Advent 2021: Go
Quote
“The knowledge that God has loved me beyond all limits will compel me to go into the world to love others in the same way.”
Oswald Chambers
Passage
15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
16 "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
Mark 16:15-16 (NASB)
Background
Quote- Oswald Chambers (24 July 1874 – 15 November 1917) was an early-twentieth-century Scottish Baptist evangelist and teacher who was aligned with the Holiness Movement. He is best known for the daily devotional My Utmost for His Highest.
Chambers was stricken with appendicitis on 17 October 1917, but resisted going to a hospital on the grounds that the beds would be needed by men wounded in the long-expected Third Battle of Gaza. On 29 October, a surgeon performed an emergency appendectomy; however, Chambers died 15 November 1917 from a pulmonary hemorrhage. He was buried in Cairo with full military honors.
Before he died, Chambers had proofread the manuscript of his first book, Baffled to Fight Better, a title he had taken from a favorite line by Robert Browning.[22] For the remainder of her life—and at first under very straitened circumstances—Chambers' widow transcribed and published books and articles edited from the notes she had taken in shorthand during the Bible College years and at Zeitoun. Most successful of the thirty books was My Utmost for His Highest (1924), a daily devotional composed of 365 selections of Chamber's talks, each of about 500 words. The work has never been out of print and has been translated into 39 languages.
Passage- The book of Mark is a Gospel that contains Narrative History, Sermons, Parables, and some Prophetic Oracles. It was written by John Mark who was one of the missionaries who accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their mission trips. It is possible that Mark wrote this Gospel at the urging of Peter (his companion in Rome) since he had firsthand knowledge of the things that Mark wrote about. The final chapter is the miraculous resurrection of His physical body, numerous appearances, and command of the Great Commission, and finally His ascension to the right hand of God.
Advent Opening Statement
The wisemen have departed. The shepherds are back in the fields tending the flocks. The little drummer boy is off with his own family. Even the animals are away toiling in the fields or doing what animals do during the day. Mary, Joseph, and new-born baby Jesus are all alone, Herod is looking for them, and they know they must go soon. They depart the stable leaving behind the manager because they know they must. The time of preparation is over. A new task awaits.
Ask: What are we called to go and do as Christians?
Point: Matthew says we are to make disciples, but Mark seems to have a different message that we are to preach the Gospel.
Ask: What is the gospel?
Point: First Reading (Matthew 4:24 (NASB)
See the Definitions Page for the word “Gospel”
Second Reading (Matthew 28:19-20 (NASB)
Ask: Are these two Apostles who followed Jesus contradictory? Why/why not?
Point: At this point it is a discussion about the two commands.
Ask: How do you “…make disciples…?”
Point: By teaching them about the Gospel…by preaching the Gospel.
Ask: What does it mean to “…preach the gospel…?”
Point: It means the converting message that draws the unchurched to salvation is the fact that salvation exists, that it is attainable for all, and that it is something real.
Ask: “Preach the Gospel always. When necessary, use words.” St. Francis of Assisi (maybe). Does that look the same for all of us?
Point: Third Reading (Romans 12:4-8 (KJV)
Ask: Why should we preach the gospel from our gifts?
Point: Re-read verse eight from the Third Reading
Ask: What does it mean to go preach the gospel from our gifts “…with cheerfulness?”
Point: Fourth Reading (1 Peter 3:15 (KJV)
Ask: If Advent is the church season in which we prepare for Jesus’ return why do we need to go and make disciples by preaching the Gospel at all if He is coming back to do it all Himself?
Point: Fifth Reading (Revelation 3:1-6 (KJV)
Closing Statement
A joyous time. We believe many years ago God came to earth in the form of a baby to accomplish a work only He could do, the salvation of all people through the fulfillment of the system He created. We gather in groups, small and large to remind each other what was done for us, and strengthen our bonds to His ways. We bring like-minded followers into our groups so they grow but also so that we ourselves grow through iron sharpening iron. But these groups, this fellowship, this loving embrace that is the church is not the end. Getting people to come join us in the good news feels like the end of the task just like the birth of the baby felt like the end of the task oh so many years ago, but it isn’t now just as it wasn’t then. As then we have an adversary in pursuit of us because he is afraid of what the baby can do. Our adversary fears how our lives can be changed by the baby, what we may become if we truly believe, gather, grow, and go in His name, with His ways, and His love seated firmly in our heart. Let this time of preparation be over. Let a new time of action begin, and as Wesley said such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven on Earth.
Question for the Week
How are you going to shake the gates of hell this next year?
Scripture
First Reading
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
Matthew 4:23 (KJV)
Second Reading
19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Matthew 28:19-20 (NASB)
Third Reading
4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Romans 12:4-8 (KJV)
Fourth Reading
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
1 Peter 3:15 (KJV)
Fifth Reading
1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Revelation 3:1-6 (KJV)
Definitions
Gospel
Greek Strong's Number: 2098
Greek Word: εὐαγγέλιον
Transliteration: euangelion
Phonetic Pronunciation:yoo-ang-ghel'-ee-on
Root: from the same as <G2097>
Cross Reference: TDNT - 2:721,267
Part of Speech: n n
Vine's Words: Gospel
English Words used in KJV:
gospel 46
gospel of Christ 11
gospel of God 7
gospel of the Kingdom 3
miscellaneous translations 10
[Total Count: 77]
from the same as <G2097> (euaggelizo); a good message, i.e. the gospel :- gospel.
James Strong, Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary, (Austin, TX: WORDsearch Corp., 2007), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "2098".