How to add Agapeo Love to Faith

Are you ready to add agapeo love to your faith? In a world of uncertainty, how do you focus on doing everything with love? How do you embrace Paul's insistence that the only thing that matters is of faith expressing itself through love? Let's discover how love and faith can be combined to bring positive change to our lives, using insights from the Bible. Learn more in "How to Add Agapeo Love to Faith"

Trevor H. Lund is the founder of Live LIGHT Academy at https://livelight.ca/ and the Chief Storyteller at https://revtrev.com He helps you give thanks with your whole heart https://revtrev.link/heart Check out https://revtrev.com/tv for past videos and live casts and https://revtrev.com/radio to subscribe to his podcast wherever you listen.

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We live in a world that’s confused about love. The love of many have grown cold.

As of July 2022, in Canada - 40% to 50% of the first marriage is estimated to end up in divorce. 60% of second marriages are most likely to get divorced. 73% of the third marriages end up getting separated. Couples aging 50 and more have a divorce rate of 26%.

The top 5 causes of divorce (again in July 2022) Financial distress (50%+), Infidelity, Constant fighting, Lack of affection , Domestic violence.

That’s the whole of Canada and I’m told almost everyone in Quebec has been divorced four or five times and that women can’t legally take their husband’s last name because it’s too much paperwork - so the data might be skewed.

What about Christian marriages in Canada. A study in 2023 suggests that approximately 20 to 25 percent of Christian marriages end in divorce, with higher percentages reported among millennials and younger generations of believers.

So if you’re over 50 and have been a Christian for a long time, you may be the least likely to get divorced. I know, some things just aren’t worth it. But don’t become self satisfied.

Husbands, you need to learn to love your wife and lay down your life for her. Christ did it for you, you do it for her. Wives, you need to learn to love your husband. He needs your encouragement and support, your words and actions are what give him life or death. This is not mental ascent while you’re in public. You need to work reciprocal self-sacrificial love for each other into the day to day of everyday. You make and allow each other to bloom.

We’re going to talk about faith and love today. And that’s a fairly heavy introduction. So let’s pray.

Let’s pray. I want to pray Paul’s prayer to the Ephesians over us today.

Read Ephesians 3:14-21 NIV84 …I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Paul started his letter to Ephesus that way, so I figured it was a good way for us to start talking about Agapeo love and Faith.

The problem is we don’t understand love

English is terrible when it comes to love. You can love your mom and love your hairstyle. You can love your wife and love your car. You can love your children and love your sports team. What does love mean to us?

Does this really matter?

It is so critically important for us to not have the same definition of love as our world has. God is love and we can’t define God by our own experiences. If God is love and love never fails why do so many relationships fall apart and so many others barely whimper along?

The short answer to a complicated question is this world doesn’t have the same understanding of love that God reveals to us. And it is a revelation, and it continually unveils more and more over time.

I personally try to only use “love” for God and people and maybe pets. It’s tough. “I would love to” becomes “I would enjoy that”. “I love that…” becomes “I really appreciate that”. “I’d love to be able to…” becomes “I’d really like to…”

It’s a more honest use of language to not always rely in the superlative. Just watch how many times you use the word love for anything that’s not God, people or pets. We’re sloppy.

The story

If you’ve been around for any time and you’ve heard me speak a few times, you know I can get excited about the original languages and what scriptures meant for the original audiences.

When I went to my last church, I felt God tell me that he was going to teach me more about how to love and about love. And he did, in more ways than one. I don’t need to share all those stories. But I will share this one with you. Maybe a bit of backstory.

While there are other words for love used once in a while in the Bible, Agapeo is used the most by far and Phileo is used about a third as often as Agapeo. Phileo and Agapeo are the two main words used for love in the new testament.

When I was growing up, I understood that Agape love was God’s love towards us… “for God so Agapeo the world that he gave his only Son.” It’s self-sacrificial love. It’s love that is patient and kind and does not envy or boast and is not proud and is not rude and is not self seeking or easily angered. It keeps no record of being wronged. It doesn’t delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes always perseveres and never fails.

The word used for love in 1 Corinthians 13 - that passage above - is agapeo and it has to be God’s love for us because how can any of us ever expect to love love others like that? It let me off the hook to think only God could love like that.

A bigger problem came for me when I went to university and took Attic Greek. It’s Greek from about 500 years before the Koine greek that the New Testament was written in. But I could still read Koine greek - just some of the rules changed, so I started reading the greek new testament and I came across things like…

John 3:19 (NLT) And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.

Luke 11:43 (NLT) “What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you love to sit in the seats of honor in the synagogues and receive respectful greetings as you walk in the marketplaces.

2 Timothy 4:10 (NLT) Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus has gone to Dalmatia.

And John tells us…

1 John 2:15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.

So I was confused for a number of years.

I decided the greeks were probably like us and used agapeo to describe everything from your nearest and dearest love to ice cream.

The greeks generally aren’t sloppy when it comes to words. So, when I felt God say he was going to teach me about love when I went to my last church, I really sought him to try to understand Agapeo and Phileo.

And one day, when I prayed and studied, and studied it and prayed about, I had a thought that was smarter than me drop into my head.

Phileo is definitely emotional love. I wondered if Agapeo love could be love that is a decision, not necessarily an emotion.

I have never thought that way before. I had to check it out. So I went to a bunch of verses I knew used agapeo and it made sense. Yes, if agapeo is a decision, I could chose to love the world, or I could chose to love God. I could choose to love compliments or I could choose to love people. I could choose to love and be chose to be patient and kind and not boast and not envy or be proud or rude or self-seeking or easily angered. I could choose to keep to records of wrongs and not delight in evil but rejoice with the truth…With his help I could always protect and always trust and always hope and always persevere.

It was incredible.

As soon as I search for that, “Is Agapeo love a decision”. I found it all over the place. People I trusted and theologians I read were teaching it the same way it dropped into my head.

God taught me more about love.

Interestingly enough, this week I was attempting to learn more about a Bible program I have that I really need to learn how to use. I came on a study done on Agapeo and phileo. It turns out that

Agape is commanded in the New Testament while , phileo, is never an imperative in the New Testament.

Why is that important to know about Agapeo love?

You can’t command an emotion (parents have you ever told your kids to “be happy!” It doesn’t work). You can’t command someone’s emotions. If you’re God, you can command someone make a decision that’s aligned with your will. Agapeo is love that is a decision.

What if?

What if you could redefine your understanding of love that you’ve experienced in the world and see the possibilities of what it means to have a God who loves you and empowers you to accomplish every good work prompted by your faith, including loving God and loving others like God loves you?

What would this supernatural flow - of God’s love naturally flowing to you and through you to others and back to God - feel like?

How would this change your life?

How would this change your driving?

Today we’re going to talk about How to Add Agapeo Love to Faith.

2 Peter 1:5-9 NLT In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection (Philadephia - emotional love), and brotherly affection with love (Agapeo) for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.

