Restoring a Gospelized Culture
**Need to confirm again and again
- we often neglect confirmation
Christians (conversion) is just positional
But God wants us to gospelize (life)
- Save but cannot enjoy power of gospel? Because we have not gospelize our life
Gospelized
- In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. (Acts 1:1-8, 14 NIV)
Here it shows that gospelization is not brought by any human factors. When a person cannot understand the truth, that's no way he can create and live in the culture.
So we need to understand the truth (confirm it --> then it will stick to ur heart)
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4 NIV)
“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:36-47 NIV)
Process of being gospelized
- Starts when you hear the word. -> touched to the extent that he can repent (realization of your helplessness and need for God) and be baptized --> receive HS (enabling spirit) --> meet continuously to pray, confirm the truth is indeed true --> signs and wonders --> continue to meet --> helping the needy >> praise God --> gaining the favor of men (DOE)
Confirming the word of God
- Breakthrough is when you can restore christ value in everything
- When we gospelize the purpose and way of us doing things
- A lot of the feelings and fear we have today is due to us not gospelizing our perspective
- Confirm until our hearts are transformed (easily hurt vs indebted heart)
- Confirm until your actions change (how we prioritize things, who we decide to meet etc
Traits of a gospelized life
- Gospelized - belongs to JESUS, becoming like Jesus
- Mindset/views:
- 100% fully loved by God
- Not actions first, but receiving the love of God first (relationship w God first)
- Grace abounds despite weakness
- Break us, also rebuilds us (are you afraid to be broken? People whom God loves and uses, He will surely break)
- Life direction
- Personal gospelization to worLd gospelization
- Way of living
- Set apart
- Living out the essence of God's love
- Holiness -<-> freedom
- Look forward to christ 2nd coming, and faithful to all that is entrusted (will not have spiritual laziness, want to fight the spiritual battles and feed the sheep, so that he is answerable to the portion assigned to you)
Gospelized life into a Gospelized culture
- World view in the core (what you define as real)
- Affecting Ur belief system
- Values
- Behave
So our world view and belief must translate into our living, such that people are the christ likeness in us
*reverse the current culture
- Reverse rhe christ-less culture To a christ centered culture (not one time off but a life time movement)
- Self (man) --> god's grace
- Not by good works or tech or med --> JESUS blood
- Worldly success --> eternal success
- Surface issues, relief external issues --> inner /spirit
How to?
- Start from self: be gospelized in our R/s w God; pray for a firm world view in Christ, live out christ
- Preach
- Establish R/s with others
- Strength from others
- Extend it to all areas of life