C3 Encounters 2012 - Day 3 (Session II) - Pastor Pat Ancliff

Note: Day 3 of C3 Encounters 2012 consisted of 5 sessions of teaching from 4 pastors. Pastor Chris Pringle took the first and third sessions. Pastor Pat Ancliff took the second session, Pastor Simon McIntyre the fourth and Pastor Phil Pringle closed the conference in the fifth session. I will blog about each session in separate blogs.

Pastor Pat Ancliff – Discipleship

Pastor Pat said he will deliver a short bible study talk on discipleship and offered that Prophet Isaiah was a good example of a disciple.

He created the setting of introducing Isaiah [Wikipedia] as an 8^th Century B.C. prophet during the time when Assyria was the both the superpower and state sponsor of terror in that day.

Then he talk about the insights and revelations that Isaiah received concerning Jesus Christ with Isaiah 53 showing in graphic detail the suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross and what it was to achieve and in Isaiah 61 which talked of the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He then averred that Isaiah was mentioned in the Hebrews 11:37 roll of faith, he was apparently sawn in two. [The Martyrdom of Isaiah]

Using the text of Isaiah 6:5-9 Pastor Pat revealed what it takes to be a good disciple.

Conviction – “Woe is me, for I am undone!” Here, Isaiah was convicted by reason of what we learn later on, “For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.”

It is interesting to note that the presence of the Lord to Isaiah did not bring condemnation but conviction, Isaiah had a realisation of his situation and he responded to it rather than resist it and offer excuses.

A disciple must realise his imperfections and inadequacies and acknowledge such.

Confession – “I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.”

Once you have been convicted and you have realised the situation you are in, confess, bring your situation into focus by openly acknowledging it.

Confession is part of the process that presages repentance.

Cleansing – “Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.”

God immediately offers cleansing to those who are convicted and confess their sins. I John 1:9-10 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”

When we confess, we receive forgiveness and cleansing from all unrighteousness, we obtain right-standing with God by His grace.

You will not hear the Lord until after you have confessed.

Call – “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” When we hear the Lord it is a call to service and it never with details of what we are supposed to do until after we have accepted that call.

Pastor Pat said God usually gets us to sign a blank contract that is filled in with the duties and responsibilities after it has been signed, sealed and delivered.

The call will come with all that is necessary to fulfil it but we have to step out in faith trusting that he that called us is able to keep us from falling fulfilling His purpose.

Consecration - “Here am I! Send me.” Once we have been called we should separate ourselves for service dedicated to the purpose for which we have been called.

It is consecration that will determine the success of discipleship and the endurance in ministry, we need to constantly reaffirm our commitment and service knowing that we cannot in and of ourselves alone succeed with the help of God and those to whom we submit and those under our care.