ROM-279-170507 - length: 88:48 - taught on May, 7 2017
Class Outline:
Welcome To
BARAH MINISTRIES
a Christian Church
Rory Clark
Pastor-Teacher
Good Morning!
Welcome to Barah Ministries…a Christian Church based in Mesa, AZ…my name is Pastor Rory Clark.
TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON
Are You a Lousy Ambassador for Christ?
We’re studying the book of Romans, the sixth book of the New Testament, written by the apostle Paul to the believers in Christ at Rome. Rome was the most important city in the world at that time, the hub of everything modern and everything wonderful. “All roads lead to Rome” was the expression of the day, and it was definitely true. SPQR as it was called…Senatus Populusque Romanus…a Latin expression meaning the Senate and the People of Rome, was a culture in a place everyone aspired to be. It was the United States of its time.
Rome had a population of about a million people, living in a ten square miles area, fifty or sixty thousand of whom were Jewish. The Book of Romans is foundational book of Biblical Christianity. The focus of the sixteen chapters of this book, thirteen of them written to the Gentiles… people like you and me…is the gospel message of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…the good news about the free gift of salvation that is available through a relationship with Christ.
The three chapters we are studying right now concern Unbelieving Israel and The Unbelieving Jewish Race. Has the Lord Jesus Christ, the Sovereign God of the Universe, turned His back on Israel and The Jewish Race because they have rejected their Messiah? Well in our study, we have learned the answer to that question…DECIDEDLY NOT!
As a result of our study of these three chapters, it has come to our attention that as Church Age believers, as Gentiles, we have a responsibility to evangelize to Unbelieving Israel and The Unbelieving Jewish Race. It is a part of our ambassadorship as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to bring the good news of the gospel message to The Jewish Race as well as to other Gentiles. Are we? At Barah Ministries, do we evangelize to The Jewish Race? DECIDEDLY NOT!
We are definitely lousy ambassadors for Christ in the matter of evangelism to Unbelieving Israel and The Unbelieving Jewish Race. In fact, we are lousy ambassadors in every way as it relates to evangelism. That’s one of the reason our church is not growing. In the matter of spreading the gospel message we are COP OUT CHRISTIANS. We are so “unexcited” about the Lord Jesus Christ that most of us don’t even bring Him up to others. Why? Well, what the COP OUT CHRISTIAN will tell you is…I’m bashful…I’m shy…I don’t like conflict…I don’t know what to say…I’m not a great public speaker…you’re better at this than I am. That’s a cop out! Now in case you’re not familiar with the term COP OUT, someone who is “coping out” is avoiding responsibility for something. When you care about someone, you don’t let these excuses come into play. You either CARE or you COP OUT. If you care for CHRIST and you care for others, you find a way to evangelize. Isn’t Christ the greatest? Don’t you want everyone to know? Well you have to tell them. Yet we are lousy ambassadors for Christ in the matter of evangelism.
What is an ambassador?
AMBASSADOR
A diplomatic official of the highest rank, sent by one sovereign or state to another sovereign or state as its resident representative
An ambassador is a diplomatic official of the highest rank, sent by a sovereign or a state to another location as a resident representative of the sovereign or the state. For example, in France the United States has an ambassador to France. He resides in France and represents the interests of the United States to the French government.
Christians are ambassadors for the Lord Jesus Christ. Second Corinthians, Chapter 5, Verses 17 to 21 say…
SECOND CORINTHIANS 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in union with Christ, and all believers in Christ are, he is a new creature…the old man things passed away (died)…behold, new man things have come.
SECOND CORINTHIANS 5:18
Now all these things are from God the Father, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ (His blood sacrifice at the Cross) and who gave us the ministry of reconciliation (to evangelize…to preach the gospel message)…
SECOND CORINTHIANS 5:19
…namely, that God the Father was in union with Christ reconciling the world to Himself…by not counting their trespasses against them…and God the Father has committed to us the word of reconciliation (the gospel message).