This is one of the locations in Scripture where the author juxtaposes Phileo (emotional love) and Agapeo (love that comes from a decision) there is a difference between the two and the difference is important.

Today we’re going to look at how Agapeo love builds our faith. Remember that all of these things we should be adding to faith are fruit of the spirit that Holy Spirit grows in us. We have a role, but Holy Spirit does the supernatural work.

When we look at Scripture we see that:

• Faith and love come FROM Jesus (1 Timothy 1:14)
• Faith and love IN Jesus will be preserved by Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 1:13-14)
• Faith and love are both fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23)
• Faith without love makes us nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2)
• Faith and love is armour for us to be clearheaded (1 Thessalonians 5:8)
• Faith expressing itself in love is one of the only things that matter (Galatians 5:6)

How do you add the decision to love to faith?

That’s a great question, I’m so glad you asked.

Here’s the DELIGHT yourself in the Lord Tool.

Psalm 37:4 When you delight yourself in the Lord he will give you the desires of your heart… I’ve found when I delight myself in him, I want his desires for me more than my desires…or my desires become what he’s already desiring for me…to be made more and more into the image of Christ. That’s how God describes what it is good. When we say “God is working all things together for good” it means he is using everything to make us more and more like Jesus, who is good, so it is good. (Romans 8:28-30).

DELIGHT yourself in the Lord Tool

D - Do all that you do in love - 1 Corinthians 16:14

E - Examine your walk -John 13:34-35

L - Let His love build your faith- Romans 8:35-39

I - Initiate forgiveness - 1 Peter 4:8

G - Grasp a greater revelation of love - 1 John 4:7-8

H - Have your faith express in love - Galatians 5:6

T - Thrive with love - 1 Corinthians 13:2

Let’s unpack that...

D - Do all that you do in love

1 Corinthians 16:14 (NLT) And do everything with love.

Love needs to be the motivation of all our actions.

You can only do this with Holy Spirit’s help. He empowers you to accomplish every good work prompted by faith. Let your good works prompted by faith also be done in love.

What does love look like?

1 Corinthians 13:1-7 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

These are all agapeo love. These are all decisions we make. These are all things we step out in faith to do, knowing he empowers us to accomplish every good work prompted by faith.

Are my good works prompted by faith, done in love?

E - Examine your walk

John 13:34-35 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.

Love is a significant mark of faith. It’s not just that we say we love God, people need to see our love for God in practical ways AND our love for people God puts on our path AND of course, our love for one another.

We can say we love God, and not make it make a difference in our life. We can placate our need to love other humans by donating to whatever charity our grocery store is promoting this week. It’s the love we show to each other - those nearest and dearest to us - that we can’t really fake or ignore… John writes..

1 John 4:7-21 NLT Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first. If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer,[b] that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.

We need to be “God-with-flesh-on” to each other.

It occurred to me this week that all the One Another Commands connection to showing love.

Love fulfills the One Another Commands…

Love One Another

John 13:34-35; 15:12,17; Romans 12:10a; 13:8; 1 Thessalonians 3:12, 4:9-10; 1 Peter 1:22, 4:8 ;1 John 3:11,22,4:7,11-12; 2 John1:5

Agapeo Love

...is patient

Be at Peace With One Another Mark 9:50

Wait for One Another 1 Corinthians 11:33

... is kind

Be Kind to One Another Ephesians 4:32a

Show Hospitality to One Another 1 Peter 4:9

Have Fellowship With One Another 1 John 1:7

Wash One Another’s Feet John 13:14

... does not boast

Agree With One Another 2 Corinthians 13:11b

Live in Harmony With One Another Romans 12:16, Romans 15:5

...is not jealous

Do Not Envy One Another Galatians 5:26b

Submit to One Another Ephesians 5:21

...is not proud

Honour One Another Romans 12:10b

Be Humble Toward One Another 1 Peter 5:5

Live in Harmony With One Another Romans 12:16

...is not rude

Greet One Another Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20;2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Peter 5:14

Welcome One Another Romans 15:7

...is not self-seeking

Bear With One Another Ephesians 4:2-3; Colossians 3:13a

Do Not Speak Against One Another James 4:11, 5:9

...is not easily angered

Do Not Provoke One Another Galatians 5:26a

Do Not Judge One Another Romans 14:13

...keeps no record of wrongs

Forgive One Another Ephesians 4:32b, Colossians 3:13b

…does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth

Speak the Truth to One Another Ephesians 4:25; Colossians 3:9

Confess Sins to One Another James 5:16a

…always protects

Care for One Another 1 Corinthians 12:25

Do Good to One Another 1 Thessalonians 5:15

Bear One Another’s Burdens Galatians 6:2

Comfort One Another 2 Corinthians 13:11a

…always trusts

Serve One Another Galatians 5:13, 1 Peter 4:10

Instruct One Another Romans 15:14

Teach and Admonish One Another Colossians 3:16

…always hopes

Encourage One Another 1 Thessalonians 4:18, 5:11; Hebrews 10:25

Build One Another Up 1 Thessalonians 5:11b

Exhort One Another Hebrews 3:13

…always perseveres

Pray for One Another James 5:16b

Sing With One Another Ephesians 5:19

… never fails

Stir Up One Another to Love and Good Works Hebrews 10:24

How does my love show my faith?

L - Let His love build your faith

Jude 1:20-21 NLT But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.

As you build each other up in your most holy faith, you’ll keep yourself safe in God’s love.

How to you build yourself up?

1.Pray in the Holy Spirit

2. Await his coming mercy

Building up your faith, keeps you in God’s love. God’s love also builds your faith. The more you know and experience his love, the more you trust him, the more you trust him, the more faith you have. This image illustrates what I’m trying to say…

Building up your faith, keeps you in God’s love. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

Romans 8:35-39 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.

Does not talking about God’s love seem to build your faith in God’s love? It sure does to me

Do I let His love build my faith?

I - Initiate Forgiveness

1 Peter 4:8 "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."

The only way for love to cover over a multitude of sins is for there to be confession and repentance and forgiveness.

Confession and repentance is for the one who preformed a sin of commission or a sin of omission. When we come before God and remember someone has something against us, we go and reconcile with that person as soon as possible. Jesus said, leave your sacrifice on the altar and go and be reconciled. This horizontal relationship is so important for the vertical relationship with the Father. We know when we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness… but will the one we’ve offended choose to reconcile with us? You won’t know until you initiate forgiveness with them.

However, if we’re the one who has been hurt by someone’s sin of commission or sin of omission, forgiveness is not something you need wait for confession and repentance to do. We forgive as Christ forgave us. How is that? While we were still sinners Christ died for us. He laid down is life and completed the task the Father gave him to do, before anyone knew they needed to confess Jesus as Lord and repent of their sins.

Matthew 6:14-15 NLT “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Forgiveness is a choice - we make the decision to forgive.

Forgiveness is an action - we choose to bless in tangible, safe ways.

Forgiveness is an emotion - you can feel like you’ve forgiven when you learn to forgive with your whole heart.

