Back at the beginning of November last year I taught on the Year of Jubilee.
A while after that, in the Thursday night prayer meeting, I went back to part of that sermon and taught from
What I want to do today is to share the vision and then we will come back to it several times this year.
R3
We see from
- bind up the brokenhearted,
- to proclaim liberty to the captives,
- Open the prison to those who are bound;
- to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour, and the day of vengeance of our God;
- to comfort all who mourn;
All of this is so that God may be glorified.
So, if the person mentioned in v1-3 is Jesus, who are the they in v4? 4And they shall rebuild the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former desolations and renew the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. AMP
They are the people who have met with Jesus and Jesus has transformed them, changed them and given them a mandate, a mission to go and see others transformed!
Jesus' intention for people who get transformed by Him was never for them merely to come to church each week and sing songs to Him and listen to sermons! Jesus transforms us so that we can be instrumental in bringing change to individuals, families and the community in which we live.
I'm not just on about individual change here but being a church that ushers in change on a community-wide scale. To be the type of church that if we weren't here, things would be noticably different - for the worse!
How is this possible? Let's look again at the mandate we have been given:
1. Rebuild
If we rebuild something, what does that imply?
= something is broken, something is wrong, things aren't working as they should.
what needs fixing - Look at the lives of individuals and the community - what is broken, what needs fixing?
Marriage, family, parenting, relationships.
Yet part of our mandate is to rebuild!
Jesus takes broken people, fixes them and then uses them to fix other people!
A big implication of this is that those of us who belong to Jesus should be exemplary in our marriages, in the way we raise our children and run our families, in how we go about boyfriend/girlfriend relationships.
Being a Christian isn't just about having a ticket to Heaven when you die but about life transformation here and now.
We need to take what we learn and apply it to our lives. What you hear in church should affect your life! What you read in your Bible should make a difference in your marriage. Christians aren't supposed to carry out their relationships in the same way as the world around them!
2. Raise up
To raise up - what does this imply?
= People are bowed down, oppressed.
Lacking dignity - why do people lack dignity? Self image, shame, status.
People are bowed down under sin but the Gospel lifts up and gives dignity to people. To deal with shame & guilt and see people walk with their heads held high in God.
Think of various groupings in society who are often lacking in dignity -
- Elderly
- Disabled
- Refugee
- Immigrants
Yet as church we are to be part of the solution!
3. Renew
We are to be people who help usher in renewal! This speaks of the spiritual aspect:
2Cor
Social action is good - it is part of the implementation of the
Don't be mercenary! Indiscriminate - same as God/Jesus. Sun to shine on righteous/unrighteous -
To experience the new wine of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in our midst. Not to have other things - personalities, bands - to be the draw but the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to be the attraction.
4. How to get involved
4.1 Pray
As leaders we passionately believe that God has given us this mission - Rebuild, Raise-up, Renew. R3!
As I'll explain it is something for everyone in the church to get involved in and the most foundational way to get on board is to pray!
Saturate this church in prayer! Pray for transformation, pray for those who teach that we won't just teach for information but to bring transformation.
Pray for the Gospel to permeate this area with lives being touched, families being changed and relationships transformed.
4.2 Live prophetically!
I mentioned earlier that as Christians we need to be living lives that are different from our unsaved friends & neighbours. Paul wrote to the church at
If we live like this, if we simply be what we are we will be living prophetically. A prophet is a person who brings God's word & will to bear to a group of people. We need to live alternative lives so that people know there is an alternative to the way they live.
If all we profess is to go to Heaven when we die then all people will see is an alternative way to die - but if we live differently, living according to God's plan & purpose then they will also see there is an alternative way to live.
4.3 Witness
Witness! This is what we are called to do - to tell others about the mighty transforming power of Jesus.
So many times in the Gospels we see how transformation was brought about after people heard about Jesus - woman with internal bleeding, Canaanite woman with demonised daughter; Bartimaeus, Centurion with sick servant; villagers in Samaria - all heard of Jesus and then came to Him themselves.
4.4 Tools!
Some of these things are big but our prayers, our witnessing, our lifestyles can help usher in change.
We also want to put tools in your hands - organisations, information, resources which you can share with others or invite people - to sow seeds of change.
4.5 What makes you tick?
Lastly, I want to ask - what makes you tick? What do you like doing? This is something for you!
Do you enjoy cooking? Do you like texting? Writing letters? Decorating? Gardening? God wants you to take these down to earth, mundane talents, gifts & hobbies and offer them to Him for His glory & service.
I want each one of you to actively pray & seek God and ask Him what you can do, how you can get involved.
What have you got to give? God wants you to offer it to the leadership of the church for the common good.
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