DEEPER LIFE BIBLE CHURCH WORLDWIDE.
TUESDAY'S LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MESSAGE.
MESSAGE ANCHORED BY THE GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT.
TOPIC: CHRIST'S CALL TO FAITHFULLY AND FULLY FOLLOW HIM.
TEXT: LUKE 5:8-11; MATTHEW 4:15-22.
God bless you. This is a development of leaders, and if we don't develop our workers in the church, how can we develop sinners and those who are outside? Let's make concerted effort that we tell our brethren to always attend Saturday's workers' training service and Tuesday leadership development so that we can have training we ought to have and do more for the Lord. This time is a new time, and it's a revival time. We want that same old time of response to come back. We should respond to correction, and the response is the will of God. the reaction is not the will of God. We will respond well to the word of God, and everywhere, the Spirit of God will come afresh upon everyone IN Jesus' Name. Don't give a reaction. Give a response. We should be very very careful that we don't contradict what the man of God says, we should be very vigilant that we don't allow undisciplined in our church, we are going to stand on the word of God and abide in the word of God IN Jesus Name.
Tonight we are coming to Luke 5:8-11.
Verse 1. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
5:9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
5:10 And so was also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
5:11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. Tonight, we are talking about the call of Christ.
POINT 1. CHRIST'S COMPELLING CALL TO SIMON PETER AND ALL SINFUL PEOPLE.
LUKE 5:8-11,27-32.
Christ had called Simon Peter. He also called Matthew, that's how He called all those apostles, what inspired us to make us view we can do the same thing today is that, they didn't resist the call, they responded to the call immediately.
I. His constant call to repentance and salvation.
Luke 5:31-32; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 13:1-5,23-32; 24:47.
Christ is not calling anyone to entertainment, He is calling everyone to repentance. Christ came not to call the traditionally righteous, but He came to call sinners to repentance. That's what He does today, He came to call sinners to repentance. Christ wasn't attracting anybody to religion, He wanted them to understand that except they repent, they shall likewise perish. He told us to preach repentance everywhere, and as leaders, that's what Christ called us to do, if we don't water down the message and we keep on emphasising repentance, people shall be converted. We don't need to water down anything, Christ has given us the message, and we stand to earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints. When you preach without any compromise, people will be converted. We don't need to join religions leaders to say what they use to say. We must firmly stand up to defend the faith once delivered unto the Saints. Never reject any opportunity, keep preaching the word, and emphasising that except a man repent, he will not see the Kingdom of God. You will go and teach other people and they will come
II. His creative conversion to righteousness and Sonship.
Luke 10:20; Matthew 13:15-16; Acts 3:19-26; James 5:19-20.
When you effectively, eventually come to the Lord, and you respond, there's a change and transformation. When we come to Christ, He convert us, He makes our lives totally different. Even in the Old Testament before Christ came, the provision of God was to make them converted. Conversion is the indispensable thing, and if we are going to preach conversion and repentance, we must have been thoroughly converted. A sinful man cannot go and preach conversion to other people. Your life must be transformed before you can launch out to preach it. A backslider who goes back into falsehood and sin, as you approach him, he's no more a brother, whatever his position, whatever his knowledge, he need conversion, she needs conversion, let him know that Christ shall save him from spiritual dead and sad death.
III. The compelling consecration to the responsibility of soulwinning.
Acts 2:37-42; 5:28-32; 16:29-34; 26:16-22.
The Lord said unto Peter, fear not, henceforth you shall be a fisher of men. it's a responsibility of soul winning to win souls. Those who heard the message at that time didn't reacted, they were not offended, they responded, and they gladly received the word of the apostles.
POINT 2. CHRIST'S CONFIRMED CHOICE OF SIMON PETER AND ALL SUBSEQUENT PREACHERS.
JOHN 6:63,66-70.
I. The personal choice to faithfully follow Christ.
John 6:67-70; Mark 10:28-30; Acts 20:22-27; Hebrews 11:24-27.
