Three Sermon Series About Discipleship
Table of Contents:
Page
Letter of Explanation and Introduction ........................................................................................................2
Sermon Series by Tommy South
#1 – What Now? ..........................................................................................................................................3
#2 – The Disciple’s Calling .........................................................................................................................6
#3 – The Disciple’s Mission ......................................................................................................................10
#4 – The Disciple’s Rest ............................................................................................................................12
#5 – The Disciple’s Priorities ....................................................................................................................15
#6 – The Disciple’s Example .....................................................................................................................18
#7 – The Disciple’s Influence ....................................................................................................................21
#8 – The Disciple’s Warfare ......................................................................................................................24
#9 – The Disciple’s Righteousness ............................................................................................................25
#10 – The Disciple’s Resources .................................................................................................................26
#11 – The Disciple’s Failures ....................................................................................................................34
#12 – The Disciple’s Reward .....................................................................................................................37
Sermon Series by David Sargent
#1 – A Disciple is a Learner – Open and Teachable..................................................................................40
#2 – The Lordship of Jesus Christ .............................................................................................................45
#3 – The Morning Watch ...........................................................................................................................50
#4 – Thanksgiving From A Distance .........................................................................................................55
#5 – The Badge of Discipleship .................................................................................................................61
#6 – Make Me A Servant ...........................................................................................................................65
#7 – Love Walked Among Us ...................................................................................................................70
#8 – Fishers of Men ...................................................................................................................................74
#9 – The Oikos Factor................................................................................................................................78
#10 – Coming Alongside ...........................................................................................................................83
#11 – Pray for One Another .......................................................................................................................89
Sermon Series by David Owens
#1 – I Am A Disciple of Jesus ...................................................................................................................95
#2 – The Call of Discipleship ..................................................................................................................101
#3 – The Cost of Discipleship ..................................................................................................................106
#4 – The Command of Discipleship ........................................................................................................112
#5 – The Stages of Discipleship...............................................................................................................118
#6 – The Completeness of Discipleship...................................................................................................125
#7 – Disciples of Jesus Are Characterized by Love ................................................................................131
#8 – Disciples of Jesus Are Devoted to Jesus ..........................................................................................137
#9 – Disciples of Jesus Are Guided by God’s Word ...............................................................................144
#10 – Disciples of Jesus Believe in the Power of Prayer .........................................................................149
#11 – Disciples of Jesus Are Empowered by the Holy Spirit ..................................................................154
#12 – Disciples of Jesus Have the Heart of a Servant .............................................................................159
#13 – Disciples of Jesus Are Engaged in Seeking the Lost .....................................................................165
#14 – Disciples of Jesus Employ the Strategy of Multiplication .............................................................171
#15 – Disciples of Jesus Will Receive Their Reward ..............................................................................176
Sermons on Discipleship
Largely in response to the current pandemic and its negative effects on so many churches,
last Fall the three of us discovered that we had all decided to address it in the same way:
by preaching on the subject of “Discipleship.” What does it mean to follow Jesus when it
can be hazardous to your health? What does following our Savior look like in a postChristian world where our faith is no longer honored, but rather is often denigrated both
publicly and privately? What is the essence of discipleship when it is no longer easy to be
- or even to call oneself - a Christian?
Once we discovered that we were all preaching on the same topic, we began exchanging
sermon materials, as well as sharing other insights on the subject of discipleship. This has
turned out to be a very special form of fellowship and joy for us, and it has enabled us to
sharpen one another and stimulate one another’s thinking in a very profitable way. Even
though we all live far apart and were not well acquainted (actually only two of us have
met each other in person), we became good friends through this exchange, and are
grateful to God for the relationship that has developed.
In addition, it occurred to us that our collective thinking on the subject of discipleship
might be of help to others who may desire to approach this same topic. What you will
find here are three very different sets of sermons, each approaching the topic in its own
way, but all seeking to explore this most important of subjects in as thorough and biblical
a fashion as possible. We hope you will find these helpful in stimulating your own
thinking and preaching.
To God be the glory as we all seek to be true disciples of the Crucified and Risen Savior!
David Owens (Syracuse, NY)
David Sargent (Mobile, AL)
Tommy South (Glen Allen, VA)
2
What Now?
(Matt. 16:13-18, Lk. 6:46-49)
It’s no secret that the Covid-19 pandemic has hit churches hard. All churches, all over the world.
Especially in America, where the pandemic has combined with social & civil unrest, churches have
struggled to find their footing & maintain their identities & their focus.
A. It’s no secret that it has hit US hard. Anyone who was part of the GA church 6 mos ago knows that
we are not the same church
we were then. Churches are always evolving & changing, b/c people
come & go, & every time someone does, we’re not the
same church.
B. But due to the pandemic, change has taken place with warp speed, giving us little time to adapt or
catch our breath. But we’re 6 mos. into it, & it’s time to take stock of where we are & where we’re
going.
C. The pandemic & all that went with it exposed some cracks that were already there, some of which
we knew were there but had ignored, & others we didn’t see, & much of what we thought we were
collapsed.
D. When all of this 1st started, found myself praying that God would get us back to what we were in
early March - get us back to “normal.”
E. But then I realized that wasn’t a good prayer. That maybe God has more in mind for us than just
being what we were, that our “normal” might not be good enough for Him. Maybe He wants us to
be MORE than we were, better than we were. So now I have a new prayer.
(1) My original prayer was for the church to go back to what I
liked & was comfortable with.
(2) Now my prayer is that God will show us what He wants us to be, & guide us into being made in
His image, not our own.
F. Someone put it well in one of our adult classes not long ago: “May-be God is giving us an
opportunity to become more than we ever would have been had the pandemic not occurred.” Maybe
this is all a wake-up call to the church to get as close to God as we can get & let Him strengthen us,
b/c - who knows - there may be even more struggles ahead than we have seen yet.
1.
The pandemic may have made us unsure of a lot of things, but one thing we can be absolutely
certain of: while there may be cracks in our faith, there are NONE in the Foundation of our
faith.
A. B/c that Foundation is none other than Jesus Christ Himself! Now if our foundation is
something else, we’re in trouble. But if it’s truly Jesus, we can’t lose.
B. Lk. 6 - Can’t build a house w/out a solid foundation, but if your foundation is solid, nothing
can bring down that house! - “Everyone who comes to me & hears my words & does them, I
will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep & laid the
foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house & could
not shake it, b/c it had been well built. But the one who hears & does not do them is like a man
who built a house on the ground w/out a foundation. When the stream broke against it,
immediately it fell, & the ruin of that house was great” (6:47-49).
C. Mt. 16:18 - Peter confessed Jesus as the Christ, Son of the Living God, & Jesus said, “Upon
this rock I will build my church, & the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Get that? The
“gates of hell!” Pandemic is bad & the rioting is bad, but nowhere close to “gates of hell.”
When we’re built on the Rock, we can take it!
D. 1 Cor. 3:10-11. “According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid
a foundation, & someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.
For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
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E. The “Foundation” - Jesus, God’s own Son - has been given to us. Up to us to “build on it.” And
when we do, can’t fail.
(1) Note: What we’re engaged in here isn’t just a “reopening” of the church, but a
“rebuilding” of the church. EX: Starting over after a tornado.
(2) What we had is largely gone - but the Foundation is still firm. So what we need to do is lay
hold of that Foundation, start there, & build on it. When we do, can’t go wrong!
2.
“So what is it exactly that we need to do?”
A. Simple: We need to make sure that we are disciples of Jesus, & not just “members of the
church.”
(1) “But I thought they were the same thing!” Acts 2:47 - Believers were “added to their
number” (the church).
(2) Absolutely correct. When you turn to Christ in repentance & baptism, He adds you to His
people, the church.
(3) But there’s a huge difference in seeing yourself as a “member of an organization” vs. as the
“follower of a person.”
B. “Member” is an organizational term. Identifies your place in a group, a part of the larger body.
And a Chr. IS part of the “body of Christ.” So that part is true enough.
C. “Disciple” is a relational term. It means you orient your whole life around someone. Someone
who shapes your thinking, your priorities, your behavior.
(1) In NT, followers of Jesus are called “disciples” far more often than “Christians” or
“members.” (See esp. Acts.)
(2) Classic def. of “disciple” = “learner,” but more to it than that. Far more.
(3) A disciple attaches himself/herself to a teacher to learn from Him & imitate His life. Not
just “learner,” but “imitator.” A kind of “apprentice,” but much more.
(4) an “apprentice” goes home at the end of the day; a disciple lives in the Master’s presence
24x7, learning, following, & imitating.
(5) So when you’re at work, you’re a disciple of Jesus. When you’re at school...at home...
engaging in recreation - whatever you’re doing - you’re a follower of Jesus first &
foremost, before you are anything else.
(6) So we need to think of ourselves, not just as members of the Jesus club,” but as followers
of Jesus, personally attached to Him, sitting at His feet day by day.
(7) EX: I’m a member at Sam’s Club. I have a card & everything. It gives me access to all the
goods & services that Sam offers. But I am not a disciple of Sam! B/c when I’m not in one
of Sam’s stores, he has no relevance for my life whatsoever. (I’ve never even met Sam!)
(8) But as a disciple of Jesus, there is nothing I do, nowhere I go, nothing that I am or will ever
become, that is not affected by my decision to follow Jesus Christ.
D. Being a disciple means putting into practice what we learn from Him. Lk. 6:46: “Why do you
call me ‘Lord, Lord’ & not do what I tell you?” Discipleship is serious business. - It’s about
obedience, not re pleasing ourselves, but pleasing Him.
E. And when you’re a disciple, & the worst happens that life can throw at you, you’re not thrown
off course by it. (Doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt, but you still have your bearings.)
(1) Why? B/c no matter what, you’re still following Him. He’s still in control, & you know
that, & know you can trust Him to see you through.
(2) Heb. 12:1-2. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us
also lay aside every weight, & sin which clings so closely, & let us run with endurance the
race that is st before us, looking to Jesus, the founder & perfecter of our faith, who for the
joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, & is seated at the right
hand of the throne of God.”
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(3) “Looking to Jesus” - That’s the key to it all. That’s the key to being the person God wants
you to be, & that’s the key to being the church God wants us to be.
3.
So what do we need to do now?
A. Individually, we need to commit ourselves to being genuine disciples. Not just “members of the
GA church,” but followers of Jesus.
B. Remember that, when Jesus gave the Great Commission (Mt. 28:18-20), He said, “Go & make
disciples” - not, “Go & make church members.”
C. And He said to do that by “baptizing them in the name of the Father & of the Son & of the
Holy Spirit, & teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
(1) So if you haven’t yet been baptized, you need to do that. Can’t start on the discipleship
journey until you do.
(2) But beyond that, “being taught.” That can be both being taught by others, but also being
taught by God’s Word via your own study.
(3) Suggestion: Start reading the Gospels (especially Matthew), & notice what Jesus did, how
He obeyed the will of His Father, how He interacted with other people, how He prayed,
what He taught - & just do that. It isn’t complicated, but it requires seriousness of purpose.
D. Starting next week, we’re going to be studying Discipleship & what it means & how to follow
Jesus, taking our cues mostly from the Gospel of Matt. (“Matt.” by the way = from Grk word
for “disciple.”)
E. In the class that will follow, we’ll talk about that further - what it looks like to follow Jesus, the
challenges, the blessings, & the sacrifices involved.
F. Hopefully, we will all gradually find ourselves becoming more & more like Jesus - genuine
“disciples” - Jesus-followers. People whose whole lives are directed toward knowing their Lord
more fully & living for Him in all the ways He wants us to do.
That’s where we go from here: back to the Foundation of our faith. Back to the perfect Lord & Savior,
the One who gave everything for us, & who calls us to give everything for Him in return.
And when we do, we WILL be the church that God wants us to be.
You may be ready to start following Jesus today. If so, it will be our joy to hear you confess His name &
assist you in being baptized into Him - so that you can start living the life of one for whom Jesus isn’t
just “one thing,” but everything.
Tommy South
Glen Allen Church of Christ
Sept. 13, 2020
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The Disciple’s Calling
(Matt. 4:18-22)
If you read Matt. 4, Mark 1, Luke 5, & Jn. 1, you will notice that one of the first things Jesus did after
beginning His public ministry was to call disciples. Didn’t call a bunch all at once, but gradually, oneby-one, He summoned them to “Follow me.”
A. Remember what a “disciple” is: someone whose entire life is oriented around their teacher, who
lives in His presence & learns His teachings & follows His example.
B. That was true of the first disciples Jesus called, & it’s still true of disciples today. A disciple is one
whose life is all about Jesus. Everything we do is affected by that one primary relationship with
Him.
1.
Notice how people came to be Jesus’ disciples:
A. He didn’t “invite” them - He “called” them - there’s a big difference.
(1) Mt. 4:19 - When He saw Simon & Andrew, He said, “Follow me” - & they did.
(2) V. 21 - Saw James & Jn in a boat with their father, mending their nets, “He called them.”
And they left the boat & their father “immediately.”
(3) Raises question: Had they encountered Jesus before? Lk 5 & Jn 1 suggest they had. But
when the time came, He “called” them & they followed.
(4) There’s a similarity here to the “calling scenes” of OT prophets such as Isaiah & Jeremiah.
They didn’t volunteer; God “called” them to their role. EX: Is. 6
B. Why is that important?
(1) We speak often today of “inviting” people to follow Jesus. Offer “invitations” to respond
publicly to the gospel & be baptized.
(2) That’s all well & good, as long as we understand that Jesus’ “invitation” isn’t like an
invitation to a party, where we can freely accept or not.
(3) Made clear in Jesus’ Parable of the Banquet (Lk. 14). Man prepares a great banquet &
invites his guests: “Come, for everything is now ready. But they all alike began to make
excuses.” One had bought a field, had to go see it. Another had bought 5 yoke of oxen,
needed to examine them (AFTER the purchase??). Another “had married a wife”; didn’t
say when. Maybe 25 years ago!!
(4) When these refuse to come, the master sends out servants to “the highways & hedges” to
“compel” people to come in. “None of those men who were invited shall taste my
banquet.” - Ominous statement about not receiving et life.
C. That’s a Par about the Kingdom: God doesn’t just “invite” us to come; He summons us to
come. Dire consequences if we don’t!
D. You see, He’s still calling us today.
(1) Not to be “apostles,” but still, to be “disciples.”
(2) How? Through the message of Christ crucified & risen.
(3) Acts 17:30-31. “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people
everywhere to repent, b/c he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in
righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; & of this he has given assurance to all by
raising him from the dead.” If you haven’t yet repented of your sins & turned to Christ,
God “commands” you to do so!
(4) 2 Thess. 2:13-14. “But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by
the Lord, b/c God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the
Spirit & belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may
obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
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(5) Every time the gospel is preached, anywhere in the world, God is calling out to people to
believe on & obey His Son, Jesus. It’s not an “invitation”; it’s a summons to either life or
death! - True right now. You are being summoned by your Creator to follow His Son and
be saved.
2.
But we need to understand: accepting that calling is always costly. Not to be done lightly or
thoughtlessly.
A. When Jesus calls disciples, He’s calling us both To Something & From Something.
(1) To a life of discipleship, learning from Him, obeying Him, telling others about Him:
“Follow me, & I will make you fishers of men.” To salvation from sin. To eternal life.
(2) From everything else. Not necessarily leaving it out of our lives, but putting it in 2nd place
to Him. EX: “Leave the dead to bury their dead; you come, follow me.”
B. In Mt. 4, Simon, Andrew, James, & John all walked away from some things that were very
important to them.
(1) Simon & Andrew - “left their nets & followed him.” I.e., gave up their occupation, their
livelihood.
(2) James & John - “Immediately they left the boat & their father & followed him.” (Mk 1
adds “with the hired servants”). This was no one- or two-man operation, but a family
business they were leaving behind - along with the family!! (Can only imagine what old
Zebedee thought!)
C. All of this was close to Matthew’s heart b/c of his own calling from the Lord:
(1) Mt. 9:9 - “As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax
booth, & he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he rose & followed him.”
(2) As a tax collector, probably had a lucrative income, since allowed to collect excessive
taxes & keep the excess.
D. Remember the RYR?
(1) Mt 19 - Asked Jesus “what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” “Keep the
commandments.” “I’ve done it all!”
(2) One thing he lacked: “Go, sell what you possess & give to the poor. . . & come, follow
me.” (Not just “Sell all & give to poor” - but “Come, follow me.”)
(3) “Went away sorrowful, b/c he had great possessions.”
E. Jesus didn’t tell everyone who wanted to follow Him to do that. Told this young man, b/c knew
that was where His heart really was - & as long as it was with His possessions, it wouldn’t be
with Jesus.
F. And that’s what He says to each of us: “Whatever is nearest & dearest to you, have to put it in
2nd place behind me.” That’s the real question today: “Where is your heart?”
3.
All of us who follow Jesus pay a price - & it may be a very high price.
A. Mk. 8:34-38. “And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, ‘If anyone
would come after me, let him deny himself & take up his cross & follow me. For whoever
would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake & the gospel’s will save
it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world & forfeit his soul? For what can a man
give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me & of my words in this adulterous &
sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of
his Father with the holy angels’.”
(1) Starts with denial of self. Jesus now rules, not us. Maybe the hardest part of the decision to
follow Jesus!
(2) Then, “take up his cross.” Instrument of death, not a piece of jewelry. I.e., be willing to
die, if need be.
(3) “Follow me.” There’s that summons again. Go wherever He leads.
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B. Jesus says that even life itself is not too high a price to pay for following Him! And if it costs
you your life, well & good. It’s all part of the price. - & it’s worth it! (“What will a man give in
return for his soul?”)
C. Commenting on these vss., Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in The Cost of Discipleship, “When
Christ calls a man, he bis him come & die.” Not just some of the time - every time. Die to self.
Die to sin. Die to self-righteousness. Die to pride. Die to materialism. Die daily to everything
that stands betw us & following Jesus.
D. Remember the story of Blind Bartimaeus in Mk. 10? He’s the man who sat as a beggar beside
the road in Jericho, & when he heard that Jesus was passing by, began calling out, “Jesus, Son
of David, have mercy on me!” Crowd tried to silence him, but he just yelled louder.
(1) Jesus called him over, healed him of his blindness, & said, “Go your way; your faith has
made you well.”
(2) Bart could have done just as Jesus said & “gone his way.” But he didn’t.
(3) Rather, 10:32 says, “And immediately he recovered his sight & followed him on the way.”
Jesus’ way became his way.
(4) He did what every disciple is supposed to do: Received the blessing Jesus offered, then
followed Him.
(5) But, followed Him where? “On the way?” At this point, Jesus was almost to Jerusalem,
almost to Golgotha, almost to the Cross. The “way” He was going was the way of sacrifice
& death. And Bartimaeus followed Him.
E. In Jn 11, when Jesus had declared His intention to go to Judea where His friend Laz had died,
Thomas said to the other 11, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
(1) We usually remember Thomas for the doubt he expressed when the other disciples had
seen Jesus, but he hadn’t. “Doubting Thomas,” we call him.
(2) He’s also the one in Jn 14, who when Jesus said He was going away, said, “Lord, we do
not know where you are going, how can we know the way?”
(3) May have been a lot of things Thomas didn’t understand, but he understood what it meant
to be a disciple: “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
F. Contrast that with some of the things Chrs sometimes say today: “I don’t go any more b/c
somebody hurt my feelings.” “I don’t get as much out of worship as I want to.” “My needs
aren’t being met, so I’ll just stay home.” “Sunday is my only day off, & I don’t want to spend
it at church.” “That church is always asking for my money.”
G. Somebody says, “But following Jesus is about more than just going to church.” You’re right:
going to worship is minimal! And if you’re unwilling to do even that, what ARE you willing to
give up for Jesus?
4.
Here’s the point: Jesus is summoning you - ALL of us - to follow Him. To receive the gift of eternal
life, but also to be ready to give our lives for Him.
A. Even if you don’t end up dying for Jesus, it will still cost you something to follow Him.
B. It may cost you friendships, family relationships, your livelihood, your time - or even your very
life.
C. Jesus doesn’t want you to follow Him w/out realizing that. He wants you to “count the cost.”
D. Lk 14:33 - “So therefore any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my
disciple.”
E. We can’t be like the scribe who said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” But had no
idea where Jesus was going. “Foxes have holes. . .”
F. Or the man who said, “Lord, let first go & bury my father.” - “Follow me & leave the dead to
bury their own dead.” 1st things 1st! Jesus 1st! Jesus wants you to follow Him - but He wants
you to know what you’re getting into before you do. And if you already are, He wants to
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remind you that for a disciple, there are to be no limits on what we are willing to give up for
Him.
Do you hear His summons today? Ready to respond to that call? If so, then start by confessing Jesus &
being baptized into Him today - & see where all He will lead you!
Tommy South
Glen Allen Church of Christ
September 20, 2020
9
The Disciple’s Mission
(Gen. 12:1-3, Jn. 1:9-14, Matt. 28:16-20)
Like many of you, I was disappointed this Spring when “March Madness” was cancelled. (For those
who don’t know, “MM” = what basketball fans call the NCAA college basketball tournament that takes
place in March each yr. and decides the national championship. One of the biggest sporting events in the
world.)
A. I love basketball, & always look forward to “The Big Dance,” as it’s also called, & the excitement
of seeing who out of all the teams in the US comes out on top.
B. But can you imagine how dull basketball would be if there wasn’t a goal at each end of the court?
Think about it: 10 guys running around out there w/in a rectangle 94' x 50', passing the ball around,
blocking one another out - but no one ever shooting, b/c there’s no goal to shoot at.
C. The game is only exciting b/c there is an iron hoop at each end of the court, & everyone knows that
the object of the game is to get the ball through that hoop. W/out the goal, the game would be
nothing.
D. I wonder if basketball w/out a goal isn’t something like what God sees when He looks at His
church. Do we know what our goal is? Do we have a clearly-defined mission? Do we know what
we’re supposed to be about?
E. Or does God see a lot of activity with no particular mission in mind, & none ever fulfilled?
1.
When you read the Gospels, it isn’t hard to find out what the church’s Mission is.
A. Jesus made it clear at the outset as He began to call His 1st disciples: “Follow me, & I will
make you fishers of men” (Mt. 4:19). “Catching people” was the task to which they were
being called, & they knew it.
B. And that mission never changed: At the end of Matt’s Gos. Jesus says, “All authority in heaven
& on earth has been given to me. Go therefore & make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name for the Father & of the Son & of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I
have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (28:18-20).
C. The mission was - & is - disciple-making, proclaiming the gospel to the lost, baptizing them
into Jesus, & continuing to teach them as they grow toward spiritual maturity.
D. And that mission wasn’t “just for the apostles,” as some try to claim. Why? B/c Jesus said to
“teach them (i.e., the new disciples) to obey everything I have commanded you.” And that
includes teaching them/us to carry on the Mission.
E. So until Jesus comes again, this is what the church is supposed to be doing: making disciples,
who in turn make other disciples.
F. Note: That’s not just for missionaries, not just for preachers, not just for ‘gifted” evangelists it’s for the church, ALL of the church.
2.
But the church’s mission didn’t just start with the Great Commission. Rather, goes all the way back
to Abraham.
A. When you think of the church’s mission, it’s helpful to think of these 4 words: Abraham Jesus - Apostles - Church. (Repeat)
B. First, Abraham. Gen. 12:1-3.
(1) Note: Begins with a “calling”! - God told Ab to “Go from your country & your kindred &
your father’s house to the land that I will show you.”
(2) As with the apostles later, had to give up some things - in fact, everything that meant
anything to him: homeland, family, security of his “father’s house.” He would be on his
own with God.
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(3) Then, the Promises: “I will make of you a great nation. . . bless you & make your name
great...bless those who bless you... curse him who dishonors you.”
(4) Then, THE promise: “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
(5) Then in 22:18 He said it again: “In your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be
blessed, b/c you have obeyed my voice.” And again in 26:4 & 28:14!
(6) Ab’s descendants became the people of Israel, & God said to them, “I will make you a as a
light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Is. 49:6).
(7) Here’s the point: Ab & his descendants did not receive God’s blessings just in order to be
blessed people. Rather, to be a channel of God’s blessings to ALL people. That was always
God’s plan, going all the way back to Gen. 12:3.
C. Then, along comes Jesus.
(1) As Paul points out in Gal. 3:16, when God promised that all nations would be blessed
through his “offspring,” He spoke not in the plural, but in the singular.
(2) The entire nation was the vehicle for God’s blessings to flow to the nations, but there was
one particular “offspring” who would finally accomplish this on behalf of all - & that was
Jesus.
(3) Israel was to be a “light to the nations,” & when Jesus came, He was declared to be “the
true light, which gives light to everyone” (Jn. 1:9), & declared Himself to be “the Light of
the World,” & said, “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light
of life” (Jn. 8:12).
(4) The promise to Ab found its ultimate fulfillment in the death & Res of Jesus for our sins everybody’s sins. But God wasn’t finished yet.
D. Jesus gave the task of declaring the truth of His death & Res to the Apostles.
(1) Lk. 24:45-48. “Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, & said to them,
‘Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer & on the 3rd day rise from the dead, & that
repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations,
beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things’.”
(2) And that’s the story of the Book of Acts - the 1st preaching of Christ crucified & risen in
Jeru on Pentecost, then gradually spreading out to the Samaritans, & ultimately to the
Gentiles (“the nations”).
(3) The promise to Ab was taken a step further. “All nations,” no one excluded.
E. But what about the church? How do WE figure into this promise & fulfillment, & what does
that have to do with our Mission as disciples of Jesus?
(1) Back to Mt. 28:19-20. “Teach them to obey all that I have commanded you.”
(2) Task of taking the message to the whole world is now OURS.
(3) That - & nothing else - is our mission as disciples of Jesus.
(4) Sometimes hear it said that the “work of the church” is 3-fold: evangelism, benevolence, &
edification. - Wrong! Those are 3 aspects of the church’s ONE work: making disciples.
Everything else is part of that: showing God’s love by helping those in need, teaching &
building one another up in the faith, declaring the message fo Christ crucified to those who
don’t know it.
(5) It’s all part of the ONE mission - & anything that does advance that mission is NOT the
church’s business.
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The Disciple’s Rest
(Matthew 11:28-30)
We’ve recently begun thinking together about what it means to be disciples of Jesus. Not just “church
members,” not just people who “go to church,” but genuine followers of Jesus who imitate His life &
follow His teachings.
A. So far we have seen from Scripture that Jesus does not merely “invite” us to follow Him, He
summons us to follow Him. “Follow me” was His way of calling people to be disciples, & each of
us must make a decision whether or not to answer that call.
B. We’ve also seen that such discipleship is costly.
(1) The 1st disciples left their boats, their nets, their tax-collecting jobs, their families, & their
homes in order to be with Jesus.
(2) And Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, &
folow me.”
(3) And He also said, “whoever does not renounce all he has cannot be my disciple.”
C. In other words, following Jesus requires a radical reorientation of a person’s life, so that Jesus
becomes the center & everything else becomes secondary.
D. Here’s the Question: Why would anybody do that?? Why deny self & take up a cross (i.e., die if
necessary), put Jesus 1st & everything else in life second?
1.
The answer: b/c of what Jesus offers.
A. Probably the 1st thing we think about re what Jesus offers is salvation from sin, the opportunity
to go to heaven & be with God when we die.
B. And if that were all that Jesus offered, it would be enough, wouldn’t it? But Christianity isn’t
merely a “pie in the sky by & by when we die” religion. Not by any stretch.
C. B/c Jesus offers something wonderful now: He offers Rest!
D. Mt. 11:28-30. “Come to me, all who labor & are heavy laden, & I will give you rest. Take my
yoke upon you, & learn from me, for I am gentle & lowly in heart, & you will find rest for your
souls. For my yoke is easy & my burden is light.”
E. Says it twice: “I will give you rest.” “You will find rest for your souls.”
2.
What kind of “rest” is Jesus talking about?
A. V. 28 - “rest” from labors & heavy burdens.
B. V. 29 - “rest for your souls.”
C. Some suggest a better term than “rest” might be “refreshment” or “relief.” “You will find relief
for your souls,” Jesus said.
D. Anybody here need “relief” this morning? A better ques: Anybody here NOT need “relief” this
morning!?
E. It’s been a rough year for everybody: pandemic, civil unrest, economic hardship. We’ve all felt
the sting of those problems.
F. For some it’s been even more difficult: loss of jobs, loss of loved ones, medical diagnoses
nobody ever wants to hear, family strife, loneliness, isolation, fear of the future
G. Life often becomes exhausting, doesn’t it.
(1) It was the same in Jesus’ day. People lived mostly on the margins of survival, “daily
bread” was a constant worry, oppression by foreign powers & even by their own gov’t was
constant, there was no hope - none at all - for economic advancement - just for getting by
one more day. Lots of burdens!
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(2) And their religion didn’t help them much either. In Mt. 23 Jesus accused the religious
leaders of Judaism of “binding heavy burdens, hard to bear, & laying them on people’s
shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.”
(3) “How did they do that?” By making rules that were only burdensome, didn’t bring people
closer to God or help them through life. Their rules, not God’s.
(4) EX: 39 categories of forbidden activities on the Sabbath. Imagine you barely get by all
week, exhausted, then comes the Sab (which is supposed to be a day of “rest”), & you have
to be very careful not to break one of these nit-picky rules, or you’re on the outs with God.
Just makes life harder!
H. Jesus, on the other hand, says, “I will give you rest” (relief, refreshment). Following Him eases
those burdens.
3.
“How does that work? Does it mean Jesus-followers don’t have the same problems as other
people?”
A. No. It means you have His help in bearing them. Makes more difference than you might
imagine.
B. Ask some of these folks around you about the difference Jesus has made for them when faced
with burdens.
(1) Strength through prayer; knowledge & assurance of God’s presence & His love.
(2) Fellowship of other believers who have been through the same things, to give you courage
that you can overcome.
(3) The presence of God’s own Spirit living w/in you, to give a strength you can’t explain & a
“peace that passes all understanding.”
C. Greatest of all: the knowledge that your life is right with God, & that no matter what life throws
at you, you will eventually be at home with Him, & all will be well. There is relief, & there will
be relief!
D. Here’s where Jesus’ “yoke” was different from that of the Pharisees of His day.
(1) They said, “You have to get everything just right, or you can’t be right with God.”
(2) Jesus said, “God loves you & wants to save you & extends His grace to you, b/c He knows
you’ll never get it all right, no matter how hard you try.
E. The rabbis sometimes referred to the Law as a “yoke.” But they didn’t see it as a burden.
Rather, following God’s Law was the sure way to a blessed life - & they were right. It was later
that religious teachers began to contort the Law into something burdensome & hard for people
to bear.
F. Jesus has a yoke, too - but His is “easy” & “light.” Not that everything about living for Christ is
easy. Far from it. But it is w/out doubt the way to a blessed life - to eternal life with God. Note:
Jesus says, “Learn from me.” Learn His way, follow His way. Be blessed in following Him.
Remember, the most basic meaning of “disciple” is “one who learns.”
4.
There are lots of distortions of the Christian faith. One of the worst is the idea that becoming a
follower of Jesus is like volunteering to go to prison. That it’s a life of dullness & drudgery, rules &
regulations, joyless plodding through life while everyone else is having a good time.
A. Nothing could be further from the truth. B/c He is “gentle & lowly in heart,” He teaches us to
be that way & deals with us that way. He’s always there for us. The present is blessed & our
future is guaranteed. It’s a life of believing and living a message that is in every way “Good
News.” Following Jesus means we face life’s difficulties with the full assurance of divine help,
a help that will never fail us.
B. That’s why Jesus-followers are willing to deny self, take up a cross, & follow Him: B/c it’s the
only way to find the “rest” - the “relief” - that we all need & want.
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C. Part of that “relief” is God’s forgiveness, which is ours as soon as we begin to follow Jesus.
D. Saul of Tarsus was a driven man: driven to persecute the followers of Jesus b/c he was sure
Jesus was a fraud & a threat to his Jewish heritage. So he went from city to city to find Jesusfollowers & bring them back to Jeru in chains.
(1) On one such expedition, on the way to Damascus, he encountered Jesus, as the risen Lord
appeared to him, & let him know he had a mission for him. Blinded & afraid, he was led
into the city where he prayed for 3 days (begging God, I’m sure, not to destroy him
eternally).
(2) Finally a man named Ananias, a believer in Jesus, came to him & restored his sight & told
him what God had in mind: he was to spread the good news of Jesus to both Jews &
Gentiles. Became known as Paul the Apostle.
(3) Then Ananias said, “And now, why do you wait? Rise & be baptized & wash away your
sins, calling on His name.”
(4) Don’t you know Saul was relieved? Don’t you know his soul felt refreshed, as he realized
that God not only wasn’t going to destroy him, but actually wanted to forgive him & use
him in His service? Don’t you know that even though he bore his cross daily in serving His
Lord, he felt refreshed & relieved?
That same promise can be yours today. That same rest, that same relief. If you are ready to follow Jesus.
Tommy South
Glen Allen Church of Christ
October 5, 2020
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The Disciple’s Priorities
(Matt. 6:19-34)
In the Summer of 2016, my friend Mural Worthey & I were teaching at the Seoul Internatiional Bible
Institute in S. Korea. One day after classes had ended our host asked us if we would like to drive to
Inchon to see where Gen. Douglas McArthur made his famous landing on Sept. 15, 1950. That landing,
& the battle which followed, changed the course of the Korean War & led to the liberation of the city of
Seoul from Chinese Communist control.
A. Naturally, Mural & I were anxious to see this place, so we set out with Bro. Sang in his car, along
with a brother from India who had come to take the classes we were teaching.
B. Inchon is only about 25 mi. from Seoul, but b/c of traffic, it took us almost 2 hrs. to get there. We
stopped for dinner, then set out to find the location of McArthur’s landing.
C. For some reason we never understood, we ended up at an amusement park just before dark. Our
host seemed a bit unsure where the actual landing had taken place, so we ended up walking around
the park for almost an hour as he looked for it.
D. That was interesting in itself, since there were lots of Chinese tourists, as well as Koreans, there, &
many unusual sights. Only time I’ve ever seen dried octopus on a stick - & there were lots of
amusement rides and an entertaining musical show. But no landing site.
E. Finally, after wandering around the park, we walked out onto a jetty in the dark, and Sang pointed
across the bay and said, “The landing site is somewhere over there.” All we could see were a few
lights several miles away in the darkness across the water.
F. The distraction of the park had kept us from our goal: we never did see where McArthur landed, &
we never quite understood why.
1.
There are many distractions in life that can keep us from ever seeing the Kingdom of God, & Jesus
knew there would be.
A. That’s why, in the SM, He cautions all disciples - past, present, & future, to “seek 1st the
Kingdom of God & His righteousness.”
B. Otherwise, we can spend our entire lives wandering around, captivated by the sights of this
world, & miss the one thing that really matters: God’s kingdom, & being there in the presence
of our Lord.
C. And of all the distractions of this world, there is one that stands out above all others, one that is
a pitfall for every one of us, & one that will probably keep more people from following Jesus &
out of heaven than any other: Money.
D. It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor or somewhere in between, the lure of money affects us
all. Those who have it often can’t get enough of it. And those who don’t, think that if they can
only get more, they’ll be completely satisfied, but somehow never are.
E. No wonder Jesus spoke against the lure of money so often:
(1) The only recorded words of Jesus outside the Gospels are in Acts 20:35 - “It is more
blessed to give than to receive.”
(2) In the Goss, some of Jesus’ most memorable parables & experiences relate to $$: RYR,
Rich Fool, Par of Talents, Rich Man & Laz, Widow’s Mite.
F. All point to one inescapable conclusion: Jesus was deeply concerned about the attitude of His
followers toward money & possessions. Disciples can’t be consumed by a desire for $$!
2.
So Jesus said, “Don’t be distracted by money & all it can buy, b/c it’s a trap.” Why?
A. B/c it can’t deliver what it promises. - Vs. 19-21.
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(1) Mt. 13:22 - In Par of Sower, Jesus said the seed sown on “thorny” ground “is the one who
hears the word, but the cares of the world & the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, &
it proves unfruitful.”
(2) So Jesus says in 6:19, don’t accumulate treasures for yourself here on earth, but in heaven.
(3) Why? B/c “moth & rust destroy” & “thieves break in & steal.” I.e., it’s not permanent!
Besides, it can’t help you in eternity!
(4) EX: TV Ads: “Do you have enough to retire?” Ans: “How do you ever know??” Lots of
people who would have answered “yes” 7 mos. ago would have to say, “Absolutely not!”
now.
(5) Everything you can accumulate is subject to decay, theft, bad luck, the whims of the stock
market, the decisions of politicians, mismanagement, & a host of other factors.
(6) That’s why some of the wealthiest people I have ever known were also some of the most
miserable people I have ever known! Always worrying about securing what they have - yet
knew they could never be sure they had done enough or done the right things.
(7) But most of all, money can’t deliver heaven. And if you get everything else in the world,
but lose your soul for eternity, what have you gained? “What does it profit a man. . . ?”
(8) Jesus says in 6:21, “For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Note: NOT
“where you heart is, there will your treasure be,” but the reverse. Invest in heaven! Use
your financial resources to advance God’s kingdom, & that’s where you heart will be
permanently fixed.
B. B/c money can corrupt your whole outlook on life. Vs. 22-23.
(1) “The eye is the lamp of the body,” Jesus said. We have a saying that “The eyes are the
windows to the soul.” Not the same thing.
(2) Our saying has to do with looking w/in us; Jesus’ words are about how we look at life. The
eye is the “lamp” which illuminates whatever we’re looking at.
(3) If our “eye” is healthy, then the body will be full of light; but if not, then we will be filled
with darkness - & what a great darkness that is!
(4) EX: J. Paul Getty’s refusal to pay $17 million ransom for his grandson. Finally agreed to
$2.2 million, b/c that amt. was tax deductible. Loaned $800,000 (balance of negotiated
ransom) to his son to pay the rest, but at 4% interest.
(5) The point? Our attitude toward $$ & all it will buy determines the rest of our outlook on
life. If $$ is most important, we will look at everything - even the k’dom. - in terms of
financial profit. Greed affects your outlook on everything else.
(6) Impossible to be “greedy & loving,” or “greedy & generous,” or “greedy & concerned for
the lost.” Just won’t happen.
(7) EX: People who complain that “the church is always asking for money,” or “The church
spends too much on missions & on helping the poor.” Problem isn’t the church’s financial
practices, but the greed of the individual. Usually people who give very little if anything
toward Kingdom causes.
(8) “How great is the darkness!”
C. B/c it’s impossible to serve two masters. V. 24.
(1) Jesus just won’t let us wiggle out of the decision whether to serve Him or $$. “No man can
serve 2 masters.” No one!!
(2) Jesus’ ex is of a slave owned by 2 masters. Functionally, only ONE can be the master. If
they give conflicting orders, he has to make a choice: can’t serve both.
(3) What will decide his choice? Which one he loves. Can’t love both equally!
(4) “You cannot serve God & money” (Mammon - a catch-all term for money & possessions).
(5) We like to think we can. Tell ourselves we can. But when it comes to a decision of $$ or
the K’dom., $$ will win out every time!
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(6) Story of 2 little boys: “If you had $1 million, would you give me half?” “Sure, we’re pals.”
“If you had $1000. . .” “Sure.” “$100?” “Sure.” “$1?” - That’s not fair - you know I have a
dollar!”
(7) Is that how we treat God? “Lord, if I were to win the Publisher’s Clearing House
Sweepstakes, I’d personally support a missionary in some remote part of the world. . . help
feed hungry children. . . give generously at every opportunity.”
(8) Truth is, if not doing so now, you wouldn’t then either. Why? B/c you have the wrong
master! Mammon, not Jesus.
3.
Then starting in v. 25 Jesus gets to the underlying problem that makes us serve Mammon: lack of
trust.
A. We are “anxious” about life when we aren’t sure God is going to take care of us. So we worry
about food, clothing, & a host of other things - yet isn’t there more to life than that??
B. Does God care less about us than about birds & flowers - neither of which matter much in the
grand scheme of things?
C. Anxiousness over material things isn’t not a K’dom virtue! It is not a quality of a Disciple! In
fact, “the Gentiles (non-believers, people who don’t know God ) seek after all these things.”
D. What’s a disciple supposed to do? Here we’re back where we started: A disciple is supposed to
“seek first the kingdom of God & His righteousness, & all these things will be added to you.”
E. Gets to the heart of what being a “disciple” means: putting Jesus at the center of your life, &
everything else 2ndary.
F. EX: I have a former student who always closes his emails with the words, “Christ first.” And I
believe he means it. We should, too.
So if you want to be a disciple of Jesus, don’t waste your life wandering around in the “amusement
park.” It’s attractive, but it keeps you from getting where you want to be - where Jesus is, & where He
will be for all eternity - at the right hand of the Father.
Seek the K’dom. 1st, & the K’dom. is where you’ll be forever.
Tommy South
Glen Allen Church of Christ
October 11, 2020
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The Disciple’s Example
(Matt. 10:34-39)
“Follow me.” Two simple words Jesus said over & over in summoning people to become His disciples,
His followers. Not just “become religious” or “live by this set of rules,” but “Follow me.” But what do
these words mean?
A. In one sense, they mean “Go wherever I go.” Expressed in the hymn, “Footsteps of Jesus”: “If they
lead o’er the cold, dark mts., seeking His sheep, Or along by Siloam’s fountains, Helping the
weak.” And, “Where He leads I’ll follow.”
B. But in another sense, “Follow me” means “Do whatever I do.” It’s about taking Jesus as your
example, your role model for life, imitating Him in every possible way.
C. Remember, a disciple isn’t just a “learner,” but also an “imitator,” one who spends a lifetime
becoming more like his/her Lord.
D. As we live our lives of discipleship every day, we don’t have to wonder what those lives are
supposed to look like: they’re supposed to look like Jesus.
E. Easy enough to say in the general sense. But what was Jesus’ life like? Based on what we read
about Him in Scripture, what did He do that showed what was most important to Him, & should be
to us?
1.
W/out question, highest priority was putting God’s will 1st in His life.
A. “Wait a minute! I thought Jesus IS God. So how is it He had to ‘put God’s will 1st’?”
B. Yes, Jesus is God, one with the Father - but while on earth, He was also a man. And as a man,
needed to submit to the Father’s will, just as you & I do.
C. Jn. 4:34 - When Jesus’ disciples were urging Him to eat, He said, “My food is to do the will of
him who sent me & to accomplish His work.” 5:30 - “I seek not my own will but the will of
Him sent me.” 6:38 - “I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of
him who sent me.”
D. B/c of that, Jesus was obedient to the Father’s will. “Obedient even unto death,” Paul wrote,
“even the death of the cross.” Eventually prayed as He faced the Cross: “Not my will, but thine
be done.”
E. Demonstrated that obed., not just by dying, but by the way He lived.
(1) Was constantly seeking God in prayer. And taught His disciples to pray, “Thy kingdom
come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
(2) Worshiped the Father. Lk. 4:16 - “And he came to Naz, where he had been brought up.
And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day.” Habitually
worshiped the Father. Never an option for Him.
(3) Consciously followed the Scriptures God had revealed. When tempted, “It is written....”
At syn in Naz: Read from Is. 61, then: “Today this Scrip is fulfilled in your hearing.”
F. So a disciple will do as Jesus did, & always be seeking God, always ready to obey. Never a
chore or an inconvenience, but the source of life itself. The atmosphere we breathe.
2.
Jesus constantly showed Compassion to others.
A. Mt. 9:35-36. “And Jesus went throughout all the cities & villages, teaching in their synagogues
& proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom & healing every disease & every affliction. When he
saw the crowds, he had compasssion for them, b/c they were harassed & helpless, like sheep
w/out a shepherd.” 14:14 - Fdg. of 5000 occurred, b/c Jesus “had compassion” on the crowd
who were following Him, & knew they needed food.15:32 - Fdg. of 4000: “Then Jesus called
his disciples to him & said, ‘I have compassion on the crowd b/c they have been with me now 3
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days & have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on
the way.”
B. Lk. 7:13 - When Jesus entered Nain & saw a grieving widow whose only son had died, “he had
compassion on her,” & restored her son to life. Jn. 7 - Told woman caught in act of adultery,
“Neither do I condemn you; go & sin no more.”
C. In Jesus’ parables, some of the most memorable chars. Displayed the quality of compassion:
Prodigal Son: Father “saw him while he was a great way off & had compassion on him.” Good
Sam: Priest & Levite “passed by on the other side” from man beaten & robbed, but the
Samaritan, “when he saw him, he had compassion on him,” & took care of him.
D. Jesus spent His life on earth displaying compassion toward the sick, the bereaved, the
downtrodden, the abused, & the outcast. And if we are His disciples, our lives must be filled
with those same acts of compassion.
3.
Throughout His life, Jesus spoke the truth, even when it was not to His own advantage.
A. Jn. 1:14 - “Word” became flesh & dwelt among us, “full of grace & truth.” 8:40 - In conflict
with Jewish leaders: “If you were Ab’s children, you would be doing the works Ab did, but
now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.”
B. When Jesus stood before Pilate, could have saved His life by denying the charges against Him.
“Are you a king?” Refused to deny the truth, though would cost Him His life. And when Jesus
said, “I came to bear witness to the truth,” Pilate asked, “What is truth?”
C. Disciples have to likewise be people of truth - not just telling the truth of the gospel, but being
truthful people in all we do & say.
(1) Eph. 4:15 - We grow up in every way into him who is the head, in to Christ by “speaking
the truth in love.”
(2) Living in an untruthful world, one where people have no qualms telling a lie if it benefits
them in some way, or keeps them from being held accountable for their words or actions.
(3) Disciples can have no part in that! We must be people of truth always - whether it’s
speaking the truth re biblical doctrine or speaking the truth about our neighbor or our bro.
or sis. in Christ. The truth has to be always on our lips & in our hearts.
D. Not always easy, but always necessary. If not totally truthful people, can never point people to
Jesus - the Way, the Truth, & the Life.
4.
Jesus lived a life of Humility & Service to others.
A. In teaching the Philippian church to “seek not only (their) own interests, but also the interests
of others,” Paul said this re Jesus: “Though he was in the form of God, (he) did not count
equality with God a thing to be grasped; but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,
being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by
becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:5-8).
B. And when 2 of His closest disciples tried to secure for themselves positions of prominence,
Jesus said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, & their great ones
exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among
you must be your servant, & whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the
Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, & to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mt.
20:25-28).
C. Notice: Jesus’ humble service was all about “seeking & saving the lost.” That’s why He came,
according to His own words.
D. And that’s why, as Jesus’ disciples, we are not fully disciples until we’re engaged in that effort
with Him. Our task, according to the Great Commission.
(1) There are lost people all around us. Blinded by sin, trapped by circumstances they have
created for themselves b/c they don’t know God, deceived by the evil one & by the world.
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(2) The greatest service we can render to them is to let them know about the love of God
shown in the Cross of Christ.
(3) And if we find it hard to do that, it’s a sign we need to do what Jesus did: humble ourselves
& become servants to those around us.
5.
Make no mistake: being like Jesus isn’t easy, & it comes at a price.
A. That price is Suffering, just as Jesus suffered.
(1) Simply can’t live a Godly life in a God-less world w/out it.
(2) If you put God’s will 1st, spend your life showing compassion to others, are always
truthful, & live a life of humility & service, seeking to bring others to the Savior, you
WILL suffer. Not all the time, but it will happen.
(3) We have to rid ourselves of the unbiblical notion that following Jesus means everything
will go just right for you. Easy to see why that appeals, but it’s just wrong!
(4) How can you expect to follow One described as “the Suffering Servant” w/out suffering
yourself?
B. Remember that day when Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” And Peter got
it right when he said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
(1) Right after that, Jesus for the 1st time foretold His death & Res. He was the Messiah, but a
suffering, dying Messiah.
(2) Then He told them how to follow a suffering, dying Messiah: “If anyone would come after
me, let him deny himself & take up his cross & follow me.” (Mt. 16:24).
C. “Following Him” means things aren’t always going to go as you might like in this world. But
remember: they didn’t always go as Jesus would have liked either.
D. 1 Pet. 2:21-24. After telling Christians to be ready to suffer when necessary, “For to this you
have been called, b/c Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might
follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was
reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued
entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree,
that we might die to sin & live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you
were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd & Overseer of your souls.”
E. And Paul told the Roman Christians, “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back
into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba!
Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, & if
children, then heirs - heirs of God & fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in
order that we may also be glorified with him” (Rom. 8:15-17).
F. Don’t miss that last phrase: “in order that we may also be glorified with him.” The suffering is
real, but Paul says it’s more than worth it. In fact, there’s no comparison betw it & what God
has in store for us in eternity.
“Follow me,” Jesus said. And He’s still saying it. And it still means the same things:
(1) “Go wherever I go.” Go to a lost & dying world & tell them about their Savior. Show them His
love through acts of service & compassion.
(2) “Do whatever I do.” Make my priorities your priorities. Be like me in every possible way including sharing my sufferings. B/c that’s what a disciple does. Not a “Jesus fan,” not
someone for whom Jesus is a hobby, or just a part of your family heritage or just a religious
habit - but a true disciple in every way.
Are you ready to follow Him?
Tommy South, Glen Allen Church of Christ, October 18, 2020
20
The Disciple’s Influence
(Matt. 5:1-16)
Last weekend I was watching an episode of “North Woods Law,” a real-life series which shows
conservation officers at work in New England. In this particular episode, two officers were sent out to
rescue 3 hikers who were stranded in the mts. of N. Hampshire. Had gone out for a day hike, but
darkness overtook them, & they became lost.
A. As it turned out, the officers found them pretty quckly, b/c they knew the trail the group had been
hiking, & it turned out that they were only a short distance off the trail when found.
B. But the problem was: No lights with them, so couldn’t tell when they had gotten off the trail, &
couldn’t see how to find their way back. They were lost in the darkness.
C. At the end, the 2 officers gave them a tip: In the future, no matter how long or briefly you plan to be
in the mts., take a flashlight with you.
D. Light makes all the difference in the world. Light will get you home.
1.
That’s why Jesus told His disciples in the SM, “Let your light shine before others, that that they
may see your good deeds & glorify your Father in heaven.”
A. In a darkened world, people need lights to show them the way to God. Can’t see it for
themselves. Vision is so clouded & confused, just groping in the darkness, unless someone
shows them the way.
B. Showing them the way is what disciples are supposed to do. But can’t just tell them the way;
have to demonstrate the way by the things we do as Jesus’ followers. Our task is both “tell” &
“show.”
C. Every day that we live, we have to be conscious of the influence we have on others, to be
certain it’s a positive one that will point them to God, not a negative one that will drive them
away or or an indifferent one that will just leave them helpless in their darkness.
D. Our ultimate goal: to bring glory to God. That’s how others will find their way home.
(1) Not about pointing to ourselves. Jesus covers that beginning in 6:1 - “Beware of practicing
your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have
no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”
(2) And He condemned the Pharisees b/c “They do all their deeds to be seen by others” (Mt.
23:5).
(3) What it IS about is not “making the light shine,” but “letting the light shine” so that others
will see that what we do we do for & b/c of God - & give Him glory b/c of it.
(4) Will most often happen when we are doing good things for other people. EX: Helping
orphanages in Ukraine: “Slava Bogu” - “Praise God.”
(5) No need to try to make our good deeds be seen. They will Be seen. 1 Tim. 5:24-25: “The
sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others
appear later. So also good works are conspicuous, & even those that are not cannot remain
hidden.” (The only 2 times the word “conspicuous” occurs in NT.)
(6) So you don’t have to “make” your good deeds show; just do them, & they will show. And
God will be glorified.
(7) Just let your light shine.
2.
But letting the light shine isn’t just about what we do, it’s about who we are.
A. Back up to Mt. 5:1-2. “Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, & when he sat down,
his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth & taught them, saying....”