SECOND CORINTHIANS 5:20
Therefore, we believers in Christ are ambassadors for Christ, as though God the Father were making an appeal (to unbelievers) through us (because He is!)…we beg you unbelievers on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God the Father.
As citizens of heaven, we have been sent to a foreign kingdom, Satan’s kingdom here on planet earth, to represent the Lord. Are we? Just so you don’t feel so bad about your lack of evangelism, here’s a Christian evangelizing to a Jewish woman I know. The names have been changed to protect the innocent, but the conversation is verbatim and real from the mouth of the friend.
Rory:
At a garage sale recently, I was talking to a neighbor. Here was the conversation.
AN EVANGELISM CONVERSATION
Her: “I’m Jenifer.”
Me: “Oh, I’m Jenifer, too. But mine is spelled with one ‘n.’”
AN EVANGELISM CONVERSATION
Her: “So is mine. I’m Jenifer Schmidt, with an “idt.”
Me: “Oh, I’m Jenifer Goldblatt, with two ‘t’s.’”
AN EVANGELISM CONVERSATION
Her: “Oh, you’re Jewish?” (She said with a tone of disdain.)
Me: “Yes, I am.”
AN EVANGELISM CONVERSATION
Her: “So you don’t believe in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior?”
Me: “Well, I believe he existed. But I don’t believe he is God or the Son of God.”
AN EVANGELISM CONVERSATION
Her: “Well, I hope you change your mind or you will pay for that in the future.”
Me: “I don’t really think I’ll be changing my mind. I simply believe in God.”
AN EVANGELISM CONVERSATION
Her: With anger…“Well then you will pay for that. I will pray for you.”
Me: “And I will pray for you.”
Rory…I was upset for the rest of the day, and I’m still upset by it.
My friend should be upset. That was lousy ambassadorship. This Christian evangelist isn’t a COP OUT CHRISTIAN…she’s a CRUEL CHRISTIAN. When the apostle Paul evangelizes, His whole focus was Christ. His focus was never the Lake of Fire. This Christian was saying, “If you don’t believe in Christ, you’re going to hell.” Is that the gospel message? DECIDEDLY NOT!
Welcome to a place where you can learn the importance of evangelism, and the way to do it that is in line with Scripture and with the Lord’s wishes.
MUSIC AND REFLECTION
Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ
Enjoy the Singing of His Praises
WHOSOEVER
June Murphy
Who can be saved? Whosoever! Let’s listen to June Murphy evangelize with the opening song… WHOSOEVER!
OPENING PRAYER
Let us pray...
We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…
Heavenly Father…You said in Your Word that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Father, we thank you for making it easy to be saved…what was difficult for Your Son became easy for us because we can take advantage of His work at the Cross…His shed blood…and have salvation free of charge and free from works of any kind because of the Lord Christ’s sacrifice…
Father, give us the courage to open our mouths and to tell everyone about the wonder of You, and about the salvation available through Your Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…let us especially tell our Jewish friends…help us to discard our “cop outs” and instead help us to trust the direction of God the Holy Spirit…help us to focus on Christ in our evangelism efforts and not avoidance of the Lake of Fire…help us trust the Holy Spirit for the words to say…
We ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...
Amen.
A few announcements…
BARAH MINISTRIES ANNOUNCEMENTS
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
NEXT WEEK!
The Lord’s Supper Celebration
May 14, 2017
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Visit the Vets
June 11, 2017
2:00PM-3:00PM
We want to move this to the 4th or the 28th if we can.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Next Deacon’s Meeting
May 27, 2017
7:30A -9:00A
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
August 4-5, 2017
COEUR d’ALENE BIBLE CONFERENCE
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
September 15-16, 2017
MICHIGAN CONFERENCE
Detroit, Michigan
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
EVENING LESSON - 6:00PM to 7:30PM
June 25, 2017
Deacons adjust the calendar please if you haven’t already.
