Christ's Call to Discipleship | Phil Johnson

[@brendatajik6150]

Wonderful sermon . . . I learned so much. I've learned more in the past 3 years than I learned in the first 62! All of you have made a significant difference in how I view myself as a Christian.

[@kimberleerivera7062]

Glory To GOD!!! Thank you Phil Johnson for this excellent message and interpretation!

[@preachernw]

So glad I found this message looking for something else Phil has the message of importance for today to whoever posted thanks.👍

[@yvettesterling1837]

👏👏👏 Bravo Bro. Phil! Excellent truth and edifying.

[@motorTranz]

This was pretty good. Thanks

[@Apostle734]

What about people like Kenneth Copeland who proclaims Jesus is lord?

[@audiosyfotos4501]

haven´t you all become rich by the merchandising of the Gospel?

[@JRRodriguez-nu7po]

Johnson misunderstands the goal of Jesus in speaking to the crowd. Jesus did NOT want many Jews, especially the influential and/or rich ones to convert prior to the crucifixion. Jesus was NOT an evangelist, in fact He "spoke to them in parabels SO THAT they would NOT understand". If thousands had come to Him before crucifixion, He wouldn't have died alone and rejected by His people. That said, Phil Johnson is correct about discipleship and evangelism AFTER the resurrection, which has been the case for 2,000 uears.

[@WasLostButNowAmFound]

JR Rodriguez show the prooftext.

[@JRRodriguez-nu7po]

Mat 13:10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11 [d]Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. 12 For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 [e]In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘[f]You will keep on hearing, [g]but will not understand; [h]You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; 15 For the heart of this people has become dull, With their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes, Otherwise they would see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I would heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. NASB Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” 9 He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.’ 10 “Render the hearts of this people [e]insensitive, Their ears [f]dull, And their eyes [g]dim, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed.” NASB Notice it Christ specifically does NOT want most people to understand Him; only the closest disciples. That He specifically states throughout the entire Mat 13. This SHOULD seem a shock to you, but it is plain. Where I am totally speculating is as to WHY Christ did not want to evangelize the Jews. He clearly did want the apostles to evangelize the Jews AFTER His ascension; so why not before? Why did He keep the Gospel hidden from the Jewish masses until the ascension? I can think of only one reason: so that He would die rejected by His own people. If thousands had converted before His death, as they did on Pentecost, He would have not died alone and rejected. That part is speculation on my part. But most importantly, I am correct because I am always correct. I do not know who this Phil Johnson character is, but he should pause his career and come learn at my feet. That would be a ;>

[@lawrencestanley8989]

@@JRRodriguez-nu7po You are partially correct. You are correct in the sense that Jesus most certainly did limit the understanding of some, and harden others, but take a look at Romans 11 to see the reason why. Israel was God's chosen people in the sense that they were to be the evangelists of the world; a lost and dying world was to look at Israel and have some idea of what a right relationship with God was supposed to look like, but they failed in their task... They became wrapped up in legalism and idolatry, and they rejected the God who chose them, so, because God has not permanently cast off Israel even though she played the prostitute (see Hosea, Ezekiel 16), God enacted a new covenant to replace the one that they broke, and this covenant involved God's turning to others outside of Israel, namely, the Gentiles, so that their salvation would make Israel jealous so that they might repent and return to God. Israel had become so stubborn that no direct ministry to them would turn her back to her God, so, because God's mercy is grand, and because His plan of salvation from eternity past has included people from every tribe and tongue and people and nation (Revelation 5:9), God chose an indirect means to turn Israel back to God, and that indirect means is through their jealousy, and in the last days, they will most assuredly find repentance (Zechariah 12-13).