2. Acts 11:26 ...so for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. THE DISCIPLES WERE CALLED CHRISTIANS FIRST AT ANTIOCH.
3. Under whatever justification this is the HUMAN FACTOR AT PLAY. Instead of fragmenting we should be consolidating into one main body that absolutely practice and project Jesus’ teachings and be the representatives of Goodness to the entire world.
4. Fragmented to 38,000 + denominations…! Catholics - 1.2 billion Protestantism- 670 million Eastern Orthodoxy- 228 million Oriental Orthodoxy- 82 million Nontrinitarianism - 27.5 million The total number of Christians - 2.4 billion(aprox) Fragmented to 38,000 different denominations
5. Ideally… all Christians should represent ONE UNIVERSAL BODY OF CHRIST of which JESUS IS THE FOUNDATION, THE HEAD AND THE CORNERSTONE. ONE UNIVERSAL BODY OF CHRIST This strong body of Christ should be composed of all REGENERATED, SANCTIFIED AND BORN AGAIN CHRISTIANS, WHO BY DEFINITION ARE INDIVIDUALS - DETERMINED AS THEIR LIFE’S PRIORITY - OBEY, ACTIVELY PRACTICE AND LIVE BY JESUS` TEACHINGS…
6. THIS BODY WOULD REPRESENT THE TRUE CHRISTIAN THAT JESUS WANTED US TO BE... The main characteristic of this body of Christ would be: THE DETERMINATION AS THEIR LIFE’S PRIORITY TO OBEY , ACTIVELY PRACTICE AND LIVE BY JESUS` TEACHINGS…
7. Jesus required each Christian to be the like the SALT OF THE EARTH - an essentiality for all mankind… and be the LIGHT OF THE WORLD – to take away the darkness and evil with our Goodness Matthew 5 13 "YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14 "YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD . A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
8. YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD ... By living according to His teachings, we will be setting an example that anyone would notice . And as Jesus says no one will keep a light hidden. It will be kept at a place where everyone can see it. YOUR GOOD DEEDS WILL BE SEEN BY OTHERS... Jesus tells us that when we do good “OTHERS WILL SEE YOUR GOOD DEEDS” and PRAISE OUR LORD IN HEAVEN ...
9. If Christians were able to live and practice Jesus’ teachings we will be giving others a vivid example and a compelling reason to come to Christ...much like at the beginning of Christ's Church.
10. 44 All THE BELIEVERS WERE TOGETHER and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, THEY GAVE TO ANYONE AS HE HAD NEED. 46 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, 47 praising God and ENJOYING THE FAVOUR OF ALL THE PEOPLE. and the LORD ADDED TO THEIR NUMBER DAILY those who were being saved. Acts 2: ...AND THE LORD ADDED TO THEIR NUMBER DAILY THOSE WHO WERE BEING SAVED
11. This is exactly what Jesus expects from us when He says that we were to be the SALT OF THE EARTH ...and that we were the Light on to the world... SALT AND LIGHT ARE TWO ESSENTIALS for all mankind! Jesus wanted Christians to make such an impact that would bring good to the world( BE THE GOODNESS OF THE WORLD )... be seen and noticed by others as a valuable example... Praise and learn about OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN...and COME TO KNOW HIM and learn to trust Him as their GOD AND SAVIOUR ...and BE SAVED! The early church grew (and amidst persecution) ...because of the vivid example set by the early Christians.