NO FACE-TO-FACE TEACHING
July 2, 2017
PRAYERS
Barah Ministries Prayer Request Group
ON FACEBOOK
Join me in prayer directed at all the intercessions and petitions of the
people visiting the Barah Ministries Prayer Request Group. Please take time to pray for each other and take time to pray for your Pastor.
YOU BELONG @ BARAH MINISTRIES!
We’re Looking for 20 Families
Help Us Build a Church!
Let 2017 be the year when we grow our church by inviting people to come.
BARAH MINISTRIES APP
Download it free of charge…for the Microsoft, i-Phone, or Android standard. Have Barah Ministries with you all the time.
TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON
Are You a Lousy Ambassador for Christ?
As Church Age believers in Christ we are ambassadors, sent from heaven… Philippians, Chapter 3, Verse 20…
PHILIPPIANS 3:20
(As Believers in Christ)…our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ…
Ephesians, Chapter 1, Verse 3…
EPHESIANS 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us Church Age believers in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, in union with Christ…
Church Age believers are heavenly people! We are residents in a foreign kingdom, Satan’s kingdom, planet earth… John, Chapter 12, Verse 31…
JOHN 12:31
Now judgment is upon this world (planet earth)…now the ruler of this world (Satan) will be cast out (dethroned in the future by Christ).
The opening verses of the passage we’re studying…the third passage in Romans, Chapter 11 is our focus…Verses 11 to 24…let’s listen to it…
PASSAGE 3
ROMANS 11:11
I (Paul) say then, Israel and The Jewish Race did not stumble so as to fall,
did they? May it never be! But by their transgression (the hardening God allowed when they turned their backs on their Jewish Messiah…the Christ), salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Unbelieving Israel and The Unbelieving Jewish Race jealous.
ROMANS 11:12
Now if the transgression of Unbelieving Israel and The Unbelieving Jewish Race is riches for the world…and it is…and if their failure is riches for the Gentiles…and it is…how much more will their fulfillment be (when they turn back to Christ?)!
ROMANS 11:13
But I (Paul) am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry…
ROMANS 11:14
…if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen (my kinsmen according to the flesh) and save some of them (through preaching the gospel message).
ROMANS 11:15
For if their rejection of their Messiah is the reconciliation of the world… what will their acceptance of their Messiah be but the resurrection life from the dead?
ROMANS 11:16
If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also…and if the root is holy, the branches are too.
ROMANS 11:17
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you (the Gentiles), being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree…
ROMANS 11:18
…do not be arrogant toward the branches…but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.
ROMANS 11:19
You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.”
ROMANS 11:20
Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief…but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear (respect God)…
ROMANS 11:21
…for if God did not spare the natural branches, and He didn’t, He will not spare you, either (if you are unbelieving).
ROMANS 11:22
Behold then the kindness and the severity of God…to those who fell,
severity…but to you, God’s kindness…if you continue in His kindness… otherwise you also will be cut off.
ROMANS 11:23
And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
ROMANS 11:24
For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?
Let’s take a music break…as we reflect on the beautiful name of our Savior…Jesus!
MUSIC BREAK
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL NAME
Hillsong Worship
MUSIC BREAK
HYMN
Peter, Paul and Mary
TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON
Are You a Lousy Ambassador for Christ?
Let’s begin the next portion of our lesson by giving you a chance to make an offering…we need and we value your financial support to continue the work of this ministry…please welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with the offering message.
THE OFFERING
Deacon Denny Goodall
OFFERING VERSE
JOHN 15:16
“You did not choose Me but I (the Lord Jesus Christ) chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of God the Father in My name He may give to you.
OFFERING
FLIGHT OF THE EAGLE
Dave McClure, Instrumental
TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON
Are You a Lousy Ambassador for Christ?