Does my love cover over a multitude of sins?

G - Grasp a greater revelation of love

Ephesians 3:18-19 NLT And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Your faith grows as you become more and more like the Son, who He loves. Let me clarify what I’m trying to say. As you trust God more and more, your faith grows more and more and you experience more and more of God’s love for you and you have more and more of God’s love in you that you love God more and better and love others more and better because you are becoming more and more like Jesus as you grow in confidence of God’s love for you. Don’t forget what Jesus said…

John 15:9-12 NLT “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.

To get a greater revelation of love, you need to abide in His love.

Do I abide in Jesus’ love?

H - Have your faith express in love

Galatians 5:6 For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.

Faith is made complete through love. The church in Galatia was a mess. Jewish Christians had convinced non-jewish christians to become jewish to be a good Christian and Paul lost it on them. One verse he writes that he wishes the ones causing the problems wouldn’t stop at circumcision, but go farther and emasculate themselves (the greek word was much more graphic and direct).

He comes out of that tirade and says the thing that matters is faith expressing itself through love. Jesus said we can tell a lot about people by their fruit,

Matthew 7:15-20 NLT “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.

Do people see my good works and glorify my father in heaven?

T - Thrive in love

1 Corinthians 13:2 "If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing."

We can have faith without love…and have nothing. We can have love without faith…and it will be fleeting. Our promise from God for this life is that he is with us. GOD is with us. His Spirit is with us. Jesus is with us. Look at what Paul wrote to the church in Rome.

Romans 5:1-11 NLT Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

Do you rejoice in your wonderful relationship with God? Jesus made us friends again with God.

Do you thrive in his love?

Conclusion

DELIGHT yourself in God’s love and you will be filled to the measure of the fullness of God.

DELIGHT yourself in the Lord Tool

D - Do all that you do in love
E - Examine your walk
L - Let His love build your faith
I - Initiate forgiveness
G - Grasp a greater revelation of love
H - Have your faith express in love
T - Thrive with love

Stand to pray

Read Ephesians 3:14-21 NIV84 …I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

How to tell a false teaching and what to do with a false teacher

How to Tell a False Teaching and what to do with a False Teacher. Uncover how to DISCERN with How to Identify False Teachings and handle False Teachers! Learn key strategies for discerning misleading doctrines and speaking the truth in love to deceived leaders. Don't miss out on this tool to safeguard your faith. Watch now to equip yourself with the knowledge needed to protect your spiritual journey!

Trevor H. Lund is the founder of Live LIGHT Academy at https://livelight.ca/ and the Chief Storyteller at https://revtrev.com He helps you learn how to discern https://revtrev.link/discern Check out https://revtrev.com/tv for past videos and live casts and https://revtrev.com/radio to subscribe to his podcast wherever you listen.

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Read the notes for How to Tell a False Teaching and what to do with a False Teacher

This was a fun message to prepare for because a while ago I was reading in 2 Peter and connected some points that I haven’t connected before. When I sat down to organize them, I knew the tool I would create would use the word DISCERN. I got even more excited when I realized I’ve never used the word DISCERN for a tool even though I’ve taught a lot on how to Learn to Discern.  So today we’re going to start with the beginning and unpack it as we go along as we learn  How to Tell a False Teaching and what to do with a False Teacher.

Read 2 Peter 1:1 - 2:22

Can I Pray?

How to tell a false teaching and what to do with a false teacher

Let’s unpack that.

As teachers, we’re told we’ll receive a stricter judgement (James 3:1). So we need to be diligent to present ourselves approved to God, a worker who does not be to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15). In everything, we make ourselves an example of good works with integrity and dignity in our teaching (Titus 2:7-8). Pursuing righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart (2 Timothy 2:22).

Jesus tells us that there will be many who have been involved in ministry in his name, to whom he will say, "Depart from me; I never knew you" (Matthew 7:21).

It’s up to the one teaching to make sure they are handling the word of God properly. As teachers, we need to let the word read us before we share any competence in it.

It’s also up to all us together to know when a teaching is false or deceptive AND not to have itching ears just hearing what we want to hear.

We need to be diligent and working in love.

Why do we need to look for false teaching?

When it comes to prophecies ...
We’re told to eat the meat and spit out the bones. (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21)

When it comes to teaching...
We only have the option of milk or meat (Hebrews 5:14, 1 Corinthians 3:2). No bones are allowed.

There are debatable things that we should probably stay away from. They don’t lead away from life and godliness, but they do lead away from Christian fellowship.

Grace from God for ignorance and arrogance

When I was a young pastor, I had a couple of friends tell me “That’s just your opinion,” and I was offended because I thought I was saying the very oracles of God. But I realized there are some things that are debatable that don’t lead away from life and godliness that I don’t need to share my opinion on.

And sometimes its simple ignorance. Again, when I was a young pastor, I was reading through the early church fathers and came across a wonderful illustration of how this body is a seed that gets planted and grows something that is so marvellous compared to the seed, that it looks nothing like. And when I used it as an illustration, I pointed out that it was extra-canonical and not inspired like scripture. The next morning, I read it in 1 Corinthians. The dude ripped off Paul, and I said it was nice, but not inspired.

All that is to say is that Holy Spirit will finish the good work in me just like he will finish the good work in you. My job is do bring the loaves and fishes and offer it to him to multiply.

I will do my best to bring milk or meat. I like to think I’m heavy on the meat. It’s like a Brazilian steakhouse today.

Does false teaching really matter?

"There were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you" (2 Peter 2:1).

Satan is the counterfeiter. He has a false gospel (Galatians 1:6-9), preached by false ministers (2 Corinthians 11:13-12), producing false Christians (2 Corinthians 11:26) . Satan plants his counterfeits wherever God plants true believers (Matthew 13:38).

How do you recognize false teaching?

That’s a great question, I’m so glad you asked. Aren’t you glad the Bible doesn’t leave it ambiguous?

In 2 Peter 1 we read about genuine believers. And in 2 Peter 2 we read about counterfeit believers. If you put these chapters side by side you will see the difference between authentic and counterfeit believers.

DISCERN False Teaching Tool

D - Define the source (2 Peter 1:16 vs 2:3)

I - Identify the message (2 Peter 1:3 vs 2:1)

S - Secure the position (2 Peter 1:4 vs 2:19)

C - Care about character (2 Peter 1:5 vs 2:14)

E - Elicit the appeal (2 Peter 1:19 vs 2:18)

R - Reason the results (2 Peter 1:8 vs 2:17)

N - Narrow to the end (2 Peter 1:11 vs 2:1,3)

Let’s unpack

D - Define the source (2 Peter 1:16 vs 2:3)

Peter says, "We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1:16). And then he says the false teachers exploit you "with stories they have made up" (2:3).

The true teacher sources from the Bible and their testimony of Christ. We should preach it until we live it. We can preach it from other’s testimony, if it lines up with Scripture and the nature of God expressed in scripture.