12. The number of Christians would grow as others would want to be a part of this wonderful group of people who are filled with absolute Goodness ...AND EVENTUALLY BE SAVED. Christians good deeds will be valued by society and Our Father in Heaven would be praised Christians would be noticed by others due to our exemplarily Goodness
13. As required by Jesus, imagine if all Christians…. were to practice and live according to Jesus’ Teachings… It will set in motion actions that release pure Goodness onto the world through Jesus’ teachings such as; LOVE…HUMILITY…KINDNESS…CARING…FORGIVING… HUMBLE…HONESTY… GODLOVING…
14. This is what Jesus wanted from us. To be active participants of His Kingdom’s growth. Not just be passive and dormant Christians...but to be active dynamic Ambassadors who are a living example of His Goodness... AND TO SAVE OTHERS FROM ETERAL DAMATION! Jesus brought us the possibility of Salvation...and because of His love for humanity He provided us a pathway to reach Gods Kingdom. The pathway is His message found in the four Gospels. Among many other teachings we see two main directives given by Jesus as found in Matthew 22 and the same referred in Mark 12
15. Matthew 22 36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' [ b ] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' [ c ] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.“ Mark 12 29 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. [ e ] 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' [ f ] 31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' [ g ] There is no commandment greater than these."
16. Love your God... Live a life in keeping with God’s Directives and steadfastly being within the ten commandments Love your neighbour... Live in Goodness...surrounded by goodness Jesus added this additional directive as the Son who represented our Father in heaven... He said Love your neighbour as yourself... THE BASIS OF LIVING A RIGHTEOUS LIFE FILLED WITH GOODNESS...
17. When we come to Christ,accept Him as our Saviour and start a new beginning and a new life altogether... ...we become Ambassadors for His Kingdom Ambassadors that spread absolute Goodness
18. AS PRACTICING CHRISTIANS WE BECOME THE AMBASSADORS OF THE GREATEST KINGDOM... ..but as a valued person who is noticed as a result of HIS UNIQUE LOVE FOR OTHERS and his EXEMPLARILY GOODNESS TO OTHERS that reflects Jesus and His teachings As Ambassadors for the Greatest Kingdom CHRISTIANS HAVE TO BECOME AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT of the society that we live in... NOT BY MERE SOCIAL STANDING DUE TO MONEY...POWER OR POSITION...
20. Matthew 28 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU . A nd surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
21. Matthew 28 As a parting instruction Jesus tells His disciples 19 Therefore go and MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU. ... “TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU”.
22. THE Jesus` parting Instruction was to tell His disciples to TEACH US TO OBEY EVERYTHING HE HAS COMMANDED...giving so much importance for this requirement...which most Christians have forgotten in today’s world ...AND THE REASON IT IS FILLED WITH EVIL ...THE REASON FOR THE TURMOIL... UNREST... ANGER... VENGENCE... VIOLENCE... SELFISHNESS... THAT IS PREVAILING AROUND US TODAY!
23. The whole purpose of Jesus coming to us was for the sake of salvation of humanity...because of His love for Humanity....not just only for you and me... This type of Evil cannot exist in the world if all the Christians follow what was told to us by Jesus. BUT FOR ALL OF HUMANITY
24. COULD EVIL EXIST…? HOW DIFFERENT THE WORLD WOULD BE IF ALL CHRISTIANS COULD LIVE AS THE AMBASSADORS FOR JESUS WHO OBEY, ACTIVELY PRACTICE AND LIVE BY HIS TEACHINGS … ...so that others may see your good deeds and praise our Father in Heaven...and start to learn and come to Him to be saved...THEN START TO ACTIVELY PRACTICE AND LIVE ACCORDING TO HIS TEACHINGS...
25. In the context of today’s world it may look like a tall order. Acts 2 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and ABOUT THREE THOUSAND WERE ADDED TO THEIR NUMBER THAT DAY.
26. Number of Christians in the world today are estimated to be between 2.5 to 2.8 Billion – Roughly 43% of the world population If we live and practice what Jesus thought us and also repeated as His parting instruction found in Matthew 28 20 “...and TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU”. If all Christians can act as an Ambassador for Jesus focusing on just two others and bring them to Christ – and you have your entire lifetime to do this...THINK OF THE DIFFERENCE THAT IT WOULD CREATE...
27. By simply being AMBASSADORS FOR JESUS we can set in motion the RELEASE OF GOODNESS TO THE WORLD and be THE INITIATORS OF CHANGE of all what has gone wrong in the world today. Thank you God Company Sri Lanka Email : [email_address] Website: http://www.slideshare.net/Thornmd/presentations