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B. So Jesus is talking to His disciples. Now, 7:28 shows that “the crowds” were also listening, &
were astonished at what Jesus said. But his “target audience” wasn’t the crowds; it was His
disciples. The SM is a “guidebook” for the lives of disciples.
C. Then pronounces the Beatitudes on them: “Blessed are...the poor in spirit, those who mourn,
the meek, those who hunger & thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the
peacemakers, those persecuted for righteousness’ sake, & the disciples when reviled &
persecuted & slandered.”
D. Then He describes such people as “Salt” & “Light.” Not surprising, b/cbwhat both Salt & Light
have in common is that they are different from everything else around them. That’s what makes
them useful & valuable.
E. In the same way, what makes us useful & valuable as disciples is when we live differently from
others, the way described in the SM - not just to be different, but to be like Jesus & to bring
glory to God.
F. The Beatitudes are a sort of Introduction to the Life of a Disciple - then vs. 13-16 are a kind of
“Bridge” betw them & the rest of the SM. But the whole SM is how we should live in order to
“let the light shine.”
G. But Jesus summarizes it with 2 Metaphors: Salt & Light. Let’s think about each of those for a
few minutes.
3.
“You are the salt of the earth.”
A. Salt was a valuable commodity in ancient times. Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in salt.
(“He isn’t worth his salt.”) Wars were fought over access to salt deposits.
B. Why? B/c not only a seasoning for food, but also b/c a food preservative in a time when there
was no refrigeration.
C. How does that describe disciples? B/c we are to penetrate this world & be an influence for
good, to help slow the rottenness & decay of the world & its values by calling people to a better
way.
D. That means we have to be engaged with the world - not hiding from it, but in the midst of it,
pointing to Jesus.
E. But the temptation to hide rather than to engage is a strong one, & Jesus addresses it: “If salt
has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?”
(1) Word for “lost its taste” is literally, “has become foolish.” A saltless church is a
contradiction in terms.
(2) EX: Ever heard of Lawrence Wahlstrom? A retired clock maker who, in 1948 began
construction of an amazing piece of machinery. Used parts from a WW2 Norden bomb
sight, a slot machine, & the oil pump from a motorcycle (among others) - & over a 15-yr
period built what he called the “Do Nothing Machine.” About 3 ft. tall, lots of gears,
chains, pulleys, & cams. Produces lots of motion as it rotates on its base. But it does
absolutely nothing! Just a conversation piece. (Now in Museum of Craftsmanship,
Carlsbad, CA).
(3) That’s not supposed to be the church!
(4) But if we are ”unsalty” disciples, who hide out from the world around us, who are no
different from the world around us, who love the same things the world loves & lives by its
standards vs. the standards of the kingdom, we’ve become a “Do-Nothing Machine.”
(5) Too often the church tries to imitate the world. Rather than proclaiming the gospel,
providing entertainment & all kinds of enjoyable activities (“ministries”) - i.e., all of the
things the world does! Lose our distinctiveness & lose sight of our purpose.
(6) Note; “Not good for anything except to be thrown out & trampled under people’s feet.” A
warning against “saltless” discipleship!
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(7) Bottom Line: If we don’t maintain our distinctive nature, & seek to impact the world, we
are of no value to the Kingdom.
4.
“You are the light of the world.”
A. Think about it: If disciples of Jesus aren’t actively showing this darkened world the way out of
its sin & confusion, what hope is there for the world?
B. So what do you do with a light? You lift it up, where it can give light to “all in the house.”
What you don’t do is hide it! Makes no sense to have light, but not use it. EX: Traveling in
Ukraine in early 90s. Always made sure I had a good flashlight that would stand up on its own
b/c of frequent power outages. Needed to illuminate the entire room.
C. The great thing about light is, no matter how dense the darkness, even the tiniest bit of light can
penetrate it. EX: Power outage during Bible study; John Ricke’s small flashlight. Wasn’t much,
but it was enough!
D. Again, hiding the light is out of the question. D. Bonhoeffer: “Flight into the invisible is a
denial of the call. A community of Jesus which seeks to hide itself has ceased to follow him”
(quoted in J.R.W. Stott, The Sermon on the Mount: Christian Counter-Culture.)
E. D.A. Carson agrees: “It is impossible to follow the norms of the kingdom in a purely private
way”
F. Same could be said for the individual disciple as for the church as a whole: If we try to keep
our discipleship invisible, that just means it isn’t really there.
G. Note: Jesus didn’t say, “You have the light of the world,” but “You ARE the light of the
world.”
H. So all we have to do is “let the light shine.” Don’t have to “make” it shine - it will do that by its
nature. Just don’t hide it. Don’t get in the way, & don’t let anything else get in the way.
I. Our light “shines” when we do “good works,” Jesus says.
(1) Good works have gotten a bad rap in a lot of circles. People think of “works” vs. “faith,” &
works lose out.
(2) It’s not either/or - it’s both/and, as James makes clear: “Faith w/out works is dead.”
(3) Paul said the same (& he’s the champion of grace-&-faith): Told Titus to “Show yourself
in all respects to be a model of good works” (Tit. 2:7).
(4) In 3:1 he said, “Remind them to be submissive to rulers & authorities, to be obedient, to be
ready for every good work.”
J. It doesn’t have to be something spectacular to bring glory to God. In fact, it’s usually in the
small things we do just to bless someone else’s life. Things like changing a flat tire or preparing
a dish of food or sending a card or welcoming a stranger or volunteering for a project others
may not want to do. And it’s always about telling someone about Jesus.
K. Just think of the things others have done that caused you to thank God for them, & go & do
likewise. That’s all. It’s not complicated.
But it is important. In fact, it’s necessary. B/c that’s what disciples do. Every day is a new opportunity to
do something for someone else that will be a blessing to them & cause them to give glory to God b/c of
you. And you can’t do anything more important with your time than that.
So when you get up in the morning, remind yourself: “I am salt, & I am light. It’s my job to make this
world a better place by following Jesus. And when I do, God will be glorified - & that IS my
occupation.” Why? “B/c I am a disciple of Jesus.”
Tommy South
Glen Allen Church of Christ, October 25, 2020
23
The Disciple’s Warfare
(Ephesians 6:10-20)
Tuesday is Election Day, & I’m not sure anybody is actually looking forward to it. This election is in
some ways an eruption of what has been described as the “culture wars” that have been going on for
several years now in our country. It isn’t a happy time, as there is so much strife, bitterness, &
polarization going on.
A. In the midst of it all, what’s a Christian supposed to do? How should we respond, not just as citizens
of the U.S., but as citizens of God’s kingdom, as disciples of Jesus?
B. Do we just stay out of it? Take care not to discuss our own beliefs with anyone in order to keep
peace? Let everyone just think whatever they’re going to think w/out challenging their ideas?
C. Or do we get in there & mix it up with them, argue our case, & express our own beliefs & opinions,
just like everyone else? Do we join in the battle and do all we can to see that the right side wins?
1.
In thinking about that, we should remember first that the Bible often speaks of our service to Christ
in terms of a battle, a conflict.
A. Did you notice all of the language of conflict in Jesus’ instructions to the 12 in Matt. 10?
(1) “Sheep in midst of wolves”
(2) You will be “dragged before govs. & kings for my sake”
(3) “You will be hated by all for my name’s sake”
(4) “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master”
(5) “Do not think I have come to bring peace to the earth. . . not peace, but a sword.”
B. And Paul is very fond of using military imagery:
(1) He told Timothy to “fight the good fight of the faith,” & to “Be a good soldier” (1 Tim.
6:12, 2 Tim. 2:3)
(2) Toward the end of his life he said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I
have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7).
(3) In response to accusations that he “walked according to the flesh,” he said, “For though we
walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our
warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy
arguments & every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, & take every
thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:3-5).
(4) In Phil. 2:25 he spoke of Epaphroditus as “my brother & fellow worker & fellow soldier.”
(5) Philemon 2 - greets “Archippus, our fellow soldier.”
C. It’s clear that Paul saw himself as part of an army, one at war with the forces of evil, & that he
urged others to be part of that army, too.
D. If we’re going to follow Jesus, according both to our Lord & to His servant Paul, we have to be
ready for a struggle, for warfare.
2.
Nowhere is this more evident than in Eph. 6:10-20, where Paul urges us to “take up the whole
armor of God.”
A. This Paul’s final admonition to the Ephesians, after stating in chaps 1-3 all of the blessings
that are ours in Christ, & emphasizing that our salvation is not our own doing but is by grace
through faith, & that we should therefore walk in a manner worthy of our calling by being
united in our common faith.
B. 6:10 - “Finally, be srong in the Lord & in the strength of his might.”
(1) Note: “Be strong” = lit., “be made strong in the Lord.”
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C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
(2) Point is not to brace ourselves & use all of our strength, but to submit ourselves & use all
of the strength which God supplies: “in the strength of His might.”
(3) Paul had learned that from his own struggles: “When I am weak, then am I am strong” (2
Cor. 12:10)
(4) 1st thing a disciple has to know re spiritual warfare is that we are not able to wage it
ourselves.
That’s why we need the “armor” Paul talks about.
Notice that affirms that we DO have an “enemy.”
(1) V. 11 “...that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
(2) “Devil” means “adversary,” “opponent.”
(3) 1 Pet. 5:8 - “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a
roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
(4) “But I don’t believe in the devil!” - Better rethink that, b/c he certainly believes in YOU!
And getting you to not believe in him is one of his greatest weapons against you. So,
you’re playing right into his hands. EX: Ignoring a scouting report when about to face an
opponent in the most important contest of your life.
(5) Besides, Jesus believed in him: Tempted by him in wilderness; said at judgment those who
haven’t obeyed Christ will be sent “to the eternal fire prepared for the devil & his angels”;
told the unbelieving Jewish opponents, “You are of your father the devil.”
(6) Paul obviously believed in him: Eph 4:27 - “give no opportunity to the devil”; said an elder
can’t be a recent convert, “Or he may become puffed up with conceit & fall into the
condemnation of the devil.”
Then notice 6:12 - “For we do not wrestle against flesh & blood, but against the rulers, against
the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
(1) IMPORTANT: We are engaged in a war, but it’s not against other people! Rather, it’s
against the forces of evil that hold people captive! Important to know the difference.
(2) As Darrell Bock puts it, “people are not our opponent but rather our goal.” (“We Need to
Reset the Rules of Cultural Engagement,” CT Pastors, Oct. 15, 2020)
(3) Remember Jn 3:16? “God so loved the world” - & we’re supposed to love the world, too!
Not the sin & ungodliness of the world, but the people - realizing they are just like us sinners in need of redemption.
(4) So we can’t just label everyone we disagree with or don’t like as the “bad guys” & w/draw
from them; our task is to engage them & both show & tell them of God’s love.
(5) As Peter put it, “In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to
make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it
with gentleness & respect” (1 Pet. 3:15).
(6) Remember that our task is to be disciples who make disciples, & we can only do that if we
reach out to those around us - to everyone around us. That’s our mission as disciples!
(7) So we need to see others as people with the potential to be drawn to God, not as “hopeless
cases.” Also, to see ourselves, as Bock describes, not as an “invading army,” but as a
rescue mission.
(8) Conflict with others sometimes arises b/c they don’t know they need to be rescued. Put up
resistance. Requires patience on our part.
At the same time, we’re being rescued ourselves! Our struggle isn’t just with others not in
Christ, but to keep Satan from pulling us back into the world. So, “fighting” on 2 fronts!
That’s where the “armor” comes in: 6:13 - “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you
may be able to withstand in the evil day, & having done all, to stand firm.”
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(1) Anybody have any doubts that we’re living in “the evil day”? There’s a sense in which all
days are evil, but some times are more evil than others, more stressful, more anti-God &
anti-faith.
(2) What Paul says applies ALL the time, to ALL the “evil days” of our lives. We always need
the “whole armor of God.”
(3) Why? So you can “stand.” - Notice Paul mentions “standing” 4 times: vs. 11 (“stand
against the schemes of the devil”); v. 13 (“that you may be able to withstand in the evil
day”); V. 13 again (“having doe all, to stand firm”); & v. 14 (“Stand therefore, having....”)
(4) “Stand & do what??” - Stand & remain faithful to Christ. Stand up for what you believe.
Stand up in the face of opposition & adversity. Stand up & be counted as one who is a
disciple of Jesus & not ashamed of it. Stand firm so you can be one who rescues others.
(5) All the parts of the “armor” (Grk. panoplia - “panoply” in the old hymn) are absolutely
necessary in order for us to “stand.” Term includes both defensive “armor” & offensive
“weapons” (“the sword of the Spirit”).
(6) Paul’s warning: “Don’t go into battle unarmed!”
3.
At the same time, we need to be continually in prayer.
A. I’ve never been in physical combat, but I would imagine a lot of praying goes on there, even by
folks who don’t normally pray. EX: My uncle Dan, when captured behind enemy lines in
WWII. Thought he would be shot next day. “I did business with my Maker all that night.”
B. V. 18 - “Praying at all times in the Spirit.” Why? Always in danger!
(1) “Praying in the Spirit” doesn’t mean “in a tongue” or some kind of ecstascy. Just means
praying as the Spirit directs, praying with reliance on the Spirit’s intercession, praying with
the full knowledge that the Spirit is w/in us.
(2) Pray that way “at all times. . . with all prayer & supplication... making supplication for all
the saints, & also for me.”
(3) Not just praying for ourselves & our own spiritual strength (but certainly must do that), but
for “all the saints” (believers everywhere).
(4) “And also for me.” Even Paul, spiritual giant that he was, knew that he needed the prayers
of other believers.
C. Think about it: If you are in a war, you don’t just pray for your own survival; you pray for the
whole army, b/c your success depends to some extent on theirs.
D. Remember in our study of the Lord’s Prayer: “Deliver us from evil”?
(1) Pointed out that “evil” has a definite art. in front of it: “the evil.” Probably should be
translated “the evil one.”
(2) Don’t you think Paul had that in mind when he wrote Eph. 6? We all need to be praying for
deliverance from the evil one, b/c evil is all around us, & it’s “the evil one” who is our
enemy.
So as our society becomes more polarized, & as the struggle betw good & evil seems to intensity,
recognize that you - like all disciples - have a part to play in the warfare. Not so much the “culture
wars,” but the spiritual warfare that is going on 24x7, every day of every year. It isn’t just about 2020.
It’s about eternity. “Fight the good fight of the faith.” Don’t give in to “the enemy.” But be sure to love
your enemies. It’s what disciples do.
Tommy South
Glen Allen Church of Christ
November 1, 2020
26
The Disciple’s Righteousness
(Psalms 18:20-27)
As disciples of Jesus, I think we sometimes get a bit confused about “righteousness,” & whether or not
we can actually be “righteous.”
A. On the one hand, there are verses such as Rom. 3:10 (quoting Ps 14) which says, “None is
righteous, no, not one.” And Jesus’ statement, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners, to
repentance” (Mt 9:13), & we know we’re all sinners.
B. From these, we get the distinct impression that righteousness is beyond all of us, that none ever
attain it.
C. On the other hand, Lk 1:6 describes Eliz & Zech, the parents of Jbap, as “both righteous before
God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments & statutes of the Lord.” And Jas 5:16 says,
“The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working,” & we wonder why Jas would
say that, if no one can ever be righteous.
D. Our confusion has caused us to sometimes think of discipleship & of the church in some less-thanaccurate ways.
(1) Often hear that the church is “not a museum for saints, but a hospital for sick souls.”
(2) But as Richard Oster points out, people don’t go to hospitals to remain perpetually sick, but
rather to get well. So, the “hospital theology” is far from a perfect analogy though some truth in
it.
E. So are we perpetually sick spiritually, always worthless, always falling short - or is it possible for us
to be genuinely righteous?
F. It turns out that as disciples, we are to have 2 kinds of righteousness:
1.
The 1st is what theologians like to call “imputed righteous ness.” (Not a Bible term, but a biblical
doctrine.)
A. Imputed righteousness = the righteousness we receive as a gift of God’s grace b/c of our faith
in His Son Jesus. A righteousness we can’t get for ourselves. A perfect righteousness not
attainable by us.
B. B/c “none is righteous, no, not one,” we have to receive God’s righteousness as a gift;
otherwise hopelessly lost.
(1) What Isaiah was talking about in Is. 61:10 - “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul
shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has
covered me with the robe of righteousness.”
(2) Rom. 4:3 (echoing Gen 15:6) - “Ab believed God, & it was counted to him as
righteousness.” I.e., God credited his faith to him as though it were righteousness. His gift,
based on Ab’s faith.
(3) Rom 9:30-31. “What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness
have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law
that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law.” Why? “B/c didn’t
pursue it by faith.”
(4) Phil 3:7-9. “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I
count everything as loss b/c of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For
his sake I have suffered the loss of all things & count them as rubbish, in order that I may
gain Christ & be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the
law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends
on faith.”
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C. That’s why Paul declares that “it is by grace that you have been saved through faith, & this is
not your own doing, it is the gift of God.” Couldn’t be Jesus’ disciples otherwise. His gift of
righteousness is our only hope.
D. Imputed righteousness is like having someone throw you a life preserver when you’re
drowning. No other hope but to grab hold & not let go. Not your doing, but something given to
you.
2.
But there is another kind of righteousness that IS our own doing: being righteous by doing righteous
things.
A. It simply isn’t the case that we have nothing to do with our own righteousness, or that we are
incapable of being righteous. As disciples of Jesus, we are not called to be passive when it
comes to righteousness.
B. Obviously, can’t be perfect, but Scripture speaks of righteous people, & they obviously weren’t
perfect either.
C. Have already mentioned Eliz & Zech, but there are others:
(1) Mk 6:20 - Herod “feared John, knowing that he was a righteous & holy man.”
(2) Lk 2:25 - the elderly prophet Simeon who was privileged to see the infant Christ is
described as “righteous & devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, & the Holy spirit
was upon him.”
(3) Lk 23:50 - Jos of Arimathea - “a member of the council, a good & righteous man.”
(4) Heb 11:4 - “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through
which he was commended as righteous.”
(5) 1 Jn 3:7 - “Let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is
righteous.”
D. Let’s look at a few texts in more detail:
(1) Ps 18:20-27. Coming from a NT perspective, probably find this one a little disturbing:
“The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness...the LORD has rewarded me
according to my righteousness.” David clearly saw self as a righteous man. Why? B/c
perfect? No, b/c “all his rules were before me, & his statutes I did not put away from me.”
He acted righteously.
(2) Mt 5:19-20. “Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments &
teachers others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever
does them & teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you,
unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes & Pharisees, you will never enter the
kingdom of heaven.”
a. Obviously not talkign re “imputed” rt’ness, since emphasizes “doing” the
commandments.
b. Goes on to give the “Antitheses”: “You have heard that it was said. . . but I say to
you.”
c. Point? Jesus’ disciples are to be righteous, not by keeping God’s commandments on
some surface level, but by realizing the intent of them: not murdering/not even being
angry; not committing adultery/not even lusting; not “divorcing according to the
letter”/not divorcing at all; not swearing falsely/not swearing at all, etc.
d. Perfection? No - but practicing what Jn calls “walking in the light,” so that even when
we sin, we repent & find forgiveness & wholeness all over again. 1 Jn 1:7. We can
walk in the light. God expects us to.
(3) 2 Tim 3:16-17. “All Scripture is breathed out by God & profitable for teaching, for reproof,
for correction, & for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete,
equipped for every good work.”
a. One of functions of Scrip = to “train us in rt’ness.”
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How else do we know what “rt’ness” looks like?? Certainly from our culture; not from
history of people of Israel; not even from history of the church!
c. The Bible tells us what righteousness looks like; when we follow it & do it, we are
“trained in ritness.”
(4) Rev 19:6-8. “Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of
many waters & like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! For the
Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice & give him the glory, for the marriage of
the Lamb has come, & his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe
herself with fine linen, bright & pure’ - for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the
saints.”
a. The “Bride” of Christ = His church, His disciples.
b. They are “clothed with fine linen,” which the mighty voice says is “the righteous
deeds of the sts.”
c. So what are disciples supposed to be doing as we live out our time here on earth,
awaiting Christ’s return?
d. Simple: “Righteous deeds.” Whatever we read in Scrip that is right to do; good deeds,
deeds of kindness, deeds that reflect God’s glory & not the soiled deeds that reflect
this fallen world.
b.
3.
What does all of this tell us re discipleship?
A. First, that we are privileged to be “clothed with righteousness” by God’s grace, b/c we do
believe in & follow Jesus. We have been given that which we could never attain for ourselves.
B. Second, that we shouldn’t wallow in our sinfulness, always thinking of ourselves as people who
are incapable of doing good & of being righteous. We ARE capable of righteousness; it’s part
of our calling as disciples.
C. Third, that we should seek to be actively righteous by doing good deeds, at the same time that
we have been made righteous by what Jesus has done. It’s not one or the other; it’s both!
D. Fourth, that it’s wrong to make excuses for ourselves & our failings by declaring that we “just
can’t be righteous.” Not so!
(1) We are called to follow Jesus Christ the Righteous One, & we can only do that by being
righteous ourselves.
(2) When we fail, we repent - we don’t make excuses - & we determine to do better, b/c we
know that we are to “walk in the light as He is in the light,” that Scrip “trains us in
righteousness,” & that God has saved us by His grace, but that He has also prepared good
works that we are to “walk in” as part of our service to Christ.
When you become a disciple of Jesus by trusting in Him, repenting & being baptized, then He will give
you “the righteousness that comes from faith in Christ.” In God’s sight you will be pure & clean. Then,
up to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to live a righteous life, seeking to glorify God by the good
deeds that you do day by day.
Start today by being baptized into Christ & receive His gift of rt’ness. Contniue every day by being the
righteous person God has called you to be.
Tommy South, Glen Allen Church of Christ, November 8, 2020
Note: This sermon draws heavily on a chapel presentation given by Dr. Richard E. Oster, Jr. at the
Harding School of Theology on March 28, 2019. Available on Youtube, “Dr. Richard Oster in Chapel:
Christian Righteousness?”
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The Disciple’s Resources
(Mark 6:30-44)
Jesus needed some rest, & so did His disciples. The 12 had just returned from being sent out to preach
the kingdom & heal the sick (we don’t know for how long), & probably needed some time to process all
they had experienced. Jesus had only recently learned of the death of His cousin & forerunner, Jbap, &
was undoubtedly grieved by the news. And so many people had been coming & going they didn’t even
have tme to eat.They all just needed to get away for a while.
A. So they got back in their boat & went away to a “desolate place” (ESV). Word more literally means
“deserted” - not a wasteland, just a place where there weren’t any people.
B. Only b/c of Jesus coming there, there were. Lots of them. Mk says “many” from a number of towns
recognized them in their boat & ran ahead to intercept them when they landed.
C. So by the time Jesus & the 12 went ashore, it was a “great crowd.”
D. Tired as He was, Jesus couldn’t turn them away, b/c “they were like sheep w/out a shepherd.”
Looking for spiritual direction, but their sp’l. leaders were too busy worrying over the finer points
of the Law to pay any attn to their needs. So they were shepherdless, even though life was tearing
them apart. And He “had compassion” on them.
E. So Jesus taught them “many things.” Other Goss say He also healed their sick.
F. It had been a long day, & now was growing late, & the disciples decided both they & Jesus had had
enough: “Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside & villages & buy themselves
something to eat.”
1.
And that’s when it happened: Jesus gave them an assignment that must have seemed impossible:
“You give them something to eat.”
A. The 12 were astonished: V. 44 says there were 5000 men alone in that crowd, not counting the
women & children (Matt.). 200 denarii (8 mos. wages for a laborer) wouldn’t even be enough
for all of them to get a mouthful, & it’s unlikely the disciples had anywhere near that much
money among them. He can’t be serious!
B. So Jesus sends them to take inventory: How much food is available? “Go & see.” Before they
declare the mission impossible, they need to take stock.
C. Report is pretty bleak: 5 loaves & 2 fish. (Jn says all of this from one young boy.) Apparently
no one else had thought to pack a lunch in their excitement over seeing Jesus.
D. So Jesus told them to sit down in groups of 50 & 100 “on the green grass” (clearly an eyewitness remembrance).
E. Took the 5 loves & 2 fish, looked up to heaven, said a blessing, & broke the loaves & gave
them to the 12 to give to the people. Then divided up the 2 fish also.
F. And an amazing thing happened: “They all ate & were satisfied.” Nobody went w/out, nobody
went home hungry. Everybody got fed with as much as they wanted.
G. In fact, the disciples were able to take up 12 baskets full of leftovers!
2.
Such an amazing event, that this miracle = the only one recorded by all 4 of the NT Goss. Means it
must have had special significance.
A. Possibly b/c it affected so many people. We call it “the feeding of the 5000,” but more likely
10-15,000! Would have been lots of eyewitnesses to Jesus’ power.
B. But you have to wonder how many of the 5000+ actually saw what had happened or were
aware that a miracle had taken place. In a crowd that size, how many actually knew that the
meal originally consisted of just 5 loves & 2 fish?
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(1) And how many realized that the food they were handed by the 12 just kept miraculously
being re-supplied?
(2) We know some did, b/c Jn 6:14 says, “When the people saw the sign that had been done,
they said, ‘This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!’”
(3) Probably reminded them of OT accounts such as the story of Elijah & the widow whose jar
of oil just kept being supplied as long as she was providing for God’s prophet (1 Ki 17), &
Elisha & the widow who was able to keep filling up jars with oil out of her one jar, so she
could sell them to support herself & her son (2 Ki 4).
(4) And everybody knew that Elijah was somehow going to be associated with the coming of
the Messiah (Mal. 4:5). So maybe this is it! Maybe this is He!
C. But it turns out the miracle wasn’t for the benefit of the crowd so much as it was for the 12
themselves.
(1) They were the ones who had identified the problem: “a desolate place; hour is now late.”
(2) They were the ones who thought they knew the obvious solution: “Send them away.”
(3) They were the ones challenged by Jesus: “You give them something.”
(4) They were the ones instructed to take stock of their resources & see what they had to work
with.
(5) They were the ones given the task of distributing the food to the crowds.
