{"id":2515,"date":"2020-01-06T06:18:52","date_gmt":"2020-01-06T06:18:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/egbadiocese.org\/?p=2515"},"modified":"2020-01-06T06:18:52","modified_gmt":"2020-01-06T06:18:52","slug":"the-church-ministry-maintenance-or-mission-dr-oyinlola-ilo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/egbadiocese.org\/?p=2515","title":{"rendered":"THE CHURCH MINISTRY: MAINTENANCE OR MISSION? – Dr Oyinlola Ilo"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Texts\u00a0 (1) Judges 5:16\n(2) Luke 10:1-12.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 BIBLE\u00a0 READING:\u00a0\u00a0\n<\/em>Judges\n5:16<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy did you sit among the sheepfolds ,To hear the pipings\nfor flocks? The divisions of Reuben have great searching of \u201cheart\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Message\nJudges 5:16<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But in\nReuben\u2019s divisions there was much second-guessing. Why all those campfire\ndiscussions? Diverted and distracted,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reuben\u2019s\ndivisions couldn\u2019t make up their mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2\u00a0\u00a0 GOSPEL READING\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Luke 10:1-12\u00a0 (NKJV)\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After these things the Lord appointed [a]seventy\nothers also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place\nwhere He Himself was about to go. 2\u00a0<\/strong>Then He said to them, \u201cThe harvest\ntruly is<\/em> great, but the labourers are<\/em> few; therefore, pray the\nLord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3\u00a0<\/strong>Go your way; behold, I send you out\nas lambs among wolves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4\u00a0<\/strong>Carry neither money bag, knapsack,\nnor sandals; and greet no one along the road. 5\u00a0<\/strong>But whatever house you enter, first say, \u2018Peace to this house.\u2019 6\u00a0<\/strong>And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest\non it; if not, it will return to you. 7\u00a0<\/strong>And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they\ngive, for the labourer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

8\u00a0<\/strong>Whatever city you enter, and they\nreceive you, eat such things as are set before you. 9\u00a0<\/strong>And heal the sick there, and say to them, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018The kingdom\nof God has come near to you.\u2019 10\u00a0<\/strong>But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into\nits streets and say, 11\u00a0<\/strong>\u2018The very dust of your city which\ncling to\u00a0 [b]us we wipe off against you.\nNevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.\u2019 12\u00a0<\/strong>[c]But I say to you that it will be more\ntolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3\u00a0 REFLECTION on Bible\npassage in Judges 5:16<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From our text in Judges 5:16, we see Deborah in this great\nengagement observing who stood neuter and did not side with Israelis as\u00a0 might have been expected. It is strange to\nfind how many, even of those who were called Israelites basely deserted this\nglorious cause and declined to appear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reuben, not only for their division by the river Jordan,\nwhich needed not to have hindered them had their hearts been there but for his\nsitting stilled alienation of mind from his brothers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reuben abode among the sheepfold, a warmer and safer place\nthan the camp, pretending they could not conveniently leave the sheep they\ntended, he loved to hear the bleating of the flocks, the music the sheep makes.\nThese, Reuben preferred before the martial drum and trumpet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This can be summarised as ,fear of trouble , love of ease,\naffection for worldly business which keep many from doing their duty as God\nintended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By inference narrow, selfish spirits care not what becomes of\nthe interest of God\u2019s church, so they can but get, keep, and save money. It is\na lack of commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4\u00a0 REFLECTION on Bible passage in Luke 10:1-12<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nintroductory phase, After these things\u2019\u2019 ties this episode to what immediately\nprecedes and so the passage functions as an application of the conditions for\ndiscipleship set out in 9:57-62.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luke was\nwritten 70AD 20-30-40 years\u00a0 after Jesus\nascended to heaven. Those who heard Him\u00a0\nthe first witnesses were dying out so the necessity to write and\npreserve His sayings for future generation that comes afterwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lu 1:4 shows\nLuke wrote for Christians and Gentile world when the Roman empire looked\npluralistic many races religion just like the world we live in today Lu 1:1\ngave reason for writing\u00a0 to give\nChristians security and assurance because three was no security. It looked like\nGod had failed the Jews. Main message of Jesus was the Kingdom of God. When was\nit to happen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next day\nprobably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it didn\u2019t\nlook like things were getting better but worse. Do we have our hopes placed\nright on Jesus or is He going to let us down as He did the Jews ? that was what\nthe gentiles thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luke takes the\nsayings of Jesus and the doings of Jesus picking which appeals to him, to give\nreassurance and hope about the christian life. He encouraged them to look at\nMission with God and start going to the end of the earth with mission for God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lu 10:1-10 how\nto do mission in a plurality society and how that can be adapted to us today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

in verse\n1,<\/em><\/strong> what is the\nsignificance of 70? could it be because the Jews believe there are 70 nations\nin the world? Or the 70 Elders of Moses? as\u00a0\nForerunner like John the Baptist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 by 2 ? 2 are\nbetter than one? mission is better done together,\u00a0 protection? security and safety?\u00a0 praying together? support group? accountability?\nmarried couples?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

will\u00a0 they\u00a0\nreach 35 cities ? nations? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

can 2 reach a\ncity?\u00a0 Can 2 people have an\u00a0 Impact on a community? The key is in\ndeveloping relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

some say what\ncan a church of 15 do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In verse\n2,\u00a0 to every place\u00a0 where He has to go. A farmer that has planted\nall year, why would he miss the harvest? Jesus is seeing what others cannot\nsee.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where were the\ntowns and the places He has to go located on this trip from Galilee to Judea?\nThat was some terrible tough place like Samaria. eg\u00a0 Morocco 32m over 99% muslims yet the harvest\nis vast, but are workers few!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Verse 3\u00a0 following Jesus means taking up the\ninstrument of execution and offers us no guarantees of comfort or ease but be\nsmart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

