Breaking Barriers (Part 2): Creating Culture (John 14:12-14;21:25; 20:30-31; Acts 1:8; Mark 3:14-15; 6:2-7,12-13; Luke 10:1,9,17,19; 4:18,28-29; Mathew 10:1, 8;13:54-58)

Creating Culture

John Wimber: The Vineyard Movement

Years ago, John Wimber launched the Vineyard movement, which had a strong emphasis on praying for the sick and seeing supernatural manifestations. However, when they first 'discovered' healing in the scriptures, and began to teach and practice, praying for the sick, they saw no results; in fact, as John Wimber recounted, even the people praying for the sick, would often get sick themselves. They continued in blind obedience, teaching what the Bible stated concerning healing, as a dominant focus of their sermons, and practicing laying hands on sick people. Finally, after 9 months of fruitless and frustrating effort, the first person actually received healing. This led to a regular and consistent occurrence of people receiving healing from all sorts of extreme and common ailments.

Creating Culture

The scripture says, "...there are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written" (John 21:25) and "...many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through His name" (John 20:30-31).

Jesus did these amazing signs, "in the presence of His disciples". They were there with Him for 3 years, observing, learning, taking it all in, and before He was taken up into heaven He said, "...you shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit is come upon you; and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

Jesus Created a Culture

Jesus created a culture among His disciples of doing the miraculous and "...gave them power [(exousia), 'authority'] over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease" (Matt.10:1), and told them to "...heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons; freely you have received, freely give..." (Matt.10:8). "He appointed twelve, that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach, and to have authority to heal sicknesses, and to cast our demons" (Mk.3:14-15).

"He called the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two, and gave them authority over unclean spirits...and they went out, and preached that men should repent, and they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them" (Mk.6:7, 12-13).

"The Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place, where He Himself would come [and told them]...heal the sick that are there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God is come near to you' " (Lk.10:1, 9). "The seventy returned again with joy, saying, 'Lord, even the demons are subject to us through your name" (Lk.10:17), and Jesus said, "I give to you power, [(exousia), 'authority'], to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power, [(dynamis), 'supernatural power'], of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you" (Lk.10:19).

First Sermon in Nazareth

Jesus' first sermon in Nazareth, could have been deemed to be not all that successful. He told them He was anointed to announce good news, to heal, to announce deliverance, recovering of sight, to set people free, and to announce the acceptable year of the Lord (Lk.4:18).

"All they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up, and thrust Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong" (Lk.4:28-29).

Second Sermon in Nazareth

"...when the sabbath day was come, He began to teach in the synagogue; and many hearing, were astonished, saying, 'from where has this man these things and what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that even such mighty works are wrought by His hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joseph, and of Judas and Simon and are not His sisters here with us?' and they were offended at Him" (Mk.6:2-3).

"...and He could there do no mighty work, except that He laid His hands upon a few sick folks, and healed them and He marveled because of their unbelief and He went round about the villages teaching" (Mk.6:5-6).

Observations:

1) He told them the same message...He was anointed to lay hands on sick people.

2) He didn't get thrown out of town.

3) A few people with minor ailments were healed.

4) He went round about the villages teaching.

Third Sermon in Nazareth

"...when He was come into His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, 'from where has this man this wisdom, and mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? and His brethren, James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas? and His sisters, are they not all with us? from where, then, has this man all these things?' and they were offended in Him..." (Matt.13:54-57).

 "...He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief" (Matt.13:58).

Observations:

1. He told them the same message...He was anointed to lay hands on sick people.

2. He didn't get thrown out of town.

3. "He did not many mighty works", but the implication in the Greek text is that He did do a few mighty works.

4. Each time He preached, the same message, the results kept improving.

The culture we create is the culture we have to live with; don't give up and don't quit until your church culture looks like Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John!

Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say to you, he that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater than these shall he do, because I go to my Father, and whatever you shall ask [(aiteo), 'demand'] in my name, that will I do [(poieo), 'make happen for you']...if you ask [(aiteo), 'demand'] anything in my name, I will do [(poieo), 'make it happen for you']" (John 14:12-14).

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours