THE THREE PRONGED OBJECTIVES IN THE GREAT COMMISSION
A.Preach the Good News
B.Baptize those who believe
C.Teach to observe what Jesus taught
Preaching the Good News is the art of presenting to peoples the claim of God over all of life. The preacher preaches for God. God speaks to the people through the preacher. The message is God’s direct will or revelations of what He desires the people to know and do. He is just a medium to go, do, say what God wants. Take the prophet Amos. In reply to the warning and threat from a false prophet, Amaziah, who warned him “Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophecy there: but prophesy not again at Bethel: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court.” Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was a herdsman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit: And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go prophesy unto my people Israel. (Amos 7:12-15) St Paul wrote “For though I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.” (1 Cor 9:16)
Preaching is not giving a lecture to impart knowledge and instructions. It is speaking the oracles of God to warn, gather, and call attention to the people that they are offending God by their disobedience and neglect to honor and worship Him. God is a very jealous God. He does not share His honor and glory and worship to anybody else. He wants you just for himself. The Westminster Catechism asks “What is the chief duty of man?’ The answer is “The chief duty of man is to know God and enjoy Him forever. This is the highest good.” Revelation 4:11 declares “Thou art worthy, O LORD, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
We preach God’s righteousness and faithfulness. We preach repentance and humble submission and obedience to God as Christ taught us. We preach the Kingdom of God in the hearts of people. The kingdom of God is not a political expectation but a spiritual experience of God’s presence in the resurrected and exalted LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. Preaching seeks to reach each person for Christ.
Those who are reached and won by the preaching of Jesus Christ are baptized. They are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The revelation of biblical truth is progressive, continuing, and alive. It does not re-gres. Thus the older baptismal pronunciation “in the name of Jesus” gives way to “in the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.” Baptism is the outward manifestation of an inward experience of Jesus Christ and his sacrificial sufferings and shedding of His blood for the remission and forgiveness of sin; the elimination of judgment and condemnation and the giving of abundant life.
St Paul in his letter to the Romans Chapter 6 writes about baptism “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together In the likeness of his death, so we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Romans 6:3-6) Those who are baptized are the new people of God. Their new identity makes them a new “chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10) They are “heirs of God through Christ” in “whom there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus>” (Gal 3:28)
The third prong is to teach those baptized the daily discipline of the Godly life in Christ. Acts Chapter 2 and verse 41 reads “And they that gladly received the word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common.” Study of the word of God, fellowship, worship are three bonding force which tie the believers in community with one another. A fourth element marks the uniqueness of the community, that is, they hold everything common. The Word gives them instructions on how to live the new life in the LORD Jesus Christ; fellowship binds them together in community; and worship anchors as well as secures their holy anointing that empowers them to do wonders and signs; and fourthly, growing and building together as a new people of God provides them all with protection, help, security, and guarantee of freedom to their new life in Jesus Christ.
Secularism and materialism, while they be good in influencing changes in leadership roles, such as changing despotisms and toppling power dynasties to democratic exercises of leadership, by themselves may become promoters of unbelief in God. But they can still be tools to contain abuses in the exercise of power even in the Church.
Teaching all things “whatsoever I have commanded you” encourage the disciple-apostle to always be in touch with the Master Who is always with you to the end of the world.” There is no moment the disciple-apostle can declare his independence of the Master. If he does he is no longer his disciple. He becomes an enemy. The cycle of winning souls to Christ by preaching the Gospel, then baptizing those who believe, and then nurturing them through the study of the Word, bonding them in fellowship and worship and affording them opportunities for personal growth and development by the community is never ending. It is exciting to have the wisdom and understanding to interpret and teach the Living Word to each generation. The promise of God to Joshua “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” ()Joshua 1:9). Jesus said: “I am with you always, even to the end of the world” (Matthew 28:18).
ith/05/10/10/DSK/DYRB
Rev. Inocencio Tupaz Hiponia
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Thank you for your continued prayers and support
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ESCAPE
November 1944. The American Liberation Forces have arrived in Leyte on October20 2004. Gen Douglas Macarthur has returned .Three years ago before he left Manila for the great escape to Australia he promised the Filipinos that shall return to drive away the Japanese Imperial forces. There was much jubilation as Macarthur and President Sergio Osmena landed on the shores of Leyte on that day Of October 20, 2004.
Faraway in the island of Negros we witnessed daily sorties of USAF P38 and the Japanese warplanes. We also witness the dogfight between aa Japanese plane and the US Navy PT boat. Our joys were mingled with fear of sudden appearance of Japanese patrols. The Japanese were holed up in the Central Azucarrera de San Carlos., about 12 kilometers south of our evacuation village.
