Introduction

Be Active
There is no higher calling in the Kingdom of Christ than to be active in the daily labors of the local congregation. Glamorized pulpit ministry and committee involvement leaves people wondering where they fit. Our congregation models make the public and power ministry the pieces to pursue. The New Testament scribes tell us to make the less comely parts look more glamorous. How do we get it right?

The Quadrenabled Disciple
Shows the 4S approach
1. Is a Spirit
2. Has a Soul
3. In a Soma (Body)
4. Lives SociallyLiving in the kingdom on a daily basis
brings us closer to Christ

Expressing God’s forgiving love to a world full of grief and pain lunges us forward in becoming more like Him. Gracing others with kindness and gentleness prepares a path for those on the fringe of our congregations to follow. As they attempt to peer into the kingdom from a safe distance, they will shuffle closer to the borders of pardon and peace. How do we get it right?

Can I be fulfilled yet not a super Christian and decision maker? Yes! The answer is, Yes!

Can I be fulfilled, yet, not winning soul-scalps on the evangelism team? Yes! The resounding answer is, Yes!

Community Craftsmanship
God has crafted community in which we are to flourish. Too often our piercing intensity has been on our personal development of spirit, soul, and soma (body). Expanding our view to encompass society with spirit, soul, and soma brings life for many for the first time. It is not the tripartite person God seeks us to become but the quadrenabled disciple.

Look Out
Disciples have an outward view of living. Disciples are all about loving the Lord, their God, with all their heart (spirit) and all their soul (soul) and all their might (soma or body) and loving their neighbors (society) as themselves. Take time to read Deuteronomy chapters 6-11. You will find a continual focus on loving God and loving others, especially strangers.

His purpose for the house of Abraham, the lineage of Jacob (Israel), was always to learn His ways and then show them to the rest of the world. Retreat and self-serving for Israel was always met with dispersion to get the message of God’s love back out. He has not changed.

Break Out Message
Jesus broke the message out and opened the gates of the kingdom eternally for all of us. There can be no retreat. The kingdom has been dispersed abroad. No longer is there Jew and Gentile. All that is left is those in Christ and those outside of Christ. The kingdom exists wherever two or more gather in His name. The intent in the heart of God is to get the message out through all of us. There should be no place, no language, no people group, and no race on earth that is not claimed for the kingdom.

Old Testament Shadows
The shadow story of the Old Testament that applies to our study is that of the occupation of Canaan by Israel. Yes, the OT is meant many times to foreshadow the new. The light of God from behind the story casts a shadow our direction for lessons today. Moses brought the people to the point of occupying. Joshua led them in. Israel fulfilled their destiny as did Moses and brought us to the point of occupying by delivering the messiah, the Christ, the anointed one, Jesus. Jesus takes us forward to occupy as did Joshua. In fact, they have the same name. We just pronounce it differently

This time it is not a small area. It is the entire world. This time it is not a single nation. Now there are no more Jew nor Gentile. There are just those in Jesus and those not in Him. We have been given the inheritance of Christ, the whole world. Oh, and this time we are not supposed to clop off heads if they don’t agree. This time, we make them a part of the family and put up with them.

Occupy by presenting
your spirit, soul, and soma (body) as living
sacrifices acceptable to God in
society

Occupy
Occupy we must. Occupy with the weapons of the Spirit of God, not the physical weapons of injury death. Occupy with love and joy and peace and patience and prayer and kindness and thanksgiving and praise and goodness and gentleness and meekness and humility and righteousness and encouragement and edification and mercy and forgiveness and self control and worship. Occupy by presenting your spirit, soul, and soma (body) as living sacrifices acceptable to God in society. Such is our reasonable and rational and spiritual service before Him.

So, let’s get on with the study and the action. I’m not much of one for sitting around chewing cigars and spitting tobacco. Neither am I one for acting super spiritual about it and
taking up pew space in a praise service while people are living hell at the apartments across the street. Get moving when God talks to you. Put some feet to your faith and watch God bless your life and the lives of everyone around you.