24 May Jesus The Market Place Leader

We often hear about “Market Place Ministry”, “Market Place People”, “Market Place Church”, etc but actually do we really know about “Market Place”?

Let we learn about the basic understanding about “Market Place” and how Jesus relates to the this “Market Place” movement especially in our modern time.

What is the meaning of Market Place?
1. An open area or square in a town where a public market or sale is set up. 2. The world of business and commerce. 3. A situation or place in which values, opinions, and ideas are put forward for debate or recognition

Why we are called as a market place leader? 1. God wants us to see the market place as our “Parish” and the business as our “Pulpit”. For us witnessing is not an activity but a lifestyle. God wants us to use every resources that we have including but not limited to: our position in the workplace, skills, expertise, knowledge, influence, etc and use it to proclaim the Kingdom of God.

2. God needs Zaccheus, Priscilia, Aquilia, Daniel, Esther, etc in the market place Not only our skills, but God also want to use our wealth to become a blessing to others.

There are several obstacles that Christian in the Market Place are facing at thepresent; 1. Inconsistency in our Theology knowledge We don’t have problem believing that Satan was able to defile the entire creation by introducing sin into Adam and Eve however, we don’t accept the idea grace introduced by Jesus can redeem the same creation that the sin defiled 2. There is a God-ordained division between clergy and laity.
We feel like second class citizens when compared to people that serve full time i.e. minister/pastor. 3. The Church is called to operate primarily inside a building often referred to as a temple Church is defined as a building that used to worship every Sunday hence most Christians think they do not have to talk about Kingdom of God during the weekday 4. People involved in the business cannot be as spiritual as those serving God as full time. There is a believe that business man/woman conducts the business according to the World rules (i.e. cheat on tax, manipulative, etc) rather than Kingdom rules hence they are not good enough to talk about Kingdom in their business world. 5. The primary role of market place Christians is to make “money” to support the Church

Ed Silvoso in his book, Anointed for Business, clearly depicts some evidences that Jesus was the Market Place Leader in His time; 1. Jesus was born in the manger which in this modern world will be a small motel. If Jesus would be a religious leader then He would had been born in the Temple. 2. The shepherds and the Wise Men are marketplace people 3. Jesus known as “The Carpenter” – Teknon – Artificer, Craftsman. Jesus not only a woodworker but craftsman, carefully making implements of the wood. Mark 6:3. Even people of Nazareth know Jesus as “Carpenter” rather than Rabbi, this is clearly points out that Jesus was a market place people in His time.
4. How about Jesus’ disciples? None of them are religious people:
– Peter & Andrew are fisherman

– Matthew was called when he was in his tax office
– James & John in food business
– Luke was a doctor
– Paul later was a rabbi but also a tent maker

So now we have enough evidences that Jesus and His disciples indeed were marketplace Leaders. So we should be proud and confident that we are able, by the Grace of the Lord and help from the Holy Spirit, to change the marketplace world.

What we need to do in the Market Place?

There are 4 Steps finding your destiny in Marketplace according to Luke 10:1-9

A. Join The System – Luke 10:5 “Give your blessing” If you have a job then you are somewhere in the marketplace already. What we need to do is to speak peace and thank God for our job.

Joseph, Daniel and Esther made peace with their jobs. Surely we don’t have boss as bad as their ones. ATTITUDE ALWAYS DETERMINES ALTITUDE. There is always a special task or mission when God put you in one company, whether He is training you to be persistence, humble, tough, good time management, etc.

B. Embrace the Systems – Luke 10:7 “Eating and Drinking” In other word “Fellowship”. So often Christians in the marketplace only can point to the flaw in the systems and condemn it. We don’t offer any suggestions nor we try to fix it.

C. Improve the Systems – Luke 10:8 – 9 “Heal the sick” We should do what ever we are able to do to fix the systems even though as simple as say “Good Morning”, give donations, support a kid, etc,

God will equip us with His wisdom and understanding so we help to solve all the issues in our workplace. By doing this not only we can glorify God’s name but also receive a recognition from our superiors.

D. Proclaim the Kingdom of God – Luke 10:10 “Kingdom of God is near you” Once we have done all the above then we can start proclaim about Kingdom of God to people in our workplace. People who has seen the evidence and result of our professionalism will acknowledge that surely we are different compares to other people.

We have given a good example and our life become the living testimony of Jesus.