Roaming Chaplain

Imagine walking with Jesus during His three years of public ministry as one of his disciples.

Your life wouldn’t be the same. How could Peter return to his fishing job in the same way when he’s seen so many miracles. How could Matthew go back to being a tax collector knowing that he’s walked closely with the Son of God; or Mary Magdalene who had seven demons cast out of her, who honoured Jesus in the generous display of breaking the alabaster box and anointing Jesus, ever be the same.

When we talk about The Great Commission, this has to be the most privileged opportunity for every spirit filled believer. To spread the Good News, JESUS SAVES!!

Jesus finished His public ministry and He passed on the work of spreading The Good News to the whole world into the hands of human vessels like you and me. What an amazing opportunity for us, undeserving, yet completely favoured by God to be His Ambassadors.

Let’s look at our job of spreading The Good News,

The Great Commission

Matthew 28:16-20

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ 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, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

So what’s our role in The Great Commission?

BE REPENTANT OF OUR SIN, EXPERIENCE GOD’S FORGIVENESS AND LET THE WORLD KNOW HOW GOOD HE IS.

Acknowledge that we need God to help renew the way we think about life, others and ourself indefinitely. It’s not just a once off experience.

After forty plus years walking this spiritual path, I know I need Jesus more than ever. And I marvel how God is helping me at sixty years of age to feel like a child again and again, because he’s constantly renewing my mind.

Don’t ever get to a place where you don’t need to be renewed, inside out. When we feel we’ve arrived, we tend to slide back into unhealthy habits that lead to complacency, and complacency leads to selfish decisions. Selfishness produces everything of what’s wrong with the world.

To spread the Good News with passion, we have to be experiencing God’s goodness currently, not just in the past.

We serve an ever present God. He is with us in every challenge we face in life if we let Him.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.

Matthew 4:17 (Amplified Bible)
From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Galatians 1:4: The Lord Jesus Christ is the One “who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.” He gave Himself for our sins; He paid the penalty and provided atonement.

BE BAPTISED AND LET OUR PAST BE BURIED WITH JESUS, STOP LIVING IN THE PAST.

Be baptised and bury the old way of living in the powerful symbol of full immersion of water baptism. Going on record that we are a followers of Jesus.

Romans 6:3-4 : …don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Paul the Apostle set a foundation everywhere he established Christianity by teaching repentance of sin and baptism.

Acts 19:4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”

What is the power of Baptism?

It’s our choice to go on record publicly or outwardly of the commitment we’ve made in our heart regarding serving Jesus.

In the book of Romans chapter 6, 7 and 8, Paul at length teaches us the freedom we have in Jesus Christ once we surrender all and make that commitment to serve Him, making Jesus our Lord and Saviour.

Baptism is our choice as an adult to identify with Jesus not some church organisation, but with Jesus.

So many individuals struggle to identify with Jesus until they’ve experienced Him as their personal Lord & Saviour.

Jesus makes the clear distinction between those who have surrendered their lives to Him and those who try to save themselves.

^{Matthew 16: 25}  If you want to save your life,^[a] you will destroy it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find it. ²⁶ What will you gain, if you own the whole world but destroy yourself? What would you give to get back your soul?

²⁷  The Son of Man will soon come in the glory of his Father and with his angels to reward all people for what they have done.

If you’ve experienced a new way of living through Jesus, let the world know the good things God has done and continues to do in and through you.

Jesus said You are the light – be that light so others can see

Matthew 5:14-16

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

These days I shamelessly challenge the stranger I meet on the streets, “Do you believe in God?, do you know Jesus died for your sins?, you can be born again instantly, God wants to transform your life and give it meaning, do you want to get baptised?”

I did this forty years ago and I’m just going back to basics, leaving the results to God.