(6) And when it was all over, it’s no accident there were “12 baskets full of broken pieces & of
the fish.”
(7) Why “12"? Obviously, one for reach apostle.
D. Jesus wanted all of them to get the message: No matter what He might send them out to do, no
matter how limited their resources might seem to be, no matter how incapable they might feel Jesus would make them able to do it if they only trusted Him & followed His directions!
E. A message they would need very soon, when Jesus sent them out to “go & make disciples of all
nations.”
(1) Just the 12 of them - but empowered by His Spirit, they could do it!
(2) Must have thought back many times to that day beside the Sea of Galilee when Jesus said,
“You give them something to eat.” And they did.
3.
You & I weren’t there, but if this episode had such importance for the 12, it must have a similar
importance for us as Disciples today.
A. When we are confronted by a seemingly impossible task, what should do?
B. Especially, our task as disciples to make disciples - same one Jesus gave to the 12, now passed
on to us.
C. Especially now, when there is so much secularism & evil & opposition to truth - yet the
Commission remains the same.
D. For many - perhaps most - of us, seems like an impossibility. “Me?” “Us?” We start thinking
of all of our limitations. “So few of us.” “Our resources are so limited.” “Such a big world.”
“So much opposition & unbelief.” “I don’t know how!” Find selves wanting to say, “Just send
them away!”
E. In the face of a needy world, dying to hear the message we know, our tendency is to count our
loaves & fishes & declare, “It can’t be done - at least, not by me! Not by us!”
4.
So when we’re feeling that way about the assignment Jesus has given us, what should we do?
A. First, we should take stock of our resources.
(1) That’s what Jesus told the disciples to do in v. 38: “How many loaves do you have? Go
and see.”
(2) Purpose? Two-fold:
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a.
First, to show that we DO have something to work with. God always richly supplies
resources to His people to do His work. Ques then is, are we using our resources for
His work? – See Rom. 12 & 1 Pet 4. – All have gifts!
b. Second, to impress upon us how inadequate our resources - by themselves - are. Not
something WE can do.
B. Next, present those resources to Jesus for His blessing.
(1) V. 41 - Jesus took those 5 loaves & 2 fish & “looked up to heaven & said a blessing &
broke the loaves & gave them to the disciples.”
(2) Once Jesus had blessed them, put them back in the disciples’ hands. Their mission to carry
out; but can only be done with His blessing.
(3) Have you done that with your life? “Lord, it isn’t much, but all that I am & all that I have, I
commit to you for your blessing & your use.
C. Then, be confident that whatever resources God places in our hands, they will, with His
blessing be sufficient to meet the need.
(1) V. 42 - “All ate & were satisfied.”
(2) Then - v. 43 - 12 baskets of leftovers! Never forget that part of the story: not just “enough,”
but MORE than enough!
(3) 2 Cor. 9:8 & 10. Talking about giving, but applies to much more as well: “And God is able
to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you
may abound in every good work...He who supplies seed to the sower & bread for food will
supply & multiply your seed for sowing & increase the harvest of your righteous ness.”
(4) Never forget: There isn’t anything God wants the church to do that He doesn’t give us the
resources to do.
D. Finally, be careful that hardness of heart doesn’t keep us from acting in faith.
(1) V. 52 - The “after-story” to the Fdg of the 5000.
(2) Beginning in v. 45, just after the Fdg., Jesus makes the 12 get into the boat, planning to
meet them on the other side of the lake after He went up on a mt. to pray.
(3) That night, He saw that they were “making headway painfully, for the wind was against
them.”
(4) So, came walking to them on the water. Glad to see Him? No, “terrified.” Thought He was
a ghost!
(5) Once Jesus got in with them, “they were astounded, for they did not understand about the
loaves, but their hearts were hardened.”
(6) Hadn’t learned the lesson that this One they called “Teacher” & “Lord” could do anything.
Fdg. 5000 or 5 million or walking on water or calming a storm, since He is Creator of
both!
(7) If we’re not careful, we’ll mistake knowing the story for actually DOING what the story
teaches us to do: trust Jesus for all the resources we need in order to do His will especially being able to “make disciples of all nation,” even in the face of evil & unbelief!
So disciples shouldn’t ever be guilty of saying, “I don’t have enough time,” or “I don’t know enough to
teach someone about Jesus,” or “We don’t have enough money” to carry out the Gr. Com.
Just bring Him what you have - what you are - & He will make you able.
That’s what He does with all of us when we come to Him for salvation. We bring Him a broken,
messed-up life - & He gives us eternal life with God. Then, He makes us able to give that same gift to
others by telling them about Him.
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So how many loaves & fish do YOU have? It really doesn’t matter. Just bring them to Jesus, & it will be
enough.
Tommy South
Glen Allen Church of Christ
November 15, 2020
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The Disciple’s Failures
(Matt. 14:22-33)
Jesus’ original 12 disciples, the ones He designated as “apostles,” were a diverse group to say the least.
All Galileans, & 4 were fishermen, but one was a tax collector, one a revolutionary (Zealot), and another
was a thief. Don’t know the occupations or backgrounds of the others, but since not mentioned, probably
pretty ordinary - maybe a farmer or two, possibly some trades people. Probably of different ages, since
we know Jn lived to end of 1st Cent. A.D. & died as a very old man, while the rest were martyred for
their preaching.
A. But one thing they all had in common: they all experienced failure as disciples.
B. There was not a “perfect” or “ideal” disciple among them: all messed up at various times & in
various ways - but all failed in some way, & all failed more than once.
1.
The disciple we usually think of when we think of failure is Peter.
A. Partly b/c we know more about him than the others, & partly b/c he was somewhat brash &
tended to get himself into predicaments the others didn’t. Made it easier to mess up.
B. One occasion was that memorable day when, after Jesus had fed a crowd of 5000 men +
women & children, & the disciples were out on the Sea of Galilee in a boat, He came walking
to them on the water.
C. At 1st, thought He was a ghost. But He told them, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
D. That’s when Peter got really excited & said, “Lord, if it is you (note the “if”), command me to
come to you on the water.” And Jesus told him to come. And Peter did. Actually walked on the
water toward Jesus!
E. V. 30 - “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, & beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord,
save me’!” And Jesus grabbed him.
F. But as He did, He said, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” - “Why did you let your
faith get distracted by the wind & the waves? Why did you falter after such a great start? Why
is your faith so small, after all you have seen & heard of me?”
G. Easy for us to shake our heads at Peter & wonder why he stopped in the middle of his walk, but
at least he got out of the boat. But stil, he failed due to his lack of faith.
2.
But Peter was hardly the only one of the 12 who failed.
A. In fact, much of what we know about them involves their failures.
B. Remember how they frequently argued among themselves re which of them was the greatest
(most important)?
(1) Mk 9:33 - Jesus & the 12 had journeyed to Capernaum, & when they arrived, He asked
them what they had been talking about on the way. Didn’t want to tell Him, b/c “they had
argued with one another about who was the greatest.”
(2) Lk 22:24 - Jesus instituted the LS which represents His own body & blood, predicted one
of them would betray Him. - Their response: “A dispute also arose among them, as to
which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.” Probably what led to washing of their
feet, to teach humility & service.
(3) Mt 20:20 - James & Jn’s mother came & asked Jesus if her 2 sons could sit at His right &
left hand in the kingdom. - V. 24 - “And when the 10 heard it, they became indignant.”
Why? Probably thought THEY should have those positions.
C. And what about that time in Mk 4 when Jesus was in the boat with the 12 & He was asleep & a
storm came up: They were all afraid they were going to die, woke Jesus up & scolded Him:
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“Don’t you care!?” - Jesus calmed the storm, then said, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still
no faith?”
D. Another time they were in the boat with Jesus & He said, “Beware the leaven of the Phars. &
the leaven of Herod.” Started discussing among themselves the fact that they had no bread.
Thought Jesus was scolding them for not bringing lunch! “Do you not yet perceive or
understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, & having ears do you not
hear? And do you not remember?” Reminded them re the Fdg of 5000 & 4000 & all the
leftovers, then said, “Do you not yet understand?”
E. Mt 26 - Night of His betrayal, day before had to face the cross, took them with Him to
Gethsemane & said, “Sit here while I go over there & pray.” Just wanted them nearby; needed
their company & support. He fell on His face in agony in prayer & begged God, “If it is
possible, let this cup pass from me.” Came back to the disciples, & they were asleep. “So, could
you not watch with me one hour?” Then it happened again. And again. At the most crucial
moment of His life, failed Him 3 times.
F. Just after that, just as He had predicted, when the crowd came to arrest Him, they all ran & left
Him there alone. Had all sworn they would never do that - but they did it.
G. And finally, when Peter was put on the spot, he denied 3 times that he even knew Jesus.
3.
If you’re expecting me at this point to say, “But it was okay. After all, the spirit is willing, but the
flesh is weak, so Jesus didn’t hold it against them” - then you’ll be sadly disappointed.
A. We can’t soften the disciples’ failures - & we can’t soften our own. Failure is failure.
B. They were faithless, hard-hearted, selfish, egotistical, power-hungry, cowardly, weak, & dense.
C. Jesus forgave them of all of those things, yes, but not w/out pointing them out so the 12 could
identify precisely how & why they had failed, & do better in the future. Forgiveness is
forgiveness, but it’s NOT an excuse to keep failing!
D. I’m sure the Bible doesn’t tell us of nearly all the times they failed, but enough that we know
failure was part of who & what they were.
E. And it’s the same with us, isn’t it? God alone knows all the times & all the ways we fail to be
the disciples Jesus has called us to be. And it’s not “okay.” It’s sinful, & we need to repent of it
every time we’re aware of it.
D. We can’t be serious about discipleship unless we’re serious - & honest - about our failures!
4.
But here’s the good news: Our failures don’t mean we aren’t really disciples. Any more than theirs
did.
A. The devil wants us to believe that once we’ve failed, Jesus has no more use for us, might as
well give up. A lie.
B. In fact, our failure as disciples is inevitable! Why? B/c the standards are so high!
(1) Read the SM again: which of us doesn’t fail when it comes to loving our enemies? Being
light & salt & leaven in this world? Letting our light shine everywhere we are every day of
our lives?
(2) And it isn’t just what we do that can be observed, but what goes on in our hearts & minds
that is woefully short of what Jesus has called us to. Lack of purity, humility, & Godly
attitudes.
(3) Jesus said not to love anyone or anything more than we love Him, but sometimes we do,
don’t we!
(4) Nobody is ever going to perfectly live up to all that Jesus has called us to be & do.
C. But that doesn’t excuse us, any more than it excused the 12. We have to see it for what it is &
confess it & do our best to do better.
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D. And - amazing as it is - even in the midst of our failures, Jesus doesn’t reject us as His
disciples. Just as He didn’t look at the 12 in that boat & say, “You’re faithless & hard-hearted
& ought to know better. Get away from me. I need to go find 12 more.”
E. In fact, by His grace, those moments of failure become “teachable moments,” learning
opportunities for us to see where & how we failed & to know how to be better disciples.
F. They are failures, no doubt, but God can turn even those failures to our good.
5.
Students of the GosMk have long observed that 8:27-10:45 seems to be focused on the subject of
Discipleship & what it means to follow Jesus.
A. Interestingly, most of the examples are negative; failures. A kind Of “Handbook on How Not to
Do It.”
B. Begins after Peter’s confession in 8:27. Then,
(1) When Jesus tells the 12 what will happen to Him in Jeru, Peter rebukes Him. “Get behind
me, Satan!”
(2) Then the disciples fail to cast out a demon from a boy brought to them by his father.
Problem: “This kind cannot be driven out by anything buy prayer.” And they hadn’t
prayed.
(3) Next, argue re who was the greatest.
(4) Then Jn boasts b/c they had rebuked someone they saw casting out demons in Jesus’ name.
Jesus said, “Don’t. For one who is not against us is for us.”
(5) When people try to bring their little children to Jesus for His blessing, the 12 rebuke them.
Jesus: “Let the little children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the
kingdom of God.”
(6) Jas & Jn ask for the best seats in the K’dom. “Whoever would be great among you must be
your servant.”
C. Then, at the end of all of that discipleship failure, we read the story of Blind Bartimaeus, a
beggar who recognizes Jesus as the “Son of David” (Messiah) & asks to have his sight restored.
(1) And Jesus said, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.”
(2) The last thing we read about Bartimaeus: “And immediately he recovered his sight &
followed him on the way.”
(3) He just did what a disciple is supposed to do: follow Jesus. He didn’t question or argue or
ask for status or object to what Jesus said - he just followed Him.
D. We never hear any more about Bart, but I like to think he continued to follow Jesus all of his
days.
E. And that’s what we’re supposed to do - in spite of our failures. Recognize them. Repent of
them. And just keep following Jesus.
But in order to “keep” following Jesus, you have to start following Jesus. And you do that when you
confess Him as God’s Son, change your attitude & your life where sin is concerned, & are baptized to
have your sins washed away. God’s Spirit will then come to live within you, to help you, strengthen you,
make you a better disciple day by day - in spite of all your failures.
You have to start sometime. Why not today?
Tommy South
Glen Allen Church of Christ
November 22, 2020
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The Disciple’s Reward
(Matt. 19:16-30)
The story of the man we call The RYR isn’t just about the RYR. It’s also about the poor disciples of
Jesus.
A. They had become poor materially b/c they had done the opposite of the young man who was rich in
this world’s goods: they had heeded the call to follow Jesus - the call he had turned away from - &
had become disciples, which meant they had left behind everything they had.
B. Seeing this young man turn away from Jesus, refusing to become a disciple, & hearing Jesus’
startling words that it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to be
saved, all of this raised a ques. in Peter’s mind.
C. V. 27 - “See, we have left everything & followed you. What then will we have?”
D. May seem like kind of a mercenary ques. (“What’s in it for us?”), but let’s not judge Peter too
harshly:
(1) For one thing, he’s asking this ques. after the fact: they had already become disciples, even
before they knew what was in it for them.
(2) Plus, unlike most of us, they had left everything. So the ques. isn’t unreasonable:: “If refusing
to leave everything disqualifies the RYR, what can we expect, since we’ve done what he
wouldn’t do?”
E. Jesus’ Ans: “Plenty!” V. 28 - They (the 12) would have places of honor & authority in the coming
kingdom. But that’s not all!
F. V. 29 - For everything they had left (houses, land, family), they would receive “a hundredfold” (i.e.,
no comparison) - “& will inherit eternal life.” Not just “life everlasting,” but sharing in the life of
God!
G. And NOTE: “Everyone” - all disciples, not just the 12 - will receive this reward. Jesus promises it.
1.
B/c we’ve heard so much about being saved by grace, the idea of receiving a reward makes us a
little uncomfortable. Not quite sure what to do with it. But Scrip makes it clear that we DO receive a
reward for following Jesus!
A. Should note 1st that the Grk word for “reward” = “pay” or “wages,” as in “The laborer deserves
his wages.” (May make us even more uncomfortable!)
(1) It refers to what you have coming as a result of what you have done, either good or bad, so
can also mean “punishment.”
(2) Acts 1:18 - Judas “acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness.”
(3) Rev. 22:12 - “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each
one for what he has done.” cf. 2 Cor. 5:10.
B. But mostly it has to do with a positive reward - including the reward reserved for Jesus’
disciples:
C. Mt. 6:1 - “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by
them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”
(1) Then talks re giving, praying, & fasting w/out being showy about it.
(2) After each, “And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
D. Earlier (Mt. 5:12) Jesus had said disciples are blessed when persecuted: “Rejoice & be glad, for
your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
E. Mt. 10:42 - “Whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water b/c he is a
disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
F. Lk. 6:35 - “Love your enemies, & do good, & lend, expecting nothing in return, & your reward
will be great, & you will be sons of the Most High.”
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G. 1 Cor. 3:11-14. “No one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus
Christ.” Then warns that the quality of our work will be tested “by fire.” “If the work that
anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.”
H. 2 Jn 8 - “Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what you have worked for, but may win a
full reward.”
I. So the concept of receiving a reward for being a disciple is a thoroughly biblical one, &
something we should welcome, not back away from. Jesus promises us a great reward as
disciples!
J. C.S. Lewis once wrote that Chrs sometimes shy away from talking about our future reward so
people won’t accuse us of a “pie-in-the-sky” religion. Says that’s valid only if there’s no pie!
But Jesus says there is.
2.
So how does this square with the idea that we’re saved by grace? If we are “rewarded” for
following Jesus, does that in some way diminish grace?
A. Go back to Mt. 6:1 - The one who rewards is “our Father who is in heaven.” Vs. 4, 6, 18 - “And
your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
B. God doesn’t reward us (pay us) like an earthly boss or taskmaster who calculates what we
deserve. Rather, “rewards” us as our loving “heavenly Father.” (EX: OSHA inspectors when
working for my dad. Couldn’t believe I got paid like everyone else.)
C. That means he “rewards” us far beyond what we deserve, gives us far more than we have
coming.
D. In fact, doesn’t give us what we deserve at all! B/c we all deserve death & condemnation. But
through Christ, & b/c we follow Him, our Father gives us “eternal life.”
E. Remember that Parable of the “Laborers in the Vineyard,” the one that kind of bothers us b/c
the men who worked only one hr. got paid the same as those who worked all day? (Mt. 20:116)
(1) Not a Par about labor relations, but about the nature of God.
(2) Focuses on His generosity, on the fact that He gives us better than we deserve, just as the
vineyard owner did to those last hired.
(3) Remember the vineyard owner’s words to the workers who were complaining about their
pay? “Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take
what belongs to you & go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not
allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my
generosity?”
(4) That’s the focal point of the parable: God is generous with those who don’t deserve it!
(5) So when He “rewards” us, He isn’t “paying us what is due,” He is giving us a reward far
beyond anything we have done or deserve. The disciple’s reward is a gift of God’s grace!
3.
That’s why, no matter what we go through to be Jesus’ disciples, it’s more than worth it!
A. Going back to the beginning of our study, remember that the call to follow Jesus is a call to
complete surrender, holding nothing back.
B. That’s why that RYR couldn’t be a disciple: wouldn’t let go of something that meant more to
him than Jesus. Complete opposite of Peter, Andrew, James, & John, who “left everything &
followed Him.” Or Levi, who left his tax table.
C. The longer they followed Jesus, the more they came to realize what being a disciple was going
to cost them: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, &
follow me.”
D. Means being ready for whatever opposition or persecution might come as a result. “If they
hated me. . . .” “I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. . . you will be hated by
all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Mt. 10:16ff).
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E. Why would anybody do that? Endure that? Be willing to give up so much? - B/c of the reward!
F. Rom. 8:18 - “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing
with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” 1 Cor. 4:17-18. “For this light momentary affliction
is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the
things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient,
but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
4.
So what does that reward look like? What exactly IS “the disciple’s reward”?
A. I can’t tell you exactly, b/c Scrip. doesn’t exactly say. I suppose it’s largely indescribable,
although we have some wonderful hints of it in the Bible.
B. In Rev 21 it’s described as “a new heaven & a new earth” &” the “holy city, new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
C. A place of unimaginable beauty where there is no more crying or pain or death. That’s one
portrait of it, but beyond that we don’t know a lot of specifics.
D. But here’s the one thing we DO know, & it’s really all we need to know: our reward is being
with Jesus for all eternity.
(1) J.I. Packer in his book Your Father Loves You quotes a theologian who describes heaven
as “an unknown region with a well-known inhabitant.”
(2) Jn. 12:24-26. “Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth & dies,
it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, &
whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he
must follow me; & where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the
Father will honor him.”
(3) Jn 14:1-3. “That where I am you may be also.”
(4) To that criminal dying beside Him, who became a believer in the final hours of his life,
Jesus said, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” That’s all He told him; that’s all he
needed to hear.
(5) Phil. 1:23 - In telling the church at Philippi that he wasn’t sure whether he would live or
die as a result of his imprisonment, Paul said, “I am hard pressed betw the two. My desire
is to depart & be with Christ, for that is far better.” Where did Paul expect to be when he
died? “With Christ.” All that mattered to him.
E. What is heaven like? I’m sure I don’t know. The only thing I know for sure is that the disciple’s
reward is to be where Jesus is, both now & for all eternity.
F. The lesson for us: Don’t ever be afraid of what you might lose or suffer for Christ’s sake. The
reward will be worth it all!
So Peter’s question, “what then will we have” b/c we have left everything & followed you, isn’t
mercenary at all. It’s merely an inquiry into what a believer can expect to receive from God after having
given his/her all for Christ & having lived faithfully until death.
In a book called The Problem of Pain C.S. Lewis wrote: “We are afraid that heaven is a bribe, & that if
we make it our goal, we shall no longer be disinterested. It is not so. Heaven offers nothing that a
mercenary soul can desire. It is safe to tell the pure in heart that they shall see God, for only the pure in
heart want to.”
Do you want to see God? Want to be forever in presence of Jesus, who loves you & died for you? Then
turn to Him today by repenting of your sins & being baptized into union with Him - a union that will
continue throughout eternity.
Tommy South, Glen allen Church of Christ, December 6, 2020
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Being Disciples of Jesus #1
A Disciple is a Learner – Open and Teachable
INTRODUCTION:
A. Text: multi-text; Scripture reading: Matthew 11:28-30. Emphasis: “learn from Me.”
B. If you haven’t heard, Election Day is Tuesday.
C. Let’s pause and do what 1 Timothy 2:1-4 instructs:
1. [S1] “1Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of
thanks be made for all men, 2for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet
and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” – 1 Timothy 2:1-2
2. [S2] “3For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4who desires all men to
be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” – 1 Timothy 2:3-4
3. Prayer for our nation, the election, and our government leaders.
D. Now let’s turn our attention to ROLE MODELS, to ONE in particular…
E. Steve DeVore has built a multi-million dollar company on the principle of role modeling.
1. DeVore is president of Syber Vision, a company that markets instructional video and audio
tapes on everything from golf to skiing to weight control. This is not some kind of mystical
New Age approach to learning, but rather the master-apprentice relationship put to work in
different settings.
2. [S3] Bowling. When DeVore was in college, he happened to watch a bowling tournament on
television. As he paid close attention to the movements of the bowlers, the thought struck him
that if he could emulate their movements, he could probably achieve the same results.
3. After watching the bowlers closely for thirty minutes, he got in his car and drove to the local
bowling alley. He got an alley, picked out a ball, and for the next thirty minutes he did just as
the professional bowlers had done on TV. He threw nine straight strikes and recorded a score
of 278. His highest score up to that point was 163. By emulating a proficient role model, he
improved his performance by 115 pins. But the key was just as. He had to do it just as the pros.
– from Steve Farrar, Point Man, p. 183.
F. We need good role models. There is an abundance of role models available. Some are good, but,
sadly, some aren’t. We must be careful to follow the right role model(s).
G. Our greatest Role Model is none other than Jesus Himself.
1. We’re not talking about bowling any more.
2. We’re talking about the right way to live the entirety of our lives! We’re also talking about
how to please God and enjoy eternal life.
3. We’re called to enter into a master-apprentice relationship in order to learn this way of living.
The Bible word for it is…
H. [S4] “Disciple”
1. [S4A] “A follower of”; Note: a Christian is (should be) a disciple of Jesus.
2. [S4B] “A learner; a student”
3. [S4C] “An apprentice, like an apprentice in a trade like carpentry”
I. [S5] The Goal of Discipleship: “Christlikeness”
1. “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his
teacher.” – Luke 6:40 NKJV
2. “A student is not above the teacher; but everyone, when he has been fully trained, will be like
his teacher.” – Luke 6:40 NASB; also NIV
3. “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you.” – Galatians
4:19; See also “conformed” (Romans 8:29); “transformed” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
J. [S6] “The disciple in Christianity is a follower of Jesus Christ, desiring to learn His ways and apply
them to his life.” – Francis Cosgrove (25).
1. “This means that a disciple has to be open and teachable.”
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2.
“He is a follower who desires to learn” (Cosgrove 25).
I. [S7] A Disciple: A Learner or Student
A. [S7A] Studies; wants to know – a serious student wants to know.
1. We aren’t studying “for a grade”; we are studying to learn. We take the time to do the
research.
2. “A disciple of Jesus is a person who has decided to live in attentiveness to Jesus. We live in
attentiveness in order to become like Jesus on the inside and, thereby, able to do what Jesus
would do on the outside. As maturing disciples we progressively learn to live in attentiveness,
adoration, surrender, obedience, and thankfulness to God, and all of this, without ceasing… By
[God’s] grace, our hearts are divinely changed. We are progressively conformed to be like
Jesus” (Macchia 22-23).
B. [S7B] Beholds; observes (2 Corinthians 3:18).
1. [S8] “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are
being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the
Lord.” – 2 Corinthians 3:18
2. This is more than a passing glance; it is a concentrated gaze. A disciple needs “visual
demonstrations”; more is “caught” than taught.
3. We’re not just studying the teachings of Christ; we’re studying His life.
C. [S9] Imitates; makes application to his/her own life.
1. [S10] “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 11:1. Christ was the patter
for Paul’s life; so to ours.
2. Cf. “an apprentice” – learning from example; learning to do.
D. [S11] Internalizes
1. The disciple “adopts” what is learned; he “makes it his own.”
2. It becomes “who he is.”
3. “In biblical times, when a person expressed interest in becoming a disciple of someone
else, they were communicating their desire for that person's life. The relationship between
a discipler and disciple would actually be defined by this desire. There was a teacher, and
there was a learner. The goal was for the disciple to become like the discipler. This is
God's goal for us as disciples of Jesus. The number one thing God is always up to in our
lives is transforming us into the likeness of Jesus” (“A Disciple is a Learner…”).
E. [S12] See these principles in Philippians 4:9 – “The things which you learned and received and
heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” These words describe
how their lives had been impacted by Paul:
1. “Heard” – They had heard Paul teach and preach. The apostle did not “shrink from
declaring … anything that was profitable” to his hearers; he taught “the whole counsel of
God” (Acts 20:20, 27).
2. “Learned” – They had learned God’s Word from Paul. They comprehended what he taught
and remembered it.
