Post by Zac Loh on Nov 17, 2007 10:12:48 GMT -5
One of the ten secrets of success of the life and ministry of the renowned evangelist Oral Roberts is, `The Message Is Greater Than The Messenger.’
Jesus had established this truth in His prime evangelist Peter much earlier - in the Bible.
When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples saying, “Who do men say that I, the son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets”. He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God”. Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” (Matthews 16:13-18)
Isn’t it blessed to receive revelation from God? Jesus said that Peter was blessed! Peter was indeed blessed! The Lord truly meant it …in every sense of that word!
Most business activities today revolve round an idea. Industry exists for a better and faster standard of living. The financial system exists for the purpose of safe and quick trading. Information technology is supposed to take us to a place in the future where everything is quicker, easier and more convenient.
Motion pictures and novels are the production of ideas. Everything we do is based on an idea!
Jesus gave Simon Bar-Jonah a new name …Peter. In the original Bible Greek, the word for `Peter’ was pet’-ros meaning ‘a piece of rock’.
Peter had a revelation that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. And upon this revelation, which Jesus called ‘this rock’, that Jesus was going to build His Church. This ‘rock’ in the original was pet’-ra meaning ‘a mass of rock’.
Certainly ‘a mass of rock’ is greater than ‘a piece of rock’!
Jesus was saying to Peter: you will be my main evangelist soon. But remember this …the message is greater than you! You will pass away, and others after you, will pass away too. But remember …Peter …the message lives on because the message is greater than you!
As you know, Peter preached the first gospel message and three thousand people got saved. He was the foremost evangelist whom God used at that time, even as evangelists like Philip came along. These people came-and-went but yet the message lived on!
Very soon after the martyrdom of Stephen, persecution besets the Church. And yet, the message lived on because ‘those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word’ (Acts 8:4).
Each one of us is called to be a preacher of the gospel. Just preach the gospel as it is. The gospel itself has wings because the Holy Spirit carries it. Just remember that the gospel is greater than you. So just preach it fearlessly, boldly, without reservation, as the Holy Spirit leads.
What is the message of the Church? Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God!
Today we have dwelt on so many issues and activities which have the potential of drawing attention to themselves. But the message of the Church is the gospel.
Because Jesus said, ‘upon this rock I will build My Church.’
Jesus had established this truth in His prime evangelist Peter much earlier - in the Bible.
When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples saying, “Who do men say that I, the son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets”. He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God”. Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” (Matthews 16:13-18)
Isn’t it blessed to receive revelation from God? Jesus said that Peter was blessed! Peter was indeed blessed! The Lord truly meant it …in every sense of that word!
Most business activities today revolve round an idea. Industry exists for a better and faster standard of living. The financial system exists for the purpose of safe and quick trading. Information technology is supposed to take us to a place in the future where everything is quicker, easier and more convenient.
Motion pictures and novels are the production of ideas. Everything we do is based on an idea!
Jesus gave Simon Bar-Jonah a new name …Peter. In the original Bible Greek, the word for `Peter’ was pet’-ros meaning ‘a piece of rock’.
Peter had a revelation that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. And upon this revelation, which Jesus called ‘this rock’, that Jesus was going to build His Church. This ‘rock’ in the original was pet’-ra meaning ‘a mass of rock’.
Certainly ‘a mass of rock’ is greater than ‘a piece of rock’!
Jesus was saying to Peter: you will be my main evangelist soon. But remember this …the message is greater than you! You will pass away, and others after you, will pass away too. But remember …Peter …the message lives on because the message is greater than you!
As you know, Peter preached the first gospel message and three thousand people got saved. He was the foremost evangelist whom God used at that time, even as evangelists like Philip came along. These people came-and-went but yet the message lived on!
Very soon after the martyrdom of Stephen, persecution besets the Church. And yet, the message lived on because ‘those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word’ (Acts 8:4).
Each one of us is called to be a preacher of the gospel. Just preach the gospel as it is. The gospel itself has wings because the Holy Spirit carries it. Just remember that the gospel is greater than you. So just preach it fearlessly, boldly, without reservation, as the Holy Spirit leads.
What is the message of the Church? Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God!
Today we have dwelt on so many issues and activities which have the potential of drawing attention to themselves. But the message of the Church is the gospel.
Because Jesus said, ‘upon this rock I will build My Church.’