Golden Pillars Class Study, pastor Dave Goble.
Jesus said who would be greater in the kingdom of God is who serves. The one who serves has greater authority and responsibility than the one who wants to be chief. Peter said he was ready to go with Jesus wherever Jesus went. Jesus said, No and that Peter would deny him. Everyone needs to launch from an immature position into a mature position. Jesus wanted Peter to know he didn’t have the strength he needed to be a leader. Being a leader is about one who is willing to serve, not about who knows the most. How do you define the term “to launch” as it relates to going from immature to mature? Launch: go out to be an adult on your own, transitioning to serve and contribute, to be productive members of society that can contribute, prepared to go out.
Children obtain their own identity as they mature. Some grow up with a parent that isn’t well adjusted or able to prepare them to launch out. Children sometimes assume the same identity as their parent. If children don’t obtain their own identity, they lose their identity when the parent dies and they don’t know what to do. If their identity doesn’t resolve to that of an adult, they don’t know how to get along as an adult so there’s a weakness in their family. They need to grow up and get their own experience with the Lord so they can launch.
Luke 22:22-34 And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing. And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.
Peter is an example of someone who was failing to launch successfully. He hadn’t developed his own identity when Jesus died. His transformation wasn’t complete. The apostles were spiritually immature but it wasn’t a result of anything Jesus failed to do. It doesn’t mean they were forsaken or without hope. We can discover that we’re spiritually immature or weak in certain areas. It doesn’t mean we look for someone to blame. Peter thought he was ready to launch but Jesus knew Peter would forsake him. Jesus prayed for the disciples to go out into the world.
John 17:6-9 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
Jesus was praying and asking God to keep the apostles so they could spiritually launch out into the world. Jesus is a type of the bridegroom who is talking to people who will represent the bride of Christ or the mother. There are two roles in the family, the father and mother, that help the child to launch into the world. Both have a role in helping the child. The mother helps children build skills, teaches godly principles, shows the examples of a godly wife, teaches how to interact properly with the world, how to manage their finances, to be a leader so they don’t follow the foolishness of the world, how to stand with your husband as a couple, and how to deal with a crisis. One of the most important ways a mother prepares her children is to let go so they can launch. One way parents don’t let go is to manipulate their children. They say they want the child to launch into the world but they are holding strings to the feelings of the child. This manipulation is tremendously toxic because it causes the child to be confused.
John 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
The disciples were in one accord and one place. Being filled with the Holy Ghost was the completion of the disciples being able to launch. The Holy Ghost is critical if the church is prepared to launch. A church won’t launch if it isn’t filled with the Holy Ghost.
Acts 1:1-2 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day…he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
The Holy Ghost enables us to speak the word with boldness and is evidence that the church is prepared to launch.
Acts 4:29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,
The Sanhedrin council beat the disciples but they took their stripes and then went boldly preaching the gospel. When a church launches: 1.) they have boldness to preach and not become quiet, even when they suffer fires of persecution and suffering, 2.) they have an ability to extend the love of God to another without fear of misunderstanding. Some are afraid to launch because they’re still hanging onto mother’s skirts. They don’t have their own personal experience with God. Their identity is too wrapped up in the mother and they’re afraid to go out into the world.
Acts 5:40-42 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
One reason someone fails to launch is people haven’t told them the truth. The people at Ephesus hadn’t received the Holy Ghost so they had not launched. They knew some doctrines, some truth, what was right, and some about holiness but they had not launched.
Acts 19:1-8 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve. And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
We haven’t launched unless we have charity. With charity we’re willing to speak boldly and to suffer persecution. The mother from above loves the bridegroom and sets the children free to launch into the world.
I Corinthians 13:1-3 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.