The false teacher relies their own creativity. They make up their own message. Or they borrow someone else’s that they don’t do the work themselves on.

Well known example

Here’s a really silly example. Have you ever heard Jesus’ illustration of “I'll say it again-it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of A needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” Matthew 19:24

And people explaining there was a gate in Jerusalem (or Damascus) the was so low that camels needed to get on their knees and have their burdens removed so they could crawl through after the main gate was closed.

I’ve heard heart-wrenching sermon on this…literally the same sermon illustration by different people. Some were better than others.

There are a few problems with this

First, we have no gate from the time of Christ or mention of it. Who puts possible access in a walled city that closed up? A thousand years later, there were all kinds of gates called “The eye of the needle”, because of what Jesus said. Nothing contemporary to Christ.

Second, it occurs in 3 gospels and all three use a different word for needle, for example Luke uses a surgical needle. There is no gate alluded or specifically mentioned in the text.

Third, in the text itself the disciples thought it was impossible for the rich to enter the kingdom and Jesus told them what’s impossible with men is possible with God.

This is not so important, except it’s used over the centuries to tell rich people they could get favour with God if they take off the burdens of wealth and give it to the church. As if they could earn their salvation with works while the rest of us require His grace to be saved.

It’s only going to be worse. Pastors are now using Chat GTP programs and not checking up on what it gives them. I asked Chat GTP to find me the earliest reference for this interpretation and it told me Origen said it first. I had never heard that before, I asked for that citation an it said “oh no, I was mistaken…

…One of the earliest known references to this interpretation is found in the writings of Archbishop Thomas Bradwardine, who lived in the 14th century. Bradwardine's work, specifically his commentary on the Gospel of Matthew…

I asked for citation and it said it didn’t have access. It was just scraping the web, telling me what other people said.

All that is to say We need to know the context of Scripture.

For example - what’s the context of “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”

When I was growing up, those were some of the rules to live by. Let’s look at the context.

“Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires. (Colossians 2:21-23 NLT)

Tip - Be in the Word so you know what doesn’t sit right.

Is it in the Book or is it made up stories or does it cherry pick truth and misapply it?

I - Identify the message (2 Peter 1:3 vs 2:1)

For the true teacher, Jesus Christ is central. "We have everything we need for life and godliness in Him" (1:3). For the false teacher, Jesus is at the margins: "They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them" (2:1).

Notice the word secretly. It's rare for someone in church to openly deny Jesus. Movement away from the centrality of Christ is subtle. The false teacher will speak about how other people can help change your life, but if you listen carefully to what they are saying, you will see that Jesus Christ is not essential to the message.

My experience

I took a course on Creative Proclamation of the Old Testament and the final assignment was writing a message completely from the Hebrew Scriptures. And the sermon I handed in had dozens of people come up to commit or recommit their lives to Jesus when I preached it. I failed that assignment because I talked about Jesus. I told the professor “If I’m not talking about Jesus I’m wasting everybody’s time.” And gladly took the mark he gave me.

We need to discern if it lines up with Scripture, but also the Spirit behind it.

Paul in Philippi cast out truth-telling Spirit. Lying spirits 1 Kings 22:19-23 Micaiah is asked by King Ahab of Israel to inquire of the Lord about going to battle.

What is more dangerous a clock that is 1 minute behind or 7 hours ahead? It’s the one that’s close.

Tip: If it feels off or just doesn’t seem right, be like the Bereans searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. Acts 17:11 Learn to trust the Spirit’s voice. If it feels off, question. Holy Spirit will teach you all things.

What is the spirit behind the message?

S - Secure the position (2 Peter 1:4 vs 2:19)

The true Christian "escapes the corruption in the world caused by evil desires" (1:4). Listen to how Peter describes the counterfeit Christian: "They promise ... freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity, for a person is a slave to whatever has mastered them” (2:19).

The true believer is escaping corruption, while the counterfeit believer is mastered by it.

As Christians our journey is to become more and more and more like Jesus.

In Philippians 2 Paul outlines Christ attitudes and these help us discern what teaching to listen to.

1. Does the teaching tell me to compete or do something because I think I deserve it?

Philippians 2:3 - Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but in humility consider others better than yourselves (NIV)

2. Does this teaching put me or others first?

Philippians 2:4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others (NIV)

3. Is this teaching me to be more, or teaching me to be more like Jesus?

Philippians 2:5-7 “Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus. Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing...” (NIV)

Tip: Watch for anything that speaks to your fallen nature. That is who you were, But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11 Everything has changed for you (2 Corinthians 5:17). Live up to what you’ve already attained (Philippians 3:16).

In what position will the message leave you?

C - Care about character (2 Peter 1:5 vs 2:14)

The true believer pursues goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love (1:5). The counterfeit Christian is marked by arrogance and slander (2:10). They are "experts in greed" and "their eyes are full of adultery" (2:14). They also "despise authority" (2:10). This is a general characteristic of a counterfeit believer.

Relationship is so important. We live in a world of headlines, sound bites and 1 minute videos. Context is critical and the context of a person is their character.

Disclaimer about viral clips

Disclaimer: You might have seen our short - 60 second or less clips on social media. We use a program that has an AI produce the “Most potentially Viral” parts of our messages. Basically it stops us short so what we say in the clip is controversial (Or heresy).

Let me give you an example… the clip cut me off saying “…and Jesus didn’t come and die on the cross..” I caught that one and expanded the clip so it included the full thought “…and Jesus didn’t come and die on the cross so we could gather together and look at the back of each other’s head”.

I’m not worried about people who know us and know our hearts hearing ai generated heresy. I suspect you’ll follow the link to full message and see it in context. I am concerned with people who don’t know us passing judgment without context or worse being trained on sound bites.

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. (Galatians 6:7–9 NLT)

Tip: Context is critical and the context of a person is their character.

What kind of people does the message produce?

E - Elicit the appeal (2 Peter 1:19 vs 2:18)

The true teacher appeals to Scripture. "We have the word of the prophets made more certain and you will do well to pay attention to it" (1:19). God has spoken, and the true teacher appeals to his Word. The false teacher makes a rather different appeal: "By appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error" (2:18).

So the true teacher asks, "What has God said in his Word?" The false teacher asks, "What will appeal to their flesh?"

The essence of solid teaching lies in focusing on what God has revealed in His Word rather than catering to the desires of people. The true teacher seeks to understand and communicate the truths found in Scripture, aligning their teachings with the principles and messages conveyed by God.

On the other hand, the false teacher prioritizes pleasing the audience by saying what they want to hear, often appealing to their worldly desires and interests. This contrast highlights the importance of grounding teachings in the divine wisdom of the Bible rather than catering to human preferences and inclinations.

Remember wisdom

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favouritism and is always sincere. James 3:17

Tip: Look for wisdom from above and avoid appeals based on lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life.

For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. (1 John 2:16-17 NLT)

Is the message wisdom from above or does it appeal to base desires?