3. “Seen” – They had seen the example of Paul. Unlike the Pharisees, Paul not only “said,”
he also “did.” “With Paul it is never: ‘Do as I say, but not as I do.’ With the apostle it is
always ‘follow me as I follow Christ’ (1 Cor. 11:1)” (Malone 110). Nothing helps
understanding more than an appropriate example. Cf. “I’d Rather See a Sermon than hear
one anyday…”
4. “Received” – They had received what Paul said. Gr. paralambano means “to receive
alongside,” in other words, to accept for oneself [“internalize”]. “It was important for the
Philippians to hear, learn, and see Paul’s teaching; but it was even more important for them
to receive that teaching, to appropriate eternal truths as their own” (Roper 555).
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5. “These do” – “put it into practice” (NIV). Gr. prasso. “Generally speaking, in Paul’s
epistles … prasso denotes a habit… It stresses the process leading to [a certain]
accomplishment” (Vine in Roper 555). “The word suggests repeating an action until it
becomes natural” (Roper 555).
II. [S13] A Disciple: Our Identity
A. An area of life in which a disciple needs to develop by following Jesus is in the matter of personal
convictions (Cosgrove 31-33). Being a disciple of Jesus establishes our personal convictions and
our identity.
B. “There comes a time in our life when it is no longer valid for us to base what we believe on the
convictions of others. We must develop convictions that are our own” (Cosgrove 31).
C. Example: Moses.
1. [S13A] “24By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s
daughter, 25choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing
pleasures of sin.” – Hebrews 11:24-25
2. “Moses came to the place where the convictions he had learned from his parents had to become
his own or had to be abandoned” (Cosgrove 31).
D. One’s faith must become one’s own. One must develop his/her own convictions.
E. Being a disciple defines who I am.
III. [S14] A Disciple: A Lifelong Learner
A. Jesus “takes people who have come to Him and invites them to a lifetime of learning” (Stewart).
B. A child’s “willingness to learn contrasts to those who think themselves to be wise and who think
that they already know it all. The first step to learning in the school of Jesus is to have the attitude
of a child who knows that there is much to learn” (Stewart).
C. [S14A] “Being a disciple means becoming a lifelong learner of Jesus.” -- “A Disciple is a
Learner…”
D. My Dad.
1. The morning after Hurricane Zeta came through our area, I called my Mom & Dad – or at least
I tried to. For some reason, they didn’t answer their phones. I decided to drive over and check
on them. They were fine; they just didn’t get to the phones on time.
2. I’m there to check on them to make sure they and their property are okay. They are doing well.
Part of their neighbor’s fence had fallen into their yard. Some branches in trees next to a fence
had fallen.
3. We went out the shed so Dad could show me where he kept some particular tools. On the way,
he asked me, “Have a I showed you a picture of an artist’s description of the cherubim above
the ark of the covenant?”
4. We’ve just gone through a hurricane and my Dad is talking “Bible” with me! Isn’t that
great?!? My Dad, at age 85, is still learning.
E. I want to keep on learning about Jesus and His Word, don’t you? I want my life to continue to be
changed by being a disciple of Jesus – all of my life, until the day I die.
F. That’s what God has in mind for His disciples.
G. A disciple of Jesus is a lifelong learner of Jesus.
H. [S15] “More About Jesus” by Eliza E. Hewitt
1. More about Jesus would I know,
More of His grace to others show;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love Who died for me.
2. [S16] More about Jesus let me learn,
More of His holy will discern;
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3.
4.
Spirit of God, my teacher be,
Showing the things of Christ to me.
[S17] More about Jesus on His throne,
Riches in glory all His own;
More of His kingdom’s sure increase;
More of His coming, Prince of Peace.
[S18] Refrain:
More, more about Jesus,
More, more about Jesus;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love Who died for me.
CONCLUSION:
A. [S19] “The disciple in Christianity is a follower of Jesus Christ, desiring to learn His ways and
apply them to his life.” – Francis Cosgrove (25).
B. [S20] Summary: A Disciple… (see Carter):
1. [S20A] Listens to Jesus
a. “No one can say he is a disciple of a teacher unless he is ready to listen to that teacher”
(Carter).
b. “Listening to Jesus is what a Christian disciple does. When Jesus speaks, the disciple
listens. The disciple hangs on every word of the Master as if that word were bread for the
hungry or water for the thirsty” (Carter).
c. Cf. Mary who “sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His Word” (Luke 10:39).
2. [S20B] Learns from Jesus
a. “Listening to Jesus is not enough. A disciple does not listen and then turn away as if the
teacher’s words have no impact [cf. James 1:23-24]. When Jesus calls His disciples, He
calls them to learn as well as to listen” (Carter).
b. “Learn from Me” (Matthew 11:29).
c. “23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his
natural face in a mirror; 24for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets
what kind of man he was.” – James 1:23-24
3. [S20C] Obeys Jesus
a. “No one can truly call himself a disciple of Jesus who is not willing to obey Him” (Carter).
b. “22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” – James 1:22
c. “25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a
forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” – James
1:25
d. “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” – Luke 6:46
4. [S21] “The disciple, the one who truly listens and learns, will put into practice what he learns.”
– Anthony Carter
C. Are you a disciple of Jesus?
D. [S22] (blank slide)
SOURCES:
 “A Disciple is a Learner. So What Are You Learning?” http://www.myrivertree.org/churchlife/2016/4/13/3xyh246ei4hlrx 2ubmmhvzo9wjzmyb.
 Carter, Anthony. “What Is a Disciple?” Tabletalk Magazine. June 2018.
https://tabletalkmagazine.com/article/2018/06/what-is-a-disciple/.
 Cosgrove, Francis M. Essentials of Discipleship. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1980.
 Macchia, Stephen A. Becoming a Healthy Disciple. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2004.
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


Roper, David L. “Philippians.” Truth for Today Commentary: Ephesians and Philippians by Jay
Lockhart and David L. Roper. Searcy, AR: Resource Publications, 2009.
Stewart, Rick. “Being a disciple of Jesus means being a learner.” Blog of Bradfordville First
Baptist Church, Tallahassee, FL. July 8, 2015. https://bradfordville. org/2015/07/08/being-adisciple-of-jesus-means-being-a-learner/.
“Some try to make a distinction between being a disciple and being a Christian. Yet, the Bible
never makes such a distinction. Before they were called Christians, they were called disciples.
Being a disciple of Christ is being a Christian. Being a Christian is trusting Christ. Being a
Christian is listening to Christ. Being a Christian is learning from Christ. Being a Christian is
obeying Christ. Consequently, being a Christian is being a disciple. It was that way in the
beginning. It continues to be that way today.” – Anthony Carter
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Being Disciples of Jesus #2
The Lordship of Jesus Christ
INTRODUCTION:
A. Text: Luke 6:46; Scripture reading: Philippians 2:9-11
B. [S1] Peter T. Forsythe was right when he said, "The first duty of every soul is to find not its
freedom but its Master.” -- Warren W. Wiersbe, The Integrity Crisis, Thomas Nelson Publishers,
1991, p. 22.
C. [S2] “You're gonna have to serve somebody, Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, But
you're gonna have to serve somebody.” - Bob Dylan
D. [S3] Each of us has a throne in our hearts. On that throne is the governing principle of our lives, our
master, the one that we acknowledge as ruler of our lives. “You’re gonna have to serve somebody.”
1. Most put SELF on that throne. But self is the wrong occupant.
2. There is only room for one occupant.
3. A disciple of Jesus puts JESUS on the throne of his/her heart. He, and only He, is the rightful
occupant of the throne of our hearts.
E. What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? It means to put Christ on the throne of your
heart, to allow Jesus to be the King of your life.
F. [S4] “A disciple puts Jesus Christ first in all areas of his/her life.” – Francis M. Cosgrove, Jr.
G. [S5] A disciple of Jesus surrenders to the Lordship of Christ.
I. [S6] JESUS CHRIST IS LORD.
A. We don’t make Him Lord; He IS Lord!
B. [S7] Jesus is Lord over all creation. “15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all
creation. 16For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and
invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through
Him and for Him. 17And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” – Colossians 1:1517
C. We don’t make Him Lord; He IS Lord! We must acknowledge His Lordship and submit our lives
to Him accordingly.
D. Consider the following statements about the Lordship of Christ and what it means in our lives:
1. [S8] Defined: “The Lordship of Christ is the daily submission and surrender of our entire self to
the authority and leadership of Jesus Christ, recognizing His sovereign right to rule
preeminently over us” (Cosgrove 37).
2. “The acknowledgment of Christ’s Lordship is the abdication of self from the throne of our life
and the enthronement of Jesus in self’s place” (Cosgrove 37).
3. “The Lordship of Jesus Christ in a believer’s life is the most crucial issue in Christian living. It
is absolutely necessary and foundational to Christian discipleship” (Cosgrove 37).
E. [S9] Many want Christ as their Savior but not as their Lord.
1. That’s not the way it works!
2. In order for Him to be our Savior, Jesus must also be our Lord. That is, we acknowledge and
submit to His Lordship over our lives.
F. Our Struggle
1. “Our problem is centered in the heart where self-will still struggles with the Lordship decision”
(Cosgrove 42).
2. Our struggle is determining who is going to sit on the throne of our lives.
3. Once one makes the decision to enthrone Christ as the Lord of his/her life, the battle will
continue. “When we make the decision to yield to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we
immediately find [ourselves] in a battle, a spiritual struggle” (Cosgrove 45).
4. But we’re not going to “get it right” until we put the right One on the throne!
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II. [S10] YIELDING TO CHRIST AS LORD
A. [S10A] Submission of Every Area of Our Lives
1. “A clear and definite activity of the will is involved in recognizing His Lordship, since He is to
be Lord of all” (J. Oswald Sanders in Cosgrove 43).
2. [S11] “I do.” Sanders illustrates this principle in the marriage relationship (43).
a. In the wedding ceremony, the bride and the groom say “I do” in directing their loving
devotion to one another.
b. “In subsequent years, [each] lives out in detail all that was implied in that momentary act
of the will” (Sanders in Cosgrove 43). Each continues to say and to live out “I do” for the
rest of their lives.
c. In baptism, we say, “I do” to Jesus. F. LaGard Smith has called baptism, The Believer’s
Wedding Ceremony (book by that title).
d. We are to live out and demonstrate daily that loving devotion for the rest of our lives.
3. This has implications for every area of our lives.
4. [S12] The Pie Illustration (Cosgrove 43-44)
a. “Each segment of the ‘pie’ represents a major area of our life where there is often a
struggle over who will control it – self or Jesus Christ” (Cosgrove 43).
b. Note: this “pie chart” happens to have 12 quadrants resembling the way we designate time
– by the hour, in 12-hour segments. Point: All of our time is to be lived in the Lordship of
Jesus.
c. Note: “Other” – “This is for you to fill in with an area that has not been mentioned, one
that might be a special battle zone for you in this issue of lordship” (Cosgrove 44).
5. “For Jesus to be Lord of your life means that He is the ruler, the boss, the master of your whole
life. He cannot be Lord of a part — He must be given control of the entire life - the whole life”
(Willmore).
6. [S13] "Unless Jesus is Lord of all, He is not Lord at all." – S. M. Zwemer (in Willmore)
7. “This is a challenge to all Christians to bring every area of our lives under the sovereign rule of
Jesus Christ. In our lives there should be no rivalry for His throne” (Willmore).
8. [S14] Jesus is Lord over the two parts of our lives: Public and Private
a. “A person has an inner, private, unseen-to-the-natural-eye aspect of life and he has an
outer, visible, and public life that is seen and heard by those with whom he comes in
contact day by day. Jesus desires to be Lord of the seen and the unseen, the visible and the
invisible, the private aspects of our life and the public aspects of our life” (Willmore).
b. Lord of Our Private Life
1) Battles are fought and won or lost on the battleground of our private life. Is Jesus
Lord over this area of your life?
2) “Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.” – Proverbs
4:23
c. Lord of Our Public Life
1) “The outward life expresses the inner life. The outward life involves our eyes, our
ears, our lips, our hands, our feet, our entire body. Our public life is expressed by what
we see, what we say, what we hear, where we go, and what we do. It is so important
that Jesus be Lord over our public life” (Willmore).
2) “We need to see the public life in the context of home life, the workplace, the
classroom, and the neighborhood. We need to see it in its relationship with friends,
family, work colleagues, neighbors, and classmates. We need to see it in its attitude
toward possessions, obligations, and responsibilities, and the use of time and
resources” (Willmore).
d. If we agree with the view of S. M. Zwemer ("If Jesus is not Lord of all, the He is not Lord
at all"), then ALL areas of life that must come under His lordship. Is Jesus Lord of your
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thoughts? Is Jesus Lord of your emotions? Is Jesus Lord of your speech, of your
relationships, of your possessions? Is Jesus Christ Lord of your whole life?
9. F. B. Meyer was a (Baptist) preacher … in the heart of London in the nineteenth century. In
the midst of a successful ministry, F. B. Meyer confessed that something was lacking in his life
and ministry (from Willmore).
a. [S15] Keys. J.H. Jowett recounts the following story: "Dr. Meyer has told us that his early
Christian life was marred and his ministry paralyzed just because he had kept back one
thing from the bunch of keys he had given to the Lord. Every key save one! The key of
one room was kept for personal use, and the Lord shut out. The effect of the incomplete
consecration was found in lack of power, lack of assurance, lack of joy and peace.”
b. “The joy of the Lord begins when we hand over the last key. We sit with Christ on His
throne as soon as we have surrendered our crowns, and made Him sole and only ruler of
our life and its possessions.”
c. When F. B. Meyer kept back the key to one room in his life and it brought great defeat.
d. Remember, if He is not Lord of all (of every room), then He is not Lord at all.
e. Have you yielded keys to every room in your life? Does He have the key to every room in
your private life? Does He have the key to every room in your public life? Is there a room
marked "private — keep out?" If so, you must be willing to surrender that key to the Lord.
B. [S16] Acknowledgment of His Ownership.
1. [S17] Paul addressed the subject of ownership in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “19Or do you not
know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You
are not your own, 20for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (ESV).
2. We are not our own. We were bought at a price. We belong to Jesus. We are His purchased
possession. When a person yields to the lordship of Jesus Christ, he or she acknowledges His
ownership and gives up his or her personal rights.
3. “I belong to Jesus.”
4. “I am mine no more…I’ve been bought with blood, I am mine no more.”
C. [S18] Unresered Obedience. Yielding to the lordship of Jesus Christ also involves total and
unreserved obedience.
1. If He is the Lord of your life, you are going to do what He tells you to do.
2. [S19] “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” – Luke 6:46
3. Stephen Olford recounts a wonderful story about an incident in the life of his friend and
mentor, Graham Scroggie (in Willmore).
a. Dr. Scroggie was speaking at the Keswick Convention in England on one occasion when
he was approached by a young woman who had been greatly stirred by his message on the
Lordship of Christ. Walking up to him at the close of the service, she said, "I want Jesus to
be Lord of my life, but I am afraid God will send me overseas as a missionary, and I don't
want to go."
b. Opening the Bible to Acts 10:14, Dr. Scroggie explained the utter absurdity of Peter's
answer. You will remember that God had given Peter a vision of a sheet in which were all
manner of four-footed animals, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.
c. [S20] “13And a voice came to him, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 14But Peter said, ‘Not so,
Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.’” – Acts 10:13-14
d. Dr. Scroggie went on to explain, "A slave never dictates to a master. Therefore, to say 'Not
so, Lord' was impertinent!"
e. "Now," advised Dr. Scroggie, "I want you to cross out the two words 'not so' and leave the
word 'Lord'; or else cross out the word 'Lord' and leave 'not so'." Handing her his pencil,
he quietly walked away.
f. For some time she struggled. Then he returned. Looking over her shoulder, he saw a tearstained page. The words "not so" were crossed out. With a glad light in her eyes, she
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repeated affirmatively, "Lord!" "Lord!" "Lord!" No longer would she dictate. She was
now His disciple, and He was her Lord and Master (Dr. Stephen Olford, The Way of
Holiness. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1998, 82-83, as qtd. by Willmore).
CONCLUSION:
A. “Practicing Christ’s Lordship is the first essential of becoming a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and it is the most vital one” (Cosgrove 48; “the remaining nine essentials of discipleship that we
will be discussing are uilt on this one,” p. 48).
B. “Lordship is inseparably linked to the name of Jesus” (Willmore).
C. [S21] “9Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every
name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth,
and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to
the glory of God the Father.” – Philippians 2:9-11
1. “There is coming a day when every person who has ever lived will bow and acknowledge that
Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.”
2. “But for the Christian that great confession should be an everyday reality. A Christian should
live moment by moment in faithful submission to the lordship of Jesus Christ” (Willmore).
3. “Bow now or bow later.” To bow now is to be saved; to bow later is to be condemned.
D. [S22] Who sits on the throne of your heart?
E. [S23] (blank slide)
SOURCES:
 Cosgrove, Francis M. Essentials of Discipleship. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1980.
 Willmore, Roger D. “The Lordship of Jesus Christ.” Sermon manuscript. First Baptist Church,
Boaz, AL. https://www.uu.edu/centers/rglee/
fellows/spring03/willmore.htm#:~:text=What%20Does%20It%20Mean%20to,entire%20life%20
%2D%20the%20whole%20life.&text=He%20wants%20to%20be%20Lord,and%20of%20our%2
0physical%20life.
Additional material:
 “All of our aspirations, blessings, and joys of the Christian life are absolutely dependent on our
submission to Jesus Christ as Lord of our life. We cannot experience the fullest in Christian
living until we commit ourselves unreservedly to the Lordship of Christ” (Cosgrove 37).
 “Submission to Christ’s Lordship is not a one-time experience. We must make Jesus Christ Lord
of our life by decision, but we must also follow up that decision with daily recommitment”
(Cosgrove 37-38).
Just like Jesus
• “God’s plan for us is to be like Jesus Christ. And when we think of His life, we realize that He
was totally submissive to the Father. Jesus said that His whole purpose in life was “to do the
will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work” (John 4:34). And that’s what God asks of us”
(Cosgrove 42).
• “If we are to be like Jesus Christ, then we must be submissive to Him at all times” (Cosgrove
42).
Cf. Cosgrove for discussion of four reasons people often struggle with acknowledging Jesus Christ as
Lord.
• “The same decision that enthrones Christ automatically dethrones self” (Sanders in Cosgrove
43).
• “I contend that if the Christian has settled the lordship issue, then all other issues in his life are
also settled. When Jesus is Lord of a person's life, he will fulfill his duties, obligations, and
responsibilities with joy” (Willmore).
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Bob Boardman has identified five stages of obedience (Cosgrove 47-48):
• “I am going to do what I want to do no matter what God wants.” That is obviously a rejection of
the Lordship of Christ.”
• “If God will give me what I want first, then I will give Him an equal exchange.” This is bargaining
with God. Example: “If God will give me the job that I want, then I will give Him some of my time
in exchange.”
• “If God will give me what I want first, then I will give Him what He wants.” This is also
bargaining with God. It is similar to the second stage, but it includes a willingness give God what
He wants.
• “I will give God what He wants first, then in faith believe that He will give me what I want.” “This
has finally reversed the ‘me-first’ approach, but it is still a form of bargaining. I am expecting God
to do something for me because I have done something for Him” (48).
• “I will give God whatever He wants, regardless of whether He gives me what I want.” “This is
Lordship in practice. This is the crucial stage in our obedience” (48).
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Being Disciples of Jesus #3
The Morning Watch
INTRODUCTION:
A. Text: Mark 1:35
B. [S1] Origin of the phrase “Remember the Morning Watch” (see Cosgrove 80).
1. “It was in 1182 on the campus of Cambridge Universy that the world was first given the
slogan: ‘Remember the morning watch.’
2. Students like Hooper and Thornton found their days ‘loaded’ with studies, games, lectures, and
bull sessions. Enthusiasm and activity were the order of the day. These dedicated men soon
discovered a flaw in their spiritual armor – a small crack which if not soon closed, would bring
disaster.
3. They sought an answer and came up with a scheme they called the morning watch – the plan to
spend the first minutes of a new day alone with God, praying and reading the Bible
4. The morning watch sealed the crack. It enshrined a truth so often obscured by the pressure of
ceaseless activity that it needs daily rediscovery: To know God, it is necessary to spend
consistent time with Him.
5. The idea caught fire. ‘A remarkable period of religious blessing’ followed, and culminated in
the departure of the Cambridge Seven, a band of prominent athletes and men of wealth and
education for missionary service. They gave up everything to go out to China for Christ” (Bob
Foster in Cosgrove 80).
C. They began each day with time devoted to praying to God and studying His Word.
1. Does that sound radical to you?
2. Or, does that sound quite natural to you?
3. “Reading the Bible and praying were natural parts of what we did to grow in Christ. These
simple disciples grew my love for God” (Bill Mowry 13).
4. Isn’t that what a disciple of Jesus would want to do? No, I can’t show you a verse where we’re
told that we HAVE to do it every day. But should someone who is serious about being a
follower of Jesus set aside time each day to study and to pray?
5.
begin each day.
D. [S2] What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? A disciple of Jesus will set a regular time each
day to meet with the Lord in His Word and in prayer.
E. Consider this aspect of discipleship in terms of a relationship.
1. Bill Mowry: “Forty years of marriage has taught me one thing. Just because my wife, Peggy,
and I are both present in our home at the same time doesn’t mean that we’re growing in our
relationship with one another. Sure, there’s a silent trust between us, and we’re comfortable
with each other’s presence. Many times there’s an unspoken communication between us.
However, this relationship did not happen because we were simply close [in proximity] to each
other.”
2. “Our unspoken love was forged through countless meal conversations, date nights, family joys,
and shared tragedies. Talk, tears, and laughter gave us this ease of relation. Any friendship is
like this. We build relationships by spending time communicating and sharing life with one
another.”
3. “So it is with loving our Lord. We don’t grow in our love for Him by His simple presence but
by the determined effort of seeking Him” (18-19).
4. “We grow in our love for God when we come alongside Him through a daily time in His Word
and prayer” (19).
5. “As Chuck Swindoll says, ‘Seeking intimacy with the Almighty requires focused attention.’
This focused attention happens when we establish a routine of daily appointments with God”
(Mowry 19).
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F.
A Disciple of Jesus…
I. [S3] SPENDS TIME IN PRAYER
A. Consider the Example of Jesus…
1. Jesus spent time alone with His heavenly Father regularly throughout His busy ministry.
2. “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a
solitary place; and there He prayed.” – Mark 1:35
3. He had a very busy day on the day before this one (cf. Cosgrove 68).
B. “God speaks to us through His Word, then we converse with Him through prayer” (Cosgrove 75).
1. “It takes time and effort to converse with God through prayer” (Cosgrove 75).
2. “It is our necessary lifeline to God” (Cosgrove 76).
C. [S4] Let me share with you a “Communing Prayer T-I-P.” Note the following acrostic: C-P-T-I-P
1. Note: “Communing” signifies relationship, fellowship.
a. We aren’t just going to God with a checklist; we’re not going through the motions. We are
communing with Him, fellowshipping with Him.
b. Matthew 6:5-8
1) [S5] “5And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray
standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by
men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.”
2) [S6] “6But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your
door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret
will reward you.”
3) [S7] “7And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they
think that they will be heard for their many words.”
4) [S8] “8Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need
of before you ask Him.”
2. [S9] C – Confession
a. “The first step in praying is confession of all known sin to be sure the channel of
communication is open” (Cosgrove 76; cf. Isaiah 59:1-2).
b. “23Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
24And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.”
-- Psalm 139:23-24
c. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:9
3. [S9A] P – Praise
a. Praise expresses our adoration and our love for God.
b. “I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.”
– Psalm 9:1
c. As we praise God, our thoughts should be focused on Who He is, His greatness, power,
majesty, love, grace, mercy, and longsuffering.
4. [S9B] T – Thanksgiving
a. “In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1
Thessalonians 5:18).
b. We always have something for which to be thankful.
c. Make a list of blessings and thank God for them.
d. “Remember to thank Him for trials and difficult times as well, for they are intended for our
benefit” (Cosgrove 77; James 1:2-4).
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[S9C] I – Intercession
a. “Brethren, pray for us” (1 Thessalonians 5:25).
b. “1Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of
thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a
quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and [c]reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable
in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the
knowledge of the truth.” – 1 Timothy 2:1-4
c. This is praying for others.
d. Keep a prayer list. Mildred Nelson’s prayer list.
6. [S9D] P – Petition
a. Finally, we pray for ourselves and our needs.
b. “6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,
let your requests be made known to God; 7and the peace of God, which surpasses all
understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7
c. We should pray specifically.
d. “As we pray in His will, according to His Word, we have the assurance of Scripture that
He will hear and answer” (Cosgrove 78).
D. A Disciple of Jesus…
5.
II. [S10] SPENDS TIME IN BIBLE STUDY
A. The Bible Provides Spiritual Nourishment.
1. “Our spiritual growth is directly dependent on our consistent intake of the Word of God as our
spiritual food” (Cosgrove 85).
2. [S11] “1Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,
2as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3if indeed
you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” – 1 Peter 2:1-3
3. George Mueller said this about God's word: "The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact
proportion to the place held by the Bible in our life and thoughts. I solemnly state this from the
experience of 54 years. The first 3 years after conversion I neglected the word of God. Since I
began to search it diligently the blessing has been wonderful. Great has been the blessing from
consecutive, diligent, daily study. I look upon it as a lost day when I have not had a good time
over the word of God.” -- https://www.preceptaustin.org/colossians_3-16_commentary
4. We must continue to “grow on” to the meat of God’s Word (cf. Hebrews 5:11-14). “Milk will
help us grow to a certain point (just like physical children), but after that we will need meat
[“solid food”] for continued spiritual growth” (Cosgrove 86).
B. [S12] “16All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly
equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17. The Word of God is profitable for:
1. What’s Right – “doctrine”
2. What’s Not Right – “reproof”
3. Getting Right – “correction”
4. Staying Right – “instruction in righteousness”
C. [S13] Five Ways we can “get into” the Scriptures so that the Scriptures can “get into” us (Cosgrove
91-103; the Navigators use “the Hand Illustration”):
1. Hearing – “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” – Romans 10:17
2. Reading –
a. “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those
things which are written in it; for the time is near.” – Revelation 1:3
b. “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to
teaching.” – 1 Timothy 4:13 ESV
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Studying –
a. “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word
with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were
so.” – Acts 17:11
b. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” – 2 Timothy 2:15.
c. This is carful investigation of the Scriptures.
