Great Commission Strategy

As I was reading through Matthew I came across a verse that I have been pondering for the last couple weeks:

²⁰ Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.

²¹ Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

²² But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

²³ And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.

Jesus is rebuking the cities where he did the most miracles because they had not changed their mind (repent) about the Kingdom and what Jesus was doing.

But the thing that I have been pondering is Jesus said that if the miracles that were done in Capernaum had been performed in Sodom they would have repented?!

Sodom is a famous city for their grotesque sin and they would have repented if they would have seen a level of miracles?

No Fire? No Brimstone? No wifey into a pillar of salt?

Why is it that miracles will cause a sinful city to repent?

I don’t know!  If you have an answer please leave it as a comment below!

If I had to guess….

Miracles are a demonstration of a higher power.  And I would say the miracles Jesus was doing in their city were of a truly high caliber; Probably deaf, blind, paralytics, maybe even dead people being raised.  So when Jesus performs these types of miracles it causes an automatic gut check.

God is here…and I don’t know if I want him in my life or not.

And their decision at that moment is what Jesus was rebuking them for.  They chose their own selfish ways instead of submitting to the Kingdom that he was demonstrating.

Why would it have cause Sodom to repent?

I don’t know if there was a demonstration of the greatness of God in that city?  There probably wasn’t.  If there were miracles in that city It would have been a declaration to that city that the One true God is here and he wants you to submit to him.  And according to Jesus they would have repented!

Now…if you’re attempting to reach your city without a demonstration of miracles.  I would ask why?

Jesus himself says that the way to reach a city, even a horribly sinful city, is to do public miracles.

So lets get out there and reach out city!

Many Blessings,

RK Castillo

Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Matthew 5:25

Although Jesus is saying this specifically about working settling disputes with an adversary taking you to court.  I think it can also be applied to matters with anyone or anything.

Settle matters quickly with your adversary.  Don’t bottle things up.  Don’t let things go and think time will heal.  Deal with matters quickly!  This is connected with the previous command to deal with anger but it is another aspect of it.

We are not just called to deal with anger.  We’re called to deal with anger QUICKLY!

So how do you go about obeying this command?  I’d love to hear how you do it!  Leave a comment below!

Action Point:

So how do you actually go about doing this?  Well, just yesterday I got upset at one of the guys that works with me on my team.  I said some things in anger and then we went into a prayer/worship time.  I was reading a book and praying and felt like God said you need to go apologize to that guy right now!

So I got up, walked over to the guy, tapped him on the shoulder and said “Hey bro, I apologize for getting upset about such and such.  I’m sorry”

That’s how I dealt with the anger I had and how I settled the matter quickly.

One day Loren Cunnigham (YWAM) was is Colorado with his family on vacation.  He got word from Bill Bright (Campus Crusade) that he was also in Colorado.  So they made an appointment to have lunch the next day.

That night Loren got a word from God to share with Bill when they were eating.  God told him that there were 7 Spheres of influence, of 7 mind molders, in society.  If you want to influence a nation.  You have to take these 7 mind molders because whoever influences these 7 will influence the culture and whoever takes the culture will take the harvest!

Needless to say Loren was pretty excited to share this work with Bill the next day.

When they sat down to eat lunch, Loren said to Bill “I have a word for you” and to his surprise Bill said “I have a word for you too!”  They both pulled out the paper, or napkin, or whatever it was they wrote the word on.  And guess what?!  They both had the same thing written down!

God told them the same 7 things that influence culture which influence the nations. And since Jesus told us to “Make Disciples of All Nations”  this is the strategy for today to accomplish this command.

The 7 Mind Molders are:

• Religion
• Government & Law
• Arts & Entertainment
• Education
• Business
• Media
• Family

These 7 Culture molders influence the thoughts & values of any culture anywhere on earth!

For us to truly finish the great commission we need to find which sphere God is calling us to influence, invade that sphere & demonstrate God’s excellence, to release his commands in that sphere and therefore to represent God’s Kingdom there!

Have an opinion on how to do this?  Leave a comment below!