verse 4 Be\ndependent on me says Jesus. Don\u2019t list what you will take on a long hike. No\ntime to greet.Their greetings is more involved and He knew to which town he was\nsending them and the urgency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

verse 5 your\nmission is urgent<\/p>\n\n\n\n

verse 6 a son\nof peace will receive them<\/p>\n\n\n\n

verse 7 wages\nfor them food and water he taught them dependence and His faithfulness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

verse 8 those\nwho receive them have Peace and healing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

verse 9 heal\nthe sick JESUS proclaiming the Kingdom of God and healing. His deeds were\npicturing His reign <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus\u2019s\u00a0 works make His Words visible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

luke has 2\nthemes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luke\u2019s theme\nof acceptance \/rejection.<\/em><\/strong> if you accept the people Jesus sent ,\nif you accept the message ,\u00a0 then you\naccept Jesus.\u00a0 if you reject the\nmessenger, you\u2019ve rejected Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luke\u2019s\ntheme of possession and hospitality <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you share\nyour possessions and offer hospitality, you are one of us. you have come into\nthe kingdom of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He told them\nthe\u00a0 harvest? (old testament metaphors )\nis plentiful ingathering? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

is the harvest\naround you big or small? have u ever thought about the harvest around you being\nvery small? sometimes we christians say <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u2018no one wants to hear the gospel?\u2019 Thats a\nmistake today. where were they headed?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0these ones were heading towards Samaria\nunfriendly territory\u00a0 and\u00a0 yet\u00a0\nJesus said the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few\u00a0 so we expect Jesus to ask them to pray for\nwhat?\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

more workers?\nRight?\u00a0 ask for more workers? No !\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He says \u2026.ask\nThe Lord of the harvest therefore to\u00a0 to\nsend more workers into the field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0but the big problem here\u00a0 is that the workers are not going into the\nfield<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you\nimagine a local community where the crops are not coming in, what shall we do?\noh\u00a0 \u2018some new stained glass windows\u2019\u00a0 will bring some crops in!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018if we change\nthe music we play we\u2019ll get some crops in\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018no if we\nimprove the bathrooms, toilets ,we\u2019ll get some crops into the barns.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018 If we\nimprove the preaching here we\u2019ll get more\u2019 so let\u2019s pray and do some meetings\nchange things around . have committee meetings , initiate programmes and lots\nof activities, and surely the harvest will come into the barn and we better put\na big lighted sign board out so they can find us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sarcasm? But\nit brings out the point. What happens in churches? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do\nchurches get the harvest to come to them? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They want to\ndo all these things to get people to come. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The way Luke\ncast Jesus methodology is You go to them. Don\u2019t attract them\u00a0 to you<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You go to them\nand meet them where they are and see what the Lord would do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go where God is already working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shalom Peace to this house. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

if you say peace and they shut the door just go away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

workers deserve his wages. don\u2019t be afraid to take money from\nothers to do gospel work.\u00a0 Find the man\nof peace how? pray seek? fast and you\u2019ll find. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul went to Philippi found Lydia who\u00a0 sold purple\u00a0\n(ie very rich) and the Lord has prepared her heart to receive Paul\u2019s\nmessage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

then the jailer, come to my house, I\u2019ll introduce you to all\ngovernment officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do 2 people have impact on a community?\u00a0 It is by establishing\u00a0 relationships .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Relationship is the vehicle of the gospel and the best\nrelationship is with a person of peace in that community and that peace will\nnetwork you with other people. But if you are welcome,\u00a0 it means God is there. no matter how many\ntimes you are turned off find out who wants peace and go there.What was Sodom\u2019s\nproblem?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sodom problem homo.?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0 missing\u00a0\nthe point it is to be hospitable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

now what\u2019s the key for a small church ? 1) find a person of\npeace<\/p>\n\n\n\n

what was the mission of the 70? <\/em><\/strong>\u2026\u2026\u2026\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nTo prepare cities to receive Jesus when he came,We are on a mission from\nGod too, to prepare our\u00a0 neighbourhood\nand communities to be ready to receive Jesus when He comes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0Go forth into the\nHarvest and may you be blessed of God as you find and discern your person of\npeace. as you journey with Jesus on a mission from God, the mission of the\nFather and the Son and the Holy Spirit<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0 Our Theme: Church\nMinistry : Maintenance or Mission?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a05\u00a0 \u00a0From the Theme, What is Church Ministry?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Christianity, ministry is an activity carried out by\nChristians to express or spread their faith, the prototype being \u2018The Great\nCommission.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The New Testament church is sometimes translated assembly\nwhich comes from the Greek EKKLESIA which means \u2018\u2019called out\u2019\u2019 from the world\nto be His own and assemble together in His Name. The primary meaning of church\nrefers to all christian believer everywhere irrespective of denominations and\ndoctrinal differences\u00a0 All persons who\ngenerally place their faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord are members of\nthe church also called the body of Christ over which He is the head ( Ephesians\n1:22&23). Also the church refers to local congregation of believers . There\nis only one true\u00a0 church made up of many\nindividual churches.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can ask, Is the church an organisation or an organism? It\nis the united fellowship of all christians with their God \u2014\u2014 the wondrous union\nof Christ\u2019s Spirit indwelling the hearts of all true believers who reproduce\nthemselves in obedience to the Lord\u2019s command and are to:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n