4. Memorizing –
a. “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.” –
Psalm 119:9
b. “Your word I have hidden [“stored” ESV] in my heart, That I might not sin against You.” –
Psalm 119:11
5. Meditating –
a. “Meditation is simply reflecting on what you have on your mind” (Cosgrove 102).
b. “1Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path
of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night. 3He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of
water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And
whatever he does shall prosper.” – Psalm 1:1-3
6. A disciple commits himself to taking in the Word of God on a regular basis: hearing, reading,
studying, memorizing, and meditating on it.
D. “The objective we should have in our devotional time is to be fed spiritually, to be nourished by
God’s Word” (73).
E. Follow a Plan. For example, select a particular book to study.
1. “Many people who try to have a quiet time without a definite plan in mind soon stop meeting
with God” (74).
2. “Ask yourself these questions about the passage you are reading:
a. Is there an example for me to follow?
b. Is there a command for me to obey?
c. Is there any error for me to avoid?
d. Is there any sin for me to renounce?
e. Is there any promise for me to claim?
f. Is there any new thought about Deity? [What does this text teach me about God?]
g. “The most important question in Bible study must be, ‘Lord, what do You want me to
apply to my life from this portion that I am studying?’” (Cosgrove 95).
3. “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” – James 1:22
3.
CONCLUSION:
A. [S14] A disciple of Jesus will set a regular time each day to meet with the Lord in His Word and in
prayer.
B. [S15] Action Steps:
1. [S15A] Select a specific time.
2. [S15B] Select a specific location.
3. [S15C] Select a specific plan of study.
C. Should you do it first thing every morning? Consider this quote from C.T. Studd:
1. C.T. Studd, English missionary statesman at the turn of century (18th – 19th), throughout his
Christian life got up at 4:30 in the morning to meet with the Lord. Of the importance of that
time he said…
2. [S16] “If you don’t desire to meet the Devil during the day, meet Jesus before dawn.” – C.T.
Studd
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D. It’s about building a strong relationship with our Lord…
E. A disciple commits himself to devoting a special time each day for God in prayer and Bible study.
F. [S17] (blank slide)
PRIMARY SOURCES:
Cosgrove, Francis M. Essentials of Discipleship. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1980.
• Chapter 5: “Devotions and Prayer” (67-82). “A disciple has a daily devotional time and is
developing in his prayer life” (67).
• Chapter 6: “The Importance of the Bible” (83-104). “A disciple demonstrates faithfulness and a
desire to learn and apply the Word of God through hearing it preached and taught, reading it
frequently, Bible study, Scripture memory, and meditation on the Scriptures” (Cosgrove 83).
Mowry, Bill. The Ways of An Alongsider. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2016.
Examples in the Psalms
• “Let me hear in the morning of Your steadfast love, for in You I trust. Make me know the way I
should go, for to You I lift up my soul.” – Psalm 143:8 ESV
• “6On my bed I remember You; I think of You through the watches of the night. 7 Because You
are my help, I sing in the shadow of Your wings. 8 I cling to You; Your right hand upholds
me.” – Psalm 63:6-8 NIV
• “1It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; 2to
declare Your steadfast love in the morning, and Your faithfulness by night.” – Psalm 92:1-2
ESV
Fellowship with God
• “The purpose of a quiet time is not to serve as a magical energizer that will keep us going
throughout the day. It is a time when we have fellowship with Almighty God” (Cosgrove 72).
The living God seeks our fellowship; He want us to fellowship with Him.
• “Each one of us is responsible to determine what time is best for us. Since most of us in our
society have fixed times for our meals, why not a fixed time for something more important – our
spiritual meals with God? The best way to guarantee that you will have your quiet time is to set
aside a fixed time for that purpose” (Cosgrove 81).
• “Our quiet time should not be lesson preparation for Sunday school or a Bible study” (73).
• “We cannot really minister to others if we have neglected our own spiritual nourishment” (73).
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Being Disciples of Jesus #4
Thanksgiving From a Distance
INTRODUCTION
A. Text: Luke 17:11-19
B. Let’s admit it at the start; it’s been difficult to have a positive attitude this year!
C. [S1] I’ve heard of a new medication – a sleep-aid – that has become available (just kidding!). It’s
called YEARQUIL – Sleep until 2021. End 2020 fast!
D. It is easy, especially when times are tough, to fall victim to an outlook that is negative and
ungrateful. “The ‘complain train’ is often full of passengers” (Mitchell).
E. [S2] I don’t know if I ever heard of the phrase, “social distancing,” before this pandemic. Now,
I’ve grown weary of hearing it.
1. The adjustments we have had to make with our lives and lifestyles have been tough and
challenging; especially for the “huggers” and “hand-shakers” among us.
2. This has been especially hard for those who’ve had to cut themselves off from family and
friends to avoid catching COVID-19 due to underlying health issues. We’ve missed them
greatly and understand their position.
3. We wonder how much longer we’ll have to wear masks, wash our hands frequently, quarantine,
and “stay 6 feet away” from the people we love.
F. Is it possible for us to display a thankful attitude in a time of social distancing?
G. Isn’t it interesting though that NOW is NOT the first case of social distancing, masks, &
quarantine?
1. I’m not speaking of pandemics in history.
2. But even in Bible times, these things were practiced when certain maladies invaded the
population.
H. Consider Luke 17 when Jesus encountered 10 lepers…
I. [S3] “11Now on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and
Galilee. 12As He was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met Him. They stood at a
distance.” – Luke 17:11-12 NIV
1. Notice there are 10 men staying together. They had been “quarantined,” likely forming a leper
colony.
2. They “stood at a distance.”
a. Current recommendation – stay 6 feet apart.
b. In his book The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Alfred Edersheim reports the
standard practice of isolation during the 1st century. He writes, “No one was to salute a
leper... no less than a distance of six feet must be kept from a leper or if the wind came
from that direction, a hundred (feet) were scarcely sufficient” (page 828, as qtd. by
Mitchell).
c. Is all of this sounding very familiar? Leprosy, which was later named “Hansen’s disease”
after the scientist who discovered it, was a bacterium transmissible through touch and
breath.
d. So, what did they do to keep from spreading the germs more than just standing 6 FEET
away?
3. [S4] “The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head
hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’” – Leviticus 13:45
ESV
4. So face masks, or coverings, and social distancing have obviously been around for a long time.
J. Now for the “rest of the story”…
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[S5] The lepers “stood at a distance 13and called out in a loud voice, ‘Jesus, Master, have pity
on us!’ 14When He saw them, He said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went,
they were cleansed.” – Luke 17:13-14 NIV
2. [S6] “15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.
16He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him—and he was a Samaritan.” – Luke 17:1516 NIV
3. [S7] “17Jesus asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Has no one
returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?’ 19Then He said to him, ‘Rise and go;
your faith has made you well.’” – Luke 17:13-19 NIV
K. If anyone understood what quarantining, social distancing and mask-wearing was all about, these
men did! Observe some lessons for us, including some parallels between leprosy and covid-19, that
we need to learn from this account.
L. Ten Lepers Meet Jesus…
1.
I. [S8] THEIR CONDITION
A. [S8A] It was a lonely disease.
1. If they contracted leprosy, they were immediately banned from society.
2. Imagine being separated from your family… Cast out of your town…. Never feeling the kiss
or warm embrace of your spouse… Not being able to hold your children in your arms…
3. It was a LONELY disease.
4. By the way, there are A LOT of people who have experienced a tremendous amount of
loneliness during this crisis and it’s been hard on them!
B. [S9] It was a lasting disease.
1. In that day, there was no known cure.
2. We are all anxious for a vaccine to make COVID go away but they didn’t have any vaccines in
those days.
3. Ross Mitchell: “I get a little frustrated with people who continue to criticize our medical system
in the U.S. The quality of care we have in our country provided by doctors and medicines, far
exceeds what people have in other parts of the world. So many diseases have been eradicated
in our country that we no longer have to deal with.”
4. These men didn’t have that luxury.
C. [S10] It was a lethal disease.
1. Apparently, it started as a white spot on the skin or in the hair. This white patch of skin would
become numb, so much so that the victims could not even feel something piercing the spot.
2. The patch would spread all over the body and often manifest itself on the face, so the disease
was impossible to hide. It then began to form tumors on the body and face.
3. The nerve endings became numb so the victim could not tell when something was hurting him,
like fire burning his hand.
4. In advanced stages, lepers would lose their limbs.
5. Lepers were called “the walking dead.”
D. [S11] It was a disease without limits.
1. Anyone could contract the disease.
2. Mitchell: “It didn’t matter whether you were Jew or Samaritan. It didn’t matter whether you
were a civilian or like Naaman, captain of the army. It didn’t matter whether you were poor or
wealthy, male or female, young or old. It didn’t matter whether you were a graduate or a
gravedigger. It was a disease that LEVELED all to the same playing field.”
E. Do we see their truly desperate condition? It is quite pitiful. But there’s more…
II. [S12] THEIR CRY
A. Picture this scene. See these men as they stand on the outskirts of the city.
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Their bodies are in various stages of decay — some worse than others.
While they may look dead, they are very much alive. They still have feelings! Emotionally,
they hurt because they’ve been cut off from others.
3. Hear them as they shout out, “Unclean! Unclean!”
4. Mitchell: “Imagine us walking through a store and shouting out, ‘I’ve got Covid! I’ve got
Covid!’ People would run away from us as fast as they could.
But when they see Jesus, they cry out to Jesus in hopes that He could heal them.
They called out to Him in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” (17:13).
Had they heard about Jesus healing the sick? Are they reaching out to Him in desperation?
[S13] “14When He saw them, He said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’” – Luke 17:14 NIV
1. The purpose of showing themselves to the priest was that the priest was the only one who could
examine them and pronounce them, by God’s law, clean and able to reenter the society. In
accordance with the Law of Moses, a cleansed leper must go and show himself to the priest and
offer the gift that Moses commanded (Matthew 8:4; For a detailed description, see Leviticus
14).
2. This is significant because their families, friends and neighbors would never accept them back
without certifiable proof from the priest. It is kind of like getting a note from the doctor saying
it’s okay for you to go back to work or school.
1.
2.
B.
C.
D.
E.
III.
A.
B.
C.
[S14] THEIR CLEANSING
“And as they went, they were cleansed.” – Luke 17:14 NIV
They responded obediently to Jesus’ instructions.
As they went, they were healed. Was it progressively or instantly? I’m inclined to think it was
instant.
D. Mitchell: “BUT… Will they allow the cleansing to go deeper than just the skin? Will the cleansing
of their bodies make any difference in their spirits?” How will they respond? How will it impact
their view of God? What kind of FAITH do they have?
E. We don’t have to wait too long to find out the answer to that question.
IV. [S15] THEIR CARELESSNESS
A. “15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw
himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him — and he was a Samaritan.” – Luke 17:15-16 NIV
B. Only one returned to give thanks to Jesus.
C. Where are the others? My guess is that they went home! They couldn’t wait to get back to their
loved ones. They are celebrating!
D. One was celebrating just as much as the others, but he felt compelled to express gratitude to the One
who cleansed him of his leprosy.
E. Are the nine who didn’t return to say “thank you” the only ones who enjoy blessings from God and
don’t acknowledge the Giver of those blessings? [I think not.]
F. Have I been grateful? Have you been grateful for God’s blessings? Have we verbally thanked God
for the blessings that He gives to us every day?
G. “And he was a Samaritan.”
1. Was he the only Samaritan in the group? Were they ALL Samaritans? Or, were the ten
composed of a mixture of Jews and Samaritans?
2. Jesus asks, “Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” (v. 18). Does
that mean that the others were not foreigners?
3. If there was a mix of Jews and Samaritans, then tragedy had brought them together and erased
their social and religious enmities.
4. “We know that the Jews had no dealing with the Samaritans; yet in this band there was at least
one Samaritan. Here is an example of a great law of life. A common misfortune had broken
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down the racial and national barriers. In the common tragedy of their leprosy they had
forgotten they were Jews and Samaritans and remembered only they were men in need”
(Barclay 217).
5. Yet, it was a Samaritan, not a God-fearing Jew, that returned to give thanks to Jesus (a Jew).
6. Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised that it was a Samaritan that returned to say, “Thank you.”
a. Maybe he was more thankful than the other guys because he knew what “social distancing”
felt like BEFORE he got leprosy. Or to put it another way, he had already felt the sting of
“social leprosy” that ostracized him from other Jews.
b. For the Jews, the only thing worse than being a leper was being a Samaritan.
c. He was what we might say, “twice soiled.” Soiled once because of his leprosy and soiled
secondly because of his heritage. A “half-breed.”
d. While he had experienced the physical loss of feeling because of his leprosy, he had also
felt the “loss of feeling” emotionally because of those who ignored his very existence as a
human being.
e. He understood what it felt like to be a stranger and to be told to “keep your distance” or to
“stand far away” and to hear “we don’t want you around us.”
f. Now all that had changed because Jesus had healed him of his leprosy!
H. [S16] “17Jesus asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Has no one
returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?’ 19Then He said to him, ‘Rise and go; your
faith has made you well.’” – Luke 17:17-19 NIV
I. So, what about us? Are we displaying a thankful heart in a time when we’ve been cut off and
distanced from others?
CONCLUSION:
A. We do NOT want to be like the 9 ungrateful former-lepers! We do not want to suffer from a lack of
thankfulness which could be called “leprosy of the heart” where we have lost all feeling (Mitchell).
B. [S17] Three Lessons for Application:
1. [S17A] “Thankfulness begins when we remember where we were compared to where we are
now” (Mitchell).
a. Leprosy has often been associated with sin. Just like leprosy cut people off from others, sin
separates us from God.
b. [S18] “But your iniquities have separated you from your God;
And your sins have hidden His face from you,
So that He will not hear.” – Isaiah 59:2
c. [S19] In Christ, we are healed of this separating malady: “But now in Christ Jesus you who
previously were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” – Ephesians 2:13
NASB
2. [S20] Remember to thank the Giver of all good things.
a. “17Jesus asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Has no one
returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?’” – Luke 17:17-18 NIV
b. Are we among the “nine”?
c. [S21] “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the
heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” – James 1:17 NIV
3. [S22] Love “the least of these.”
a. We learn this lesson from Jesus and how He interacted with and blessed the lepers – the
outcasts, the quarantined, the helpless ones. “Jesus didn’t ignore or overlook these men.
They had felt the sting of being cut off from others and Jesus wanted to end their suffering”
(Mitchell).
b. “We will be more thankful if we will stop overlooking people and begin to see the value of
each and every individual with which we come in contact” (Mitchell).
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c.
Young, old, boys, girls, white, black, brown, poor, rich, uneducated, PhD, the quiet and the
obnoxious, the know-it-alls and the humble, the athletic and the uncoordinated, tall, short,
skinny and not so skinny… love them all and seek to help them in their time of need.
d. [S22A] READ Matthew 25:31-40.
e. A by-product of “loving the least of these” will be gratitude in our hearts. When we see
the suffering of others, we will be better able to see the blessings in our own lives. And
with those blessing, we can know the joy of using them to bless others.
f. Randy Gill has a song entitled: “To the Least of These.”
1) [S23] Verse 1
Give us a heart for the hopeless
The weary and wounded
For all who are hungry
Helpless and poor
Let us see the sorrow
The pain and the heartache
That all the abandoned endure
2) [S24] Chorus
To the last to the lost
To the least of these
Let us be Jesus today
To the last to the lost
To the least of these
Let us be Jesus today
3) [S25] Verse 2
May we reach out to the broken
The beaten the battered
To all who have fallen
Disgraced and ashamed
May we be a comfort
Loving forgiving and offering
Grace in Your Name
4) [S26] Chorus
To the last to the lost
To the least of these
Let us be Jesus today
To the last to the lost
To the least of these
Let us be Jesus today
C. We have MUCH for which to be thankful. Even in the midst of a crisis, we can still count our
blessings and be reminded of God’s love and faithfulness. Let’s always thank the Giver.
D. But can we also see the task laid before us? There is so much to do; so many who need our help
and who need to hear the Good News!
E. [S27] (blank slide)
SOURCES:
Mitchell, Ross. “Displaying Thankfulness in a Time of Social Distancing (Luke 17:11-19).” Fort
Walton Beach, Florida Church of Christ. Shared via PreacherStuff, 11/17/20.
Illustration – A tourist was watching some women in Mexico who were washing their clothes at a spot
where hot and cold springs bubbled side by side. They boiled their garments in the hot springs; rinsed
59
them in the cold. The tourist said to his guide, “I suppose the people here think Mother Nature is
generous to them.” “No, senor,” replied the guide. “It’s just the opposite. There is grumbling because
Mother Nature does not supply soap.”
Have we become so careless that we often focus much more on what we DON’T have rather than on
what we DO have?
Example – A father and mother whose son was killed in the military, were members of a little church.
One day they came to the preacher and told him that they wanted to give a monetary gift as a memory to
their son who died in battle. The minister said, “That’s a wonderful gesture on your part.” He then asked
if it was ok to tell the congregation and they said that it was. So, the next Sunday he told the
congregation of the gift given in memory of their dead son. On the way home from church, another
couple were driving down the highway when the husband said to his wife, “Why don’t we give a gift
because of our son?” His wife replied, “But our son didn’t die in any conflict! Our son is still alive!”
Her husband replied, “That’s exactly my point! That’s all the more reason we ought to give thanks to
God!”
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Being Disciples of Jesus #5
The Badge of Discipleship
INTRODUCTION:
A. Text: John 13:34-35
B. We’ve been studying what the Bible has to say to this question: What does it mean to be a disciple
of Jesus?
C. [S1] “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John
13:35
D. [S2] (John 13:34 NKJV) "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have
loved you, that you also love one another.
I. [S3] THE DIRECTION (Instruction)
A. It is a command.
B. (John 13:34 NKJV) "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved
you, that you also love one another.
C. You can’t command a person to feel a certain way, but you can command a person’s actions.
D. When most people talk about love, they are thinking of feelings.
1. [S4] Some say, “Love is a feeling you feel when you feel you are feeling a feeling that you’ve
never felt before.” – as qtd. by Matt Presley
2. Love evokes feelings, but feelings are not the core of love.
E. [S5] Love isn’t primarily something you feel; it’s something you do!
1. Love is more doing than feeling.
2. [S5A] Love is a verb.
3. Love is doing what’s best for others.
F. Love is a Verb.
1. You can command action, not feelings. God commands us to love (Matthew 22:37-40;
Ephesians 5:25-28; Luke 6:27-28, 35). Love is a command. Love God. Love people. Love
your enemy. But you can’t command a feeling; you can only command action. Don’t equate
feelings with love. Love includes feelings, but it’s more about action.
2. [S6] “4Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5or rude. It does
not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but
rejoices with the truth. 7Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all
things. Love never ends.” – 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 ESV
a. 1 Corinthian 13 is the famous love chapter, and verses 4-7 are Paul’s lyric description of
love.
b. There are 15 descriptors of love. Here’s the interesting thing: Paul uses 15 verbs. What
are verbs? Action words. Paul tells us what love does.
c. In verb form: “Love suffers long. Love acts kindly. Love does not envy or boast. Love
does not act arrogantly or rudely. Love does not insist on its own way. Love does not act
irritably or with resentment [it ‘keeps no record of wrongs’ (NIV)]. Love does not rejoice
at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things [‘always protects’ NIV],
believes all things [‘always trusts’ NIV], hopes all things [‘always hopes’ NIV], endures all
things [‘always persevers’ NIV]. Love never stops loving.”
d. Love is a verb. Love is something you do.
G. [S7] “18Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” – 1 John 3:18 ESV
H. Love isn’t just a feeling in our hearts. Love isn’t just some nice sentiments or words we say. Love
is action. Love is doing what’s best for others. Love is seeing a need and meeting it
I. Jesus directs us to “love one another.”
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II. [S8] THE DEGREE
A. Note also that it is a “new” command.
B. (John 13:34 NKJV) "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved
you, that you also love one another.
C. [S9] “The newness was in its degree” (Hamilton 139).
1. [S9A] No more “as you love yourselves” -- (Lev 19:18 NKJV) 'You shall not take vengeance,
nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as
yourself: I am the LORD.
2. [S10] But “AS I HAVE LOVED YOU” (see also 1 John 3:16, 18; 4:11).
3. The ultimate standard for understanding this love that is required of us is plainly stated: “as I
have loved you.”
D. [S11] “AS I HAVE LOVED YOU” -- How did Jesus love His disciples? William Barclay uses four
adverbs to describe how Jesus loved His disciples:
1. [S11A] He loved His disciples selflessly.
a. “Even in the noblest human love there remains some element of self. We so often think –
maybe unconsciously – of what we are to get. We think of the happiness we will receive,
or of the loneliness we will suffer if love fails or is denied. … So often at the back of things
it is our happiness that we are seeking” (Barclay 149).
b. “But Jesus never thought of Himself. His one desire was to give Himself and all He had
for those He loved” (Barclay 149-150).
2. [S11B] He loved His disciples sacrificially.
a. “There was no limit to what His love would give or to where it would go. No demand that
could be made upon it was too much. If love meant the Cross, Jesus was prepared to go
there” (Barclay 150).
b. “Sometimes we make the mistake of thinking that love is meant to give us happiness. So
in the end it does, but love may well bring pain and demand a cross” (Barclay 150).
c. [S12] (1 John 3:16 NKJV) By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.
And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
3. [S13] He loved His disciples understandingly.
a. “We never really know people until we have lived with them. When we are meeting them
only occasionally, we see them at their best. It is when we live with them that we find out
their moods and their irritabilities and their weaknesses. Jesus had lived with His disciples
day in and day out for many months and knew all that was to be known about them – and
He still loved them” (Barclay 150).
b. “Sometimes we say that love is blind. That is not so, for the love that is blind can end in
nothing but bleak and utter disillusionment. Real love is open-eyed. It loves, not what it
imagines a man to be, but what he is. The heart of Jesus is big enough to love us as we
are” (Barclay 150).
4. [S13A] He loved His disciples forgivingly.
a. “They were all to forsake Him in His hour of need. … But Jesus held nothing against them;
they were no failure which He could not forgive” (Barclay 150).
b. “The love which has not learned to forgive cannot do anything else but shrivel and die.
[We often] hurt most of all those who love us best. For that very reason all enduring love
must be built on forgiveness, for without forgiveness, it is bound to die” (Barclay 150).
c. [S14] (Eph 4:32 NKJV) And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
just as God in Christ forgave you.
d. (Eph 4:32 NCV) Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God
forgave you in Christ.
5. [S15] I want to add another: He loved His disciples actively.
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a.
Before He said anything, to demonstrate His love for them, He washed their feet (John
13:1-17).
1) “He loved them to the end” (John 13:1) – “He now showed them the full extent of His
love” (NIV).
2) “The significance is not that He loved them to the last of His life, but that He loved
them to the uttermost degree of which He was capable. The historic scene that
followed was a dramatic exposition of the greatness of Christ’s love for the disciples.
It was a preview of the meaning of the cross, in which the essential elements of the
divine love for man were all represented” (Tenney 197-198).
3) “When we look at this passage as a whole we see something striking: to love someone
is to serve them – that is, meet their needs” (J&B 36).
b. [S16] What is Love?
1) [S16A] “Love is not an abstract thought.”
2) [S16B] “It is not a passing emotion.”
3) [S16C] “It is not a benevolent inclination.”
4) [S16D] “Love is action. It is something that is demonstrated” (Thomas Jones and
Steve Brown 36).
c. [S17] Love Gives
1) “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him
should not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 ESV
2) [S18] “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And
we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” – 1 John 3:16 NIV
3) [S19] Love ever gives.
Forgives, outlives,
And ever stands
With open hands.
And while it lives,
It gives,
For this is love’s prerogative—
To give, and give, and give.
-- Oxenham
4) “You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.” – W.T. Allison
III. [S20] THE DISTINCTION
A. Love for one another “is the badge of discipleship” (Hamilton 140).
B. (John 13:35 NKJV) "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one
another."
C. [S21] "By this all will know that you are My disciples…” -- “Not by the creed you recite. Not by
the livery [clothes] you wear. Not by the hymns you sing. Not by the ritual you observe. But by
the fact that you love one another” (Cox 86). Note: “Livery” – a: the distinctive clothing or badge
formerly worn by the retainers of a person of rank; b: a servant's uniform; c: distinctive dress, garb
D. [S22] (John 13:34 NKJV) "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have
loved you, that you also love one another.
E. [S23] “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” – 1 John
3:18 NIV
F. [S24] (blank slide)
SOURCES:
• Barclay, William. The Gospel of John. Volume 2. Revised edition. The Daily Study Bible
Series. Philadelphia, PA: The Westminster Press, 1975.
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•
•
•
•
Cox, Frank L. According to John. Austin, TX: Firm Foundation Publishing House, 1948.
Hamilton, W.T. Show Us the Father. Mayfield, KY: Nichols Bros. Publishing Co., 1964.
Jones, Thomas, and Steve Brown. One Another. Spring Hill, TN: DPI Books, 2008.
Sargent, David A. “Love is a Choice.” Sermon outline.
- - -. “Love One Another.” Sermon outline.
- Tenney, Merrill C. John: The Gospel of Belief. Grand Rapids, MI: William B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1976.
“Love” and “One another” – 21 times from Matthew – Revelation in NKJV
The teacher in our adult-education creative-writing class told us to write “I love you” in 25 words or
less, without using the words “I love you.” She gave us 15 minutes. A woman in the class spent about
ten minutes looking at the ceiling and wriggling in her seat. The last five minutes she wrote frantically,
and later read us the results:
• “Why, I’ve seen lots worse hairdos than that, honey.”
• “These cookies are hardly burned at all.”
• “Cuddle up—I’ll get your feet warm.”
