Develop a Plan
Luke 19:10
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. “
A plan is the series of steps to accomplish a purpose. It is the way one goes about it. How do you achieve your purpose?
If the purpose as a church is to glorify God, minister to those within the fellowship and those in our community and world, we need a plan to do that. We seek to glorify God by having worship services and prayer meetings. We seek to minister to believers by training and discipling them in the teaching of the Word. Part of the plan is to provide fellowship opportunities and ways Christians can grow in their faith by serving and praying for one another. If the purpose is to glorify God by bringing other people to know God, the plan is to have evangelistic outreach efforts, church planting ministries and support of world-wide missionary endeavors, as well as be witnesses through good deeds including feeding the hungry, clothing the needy, share in the giving of water. As a congregation, we have identified a plan that includes six areas we seek to address each year, Worship, Fellowship, Teaching, Evangelism, Missions, and lastly Social Concerns.
Since the purpose of the Sanhedrin was to keep themselves in power and keep the Romans from taking away their authority, their plan to sustain that purpose was to kill Jesus. He must be gotten out of the way. They reasoned that if Jesus were left to continue to do miracles and teach, He would get such a following of people, they would lose their own influence with the people and be exposed in their own deceit. They feared that the Romans would not stand for people rallying around one person like that and would try to kill many people. They thought doing away with Him would solve all their problems.
Notice this was the plan of Caiaphas, who was the high priest. He stated that, “It is better that one man die for the people than the whole nation perish." He was trying to make it sound like he was full of wisdom as well as compassion for the good of the people, but if they were not a threat to Rome, the Sanhedrin could keep their influence and their wealth and not be replaced. It was a good political move. They were more afraid of Rome than they were of God. Just as some of the people were more afraid of the Sanhedrin than they were of Jesus.
What Caiaphas did not realize was, how prophetic this plan was. It was God's plan that Jesus was to die for the nation. It was God's plan, not the plan of the Sanhedrin that Jesus die. They were but pawns in God's great plan, but they were also judged by their hearts and found guilty before God. They meant it for ill, but God in His grace worked it for the salvation of many.
It wasn't the Roman government that we have been saved from, but rather from the Kingdom of Darkness and Satan's power over us. Jesus not only died for the nation, but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. This was part of John's message all along. We Gentiles share in the grace of the cross. We are part of the scattered children of God. Jesus is bringing together the believers in Jesus both Jews and Gentiles and making us one family. All who belong to Christ are children of God. His death and resurrection have won for us forgiveness of sin and eternal salvation. Indeed, God's purpose of sending Jesus was to seek and save the lost. (Luke 19:10)
What are the plans in your life? Are we seduced into thinking like the world thinks? Why is it when we think of success, we think of cars, houses, social circles, vacations, and material treasures? When we think of power, we think of climbing, outsmarting, manipulating, out maneuvering, and conquering? When we think of prestige, do we think of position, trophies, title, and even places in church bureaucracies? When we think of pleasure, do we think of being free to do all we want to do?
God's word tells us, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord." God has a different plan for us. Success from the Bible means servanthood. It is when we are seeking to fulfill His purposes that His power fills us, allowing us to accomplish great things for Him. Prosperity is investing in eternity. Paul told Timothy that true prosperity is being godly and content with what we have. Pleasure is righteousness that brings with it joy and peace to replace guilt, fear and anxiety that unrighteousness brings.
What plans do you have in your life to carry out your purpose? Are they God's best for you? Are you seeking to walk in His ways. There are no better plans than His for your life.
Dale
