secondary task #1: living a baptized life the word becomes flesh

Secondary Task #1:Living a Baptized Life

The Word Becomes Flesh

Part 5 The Secondary Mandate – Baptize the Nations

• Session 5.22 Secondary Task # 1:Living a Baptized Life - Living in Vital Union with Christ

• Session 5.23 Secondary Task #1:Living a Baptized Life - The Word Becomes Flesh

The Text

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28: 18-20

Outline

• The Word Became Flesh

• Kingdom Cells

• Starting a Kingdom Cell

Review

• What is the primary task of the Great CO-Mission?

• What are the two secondary tasks?

• What are the three main understandings of the concept of baptism?

• What is the significance of baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?

The Word Became Flesh

And Dwelt Among Us!

Questions

• Group # 1 – What is the significance of the “vital relationship” for discipling a nation?

• Group # 2 – How do you disciple a nation?

• Group # 3– Read John 1: 1, 14– What do these verses have to do with the

Great Commission?

What do these verses have to do with the Great CO-Mission?

• Text # 1 – John 8: 31-32

• Text # 2 – James 1: 22-25

• Text # 3 – 1 John 3: 17-18

The Rise of Christianity

• How did a small band of Christians bring the mighty Roman Empire to its knees?

• What accounts for the rise of Christianity?

Stark’s Thesis

“Central doctrines of Christianity prompted and sustained attractive, liberating, and effective social relations and organizations.”

Rodney Stark

The Rise of Christianity

Stark’s Thesis

“… it was the way these doctrines took on actual flesh, the way they directed organizational actions and individual behavior, that led to the rise of Christianity.”

Rodney StarkThe Rise of Christianity

Christ lives within you so that he reflects through you!

You are the light of the world!

Kingdom Cells

Are Love Cells

The Starfish and the Spider

The Starfish and the Spider

Starfish and Spider

Questions

• Set # 1:– How might a spider organization engage in

the Culture War and the Jihad War?– How might a starfish organization engage in

the Culture War and the Jihad War?

• Set # 2:– What does the modern church most reflect: a

starfish or a spider?– How could the church function more like a

spider?

Love Cells

• Love, Love, Love, Love

• The gospel in one word is love

• Love your neighbor as yourself, for

• God is love!

Agape

• Three words for love in Greek – Eros – sexual love– Philos – friendship– Agape – God’s love: self-sacrificing love

• Agape applied to humankind – selflessness and self-giving love

Why are we to love?

• Set #1: John 13: 34-35;14: 15, 21-24; 15: 9, 10-12; 1 John 3: 23; 4: 21

• Set # 2: John 13: 1, 14-15, 34; 15: 12; Eph. 5: 2

Whom are we to love?

• Set # 1: Eph. 5: 25; Titus 2: 4

• Set # 2: Ex. 32: 32; Rom: 9: 2,3; 10: 1

• Set # 3: Lev. 19: 34; Deu.10: 19; Heb. 13: 2

• Set # 4: Ex. 23: 4-5; Matt. 5: 44; Rom. 12: 14,20; 1 Peter 3: 9

Four Analogies

• Look at each analogy: – Salt (Matthew 5: 13)– Light (Matthew 5: 14-16)– Yeast (Matthew 13: 33)– Mustard Seed (Matthew 13: 31-32)

• Questions:– What is the lesson from each analogy?– What would be the application of each

lesson for a Love Cell?

Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf

Ecce Homo

“I have done this for you; what have you done for me?”

Domenico Feti

May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of his suffering!

Persistent Public Love

Group 1• Towards Secular

Humanists

Group 2• Towards Jihadists

• Identify a person or group whom you know who represents either Secular Humanists or Jihadists.

• How might you demonstrate God’s love to them?• How might your group function as a Love Cell

towards them?

Mother Teresa

“In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love.”

Responding to Jihadists

Violence of the Sword with Vulnerability of the Cross

Culture of Death with Culture of Life

Hatred with Love

Injustice with Justice

Suicide to Kill Others with Sacrifice to Serve Others

Tyranny with Freedom

I.S.L.A.M.

We need to begin by saying, “I Sincerely Love All Muslims (I.S.L.A.M.).” Then we should prove that statement by our presence … putting our arms around them and saying to them, “God loves you; therefore I love you.”

Brother Andrew

Crosses on homes in southern Sudan

Beginning a Love Cell

Beginning a Love Cell

• Start small (remember the mustard seed)• Be organic – brushfires not campfires• Pray and ask God to lead you• Work quietly (no power or glory)• Work collaboratively• Be innovative and creative• Give things and self away• Be neighborly – love and serve

Tools

• http://www.harvestfoundation.org/– Discipline of Love – Materials/Disciplines of

Love– Seed Projects – Materials/Seed Projects– Stories from around the world - Stories

An Offensive of Kingdom Culture

• Biblical Theism

– Truth – Beauty – Goodness

• Pagan Humanism –Animism– Lies/Illusion– Hideous/Mundane– Evil / Un-wholesomeness

• To baptize nations means to overwhelm them with Truth, Beauty and Goodness!