Let’s continue to look at the details of the third passage…
ROMANS 11:11
I (Paul) say then, Unbelieving Israel and The Unbelieving Jewish Race did not stumble so as to fall (beyond recovery), did they? May it never be! But by means of their transgression (the hardening God allowed…literally through letting them fall dead), salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Unbelieving Israel and The Unbelieving Jewish Race jealous.
Last week I asked you a question…does your lifestyle attract people to Christianity…does your lifestyle make people jealous to the point where they want what you have…a relationship with Christ? In this lesson I’m asking you the question a different way…does your work as an ambassador for Christ attract people to Christianity? Unbelieving Israel and The Unbelieving Jewish Race stumbled over “the stumbling stone” and “the Rock of offense”…terns describing the Lord Jesus Christ… Unbelieving Israel and The Unbelieving Jewish Race have temporarily rejected their Messiah. While they are unfaithful to Him, the Lord remains faithful to them. We must get across to the Jewish Race the benefit of being a believer in Christ…Psalm 37, Verse 24…
PSALM 37:24
When a believer in Christ falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord Jesus Christ is the One who holds his hand.
The wicked (ungodly, unrighteous unbelievers) often underestimate the Lord’s desire to protect and preserve the believer in Christ…to keep the believer from harm…that’s enough to make anyone jealous. There is no fatal and permanent fall for Israel and The Jewish Race because the Lord has provided a remnant of Jewish believers to preserve the nation and the race. In Romans, Chapter 10, Verse 21 it says…
ROMANS 10:21
But as for Israel and The Jewish Race the Lord says, “All the day long I
have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people (and they have rejected My Hand).”
Romans, Chapter 11, Verses 4 and 5…
ROMANS 11:4
But what is the divine response to Elijah? The Lord says, “I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
ROMANS 11:5
In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant (of Jewish believers) according to God’s gracious choice.
The fall of Israel and the Jewish Race is not permanent. In working all things together for good, the Lord uses the mistake of one group to benefit another group. Romans, Chapter 11, Verse 12…
ROMANS 11:12
Now if the transgression of Israel and The Jewish Race (the hardening God allowed…literally through letting them fall as if they are temporarily dead) is riches for the world (all mankind)…and it is…and if their failure is riches for the Gentiles…and it is…how much more will their fulfillment be (when they turn back to the Christ?)!
God always looks forward to the destination. The “stumbling” of Unbelieving Israel and The Unbelieving Jewish Race is temporary…but God’s promises to them, and the fulfillment of those promises are permanent.
Here’s what we know about our Lord…He treats us WAY better after our mistakes than before them.
Many, both Jews and Gentiles, will reject a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and will make the choice to become casualties in the Creator-creature Conflict. But when Jesus comes again, the two groups, Jews and Gentiles that are now one, will share an unprecedented celebration of the fullness that comes from being in union with Christ.
The opportunity for us as Gentiles is to lead Israel and The Jewish Race back to their Messiah. Isn’t it beautiful that the Lord used a Jew…the apostle Paul…to evangelize the Gentiles? That is an amazing feat of magic. For Paul, it was a tribulation of the greatest magnitude…for the Jews it was a tremendous blessing. Salvation for us Gentiles presents the opportunity for us to go invite God’s chosen nation, Israel, and His chosen people, the Jewish Race to the “so great salvation” they were charged with inviting all mankind to.
The best way for us to get Israel and The Jewish Race to “Come to Jesus” is by living a lifestyle and by having an ambassadorship that is so amazing everyone in The Jewish Race wants to emulate it. We provoke them to jealousy with our lives. Sanford Mills, a Jewish Christian, had this to say…
SANDFORD MILLS
“Nothing is so effective in preaching the gospel as a life that has been transformed by Christ through God the Holy Spirit.”
Offensive evangelism doesn’t provoke anyone to Christianity. Sometimes I think, Christianity would be great if it wasn’t for Christians.
