won.

(I Cor 3:12-15) If any man builds on this Foundation using Gold, Silver, costly Stones, Wood, Hay, Straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring Light to it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the Quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his Reward...

Gold, Silver, Costly stones. Precious, durable work that stands the test of Divine Judgment; symbolic of Pure Christian Doctrine of Christ and Livind. Wood, Hay, or Straw Worthless work that will not stand the test of time and Judgment Day; Symbolic of weak, traditions of men teachings.

(Matthew 7:21-28) Jesus said, "Not everyone says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that DAY, " Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in Your Name Drive Out Demons, and Perform many Miracles?" Then I will tell them plainly, " I never knew you. Away from me, you Evildoers." "Therefore everyone who hears these Words of mine and Puts them into Practice is like a Wise Man who built his house on the Rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the Rock.

But everyone who Hears These words of Does Not mine will put them into Practice is like a Foolish Man who built his house on Sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the wind blows and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. The crowds were amazed at his teachings, because he taught as one who had Authority, and not as their teachers of the Law.

Which name did they take? Others called it the Heresy Sect!

(Acts 4:5:12) Annas the High Priest, and Caiphas and many kindred of the High Priests asked Peter and John, "By what Power and what Name have you (Apostles) done this?" Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, "Be it known to You All and to All the people of Israel, that by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead... The Stone you builders rejected which has become the Cornerstone. Salvation is found no one else, for there is No other name under heaven given to men by which we must be SAVED."

(Philippians 2: 5-11) ...Jesus Christ, Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God...was made in the likeness of men... and being found in appearance as a man... He became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a Name, which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow... every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father.

(Acts 9: 1-2) Saul was still breathing out threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord went to the High Priest, and asked him for letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he Found out of THIS WAY... This was written before Paul Conversation! He called them THIS WAY.

(Acts 19: 23) There arose a great disturbance about THAT WAY.

(Acts 22: 4) Paul wrote, and I Persecuted THIS WAY.

(Acts 24: 14) But this I (Saul/Paul) confess unto thee, that after

THE WAY which they called Heresy, So Worship I the God of my father....

(Acts 28: 22) Concerning of This SECT, we know everywhere it is spoken of After Saul/Paul became an Apostle he still didn't have an official name of the Church he represented. He continued to called THIS WAY, THAT WAY, THIS SECT

(Acts 11:26) the Disciples of Jesus were called Christians first at Antioch.

(Matthew 23: 8,9) Jesus said, "Be not ye called Rabbi, for one is your master, even Christ; and ALL are Brethren. Call No man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, even Christ."