-- Charlotte Mortimer, in Feb., 1990, Reader’s Digest, “Secret Store of Indifference”
In his book, The Yoke of Christ, Elton Trueblood quotes a letter from a school girl who probes the depth
of her soul. She writes, "I've been thinking much this year about the importance of caring, of the
passion of life. I've often realized that it takes courage to care. Caring is dangerous. It leaves you open
to hurt and to looking like a fool. And perhaps it's because they have been hurt so often that people are
afraid to care. You can't die if you're not alive. And then who would rather be a stone? I have found
many places in my own life where I keep a secret store of indifference as a sort of self-protection."
That's a penetrating insight -- a secret store of indifference. We're to care, because Christ cared -- even
though it means a cross. -- BI; Topic: Indifference; Subtopic: In Spirit; Title: Secret Store of
Indifference
“Love” and “One Another” – 21 times from Matthew – Revelation in NKJV
So, 21 out of 79 (or ¼) “one another” passages have to do with loving one another.
“The apostle John, sometimes called ‘the apostle of love,’ calls for it [five times in John (13:34-35;
15:12,17) and] five times in 1 John 3 and 4 [3:11, 23; 4:7,11,12]. In fact, a story circulated in the early
church saying that John so frequently repeated the injunction, ‘My little children, love one another,’ that
his listeners grew tired of it and urged him to teach them something else. To which he supposedly
replied, ‘My little children, love one another’” (J&B 33).
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Being Disciples of Jesus #6
Make Me a Servant
INTRODUCTION:
A. Texts: Mark 10:35-45
B. What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus?
1. The goal of discipleship is to be just like Jesus.
2. “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his
teacher.” – Luke 6:40
3. What was Jesus like?
C. Turn in your Bibles to Mark 10:35-45. Let’s see what Jesus is like…
I. [S] THE REQUEST (10:35-37)
A. “Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, ‘Teacher, we want You to do for
us whatever we ask.’” – Mark 10:35
1. Matthew says that it was the mother of James and John who went to Jesus with the request.
2. Mark says it was the two sons.
3. Perhaps they were all in on it.
4. I couldn’t help but smile when I read their statement. I imagined a child approaching his
mother saying, “Mom, please say yes to what I’m about to ask you.”
5. Can’t you hear some selfishness in the request?
6. Jesus answered like a wise parent…
B. [S] “And He said to them, ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’” – Mark 10:36
C. [S] “They said to Him, ‘Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your
left, in Your glory.’” – Mark 10:37
1. “The place of highest honor in the courts of kings is at the right hand of the throne, and the
next, at the left hand…
2. “[James and John] therefore desired to secure [themselves] the highest possible honors in the
expected kingdom” (McGarvey 176).
II. [S] THE RESPONSE (Mark 10:38-40)
A. “But Jesus said to them, ‘You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink,
and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?’” – Mark 10:38
1. “You do not know what you ask” –
a. “You” is plural, including the two sons, James and John
b. They didn’t know for what they were asking! They didn’t know what it would entail!
2. “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink?” – “It was common in ancient times to execute
criminals by compelling them to drink a cup of poison… The cup, therefore, became a symbol
of suffering and of death, and it is so used here” (McGarvey 176).
3. “Are you able to be baptized with the baptism that that I am baptized with?” –
a. This does not refer to water baptism (which is essential to salvation!), but to an
“immersion” in suffering (used metaphorically).
b. “Are you able to endure the overwhelming suffering that I am about to undergo?”
B. [S] “They said to Him, ‘We are able.’ So Jesus said to them, ‘You will indeed drink the cup that I
drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized;’” – Mark 10:39
1. “We are able” – they didn’t know to what Jesus referred.
2. “You will indeed drink the cup … be baptized” – they would also suffer because they chose to
follow God.
a. “James drank the cup by suffering martyrdom at the hands of Herod Agrippa, being the
first of the apostles to suffer death” (McGarvey 176; Acts 12:2).
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b. John lived to an old age but suffered much for the cause of Christ. (Rev 1:9 ESV) “I,
John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance
that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the
testimony of Jesus.”
C. “…but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is
prepared by My Father.”
III. [S] THE REACTION (of the Other Apostles) (Mark 10:41)
A. “And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.” – Mark
10:41
B. “Nothing moves the indignation of men more than to know that one of a company of equals is
platting to get an undue advantage over the others” (McGarvey 177).
C. “The result was ‘indignation’ on the part of the other disciples – probably because they had not
thought of it first!” (Warren W. Wiersbe 75).
D. This was not the first time they had experienced similar disagreements. Consider Mark 9:33-35…
1. [S] (Mark 9:33-35 NKJV) Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He
asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"
2. [S] {34} But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would
be the greatest.
3. [S] {35} And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he
shall be last of all and servant of all."
IV. [S] REDEFINING GREATNESS.
A. “But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, ‘You know that those who are considered rulers
over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones [“people in high position” NASB] exercise
authority over them.” – Mark 10:42
1. For the pagans, Jesus said, leadership is all about who gets to call the shots, who is in control.
2. His disciples had been thinking that way. James and John wanted to “call the shots.” They
wanted positions of honor.
3. Now Jesus was going to redefine what it meant – and means – to be great in His kingdom…
B. [S] “43Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be
your servant. 44And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.” – Mark 10:43-44
1. “Great” and “first” – these would likely be associated with leadership among the pagans and
even among Jesus’ disciples.
2. But Jesus would use new terms to describe true greatness in the eyes of God:
a. “Servant” – Gr. diakonos, a domestic servant
b. “Slave” – Gr. doulos
3. “The post of honor is to be the post of servitude” (McGarvey 177). A servant is not concerned
about being in a prominent position.
C. [S] “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom
for many.” – Mark 10:45
V. [S] EXAMPLE OF DAN CATHY AND CHICK-FIL-A (Maxwell 56-59).
A. John Maxwell: “What I discovered as I got to know Dan [Cathy, President of Chick-fil-A], Truett
Cathy (his father and founder of Chick-fil-A), and their entire organization is that an attitude of
service pervades everything they do” (Maxwell 57).
B. In 2005, Maxwell hosted Exchange, a weekend leadership growth experience for executives. He
took the participants to Chick-fil-A’s headquarters. Dan Cathy shared many things that “revealed
their dedication to service and adding value to the employees and customers” (Maxwell 57).
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C. “Dan also talked about the company’s desire to give ‘second-mile service’ [see Matthew 5:41]…
He believes the company will compete and win, not through strength, but through service. For that
reason, the company is teaching etiquette to its employees” (Maxwell 57). “My pleasure” is often
the response when gratitude is expressed to a Chick-fil-A employee.
D. “But Dan’s approach to leadership became clear when he prepared to give every person at
Exchange what he called a leadership relationship development tool” (Maxwell 57-58).
1. [S20A] “Now this is a nine-inch, 100 percent horsehair shoe brush. This is an industrialstrength shoe brush. It’s the best you can get from the Johnston and Murphy Shoe Company.
I’m going to present all of these, one to each of you here. And, John [Maxwell], why don’t you
come over here just for a moment. I made a commitment I’d never give one of these leadership
relationship development tools to anybody without first showing you how to use it, so, John,
step up here so they can see you here. And I’m going to challenge you to watch closely. This
really has substance and real meaning when it’s practiced with people that you really know,
that you really work with a lot. So if you’ll let me show you how this happens, I’ll tell you
how it works.”
2. Maxwell: “Dan sat me down, kneeled at my feet, and began cleaning my shoes with the brush.”
3. Cathy: “Now this works whether the person’s got tennis shoes, Nike, Reebok, it will work on
any tope of shoe, so don’t worry about what kind of shoes the person has on. You don’t say
anything – that’s one of the real keys here. And you’re in no big hurry as you do this. Then
[when you’re done] you give them a big hug.”
4. Cathy: “I find that, in the right setting when you have enough time to do this and to really talk
about this, this can have a powerful impact on people’s lives.”
E. I think we all know where Dan Cathy got this idea…
VI. [S] THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS (John 13:1-17).
A. On the night before the crucifixion, the Lord gathered His disciples together for the Passover. It was
a critical night. He knew it; He wanted them to know it.
B. “Few incidents in the gospel story so reveal the character of Jesus and so perfectly show His love”
(Barclay 137).
C. Background: (Luke 22:24 NKJV) “Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them
should be considered the greatest.” See Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:7-30.
1. “The disciples’ minds were preoccupied with dreams of elevation to office in the coming
kingdom. They were jealous lest one of their fellows should claim the best place.”
2. “Consequently, no one of them was likely to abase himself by volunteering to wash the feet of
the others. They were ready to fight for a throne, but not for a towel!” (Tenney 199).
D. [SA] (John 13:4-5 NKJV) rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded
Himself. {5} After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to
wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.
E. [S] Learning from Our Greatest Example: Observe what Jesus teaches us about “what He is like”
and what it means to be a serving disciple of His…
1. [S22A] Disciples of Jesus are motivated by love to serve others (v. 1).
a. [S22B] (John 13:1 NIV) It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time
had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved His own who
were in the world, He now showed them the full extent of his love.
b. Note: NKJV: “He loved them to the end.”
c. "On the next day the Lord was crucified" (Johnson 381). Jesus knew what was going to
happen both that night and the next day (cf. Luke 22:15). His time was limited. He
wanted to make the most of it. He wanted to teach them something that they would never
forget.
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2.
3.
4.
d. "The stress [of John's account] is ... on Jesus' personal love for His disciples. The meaning
can be made clear by a paraphrase of verse 1: 'Jesus ... because he loved his own that were
in the world, made one final demonstration of that love" (Tenney 197-200).
e. “The significance is not that He loved them to the last of His life, but that He loved them to
the uttermost degree of which He was capable. The historic scene that followed was a
dramatic exposition of the greatness of Christ’s love for the disciples. It was a preview of
the meaning of the cross, in which the essential elements of the divine love for man were
all represented” (Tenney 197-198).
f. Love made Him serve. Love will do the same for disciples of Jesus.
[S] Disciples of Jesus possess a security that allows them to serve others (v. 3).
a. This was a love that was tendered by Jesus in the full consciousness of his own exalted
power and identity.
b. (John 13:3 NKJV) Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and
that He had come from God and was going to God,
c. The words, 'Knowing ... that he came forth from God, and goeth unto God' (v. 3) indicate
that He was fully conscious of divine origin and of divine destiny. [Jesus knew Who He
Was!] Nevertheless He condescended to minister to those who were His natural inferiors.
Divine love leaped over the boundaries of class distinctions and made the Lord of Glory
the servant of men" (Tenney 198).
d. [S] “The insecure are into titles; the secure are into towels. Jesus’ security enabled Him to
both stoop and stretch” (MLB 1299).
[S] Disciples of Jesus humble themselves in service to others (vs. 3-5).
a. “At that moment when he might have had supreme pride, he had supreme humility … He
knew that He was Lord of all, and yet He washed His disciples’ feet” (Barclay 137).
b. "In contrast to the self-seeking of the disciples, Jesus took a place of humility. He set the
example of service, not of strife, of self-abasement rather than of self-exaltation ... an
accurate picture of Philippians 2:6-8" (Tenney 200-201).
[S] Disciples of Jesus follow the example of Jesus (vs. 12-17).
a. (John 13:12 NKJV) So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down
again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you?
1) "They knew the act, but did they comprehend its meaning?" (Johnson 383).
2) "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them (NIV).
b. [S] (John 13:13-14 NKJV) "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.
{14} "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one
another's feet.
1) “Teacher” – “A Jewish teacher (a rabbi), especially a religious teacher was seen in the
place of a substitute father and was given all the respect due a father” (Harris).
2) “Lord” – He was their Master and they were to be His servants.
c. [S] (John 13:15-16 NKJV) "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have
done to you. {16} "Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master;
nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.
1) "Christ gave an example, not a church ordinance" (See Johnson 383).
2) “Jesus’ command here is that we follow His example to do as He did, i.e. be humble
servants of one another, and not what He did, i.e. literally wash each other's feet”
(Harris).
3) "The lesson is that he who would be greatest must be always ready to serve others in a
spirit of humility and self-sacrifice" (Johnson 383).
d. [S] "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them" -- John 13:17
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CONCLUSION:
A. What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus?
1. The goal of discipleship is to be just like Jesus.
2. “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his
teacher.” – Luke 6:40
B. What was Jesus like?
C. Jesus was a Servant – a Servant of God and a Servant of Others.
D. [S] A Disciple of Jesus Is…
1. [SA] First a servant of Jesus.
2. [SB] A servant of others, just like Jesus.
E. Invitation song: “Make Me a Servant”
F. [S] (blank slide)
SOURCES:
 Barclay, William. The Gospel Of John. Volume 2. Revised Edition. The Daily Study Bible
Series. Philadelphia, PA: The Westminster Press, 1975.
 Cox, Frank L. According to John. Austin, TX: Firm Foundation Publishing House, 1948.
 Harris, Scott L. “Our Humble Master.” Sermon manuscript. Grace Bible Church, NY.
2/4/2001.
 Johnson, B.W. The People's New Testament With Notes. Volume I. Delight, AR: Gospel Light
Publishing Company, n.d.
 Maxwell, John C. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson,
2007. Chapter 5: “The Law of Addition” (47-59).
 Maxwell, John C., Executive Editor. The Maxwell Leadership Bible [“MLB”].Nashville, TN:
Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2002.
 McGarvey, J.W. The New Testament Commentary. Vol. I – Matthew and Mark. Delight, AR:
Gospel Light Publishing Company, 1875.
 Sargent, David A. “Leaders Serve.” Sermon outline.
- - -. “The God of the Towel.” Sermon outline.
 Tenney, Merrill C. John: The Gospel Of Belief. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans
Publishing Company, 1948.
 Thomas, Roger W. “Servant Leadership.” Sermon manuscript. From www.SermonCentral.com
One thing is clear: Jesus was a servant (cf. John 13:1-17). Therefore, a disciple of Jesus will seek to
serve others, just like Jesus.
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Being Disciples of Jesus #7
Love Walked Among Us
The Resurrection at Nain
INTRODUCTION:
A. Text: Luke 17:11-17
B. [S1] “Be good to everybody, because everybody is having a tough time.” — George Truett
1. George Truett was a tremendously effective minister for decades in Texas.
2. His heart was broken when he accidentally killed his best friend while they were on a hunting
trip. His daughter said that she never heard him laugh after that day.
3. Truett had a radio program, and each day when it came to a close he would say, “Be good to
everybody, because everybody is having a tough time.” Because he knew personally what a
heavy burden people could be carrying, he encouraged compassion toward them. -- Source: Lee
Roberson: Always about His Father's Business, James H. Wigton (www.ministry127.com).
C. I believe we see the quality of compassion often in the life and ministry of Jesus. The following is
one of those occasions…
I. [S2] THE CROWDS (Luke 7:11, 12).
A. “11Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples
went with Him, and a large crowd.” – Luke 7:11
B. Jesus was coming from Capernaum, about 12 miles away, where He had just healed the centurion’s
servant (Luke 7:1-10).
C. “Nain” – “Nain is nestled in a beautiful valley in southern Galilee where the Jewish tribe of Issachar
had settled. The Old Testament tells us that the land is pleasant (Genesis 49:15)” (Miller 22). It
was about 6 or 7 miles southeast of Nazareth.
D. But for one citizen of Nain, this day was anything but pleasant….
E. “Many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd” – “a great multitude”
F. Verse 12 also identifies another crowd…
II. [S3] THE INDIVIDUAL (Luke 7:12)
A. “As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the
only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with
her.” – Luke 7:12 ESV
B. “The only son of his mother” –
1. His age we are not told. He was a “man,” presumably then, an adult, perhaps a young adult.
2. This was not the first time she has had to bury a loved one…
C. “She was a widow” – She had previously lost her husband. We don’t know how long it had been
since she had suffered the loss of her husband.
D. “The loss of her husband an only son means a life of poverty. With them she has lost the equivalent
of her pension, Social Security, and Medicare,” to put it into day’s terms (Miller 22).
E. The loss income is likely not what was breaking her heart at this time.
F. “Jewish funerals were usually held at six in the evening, after the day’s work was done” (Miller 22).
“Jewish burials did not include embalming and typically too, place within a few hours of a person’s
death. The body would be washed, anointed with aromatic spices and/or perfume, wrapped in
burial cloths, and carried to the burial ground on an open stretcher [a bier]” (Shelly 80).
G. Members of the community gathered at her door to travel with her during the funeral procession.
1. “People customarily dropped whatever they were doing and joined in a funeral procession
when it passed by. For a widow’s only son to die before she did was considered extremely
tragic; it also left her dependent on public charity for support unless she had other relatives of
means” (Craig Keener in Owen).
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“Paid mourners and flute players following in the rear, chanting, ‘Weep with them, all you who
are bitter of heart.’” (Miller 23).
H. The “large crowd” that is with Jesus meets the crowd of the funeral procession. Jesus arrives just as
the funeral emerges from the gates of the city, and the two groups meet.
2.
III. [S4] WHAT JESUS DID (Luke 7:13-15)
A. “13When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’” – Luke 7:13
B. “When the Lord saw her” – The first thing Jesus does is look at the woman. The Lord saw her – not
the crowd or the dead son.
C. “He had compassion on her” – “His heart went out to her” (NIV)
1. Jesus is with a crowd. The woman is part of another crowd, a funeral procession. Jesus
focuses in on the widow.
2. What does compassion look like? Many say, “It’s communicated through a person’s eyes.
They are soft and tender, attentive, concerned. The entire body pauses and listens, absorbing
the feelings of another. Perhaps Jesus stops mid-sentence and becomes quiet, transfixed as He
looks at the widow” (Miller 24).
3. Two crowds have intersected, but Jesus’ focus is on one person.
4. “Jesus enters this woman’s world, feeling what it’s like to be in her place” (Miller 25).“From
the depths of His heart, He felt sympathy and pity for her. He was moved with compassion
[Gr. splagchnizomai]. He entered into her pain and felt it with her. ‘We have a High Priest
who can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities’ (cf. Hebrews 4:15 )” (Owen).
5. Jesus “feels what she feels” (Miller).
6. That is what compassion does.
D. “13When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’” – Luke 7:13
1. “When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and he said, ‘Don’t cry.’” – Luke 7:13 NIV
2. “Weep” -- 2799. klaio, klah'-yo; of uncert. affin.; to sob, i.e. wail aloud (whereas G1145 is
rather to cry silently): bewail. weep.
3. “Someone might say that Jesus has interrupted her grieving process” (Miller 25).
a. In fact, grief counselors would suggest that this is something that you should NOT say to
those who are grieving.
b. We must let people grieve their loss, even if the tears flow.
4. The difference is: Jesus knows that this woman has reason to hope and not weep. He knows
what He is about to do!
E. [S5] “14Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He
said, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise.’” – Luke 7:14
F. “Then He came and touched the open coffin” – “Then He came up and touched the bier, and the
bearers stood still” (ESV)
1. “Bier” (bēr) – A stand on which a corpse or coffin is placed (Merriam-Webster).
2. “Bier” – “Litter or bed upon which a body was placed before burial. They were portable (2
Samuel 3:31; Luke 7:14). Biers in biblical times have been compared to the wooden boards
used in Muslim funerals to carry bodies today… The Hebrew word for bier (mitta) is the
normal word for bed and is translated bier only when referring to burials.” – Holman Bible
Dictionary
3. It was a “funeral pallet” (Owen).
4. “Very often long wicker-work baskets were used for carrying the body to the grave” (Barclay).
5. “The Jews did not enclose a corpse in a casket or coffin; (but) they placed the forms of their
loved ones on a plank that had raised edges to prevent the body [from] rolling off. Thus in this
funeral at Nain, the young man’s body was clearly visible” (Ivor Powell in Owen).
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This bier “was help up on the shoulders of his friends. [They were the pallbearers.] And his
mother was walking [in front of (Keener in Owen)] the casket, shrouded in black, overwhelmed
by grief, overtaken by sadness” (Jon Walton in Owen).
7. Jesus touched the “open coffin” or the “bier” – By so doing, He became ceremonially unclean.
Not only that, He acknowledged the very source of the widow’s pain. Many would “steer
clear” of the bier, the body, and the woman. But Jesus entered into her pain, tenderly
acknowledging the very source of it.
G. “Those who carried him stood still” –
1. “Respect for the dead led to a right-of-way in traffic, so Jesus’ crowd has likely divided and
pulled off to the sides to let the widow and her dead son pass” (Miller 25).
2. Could it be that His ability to stop the funeral procession was an indication of His majesty?
3. He stopped the funeral procession! In fact, Jesus “broke up” every funeral that He attended!
4. Jesus demonstrated His power and authority…
H. “He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise’” –
I. [S6] “15So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.” –
Luke 7:15
J. “So he who was dead sat up and began to speak” – the miracle was immediate and whole. Evidence
of his life was seen and heard.
K. “And He presented him to his mother” –
1. “Every eye is on Jesus. Nothing like this has happened before” (Miller 26).
2. But where are Jesus’ eyes? He is still focused on the widow. Her heart had been breaking;
now it is filled with great joy.
3. Perhaps it went like this: He takes her son by the hand, helps him off the bier, and walks him
over to his mother.
4. Jesus isn’t “thinking about Himself and how He can benefit from this amazing display of
power. He isn’t distracted by His own miracle. He remembers the person. He cares for both
the son’s physical need and the mother’s emotional need” (Miller 26).
5. “Jesus possesses both tenderness and power” (Miller 26).
a. “Usually tender people lack strength…”
b. “And strong people lack gentleness” (Miller 26).
c. Jesus had both.
6.
IV. [S7] THE EFFECTS (Luke 7:16-17)
A. “16Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, ‘A great prophet has risen up among
us’; and, ‘God has visited His people.’ 17And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and
all the surrounding region.” – Luke 7:16-17
B. The crowd is filled with awe and praised God.
C. “A great prophet has risen up among us” –
1. “After four hundred years of silence [the period between the testaments], a prophet had come”
(Miller 25).
2. “The acknowledgment of Jesus as a ‘great prophet’ likely reflects the people’s recollection of
similar feats of raising the dead by two Old Testament prophets. Both Elijah (1 Kings 17;1724) and Elisha (2 Kings 4:32-37) had raised young men and given them back to their mothers,
so these precedents would be the biblical background to affirming that Jesus belonged in the
ranks of such great men of God Himself” (Shelly 81).
D. “God has visited His people.” – Only God can do such a miracle! God is visiting them in Jesus.
CONCLUSION:
A. The people were amazed at the miracle. That was certainly worthy of amazement.
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B. [S8] Another thing that should capture our attention and change our hearts is the COMPASSION of
Jesus. In this poignant situation, Jesus noticed a woman who was experiencing great emotional pain
and was moved with compassion toward her. Paul Miller notes these things about the compassion
of Jesus on this occasion:
1. [S8A] He felt what she felt.
2. [S8B] He brought hope.
3. [S8C] He never lost sight of her.
C. He does the same for us.
D. Let us, as disciples of Jesus, “go and do likewise.”
E. Frank Graeff was a Methodist preacher in the Philadelphia area, a man known for his cheerful
disposition, so much so that he was nicknamed the “Sunshine Minister.” But as Robert J. Morgan
wrote: “A series of heartbreaks shattered his spirits, and Frank Graeff found himself in the
unfamiliar valley of deep depression and despondency.”
1. But finally the truth of 1 Peter 5:7 took hold of him, and he remembered that he could cast all
of his care upon the Lord, “for He careth for you.”
2. Out of that experience, he wrote the series of questions beginning with this…
3. [S9] “Does Jesus care when my heart is pained
Too deeply for mirth and song,
As the burdens press, and the cares distress,
And the way grows weary and long?”
4. Does Jesus care? Well, the Bible tells us that when He saw that poor widow woman who had
lost her son, “He had compassion on her” (Luke 7:13)
5. Here was Frank Graeff’s answer…
6. [S10] “O yes, He cares! I know He cares.
His heart is touched with my grief.
When the days are weary, the long night dreary,
I know my Savior cares!”
F. [S11] (blank slide)
SOURCES:
 Barclay, William. "Commentary on Luke 7.” "William Barclay's Daily Study Bible."
https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/dsb/luke-7.html. 1956-1959.
 Miller, Paul E. Love Walked Among Us. Carol Stream, IL: NavPress, 2014.
 Owen, David. “The Resurrection at Nain.” Sermon outline.
http://sermons.pastorlife.com/members/sermon.asp?SERMON_ID=4414&fm=authorbio&author
ed-3332.
 Shelly, Rubel. Falling in Love with Jesus. Joplin, Missouri: College Press, 1998.
During the earthly ministry of Jesus, we have the record of three individuals that were raised by Jesus
from the dead:
• A widow’s son at Nain
• Jairus’ daughter at Capernaum
• Lazarus at Bethany
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Being Disciples of Jesus #8
Fishers of Men
INTRODUCTION:
A. Text: Matthew 28:18-20; 4:19
B. [S1] God, before He created the world, had a plan…
C. [S2] “20He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these
last times for you 21who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him
glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” – 1 Peter 1:20-21.
D. Jesus is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8).
E. Before God created the world and mankind, He planned to save mankind through Jesus.
F. Let’s consider the Master’s Plan…
I. [S3] The Master’s Plan – God’s Purpose
A. “God, speaking to us through Scripture, presents a startlingly clear statement of His desire and
unswerving purpose that lost mankind be reached and brought into His fellowship” (19).
B. God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” – 1 Timothy 2:4
C. For this reason, He sent His only Son Jesus to die for the sins of the world.
D. [S4] “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” – Luke 19:10
E. “Christ’s birth, crucifixion, and resurrection were for the purpose of reconciling men and women
with their Creator” (19).
II. [S5] The Master’s Plan – The Commission
A. “In a final summary of His earthly life and purpose, Christ turned over His own commission from
God to His followers” (19).
B. Matthew 28:18-20
1. “18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven
and on earth.’”
2. [S6] “19Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have
commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:1920).
C. “This great commission to His followers, repeated on several occasions, reflects God’s eternal
purpose that all people everywhere have the opportunity to become disciples of Jesus Christ” (19).
D. “It was this command of God through Jesus Christ that exerted singular direction on the early
church” (19). These were the “marching orders” of the Apostles and the church! “When Christ
gave the church its final directive, there was no question but that this command was to be given top
priority” (19).