Since early July or August 1944 US submarines delivered tons of weapons and ammunitions to the Filipino Guerillas. The Guerillas with more firepower became more aggressive in making daily ambushes on Japanese patrols. The Japanese soldiers became more brutal, cruel, and wanton as they ravaged helpless civilians hiding in villages supposed to be safe and out of the way of Japanese patrols. They massacred everything they found along their way.
We found refuge and shelter in a small village called Tigbahi . Tigbahi is close to the sea and to the foothills of Banderahan. When the Japanese came from the sea we escape to the hils of Banderahan. When they come along the National Road we find refuge in the thick bakhaw groves along the shores.
In Mid-November it became extremely dangerous to be found by the Japanese patrols on land and on sea. We prayed hard for God’s guidance on what to do and where to go. Papa believe it is better to risk the dangers of crossing the sea on a stormy weather than to stay and be a victim of Japanese atrocities as well as the deadly pestilence ravaging the people. Malaria, dysentery, dengue were claiming the lives of countless civilians.
Papa found a boat owner who will sail and deliver us to Carigara, Leyte where the American Armed forces were. For the priced of one Singer sewing Machine, Felix, the owner of the sailboat agreed to transport us and the few belonging we had to Carigara, Leyte. We made ready and chose a most inauspicious day for our departure. A north wind blew all afternoon. In the evening we were all in the boat, Mama, Papa, Felix and two helpers some chickens, five weanling pigs, 500 loaves of cassava cakes, faith and prayers for God’s blessings on our voyage. The north wind blew mightily and steadily the whole evening and morning. The evening of the second day we entered the safety of the bay of Bantayan Island. The sails of the sailboat were badly tattered. They mast was broken in half. Several outriggers had to be replaced
Mama who was sick with Malaria when we left became very ill. The parents of Felix fortunately were some sort of faith healers. They attended to Mama. Thanks to them Mama recovered the next day. On the third day at twilight and on a stormy weather we set sail for Leyte. We sailed on a northerly direction rounding Bantayan Island.. There was no Japanese Garrison in Bantayan Island. However word came warning us that the Japanese will cross the channel early the next day. The people provided us with vituals and plenty of fresh water for our voyage,.
Big sharks followed our sailboat. scaring the daylights out of the boatmen who kept the balance of the boat by riding on the tilting outriggers. Papa was very angry at me when I pointed my fingers toward a flying devil fish. We saw a big whale jumped out of the water and blew water from its nose.. An unusually huge wave struck our frail sailboat broadside. It swamped the boat full of water. Cries of “hinubig, hinubig! Pas pas! came from Papa and the helmsman. Though weakened by sleeplessness, hungry and tired I hurriedly dip my pail into the water in the boat. I bailed out the water as fast as I can. Miracle! The boat did not capsize. Another miracle I was able to bail out all the water in the hold.. Then a huge fish sidled close to the outriggers were the boatmen were seesawing to keep the balance of the boat. Fear overcame then. They rushed dangerously to the boat. The full sail caused the boat to dip towards the portside, almost capsizing it. The skill of the helmsman kept the boat from capsizing and tragedy.
At mid-afternoon we were becalmed. The boatmen splashed water at the sail. The cried “San Lorenzo give us wind.” The swift currents were carrying us back to the Visayan Sea. We prayed that there be no Japanese patrol. Then gently and steadily the South wind blew filling our sail with air and carrying us forward rapidly towards the Maripipi Channel in Northern Leyte. The strong south wing carried us swiftly south towards our destination. Night time we were sailing close to shore and red tracer bullets were coming at us. We were in danger of getting killed guerilla forces who may suspect us as enemies.
The helmsman all lights in our boat to be extinguished.. He sailed us farther away from the seacoast , faraway beyond the reach of the bullets fired toward us from the shore.
By dawn we entered the Biliran-Naval channel. The current was so strong the boatmen have to go ashore and dragged the boat through the raging current of the channel. Beyond this channel to the South is Carigara Bay. We sailed full sail towards the town of Carigara, safety, and freedom. Strong smell of diesel fuel from the amphibious vehicles
Running from their shore installations to the big ships anchored in the deep waters of the Bay was suffocating. We sailed on and allowed the boat to plow through the sandy shore.
People crowded around us. “Where did you come from?” they asked..
The voyage took seven or eight days. We weathered the storms. The storm was our .protection and shield against the Japanese air and sea patrol. The mighty power of the LORD Jesus brought us safely towards our destination – Carigara, Leyte. P:raise the LORD we were all together as a family. My father, my mother, my sisters Remedios and Mercedes, and my kid brother George. We praise and thank the LORD for our safe voyage.
End; Inocencio T Hiponia, jr
November 24, 1944