Let’s go back to the conversation with my friend. If I were having that conversation with her, there was a point when my evangelism would have begun…it was right here when she said…
AN EVANGELISM CONVERSATION
Me: “I don’t really think I’ll be changing my mind. I simply believe in God.”
Here’s what I might have said…
Jenifer…you’re better than that. I know you not to be closed-minded and I know you not to be a partial thinker. You have part of it right…believing in God is really important. What is more important for a Jewish person, and a lot of my best friends and favorite people on this earth have been Jewish people, is to realize that everything in the Old Testament Scripture, everything in the Torah, points to the Lord Jesus Christ as the Jewish Messiah. I can go over each of those things in depth with you if you want me to. But think about what Jesus said…in John, Chapter 14, Verse 6, the Lord Jesus Christ said…
JOHN 14:6
…to Thomas, the doubting apostle, “I am the way (to salvation), and (I am) the truth (the Word of God)…and (I am) the (resurrection) life (eternal life)…and no one comes to God the Father but through believing in Me.”
In John, Chapter 3, Verse 36, the Lord Himself says…
JOHN 3:36
“He who believes in the Son has eternal life (the resurrection life) right at that moment…but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life, but the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him.”
Acts, Chapter 2, Verse 21 says…
ACTS 2:21
‘And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved.’
Jenifer…those are powerful words…and you can only come to one of two conclusions…this guy is who He says He is…the Sovereign God of the Universe, or He is the worst egomaniacal liar of all time.
The thing that did it for me? The claim that He makes that He is risen from the dead. No prophet…no rabbi…no man ever claims that. John, Chapter 11, Verses 25 and 26, the Lord Jesus Christ says…
JOHN 11:25
Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection (from the dead) and (I am) the (resurrection) life…he who believes in Me will live even if he dies…
JOHN 11:26
…and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Jenifer those are things worth thinking about. But of course the decision is yours. Ambassadors for Christ…step up your game!
GOD WANTS YOU!
Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life
There’s only one way to get to heaven…in John, Chapter 14, Verse 6, the Lord Jesus Christ said…
JOHN 14:6
…to Thomas, the doubting apostle, “I am the way (to salvation), and (I am) the truth (the Word of God)…and (I am) the (resurrection) life (eternal life)…and no one comes to God the Father but through believing in Me.”
In John, Chapter 3, Verse 3, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself gives instruction on how to be saved to Nicodemus…a religious Pharisee…
JOHN 3:3
Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a person is born again (the spiritual birth) he cannot see the kingdom of God the Father.”
JOHN 3:4
Nicodemus said to the Lord Jesus Christ, “How can a man be born again when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”
JOHN 3:5
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of the water of the Word (the gospel message) and the (baptism by God the Holy) Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
JOHN 3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh (in other words, that which comes from mortals is mortal), and that which is born (again) of the (baptism of God the Holy) Spirit is spirit.”
JOHN 3:7
“Do not be amazed (Nicodemus) that I (the Lord Jesus Christ) said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”
CLOSING SONG
HIS STRENGTH IS PERFECT
June Murphy
CLOSING PRAYER
Let us pray...
THANKS - INTERCESSION - PETITION
Thanks for coming!
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for listening!
www.barahministries.com
| April 2024 | ||||||
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
| 31 | 1 Mon | 2 Tue | 3 Wed | 4 Thu | 5 Fri | 6 Sat |
| 7 Sun | 8 Mon | 9 Tue | 10 Wed | 11 Thu | 12 Fri | 13 Sat |
| 14 Sun | 15 Mon | 16 Tue | 17 Wed | 18 Thu | 19 Fri | 20 Sat |
| 21 Sun | 22 Mon | 23 Tue | 24 Wed | 25 Thu | 26 Fri | 27 Sat |
| 28 Sun | 29 Mon | 30 Tue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
 |
1220 S. Alma School Rd. Suite 201 Mesa, AZ 85210 |
 |
(480) 237-9903 |
 |
info@barahministries.com |
