The Christian Practitioner

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The Christian Practitioner, Part I

Sermon Manuscript

Lesson Text: “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. 33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death” (Luke 22:31-33).

The Christian practitioner must have a fiery internal and external disposition for Christ. It must be about more than simply a profession. It must be a passion prioritized as second to none. God knows your ability. He knows what we are capable of offering Him. From a societal perspective, many professions and occupations exist. Some practice the vocation or calling of medicine, law, education, science, dance, computer science, psychotherapy, graphic art, administration, culinary, mechanics, athletics, and many others.

The medical doctor converses with, diagnoses, treats, operates upon, and prescribes medicine to patients daily. The medical doctor is highly trained, skilled, and aware of the intricate dynamics of the human body. For one to be a medical practitioner, bench marks must be surpassed, degrees obtained, and internships successfully completed. Similarly, the law practitioner or lawyer must complete the courses and pass the nation-wide administered examination known as the Bar, a benchmark that stands in the way of a person practicing jurisprudence. The days of the lawyer perhaps are consumed by courtroom litigation for the innocent or guilty, writing and analyzing legal briefs, consultation, and client visitation and prepping.

Regardless of the secular role of the one in praxis, there is a component within the life of the Christian practitioner that cannot be mistaken. Contrastingly, the doctor can practice medicine, function well, grow to detest the dynamics of the system and profession, but still be considered a scholarly medical practitioner, one who practices medicine. The lawyer can practice law, defend the alleged innocent, prosecute the presumed guilty, generate a high six figure salary, simultaneously mustering strong emotions of ambivalence, moral contradiction, and hatred for the practice, but still be considered a law practitioner. The multimillion dollar athlete can score touchdowns, fly through the air and dunk basketballs, hit scores of homeruns, three-peat Wimbledon, eagle the sixth and eighteenth holes to win the cup, cross the finish line winning a fourth gold medal, have no passion or love left for the sport, and still be considered by society to be the best in the game.

The practice, praxis, or practitionership, of Christianity extends far beyond simple appearance, office held, office desired, or again, appearance. In the case with Peter outwardly, who would have ever thought that he could be accused of not being converted. Previously, he confessed Christ, walked on water, in humility did not want Jesus to wash his feet, and cut off the ear of a man coming after Christ. In all appearance Peter was converted. However, there was something missing in His practice of following Christ. Peter was so close, yet his walk was not complete. Jesus said, “and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Even after denying Christ, Peter still went as far as to follow Him in the distance. “And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58 But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end” (Matthew 26:57-58). As Christian practitioner, how close are you to Christ? Some can be so close to the timber, yet so far from the cross, and so close to the system of Christianity, yet so far from Christ.

The Bible orates, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man" (Ecclesiastes 12:13). The three-pronged approach is to hear, fear, and keep. Paul said, “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (Ephesians 4:1). In the text the walk is the practice and the vocation is the salvation in which God has called us unto. Within the physical walk there is the mental and the physical. The practitioner must understand the seriousness of the vocation or calling before accepting the call, to prevent from operating within the practice and developing a bitter spirit. From leadership perspective, things can happen within the practice, and one wrong response could account for the loss of a great deal, excluding salvation. Remember Moses: “Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. 9 And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him. 10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? 11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. 12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.”(Numbers 20:8-12).

The practitioner must understand the presentation and possibility of potential dynamics and conditions concerning Christianity. There will be critical challenges to the profession of faith. Jesus said, “Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves”(Luke 10:3). Based upon the manner in which Jesus was treated, Christian practitioners must be steadily prepared and ready because instantly, in a flash, Jesus went from being accepted, loved, and fellowshipped, to being openly rejected, overtly hated, and abandoned. There is no guarantee that you will have earthly accompaniment during your practice of Christianity. Notice the dynamics and immediacy of Jesus’ apprehension: “In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. 56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.” (Matthew 26:55-56).

· “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:18-19).

· “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household” (Matt 10:34-36).

The Christian Practitioner, Part II

Sermon Notes

The Christian practitioner must have a fiery internal and external disposition for Christ. It must be about more than simply a profession. It must be a passion prioritized as second to none. God knows your ability. He knows what we are capable of offering Him. “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

It happened to Christ and it happened to Paul. It can happen to anyone, particularly those who are sincerely living for Christ. “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. 17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion”(2 Tim 4:16-17; Read Romans 1:8).

Jesus could not help but do the will of God, because the influence of His Father was in Him. Notice the following passages that depict the interdependency and reciprocity between God the Father and God the Son. With Christ ruling as Lord in the life of the Christian, the practice is full, meaningful, and edifying:

1. “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works” (John 14:10).

2. “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him” (John 14:21).

3. “Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:22-23).

4. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:1-5).

God anticipates all in service, worship, and praise from His children. He knows our capability based upon that which is in the soul, mind, heart, and possessed strength. Notice the passages below and what they represent:

· “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37).

· “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment” (Mark 12:30).

· “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself” (Luke 10:27).

Soul: Seat of deepest feelings.
Mind: Seat of deepest thoughts.
Strength: Seat of ability
Heart: The all-encompassing middle of the physical and spiritual being. It is the fountain of thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavors.