Let’s Be M.A.D. (Mission Anointed Disciples) For Jesus

Champion of the Gospel with Jonathan Heng

We are called to be disciples for Jesus Christ, committed to follow Him as Lord and Master. We are entrusted with the mission to spread the gospel and reach the lost. We are to be filled and anointed with the Holy Spirit.

Discipleship is a committed way of life, dedicated to the Person of Jesus Christ and His purpose. It is not paying lip service. Some follow Jesus out of convenience, but true disciples will experience opposition and persecution from others. Discipleship is denying oneself. This does not mean asceticism, which is the practice of strict self-denial of legitimate things in life, such as having food and sleep. Of course, it is Biblical to fast from food and sleep or some other activities, in order to spend more time in prayer and studying God’s Word. However, we must not carry out these spiritual disciplines with a holier-than-thou attitude, or to believe that we can earn God’s favour. Rather, self-denial is to surrender and give up all self-effort. To take up our cross is to put our faith in Christ and His victory on the cross.

We are to commit ourselves to Christ above all persons and possessions. Our love for Christ is to be so much more than our family, friends, jobs, money, hobbies and the like. As human beings with affections, it is so easy to put relationships and riches ahead of the Lord. Yet, any excessive devotion to people and things becomes idolatry. The cares and concerns of everyday life will keep people from following the Lord wholeheartedly. We must, in essence, count the cost and ask, are we willing to pay the price?

The Christian life is a journey – to fight the good fight, run and finish the race, and keep the faith. In 2 Timothy 4:7, the Apostle Paul said, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:" (2 Timothy 4:7). This should be our prayer and our cry too.

We have a mission – to fulfil our calling and role to win the lost and equip the saints. The Great Commission of Jesus Christ involves evangelism and discipleship. We are called-out and set apart to be salt and light to the world.

In the church, there is tendency to measure success in terms of the size of attendance, buildings and money. Another condition is that far too often, many Christians are spectators, when we lay the responsibility for God’s work largely on the shoulders of the five-fold ministers – the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Jesus did not call us just to be churchgoers and pew-warmers, but disciples.

To carry out the work of the ministry, we need the anointing of the Holy Spirit. We need to be alive and ignited with the flaming fire of God. The book of Acts is the blueprint of what the church should be and must be. The church was born in power, with a community and worldwide vision. Jesus told the disciples that they would receive the power of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses unto Him, " …both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

Throughout the church age, we have men and women of God who have caught the heavenly vision and were consumed with the passion and compassion to declare the good news of the gospel. As labourers, we must point people to look to God as the source. We are not celebrities, but servants with Christ-like humility. Our pride and vanity must be pulled down and removed. It’s all about Jesus, and not about us. In this age of self-esteem and promotion, we need to lose ourselves and let Christ be our everything. We need the anointing and demonstration of the Holy Spirit and of power, to fulfil our mission to win souls. Not entertainment and amusement, but the preaching of the gospel.

The gospel message is not always popular with the wise and wealthy in this world. It is not easily accepted by the great and mighty in society. Even the religious are confounded and stumbled by the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. Many look at the Christian faith as foolish and weak. Yet, it is the preaching of Christ crucified that is the power of God unto salvation.

In Acts chapter 17, verses 1 to 6, we read, "Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;" (Acts 17:1-6). Here, we see Paul and Silas who preached Christ boldly, and have turned the world upside down. God’s messengers have often been accused of creating mess but the truth is, for those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, their lives will be turned right side up. It was sin and the fall that have brought disorder in our world. The presentation of the glorious gospel brings light and shines into the darkness of hearts. People can either receive or reject this light.

As disciples of Jesus Christ, our mission is to preach the gospel and fulfil the Great Commission, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Let us follow the examples of the apostle Paul and many other men and women of God through the centuries.

Let’s be M.A.D. (Mission Anointed Disciples) for Jesus!