R - Reason the results (2 Peter 1:8 vs 2:17)

The true believer is effective and productive in his or her knowledge of Jesus Christ (1:8). The counterfeit is "like a spring without water" (2:17).

What a metaphor! They promise much but produce little.

My Uncle Gordon would often say, “Is this going to matter in 100 years?” Most things wouldn’t matter in 2 months. A few would matter for generations. The things that mattered for generations are the things I’ve learned to confront.

Wisdom is from above. Wisdom is discerned by us together. None of us have the corner on wisdom, but together we see His wisdom more clearly. We need each other so much more than our culture teaches us and more than most of the evangelical world is even aware of.

It’s not “Me and Jesus, it’s Us and Christ. When Christ calls you to Himself, He calls you to community.

Tip: Stick with people of wisdom. Ask them what they discern.

What result does the message have in people's lives?

N - Narrow to the end (2 Peter 1:11 vs 2:1,3)

Here we find the most disturbing contrast of all. The true believer will receive "a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1:11). The false believer will experience "swift destruction" (2:1). "Their condemnation has long been hanging over them and their destruction has not been sleeping" (2:3).

Remember what we can learn from Philippians 2.

Paul outlines Christ attitudes and these help us discern what teaching to listen to.

1. Does the teaching tell me to compete or do something because I think I deserve it?

Philippians 2:3 - Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but in humility consider others better than yourselves (NIV)

2. Does this teaching put me or others first?

Philippians 2:4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the

interests of others (NIV)

3. Is this teaching me to be more, or teaching me to be more like Jesus?

Philippians 2:5-7 “Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus. Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing...” (NIV)

Tip: Line the attitude of any teaching with the attitude of Christ.

It is God’s will for you to become more and more like Jesus. That’s the good He works all things together for.

Where does the message ultimately lead?

We need to Learn to DISCERN False Teaching

D - Define the source
Is it in the Book or is it made up stories or does it cherry pick truth and misapply it?

I - Identify the message
What is the spirit behind the message?

S - Secure the position
In what position will the message leave someone?

C - Care about character
What kind of people does the message produce?

E - Elicit the appeal
Is the message wisdom from above or does it appeal to base desires?

R - Reason the results
What result does the message have in people's lives?

N - Narrow to the end
Where does the message ultimately lead?

But let’s say the teaching is false. What do we do then?

That’s a great question and one we’ll most likely need to deal with at some time.

What to do about a false teacher?

This is not if you disagree with something someone taught. It’s when you hear false teaching and you’ve run it through the matrix from 2 Peter 1 and 2 and so you know it’s false.

You need to ACT

ACT to Confront a False Teacher

A - Assess your Role Matthew 18:15-18
C - Choose your time 2 Timothy 2:24-26
T - Treat with Love 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Let's unpack...

A - Assess your role

“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Matthew 18:15-18 (NIV)

The passage in Matthew is where Jesus taught excommunication. Excommunication is the response to unrepentant false teaching. It’s what Paul did to Hymanuaeus and Alexander who have shipwrecked their faith

Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme. 1 Timothy 1:20 (NIV)

Excommunication in Relationship

Excommunication cannot happen without relationship. Back in 1054 the Pope in Rome and the Patriarch in Constantinople excommunicated each other. Bad things happen when excommunication is done outside of real relationship.

Are you in relationship? If you are, you have a responsibility to confront. The pattern through it Jesus already gave.

Step one - Go yourself,

Step two - take one or two,

Step three - bring before the church.

How you do those steps I’ll get into in a bit.

If you’re in relationship, you have a responsibility.

There are some things that are debatable that doesn’t lead people away from God and won’t matter in 100 years, I don’t worry about arguing with people who can be wrong and it doesn’t affect where they’re spending eternity. If it will dangerously distort their or others view of God and lead them away from becoming more like Jesus, and I’m in relationship with them I need to follow Jesus’ instructions Step one - Go yourself, Step two - take one or two, Step three - bring before the church.

But if you’re not in relationship with the false teacher, ignore the false doctrine. It’s not your place to put someone else in their place.

Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval. (Romans 14:4 NLT)

If you’re not in a relationship, you’re not in a place to judge a person. You can judge a thought or way of thinking of course.

But there is a huge difference between judging a false teacher and judging a false teaching.

Never mix those two up.

If a teaching is dangerous, you can do a blog or video post or write a book about what the teaching is and why it’s so wrong. Don’t bring in where you heard it from, Don’t set up straw men and knock down. Stick to what the Bible actually says, stay away from personal attacks.

Tip: Turn it off, skip the podcast, unsubscribe. Don’t do drive by’s. You don’t need to leave a snarky comment why it’s so wrong. But if it’s in you - be diligent in teaching the word.

And understand that teaching may not have the same effect as a teacher. It is a longer road to travel. It probably doesn’t need to be confronted as much a teacher—that you’re in relationship with—would need to be.

Is this relationship worth the risk or is worth cutting off?

C - Choose your Time

A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants. 2 Timothy 2:24-26 (NLT)

You’re not in the right place if you enjoy putting someone in there place. To knock someone off their high horse, you have to be on your own high horse. If it doesn’t hurt you to confront someone it’s not the time to confront them.

Galatians 6:1-3 (NLT) Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.

Tip: Ask questions to understand, not set up and don’t demand answers.

This is not about putting off what needs to be done. It’s about God working on you before you do more damage.

Will this hurt me to confront?

T - Treat with Love

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NLT)

Discernment without love is criticism. Do everything in love. Ask for wisdom and you’ll get wisdom (James 1:5).

When Jesus addressed the church in Ephesus in the book of Revelation he said they had all the right theology but lost their first love. If they didn’t repent and do what they did at first he would remove their lamp stand. Love is so important for us.

Wisdom is not to be neglected. When wisdom is rejected love can be defined as anything.

“When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.” 1 Corinthians 2:13 NLT

Tip: Speak with God’s wisdom. Remember wisdom that comes from above…is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favouritism and is always sincere (James 3:17).

What does love look like in this situation?

Recap…

A - Assess your Role Matthew 18:15-18

Is this relationship worth the risk or is worth cutting off?

C - Choose your Time 2 Timothy 2:24-26

Will this hurt me to confront?

T - Treat with Love 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

What does love look like in this situation?

Warning for False Teaching

So that’s How to Tell a False Teaching and what to do with a False Teacher. It’s a message packed with a lot. But I knew it was one that had to get out. It is not a message to give in the middle of a mess. But it is one to build a firm foundation with.

The problem with a message like this is that I’m only addressing one part of the tripart equation in all of this. Yes, it’s up to the speaker to prepare, but it’s never as important as what Holy Spirit speaks through what we offer and the same seed gets scattered on the the soil with weeds and the rocky soil and the good soil. We are personally responsible when we hear the message a teacher or Holy Spirit speaks to have receptive hearts.

Our Responsibility

Listen to what Paul told Timothy:

2 Timothy 4:2-5 (NLT) Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favourable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.

What I’ve taught you—if you only partially apply it—will lead to justifying itching ears. Make sure you don’t have itching ears.

Be diligent. Be like the Bereans (Acts 17:11). ACT in love.

God will enable you to live a life worthy of his call and give you the power to accomplish all the good works your faith prompts you to do. So that the name of our Lord Jesus will be honoured because of the way you live, and you will be honoured along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 ). He makes all things beautiful in their time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). He will finish the good work He’s started in you (Philippians 1:6).

You will learn to discern false teaching

Can I pray?

Pray for people of Issachar to rise up, understand the times and know what to do. Wisdom and grace to abound.

Next Step to Discern False Teaching...

Why we all need Discernment Today

We live in a world where we are drowning in information and starving for wisdom. It used to be if you could find it in a book you could quote it as fact. But facts have been replaced by opinion and now it’s the one who shouts the loudest and most often that define the truth of that opinion. But you and I were made to not conform but be transformed by the renewing on our minds.  We should be like the people of Issachar who understood the times and knew what to do.  Move from wondering about God's will to becoming a person of wisdom others look for answers from. Learn more at https://revtrev.link/discern

Learn more at https://revtrev.link/discern

How the world can see Unconquerable Hope in You

Do you know the world needs to see unconquerable hope in you? In a world filled with uncertainty and challenges, how can we radiate an Unconquerable Hope that others can see? Learn why others need to see hope in us and how we can show it in the day-to-day of every day. Whether you're new to faith or seeking to deepen your spiritual journey, this message offers practical insights and encouragement for everyone. Learn more in: How the world can see Unconquerable Hope in You.

Trevor H. Lund is the founder of Live LIGHT Academy at https://livelight.ca/ and the Chief Storyteller at https://revtrev.com He helps you give thanks with your whole heart https://revtrev.link/heart Check out https://revtrev.com/tv for past videos and live casts and https://revtrev.com/radio to subscribe to his podcast wherever you listen.

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How the world can see Unconquerable Hope in You

Last week we heard an amazing message. Dwight Lagore encouraged us to identify with Isaiah who was in the presence of God who heard the God say, “Who will go and who should I send?” And Isaiah responded in the middle of his muck with “Here am I, send me!”

If you missed it. It’s online and it’s worth listening to whenever you need to refocus.

I thought it was a couple of years ago now…. but checked it was November 2020… I did a series on the strategies Jesus taught his disciples to use in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and ultimately the ends of the earth.

Since then I’ve been working on those messages to tighten them up for a book and course I’m creating. So as I remind you of them, they might just seem a little familiar. The current draft looks a bit different from the one you heard. As a reminder…

God’s strategies to reach Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria

Jerusalem - People who love you - Strategy - Inexplicable Transformation

Judea - People who like you - Strategy - Counterintuitive Reciprocity

Samaria - People who don’t like you and who you might not like - Strategy - All-Encompassing Kingdom Perception

All of these strategies are with Holy Spirit’s power and with signs and wonders following those who believe.

We cannot replace the supernatural act of rescuing us from the dominion of darkness and transferring us into the kingdom of the Son (Colossians 1:13-14) with any program that uses an earthly strategy that has a form of godliness but denies its power (2 Timothy 3:5).

Working on the current draft, I realized my take on reaching the ends of the earth was a little random and shallow.

I don’t like random and shallow.

I knew I needed to tighten it up....and I just needed God to show me how he wanted me to tighten it up.

Response to Dwight’s Message

Dwight's message last week really inspired me to work on it this week.Our history with Samm Ministries

We've followed Dwight and Lynne's story since 1995, praying with them and for them ever since. I think it was when they first went from South Africa to Mozambique. The first pictures I remember seeing was the camp in the overgrown bush. They helped to reclaim a farm from the jungle and it was hard work and things got better. Over the years, people planted crops but the rain didn't come. They planted more crops and different varieties, but then too much rain came. People came and went. Workers had life situations change. And people they relied on had to move on. But the ministry grew too big for the farm, so they had to leave that land and return to the bush to start over. I was part of the board of SAMM ministries early on.

And as I listened to the challenge he gave us I knew what strategy God wanted me to teach to reach the ends the earth.

It’s what I see in Dwight and Lynne over the long haul.

I know that’s what God wants to see in all of us and what the world needs to see in all of us.

God’s strategy for us to reach the ends of the earth is Unconquerable Hope!

How do I know this?

That’s a great question. Look what I’ve been gnawing on…

Look at this verse…

1 Peter 3:15-16 (NIV84) But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

Holy Spirit prompted me to look at who Peter wrote this to and look at this...Peter writes to :

1 Peter 1:1 …God’s elect, scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,

Peter is talking to those scattered. They’ve moved beyond Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria. He gives them this strategy in 1 Peter 3:15-16

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

And then the thought occurred to me:

People need to see the hope in you before they can ask about it and stop their malicious talk against you.

Today we’re going to look at “How the world can see Unconquerable Hope in You”

Can we pray?

Outsourcing our witness to ends of the earth

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been in the church for a long time and I’ve been taught consistently to outsource my witness to ends of the earth.

It’s a problem we need to address.

How come most times talk about the Great Commission we talk about world missions? Maybe it’s better said, “Every time we talk about world missions we talk about the Great Commission and we give the impression we should outsource it.”

What is the Great Commission?

Matthew 28:16-19 (NLT) Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted! Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

What was Dwight’s message about Isaiah’s response?

Here am I. Send me.

Have you ever thought about a Carbon Credit?

Our government allow companies to have and trade carbon credits. A carbon credit is a permit that allows a company to emit a certain amount of carbon dioxide. When companies lower their carbon footprint they have credits left over that they can trade to companies that need more carbon credits.

What if we created a compliance market for the Great Commission?

We could give out Commission Credits

We could set a price on the things we think make a good disciple, then focus on the things we’re good at to offset the things we’d rather not do. Or we can just pay to get the credits for someone actually doing the work.

For example,

Let’s say you really don’t have anyone to share your faith with, but you can read your Bible and pray and if you did it long enough it could offset the fact you’ve never shared your faith with someone else.

Sure, Paul told Philemon he should be active in sharing his faith so that he would have a full understanding of every good thing he has in Christ (Philemon 1:6), but we don’t really believe that’s what he said because we’ve changed it in more modern english translations to read “your partnership with us” instead of “actively sharing your faith”. So it should be OK to offload (Please note the sarcasm).

We’d have to set what a Commission Credit was worth - 10 hours of prayer or 4 church pot-luck clean ups could equal the same as telling someone about Jesus?

It doesn’t really matter how we set it up. The point would be that you could pay money to have someone else do your work for you. It would free you up to be a contributing member of the Kingdom without having you have to go into all the world.

Isn’t that essentially what we do already?

Yet Isaiah said “Here am I. Send me.”

I am in no way knocking missions but we can’t outsource the Great Commission.

It better to redefine “Ends of the Earth”

We can’t all be missionaries. We can’t all do short-term missions. And yet we recognize we have a metaphor for Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, so maybe we should have a metaphor for the ends of the earth. The metaphor needs to be inline with Scripture and needs to agree with the heart of God.

Jerusalem - family and friends who are like family

Judea - the people we’re the most comfortable with

Samaria - the people we’re not the most comfortable with

SO

Ends of the earth - anybody, anywhere.

The ends of the earth are not that far away anymore.

Jesus’s plan was not to train his disciples to make disciples and empower them to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and sit back and have them send someone else to be witnesses to the ends of the earth. They didn’t outsource the Great Commission.

They didn’t make that assumption and neither should we. Look at what they did. None of them stayed in Jerusalem or Judea or even Samaria for any length of time. Well, the only one that did was killed early on.

And it wasn’t easy going to the ends of the earth. It was tough.

If the strategy is for people to ask you about the hope that you have, those people need to see the hope that you have. I don’t know how to break this to you without being blunt.

Hope is seen in hurt.

Look at how the disciples endured for their testimony:

• Peter (66 or 67) went to Antioch and possibly Corinth. He was martyred in Rome about 66 AD, during the persecution under Emperor Nero. Peter was crucified, upside down at his request, since he did not feel he was worthy to die in the same manner as his Lord.
• Andrew went to the "land of the man-eaters," in what is now in Russia. Christians there claim him as the first to bring the gospel to their land. He also preached in Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey, and in Greece, where he is said to have been crucified.
• Thomas was probably most active in the area east of Syria. Tradition has him preaching as far east as India, where the ancient Marthoma Christians revere him as their founder. They claim that he died there when pierced through with the spears of four soldiers.
• Philip possibly had a powerful ministry in Carthage in North Africa and then in Asia Minor, where he converted the wife of a Roman proconsul. In retaliation the proconsul had Philip arrested and cruelly put to death.
• Matthew the tax collector and writer of a Gospel ministered in Persia and Ethiopia. Some of the oldest reports say he was not martyred, while others say he was stabbed to death in Ethiopia.
• Bartholomew had widespread missionary travels attributed to him by tradition: to India with Thomas, back to Armenia, and also to Ethiopia and Southern Arabia. There are various accounts of how he met his death as a martyr for the gospel.
• James (5 years after Christ) The son of Alpheus is one of at least three James referred to in the New Testament. There is some confusion as to which is which, but this James is reckoned to have ministered in Syria. The Jewish historian Josephus reported that he was stoned and then clubbed to death.
• Simon the Zealot So the story goes, ministered in Persia and was killed after refusing to sacrifice to the sun god.
• Matthais The apostle chosen to replace Judas. Tradition sends him to Syria with Andrew and was put to death by burning.
• John (90-110 AD) The only one of the apostles generally thought to have died a natural death from old age. He was the leader of the church in the Ephesus area and is said to have taken care of Mary the mother of Jesus in his home. During Domitian's persecution in the middle '90s, he was exiled to the island of Patmos. There he is credited with writing the last book of the New Testament--the Revelation. An early Latin tradition has him escaping unhurt after being cast into boiling oil at Rome.
• Judas (Thaddeus) Judas (Thaddeus) went to Judea, Samaria, Idumaea (Edom), Syria, Mesopotamia and Libya. He is also said to have visited Beirut and Edessa. He suffered martyrdom about 65 AD in Beirut, in the Roman province of Syria, together with the apostle Simon the Zealot, with whom he is usually connected.
• James (44 AD) James the son of Zebedee: Was the only one who didn’t get out of Jerusalem. He was put to death by Herod Agrippa I shortly before the day of the Passover, in the year 44 or about 11 years after the death of Christ. We see this in Acts 12:1-2.

They didn’t go based on some missions plan.

As they went…

In their heart, they set apart Christ as Lord.

People saw their hope and asked them the reason.

They told them with gentleness and respect.

And still had people talk bad about them and kill them.

There’s no guarantee of rainbows and sunshine in the Kingdom.

All the disciples suffered persecution, all but one were killed because they said Jesus had come, lived and died and rose again and is one day coming to judge the living and the dead so repent.

It’s not easy, it’s tough. But it’s worth it because their hurt showed their hope.

Tertullian put it this way - “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church”

Paul puts it this way - 2 Corinthians 4:7-11 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies.

Hope is seen in hurt.

This is what Peter taught to God’s elect, scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, (1 Peter 1:1)

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 1 Peter 3:15-16 (NIV)

It is implied and it should be understood that the ends of the earth is not some easy place where everyone celebrates everything you do.

Dwight and Lynn have been doing missions for 37 years. I don’t know if they know how many times they’ve had malaria and dengue fever. I was on the board of SAMM and heard the stories that didn’t make it into the slide show. Did you know when they started the school, students had to cross this river and at least one was killed by a crocodile? What do you do when you do something good and kids end up dying? You grieve and you mourn and you raise money to build a bridge for the community. I think I remember they put up a rope bridge immediately but the permanent bridge didn’t take long.

We hear stories and numbers and it’s amazing. It’s even more amazing when you know the back story. Their story is one of Biblical hope, real, amazing Biblical hope.

Dwight mentioned Lynn’s parents being honoured by the town and chamber of commerce. I’m so glad that happened while they were alive. We have this strange way of talking good about people after they die.

I think it was 1998 or 99 (24 or 25 years ago). We had a week of meetings on reconciliation happening in the church - the place was full - and I was on the phone between Lynn’s sister Pat in BC and Deb Grey’s office in Ottawa and I think I got through to Ruth in Itaperucu…because this town (the town that now honoured them) had thrown Earl in prison, because they wanted to take over the last place they worked so hard to build up over 12 years and Earl wasn’t ready to give it up.

They were missionaries sent out from our church and one of them was in prison. Did you know that it was after they lost the property they worked on for 12 years that the cement factory gave them a much larger building? God turned it all together for good.

Reaching the ends of the earth isn’t easy

Reaching the ends of the earth is hard not easy. It is hard showing hope in helpless situations. It’s a hard thing to do in Mozambique and it’s tough to do in Brazil.

But it’s also not easy trusting God in the impossible situations you find yourself in today.

It’s not easy when you get that phone call that knocks you to your knees, or that bill comes in that catches you by surprise. Yes, sometimes you will suffer for Christ, and I do expect it to become more regular in Canada that we will need to suffer for Christ. Right now most of what people see us endure will be life and what the enemy does to us.

When your spouse or parent is in ER…again it isn’t easy. Neither is it easy when your work that you rely on when it goes away. It is your health, your relationship and what you receive for what you do that is the battleground for hope.

The battle for hope is the battle for your identity. The enemy wants to kill, steal and destroy, God wants to use what the enemy does to make you more like Jesus and your situation more like His Kingdom.

As you go through life in this fallen world that has yet to be redeemed, battling the enemy who comes to steal, kill and destroy, the God of all hope fills your with all peace and joy as you trust in him, so that you’ll overflow with hope by the power of Holy Spirit.

Remember….Hope is seen in hurt.

Ends of earth is everybody everywhere.

God’s Strategy - Unconquerable Hope

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

When people see your peace and joy in the middle of your hurt they will ask about your hope. And theamazingthing about hope is that it draws people who need it and see it in you. This is people who are close to you and strangers who are drawn to your peace and joy.

What is Biblical Hope?

Hope today means wishful thinking for most of us. That’s the fallen world’s definition not the Bible’s.

9 Facts about Biblical Hope

Hope is…

1. An anchor for the soul. Hebrews 6:19
2. A foundation for life. Psalm 71:5
3. A source of strength. Isaiah 40:31
4. A shield. Psalm 33:20
5. A light in darkness. Psalm 119:114, Proverbs 23:18
6. A blessing. Jeremiah 17:7
7. For forever. Romans 8:24
8. From trusting in God and is accompanied with peace and joy. Romans 15:13
9. Seen in hurt. Romans 12:12

That’s the point I want you to get.

Biblical hope is seen in hurt.

What is Unconquerable Hope?

Unconquerable hope is Jesus. (1 Timothy 1:1, 1 Peter 1:3)

1 Timothy 1:1 NLT This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, appointed by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus, who gives us hope.

When our hope is in people or possibilities or plans or projections or progress or performance - that’s not biblical hope. It’s hardly unconquerable hope.

Some trust in horses and some in chariots but we trust in the name of the Lord of God (Psalm 20:7 NIV).

Our hope is in Christ alone. That’s how hope can be unconquerable, because even death could not conquer him. Our hope is unconquerable because our hope is Him.

Unconquerable hope is not just for this life but it is for forever. It is forever because our hope is in Christ.

Romans 5:1-2 (NIVUK) Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.

Unconquerable hope comes by trusting in God and come with peace and joy.

Romans 15:13 (NIVUK) May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Unconquerable hope is hope that will not disappoint.

Hope that does not disappoint is hope that is centred on His love. Look at what Paul told the church in Rome:

Romans 5:5 NLT And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

It’s the love of God that let’s us hope in Christ so with the Psalmist we can proclaim:

Psalm 71:14 (NIVUK) As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.

Why does the world need to see unconquerable hope in you?

That’s like asking “Why do they need to see Jesus in you?”

They need to see your hope and peace and joy, so they’ll ask the reason for it.

Biblical hope is the antithesis of wishful thinking, it’s not something you can manufacture. Peace is not something you can pretend to have. You can’t “fake-it-til-you-make-it” with joy.

It is a supernatural gift of almighty Father to have hope and peace and joy at all times and in every situation.

We have a role. Our role is to trust God.

The God of all hope fills us with all peace and joy AS WE TRUST IN HIM so we can overflow with hope by the power of Holy Spirit.

It’s by the power of Holy Spirit that we can overflow with hope - no matter with what life and the enemy throws at us.

When people see your peace and joy in the middle of your hurt they will ask about your hope.

How do you practically have unconquerable hope to show?

That’s a great question, I’m so glad you asked. I’ve used the word HOPE to help you remember how to show unconquerable hope.

How to Show Unconquerable HOPE Tool

H - Hold on to testimony Revelation 12:11

O - Operate in reality Hebrews 12:7

P - Pour out your heart to God Philippians 4:6-7

E - Express your gratitude to God and others Colossians 3:15-17

Let’s unpack this.

H - Hold on to testimony

Revelation 12:11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.

What has God done for you in the past? What has he done for others? There is a power in story. Remember you own, engage with what others share with you. Testimony and journaling are so important. Dated pictures and calendars have helped me remember.

You have been through the waters and He was with you and you have been through the rivers and not been swept away. The fire you’ve walked through has not burned you, the flames did not set you ablaze. (Isaiah 43:2) Remember those times to get you through these times. If you don’t have your own times yet, talk to others and hear their testimony.

Hold on to the testimonies of the goodness of God.

Am I holding on to the testimony of what God has done?

O - Operate in reality

Hebrews 12:7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?

Endure hardship as discipline. This verse is not saying bad things come from God, but that God is going to use everything to make you more and more like Jesus, so get with the program. Choosing to view all hardship as discipline puts us in the position to learn through the hardship and become more like Jesus.

James Bond Stockdale was the highest ranking American prisoner of war in Vietnam. He was asked what allowed him to get through. How he responded became known as the Stockdale Paradox.

Stockdale paradox“This is a very important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”

Remember your hope is not in a good report or a milestone met. Your hope is the person of Christ. He will make a way where there is no way. He will work all things together for the good. You need to do what you need to do to get through the now.

Am I confronting the most brutal facts of my current reality or forgetting my hope is the person of Christ?

P - Pour out your heart to God

Philippians 4:6-7 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Psalms of lament allow us to pour out our complaint to God. Don’t worry that you’ll offend God with the truth of your emotion. He knows better than you what you feel like.

Your feelings might not make proper theological sense, but they show you want you really believe.

For example, if you don’t have peace, Ask Holy Spirit what lie you are believing…Peace and joy and hope come from trusting God, so if you don’t have peace and joy and hope, it’s because your believing a lie more than you’re trusting God.

Use this statement to help you define what you’re feeling…

“It might not be true, but it feels like it’s true that…”

Learn lament. Take your complaint to God. Exchange your problems for His peace. Whenever you go to prayer don’t leave until you exchange your problems for his peace.

Am I making use of lament?

E - Express your gratitude to God and others

Colossians 3:15-17 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Don’t be afraid to show your struggle to others, but be careful who you entrust yourself to (John 2:24). Wait for them to ask about the hope you have.

Don’t forget to add “But God…” to your testimony.

Gratitude is the game changer and a grateful attitude is seen by others. Your gratitude, your peace and your joy

Am I showing my gratitude to God and others?

Remember:

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 1 Peter 3:15-16 (NIV)

Sum up:

It’s not easy reaching everybody everywhere, but God’s strategy is for us to show unconquerable hope. Our hope is Jesus. When we show hope we show Jesus, and that’s why people ask us about the hope we have.

I want you to remember something else Paul taught. He told the church in Philippi:

Philippians 1:28 Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself.

Unconquerable hope is not intimidated even if people speak maliciously against your good behaviour because your hope is Christ.

Now, you will go through the wringer. Anything that’s worth doing, the enemy thinks it’s worth opposing. You live in a fallen world that has yet to be redeemed surrounded by fallen people who are yet to be redeemed or in the process of being redeemed. You’re going to have to go through things you’d rather not go through. Yet God is working all things together for the good. One way is shining hope through you that others can see and respond to. Remember how you can partner with him in showing unconquerable HOPE.

How to Show Unconquerable HOPE Tool

H - Hold on to testimony Revelation 12:11

O - Operate in reality Hebrews 12:7

P - Pour out your heart to God Philippians 4:6-7

E - Express your gratitude to God and Others Colossians 3:15-17

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer for impartation of hope. Greater reflection of You.