Jesus gave a message, there was no psychological entertainment in what He preached, many people followed Him because they ate manna, and Christ did not change His message because if He change His message, He will never save anyone. As we go on preaching the gospel to sinners, if all they are looking for is multiplication of bread, money, job, spouse, material things and they are not born again, we labour for nothing, we wasted our times, we wasted our resources and we can never see them in heaven. Jesus didn't change His message, He kept on message, He wanted them to wholly and heartedly follow Him. We are going to emphasize the word of God, those who are firm, serious and always say follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord, they think they are strong enough to do whatever they wants, they couldn't stand, you will stand. People may throw insulting words, they may react, but it shouldn't move us. When you got saved, you got saved all alone by yourself, you are called all alone by yourself before you knew anybody here, they may want to turn around and push you away, if they succeed in that, it means you are not strong and you don't have consecration. I pray you will stand, you will not let your commitment and conviction go, you will not allow anyone to take your conviction away, the Lord has chosen us to remain firm and steady, we will not backslide.
II. The powerful choice of fruitful followers of Christ.
John 15:16; Acts 1:24; 9:15-17; 22:14-15.
Our fruit will remain, is not maneuvering watering down the message, it's not stopping preaching sound doctrines that will make our fruits remain, it's Christ that will make our fruits remain because the choice He has made is a powerful choice.
III. The peculiar choice to fearlessly follows Christ.
Galatians 1:15-16; Revelation 17:14; Jeremiah 1:4-10; Luke 1:13-17.
When Christ chose us, He intended that we would fearlessly follow Him. The Lord is calling us, and He wants us to preach the gospel boldly and fearlessly, what people think will not matter. You don't have to go to anybody even though they want to impose themselves to you. You will not allow anyone to impose their own ignorance and compromise on you. Fearlessly and boldly declare the gospel, that's the attitude you ought to have. The same conviction and the same backbone the Lord will give to you IN Jesus' Name. That firmness and fearlessness will rob on you. Have the same Spirit that you will fearlessly and courageously follow Christ, whatever other people say. Nobody will shut you up. Nobody will drag you away, and no reaction will shut you up IN Jesus' Name. We will keep on declaring the full gospel fearlessly.
POINT 3. CHRIST'S COMPREHENSIVE COMMISSION FOR SIMON PETER AND ALL HIS SAVED, SANCTIFIED PEOPLE.
JOHN 21:15-17,19.
John 21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
21:16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. As it was at the beginning and Christ now came, they caught a lot of fish, He came with miracles, and when He came to your life, He would come with a miracle and power. Peter was grieved because Jesus said unto him the third time, loveth thou me?
I. The unchanging concern that we truly follow Christ.
John 8:12,31; 1 Peter 2:21-23; Ephesians 5:1-7; 2 Timothy 2:21-22.
Those who follow Christ shall not walk in secret agenda, he shall not walk in darkness, he will not carry on another agenda secretly, if you're following after Christ, what you have in inside must match what is in outside, what you resist must match what you gives out.
II. The undeniable command that we totally follow Christ.
Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 6:46-49; Acts 10:41-43; 26:16-18.
Christ didn't say just teaching them all things whatsoever I have commanded you, somebody can teach and not observe, somebody can teach and not do what he's teaching, we must practice what Christ has commanded us. All the doctrines of Christ, everything He taught, we are to observe and practice cheerfully, wholeheartedly, until the end of the world. He will never leave you while you're doing everything He commanded. No evil will come upon you. He will be with you, He will not abandon you to the hands of those who want to use your life, all you need to do is to be faithful to Christ, preach and teach everyone to observe what Christ has commanded and nobody will cut short your life. Some people say stress and distress can cut short lives, obedience to God can not give you stress, don't allow anybody to give you distress that you live a shorter life. The distress of the world cannot cancel the word of God, no stress, no contradiction of men will so affect your life and your health and cut your life short, you will say no to all of them. Faithfulness to God can not cut short our lives. It can only prolong our lives. In a Nebuchadnezzar furnace, our lives will be preserved.
III. The unceasing clarion calls to teachable followers of Christ.
2 Timothy 4:1-5; Isaiah 58:1-2; Luke 9:60; 1 Corinthians 7:35
Christ has spoken, and you must do, Christ gives us a clarion call, and that's what we will do. Our responsibility is to preach, rebuke, teach, and exhort. People may be reacting and belittling sound doctrine, but even then, we must watch in all things, endure stress, endure persecution, endure the contradiction of sinners against your calling, make full proofe of your ministry. All the grace you need to be steadfast, the power to persevere, all the gifts you need to stay firm in your calling the Lord will grant to us, we will be fruitful IN Jesus Name. Encourage and develop workers in the church so that they can be effective in the area of evangelism and they will bring them to Christ. Another area of fruitfulness is that you will influence those who are not saved in your family, and you will bring them to Christ.