E. “Central in all of Christ’s teaching was the assumption that to follow Him meant to become
participants in His mission… Being His follower assumed not only an active commitment to His
Lordship, but also included active involvement in the propagation of His Gospel” (19-20).
F. [S7] We need the mindset of Paul: “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were
pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” – 2 Corinthians
5:20.
1. Although we are not ambassadors in the same sense as the inspired Apostle Paul…
2. We ARE to be heavily involved in the mission of making disciples by sharing the life and
Word of Jesus.
3. “Being His follower assumed not only an active commitment to His Lordship, but also included
active involvement in the propagation of His Gospel. By definition, disciples become ‘fishers
of men’” (19-20).
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G. “Christ’s central desire for His disciples was that, when He was gone, they would have ingrained in
their hearts and minds the conviction that the Son of Man had come to seek and to save those who
were lost [Luke 19:10]. His words, now called the Great Commission, were simply a restatement of
His entire life and teaching, as He endeavored to make the matter as simple and easy to understand
as possible… ‘Go and make disciples’” (20).
III. [S8] The Master’s Plan – Make Disciples
A. [S8A] Jesus “saw a disciple as one who becomes a follower, who is taught, who is nurtured in the
faith, who in turn goes out to make disciples, who are then taught and nurtured in the faith, who
then in turn go out” (Arn & Arn 20).
B. What we see in Acts is “the perpetual multiplying of disciples” (20). It reflects Christ’s strategy for
reaching “the uttermost parts of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The early church multiplied in its growth
(Acts 6:1, 7; 9:31).
C. Christ expects every disciple to be involved in making other disciples of Jesus.
IV. [S9] The Master’s Plan – As Followed by the Early Church
A. “The Gospel was shared so that people all around the world would have faith in Christ and obey
Him” (21; Romans 16:26).
B. What underlying principles caused those first-century Christians to achieve such remarkable success
in making disciples? Win & Charles Arn identify 9 underlying principles of the early Christians’
effectiveness in making disciples. We will consider 2 of them:
1. [S9A] The Goal Was Clear – Make Disciples.
a. “Being a disciple in the early church meant a first-hand involvement in the mission of
Christ – making disciples” (21).
b. “Inherent in being saved was that the redeemed share the Good News” (21).
c. [S10] “Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child and forever I am.”
-- Fanny J. Crosby
d. “Being a Christian meant worshiping God [John 4:24]; it meant doing good to all men,
especially those of the household of faith [Galatians 6:10]. It meant expecting the Lord to
return [Titus 2:11-14]. It meant sins forgiven [Ephesians 1:7]. But above and beyond
these, it meant telling people that the Savior had come – that eternal life was theirs by
believing [and obeying] Him” (21).
e. New disciples (Christians) understood that they were instruments in making other
disciples.
f. [S11] Every Christian (disciple) understood the principle of 1 Peter 3:15 applied to each of
them: “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to
everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with
gentleness and respect” (NIV).
2. [S12] Every Christian – A “Good-Newser”
a. “Inherent in the definition of a ‘disciple’ was one who shared the Good News with others”
(24).
b. “For the early Christians, making disciples was not seen as a compartmentalized activity,
or the responsibility assigned to a designated few. Rather, by its very nature, it was an
integral part of the lifestyle of every believer” (24).
c. [S13] Acts 8:1-4
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1) “Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against
the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions
of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.”
2) [S14] “2And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation
over him. 3As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and
dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.”
3) [S15] “4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.”
4) “‘They preached the Word.’ Well, they didn’t stand up in pulpits and preach. They
met people as they fled from Jerusalem and told them about Jesus” (McGavran as qtd.
on 24).
d. “Although fellowship with members of the Body was a vital part of the believer’s life, they
did not remain in the ‘holy huddle.’ Scripture records that everywhere they journeyed,
early Christians witnessed to the claims of Christ” (24).
e. Sharing “their new faith was a lifestyle of every Christian and every Church. By naturally
communicating their faith, they became God’s instruments for bringing many people into
His Kingdom” (25).
[S16] The Master’s Plan – Defining Discipleship
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” – Matthew 4:19 NIV
In this verse are three important attributes of a disciple…
[S17] “Come, Follow Me” -1. This is a summons from Jesus. Accepting His invitation and obeying His summons indicates
our acceptance of His authority and His truth.
2. [S17A] A disciple of Jesus is a follower of Jesus.
3. “Following means that we recognize and accept who Jesus is as Lord, Leader and Master of our
lives… In turn, we respond to His leadership and direction [instruction]” (P&H 46).
4. (John 12:26 NKJV) "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My
servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
5. Though we used to be self-ruled, we are Christ-ruled.
D. “And I Will Make You” –
1. These words speak of a process of transformation.
2. [S18] Discipleship involves being molded more and more into the image of Jesus. “A disciple
of Jesus is changed by Jesus” (P&H 48).
3. Romans 8:29 tells us that we are being conformed into the image of Christ. See also 2
Corinthians 3:17-18.
4. God does the transforming with our cooperation.
E. “Fishers of Men” –
1. This is “a response of action, something that affects what we live for and do” (P&H 49).
2. This is what disciples do.
3. A disciple of Jesus is saved for a purpose.
4. [S19] A disciple joins Jesus in His mission to love and to reach a lost and hurting world.
5. In the context of Matthew 4:19, Jesus is calling Peter and John to leave their fishing nets to
become fishers of men. “Jesus was giving them a new purpose – living out His purpose by
helping in God’s work to bring people to salvation in Jesus Christ” (P&H 49).
6. Disciples of Jesus respond in a similar way today. We see the world and people from Jesus’
perspective. Nothing matters more than going to heaven and helping others do the same. See 2
Corinthians 5:15-20.
7. “Our mission is not simply to come to church each Sunday, to be nice to other people, or to
cram a lot of biblical facts inside our heads. It not even to give money to the church so that
[others] can carry out the mission of Jesus. It’s for every disciple to join in God’s mission in
V.
A.
B.
C.
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F.
this world, to participate with God’s purposes in the world” (Jim Putnam & Bobby Harrington
50).
8. [S20] “We can give no greater gift of love than to share the good news that brings people into a
relationship with God through Jesus” (P&H 50).
Putting these three attributes together, we see that a disciple is a person who:
1. Is following Jesus as a way of life.
2. Is being changed by Jesus as we seek to follow in His steps.
3. Is committed to the mission of Jesus.
CONCLUSION:
A. [S21] The Master has a Plan. He has YOU in mind.
B. Will you be a part of His plan by:
1. Submitting your life to Jesus?
2. Following Jesus as a disciple?
3. Helping to spread the Good News in order to make disciples?
C. [S22] (blank slide)
SOURCE:
 Arn, Win, and Charles Arn. The Master’s Plan for Making Disciples. Pasadena, CA: Church
Growth Press, 1982.
• Introduction (5-14)
• Chapter One: The Master’s Plan – Making Disciples (15-32)
 Putnam, Jim, and Bobby Harrington with Robert E. Coleman. Discipleshift. Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan, 2013.
 Sargent, David A. “The Master’s Plan: Making Disciples.” Sermon outline.
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Being Disciples of Jesus #9
The Oikos Factor
INTRODUCTION:
A. Text: John 1:40-42a; “oikos” passages
B. [S1] “40One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's
brother. 41He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’
(which is translated, the Christ). 42And he brought him to Jesus” (John 1:40-42a).
C. To “bring someone to Jesus” is the greatest thing that you can do for another person.
D. [S2] Who brought you to Jesus? Who influenced you to become a Christian? Who taught you the
Gospel (Good News) of salvation in Jesus?
E. God wants you and me to BE disciples of Jesus and to MAKE disciples for Jesus. He wants us to
follow Jesus and to seek to help others follow Jesus, too. How can we do that better?
I. [S3] THE OIKOS FACTOR
A. [S4] Greek word: “οἶκος, oîkos, oy'-kos; of uncertain affinity; a dwelling (more or less extensive,
literal or figurative); by implication, a family (more or less related, literally or figuratively): home,
house(-hold), temple” (Strong’s).
B. Outline of Biblical Usage (from www.blueletterbible.org):
1. A house
a. an inhabited house, home
b. any building whatever
1) of a palace
2) the house of God, the tabernacle
c. any dwelling place
1) of the human body as the abode of demons that possess it
2) of tents, and huts, and later, of the nests, stalls, lairs, of animals
3) the place where one has fixed his residence, one's settled abode, domicile
2. “The inmates of a house, all the persons forming one family, a household.” This is the usage of
the word that we are focusing on.
C. [S5] “The word oikos is the Greek word for ‘household.’ In the Greco-Roman culture oikos
described not only the immediate family in the house, but included servants, servants’ families,
friends, and even business associates. ‘An oikos was one’s sphere of influence, his/her social
system composed of those related to each other through common kinship ties, tasks, and territory’
[Ralph Neighbors, Future Church]” (37).
D. [S6] Think “FFA.”Oikos includes friends, extended family, and associates.
1. Some think of FFA as a reference to Future Farmers of America.
2. [S6A] For our study, think of FFA as “Family, Friends, and Associates.”
E. [S7] “The Gospels, Acts, and Epistles show that the bridges of oikos were used regularly as a means
to spread the Good News” (Arn & Arn 38).
1. [S8] After healing a demon possessed man, Jesus told him, “Go home [Gr. oikos] to your
friends [NIV: “family”], and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He
has had compassion on you.” – Mark 5:19
a. “Friend” – “family” (NIV) – to yours (your family, your friends, your people).
b. [S9] Luke’s account: (Luke 8:39 NKJV) “‘Return to your own house [Gr. oikos], and tell
what great things God has done for you.’ And he went his way and proclaimed throughout
the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.”
2. [S10] After Zacchaeus was converted, Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this
house [Gr. oiko], because he also is a son of Abraham.” – Luke 19:9
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3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
[S11] Jesus healed the son of a royal official, (John 4:53 NKJV) “So the father knew that it
was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, ‘Your son lives.’ And he himself believed,
and his whole household [Gr. oikia].”
a. Note: 3614. oikia, oy-kee'-ah; from G3624 [oikos]; prop. residence (abstr.), but usually
(concr.) an abode (lit. or fig.); by impl. a family (espec. domestics): home, house (-hold).
b. His whole family believed in Jesus.
[S12] When Jesus called him, Levi (Matthew) followed Jesus. Then he invited his fellow tax
collectors – his oikos – to come to dinner to meet Jesus. “Now it happened, as He was dining
in Levi’s house [Gr. oikia – “house”], that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together
with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him.” – Mark 2:15
[S13] The Apostle Peter came to Christ as a result of someone in his oikos: “He [Andrew] first
found his own brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is
translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus” (John 1:41-42).
[S14] Nathaniel came to Christ as a result of his friend Philip: “Philip found Nathanael and said
to him, ‘We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote — Jesus
of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’” – John 1:45
We know Cornelius as the first Gentile convert.
a. [S15] Cornelius already “feared God.” He believed in God but was not yet saved by Jesus.
(Acts 10:1-2 NKJV) There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of
what was called the Italian Regiment, {2} a devout man and one who feared God with all
his household [Gr. oikō], who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God
always.
b. [S16] Peter retells the events surrounding teaching Cornelius and his household in chapter
11. Peter says of Cornelius: “13And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his
house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter,
14who will tell you words by which you and all your household [Gr. oikos] will be
saved.’” – Acts 11:13-14
c. After Peter received divine revelation (the dream of the Great Sheet) that he needed to
share the Gospel with the Gentiles, he went to see Cornelius.
d. [S17] “And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them,
and had called together his relatives and close friends” (Acts 10:24). These “relatives and
friends” were his oikos.
e. When Peter finished sharing the Gospel, Scripture records that Cornelius’ entire household
[Gr. oikos] responded (Acts 10:44-48).
[S18] Consider Lydia – “And when she and her household [Gr. oikos] were baptized, she
begged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and
stay.’ So she persuaded us.” – Acts 16:15
Consider the Philippian jailer –
a. [S19] “30And he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ 31 So
they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your
household [Gr. oikos].’ 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who
were in his house.
b. [S20] “33And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And
immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34Now when he had brought them into
his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his
household [Gr. panoikí (pan-oy-kee'); adverb from G3956 [Gr. pas] and G3624 [Gr. oikos];
with the whole family: with all his house].” – Acts 16:30-34
c. “Household” – Gr. panoikí (pan-oy-kee'); adverb from G3956 [Gr. pas] and G3624 [Gr.
oikos]; with the whole family: with all his house” (Strong’s).
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F.
The church “grew explosively because of the laity – ordinary men and women telling their friends
and family about Jesus Christ and the Good News of salvation” (41).
II. [S21] THE OIKOS FACTOR TODAY
A. [S22] Let’s go back to our first question today: Who brought you to Jesus? Who influenced you to
become a Christian? Who taught you the Gospel (Good News) of salvation in Jesus?
B. Consider how most people come to Christ today. 75-90% come through a friend or relative (see
chart from American Church Growth in Arn 43; the chart is dated, but still true in my experience DAS).
C. Most of the time, people come to Christ because of the influence and teaching of a friend or
relative.
1. For me, it was my Mom & Dad. I was raised in a Christian home. Dad was my preacher (at
home and in worship); Mom was my teacher (at home and in Bible school).
2. Most of you were likely brought to Christ by a family member, friend, or associate.
D. [S23] “Webs of common kinship (the larger family), common friendship (friends and neighbors)
and common associates (special interests, work relationships, and recreation) are still the paths most
people follow in becoming Christians today” (43).
E. Remember: FFA – Family, Friends, and Associates
F. “The centuries-old concept of oikos, or webs, continues to be the bridge over which the Good News
of God’s love travels naturally” (45).
G. [S24] Who is in your oikos?
1. [S24A] Family members
2. [S24B] Friends
3. [S24C] Neighbors
4. [S24D] Co-workers
5. [S24E] If you’re a part of a team, who are your team members?
6. [S24F] If you are in some kind of Club (Lion’s Club, etc.), who are the other club members?
7. [S24G] Others with whom you enjoy some recreation (tennis, golf, etc.). Members of a gym
where you work-out
8. [S24H] “An oikos was one’s sphere of influence, his/her social system composed of those
related to each other through common kinship ties, tasks, and territory” (Ralph Neighbors as
qtd. by Arn/Arn 37).
H. [S25] Who in your oikos are not Christians? Whom can you help bring to Jesus? What do we do?
1. [S25A] Pray –
a. [S25B] “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be
saved.” -- Romans 10:1
b. Pray for them – for their well-being, for any problems that they may be experiencing, that
God will work in their hearts and lives, that they will see their need for Christ, that they
will be receptive to the Gospel.
c. Pray for yourself – for wisdom to know best how to bring that person to Jesus.
d. [S26] “5Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6Let your
speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to
answer each one.” – Colossians 4:5-6
2. [S27] Practice Pure Christianity –
a. [S27A] (James 1:27 NKJV) Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this:
to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
b. Genuinely care for them. Demonstrate your care in meaningful ways. Be a friend to them.
3. [S28] Prepare –
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a.
4.
[S28A] (1 Pet 3:15 NIV) But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared
to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
But do this with gentleness and respect,
b. As your relationship grows, conversations will include religious discussions. Listen for
questions. Prepare Biblical answers. Share what your faith, the Bible, the church mean to
you.
c. “Love them and lead them to Jesus.”
[S29] Plant the Seed –
a. [S29A] (1 Cor 3:6-7 NKJV) I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase (Gr.
auxano). {7} So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who
gives the increase (Gr. auxano).
b. Share a Bible verse. Share an insight from your Bible study. Invite them to Bible class
and worship. Invite them to a group Bible study. Turn the conversation to spiritual
matters – especially watch for those opportunities.
CONCLUSION:
A. “The centuries-old concept of oikos, or webs, continues to be the bridge over which the Good News
of God’s love travels naturally” (Arn/Arn 45).
B. Reaching others through oikos relationships “is the way churches have grown, and continue to
grow, as each new oikos member who comes to Christ and the church has his/her own web of
friends and relatives, and the pattern continues” (Arn/Arn 52-53).
C. The Bridge Builder
1. There’s a story about two brothers who lived together in harmony for 40 years as they farmed
the same land their father had passed down to them. Their houses were opposite of each other,
sharing the same big back yard. But something came between them to where they would not
speak to each other, and the laughter their families once shared became an eerie silence.
2. One day a man looking for work came by the younger brother’s house. As he thought, he came
up with a project. He told the man that his older brother had bulldozed the river levee and put a
creek between them without asking his permission. So he instructed the handyman to take the
wood by the barn and construct a high fence so he could not see his brother. The handyman
said he had an idea of what to do and went to work.
3. The younger brother left for a few days to visit his wife’s mother. When he came back he was
stunned by what he saw. Instead of a fence, the handyman had built a bridge over the
creek…and just as he walked out the back door to view the project, his brother was crossing
over the bridge to meet him.
4. “What a great idea!” the older brother said, smiling. “It was stupid of me to cut this creek
between us. Let’s let bygones be bygones and be family once again.” The younger brother
kept silent about the bridge not being his idea; he had enough sense to realize this reconciliation
was long overdue. They embraced one another and shared a meal between the families like it
had been once before…..on the bridge!
5. When the handyman came by the next day for payment, the younger brother asked him to stay
on for some other projects. But he replied, “Sorry, I can’t. I’ve got a lot more bridges to build
for other folks!”
D. [S30] “Be a bridge builder.”
1. Build genuine connections with other people in your oikos.
2. Pray that ultimately you will help lead them to Jesus – the Bridge that brings people to God.
E. [S31] There is only one way to bridge our relationship with God: Through Jesus. (John 14:6
NKJV) Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through Me.
F. [S32] (blank slide)
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PRIMARY SOURCE: Arn, Win, and Charles Arn. The Master’s Plan for Making Disciples. Pasadena,
CA: Church Growth Press, 1982. 33-54.
Why Oikos is Effective (45-53).
1. Oikos Relationships Provide a Natural Network for Sharing the Good News of God’s Redemptive
Love.
2. Oikos Members are Receptive. “There is quite a difference between hearing the witness of a trusted
friend, and hearing a ‘religious presentation’ from a total stranger… He or she is listening ot the
experience of someone they know and trust” (50).
3. Oikos Relationships Allow for Unhurried and Natural Sharing of God’s Love. “Relationships with
oikos members, by their very nature, are regular and natural” (50). “Being a witness to the lifechanging effects of God’s love over a period of weeks, months, and even years, allows the oikos
member time for thoughtful consideration about becoming a disciple” (50).
4. Oikos Relationships Provide Natural Support When the Web Member Comes to Christ. “When a
friend or relative comes to faith, there is a natural source for nurture and encouragement” (51).
5. Oikos Relationships Result in the Effective Assimilation of New Converts into the Church.
“Because of this ‘bridge,’ the new Christian can much more easily become associated with other
Christians in a Sunday School class or fellowship group, and begin to build relationships and new
friends within the Body” (51).
6. Oikos Relationships Tend to Win Entire Families. Additional conversions can result OR conflict
increases (with non-spiritually minded people).
7. Oikos Relationships Provide a Constantly Enlarging Source of New Contacts. “Each new person
reached for Christ and the church has his/her own group of relatives, friends and associates who are
candidates for the Good News” (52).
THE BRIDGE BUILDER
(Unknown)
An old man, going down a lonely highway,
Came at the evening cold and gray,
To a chasm vast and wide,
Through which was flowing a swollen tide,
The old man crossed in the twilight dim,
The swollen stream had no fear for him.
But he turned when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.
"Old man," said a pilgrim near,
"You are wasting your strength in building here.
Your journey will end at the closing of day,
You will never again pass this way.
You have crossed the chasm deep and wide,
WHY BUILD YOU A BRIDGE AT EVENING TIDE?"
The builder lifted his old gray head:
"GOOD FRIEND, IN THE PATH I HAVE COME,"
HE SAID, "THERE FOLLOWED AFTER ME TODAY
A FAIR HAIRED YOUTH WHOSE FEET MUST PASS THIS WAY,
THE CHASM THAT HAS BEEN NAUGHT TO ME,
TO THAT FAIR HAIRED YOUTH MAY A PITFALL BE.
HE TOO MUST CROSS IN THE TWILIGHT DIM,
GOOD FRIEND, I BUILD THIS BRIDGE FOR HIM!
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Being Disciples of Jesus #10
Coming Alongside
INTRODUCTION:
A. Text: Luke 24:13-35
B. [S1] The risen Christ was seen by “Cephas, then by the twelve. 6After that He was seen by over five
hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen
asleep. 7He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8Then last of all He was seen by me also,
as by one born out of due time.” – 1 Corinthians 15:5b-8
C. The post-resurrection appearances that are included in the Gospels and Paul’s list numbers at least
11 such episodes (Shelly 229). Luke tells us that Jesus “presented Himself alive after His suffering
by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things
pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3).
D. [S2] One of these post-resurrection appearances has especially intrigued me: the appearance of
Jesus to two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). Note: these were two of His
disciples, not two of His apostles. One of them is named Cleopas (Luke 24:18); the other is not
named.
I. THE ACCOUNT. Let’s look at this account in Luke 24:13-35.
A. [S3] “13Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which
was [a]seven miles from Jerusalem. 14And they talked together of all these things which had
happened.” – Luke 24:13-14
1. “That same day” is the day the tomb was found empty (Luke 24:1-12)!
a. Several women (named in Luke 24:10) had discovered the empty tomb and informed by
angels that He had indeed risen from the dead. They reported what they discovered to the
11 apostles and “all the rest” (Luke 24:1-9).
b. “11And their words seemed to them like idle tales [“nonsense” NKJVnote], and they did
not believe them.” – Luke 24:11
c. “12 But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying
by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.”
d. These two disciples had been in the company of disciples that morning and heard the report
of the women and Peter.
2. “Two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles
from Jerusalem” –
a. [S4] [Map] “Seven miles” -- Greek sixty stadia; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters
(ESV note). 60x607 = 36,240. 36,240/5,280 = 6.90 miles.
b. They are walking AWAY from Jerusalem to Emmaus.
c. Are they excited about Jesus’ resurrection? Let’s see…
B. [S5] “15So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with
them. 16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.” – Luke 24:15-16
1. NIV: “As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus Himself came up and
walked along with them.”
2. This is one of my favorite parts of this account. I’ll tell you why…
C. [S6] “17And He said to them, ‘What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as
you walk and are sad?’” – Luke 24:17
1. Jesus engages them and asks what they are discussing.
2. He also observes that they are sad. “And they came to a stop, looking sad” (Luke 24:17
NASB).
3. Jesus is raised from the dead, and these disciples are sad?!?
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D. [S7] “18Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, ‘Are You the only
stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?’
19And He said to them, ‘What things?’” – Luke 24:18-19
1. We are probably thinking: “Be careful! Do you realize the One to whom you are speaking?”
2. Of course, Jesus knows EVERYTHING that has happened, because it happened to Him!
3. “What things?” – Jesus asks another question. Cf. “playing dumb.” He knows what is
troubling them. He is giving them an opportunity to vocalize their concerns and
disappointments. He is setting them up for a revelation that will change their lives!
E. [S8] “19…So they said to Him, ‘The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet
mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20and how the chief priests and our rulers
delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.’” – Luke 24:19-20
1. Note what they said about Jesus: “Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and
word before God and all the people” –
a. “A Prophet” – That He was (fulfilling Deuteronomy 18:15-18). But He was much more
than a prophet (cf. Matthew 16:13-20).
b. He was “a Prophet mighty in deed (an allusion to His miracles) and word (a reference to
His teaching).”
2. “And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and
crucified Him” –
a. It appears that they feel that what the chief priests and rulers did to Jesus brought an end to
what they believed the Messiah would do.
b. That is not what they were expecting…
F. [S9] “21But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this,
today is the third day since these things happened.” – Luke 24:21
1. They thought (as did the other disciples) that the Messiah would come and as a powerful Ruler
overthrow “the powers that be” – the Roman government – and set up a kingdom in Israel.
2. Luke makes reference to a conversation that the apostles had with Jesus about this same time:
“Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time
restore the kingdom to Israel?’” – Acts 1:6
3. They understood the Messiah’s kingdom to be a physical kingdom, not a spiritual kingdom.
4. Jesus had told His apostles: “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this
world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My
kingdom is not from here.” – John 18:36
5. These two disciples, having the wrong understanding of the nature of Christ’s kingdom, are sad
and despondent. They are walking away from Jerusalem downhearted and disillusioned. They
are giving up. They are probably headed home.
6. But wait, hadn’t they received the news that Jesus’ tomb was found empty?
G. [S10] “22 Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. 23
When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who
said He was alive. 24 And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as
the women had said; but Him they did not see.”
1. This is the two disciples’ recount of what had happened earlier that day (see Luke 24:1-12).
They were among the disciples that day.
2. “But Him they did not see.” – They are saying, “We don’t know what happened to the body of
Jesus. No body; no Lord. No body; no hope. We might as well go home.”
3. Remember now, Jesus is walking along with them in the flesh!
H. [S11] “25Then He said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets
have spoken! 26Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?’
27And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the
things concerning Himself.” – Luke 24:25-27
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They were Jews. They had studied the prophets. That’s where they got their idea of what the
Messiah would be and do, although their understanding was incomplete.
2. “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the
things concerning Himself.” –
3. See also Luke 24:44-45: “ 44Then He said to them, ‘These are the words which I spoke to you
while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of
Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.’ 45 And He opened their
understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.” – Luke 24:44-45
4. What a wonderful Bible study! Wouldn’t you have loved to been a part of that study?
I. [S12] “28Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He
would have gone farther. 29But they constrained Him, saying, ‘Abide with us, for it is toward
evening, and the day is far spent.’ And He went in to stay with them.” – Luke 24:28-29
1. “They drew near to the village where they were going” – presumably Emmaus.
2. Jesus “indicated that He would have gone farther” – “He acted as if he were going farther”
(ESV) – Jesus won’t force His way in; He must be invited.
3. “They constrained Him, saying, ‘Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far
spent.’” – “they urged Him strongly” (ESV; NIV) – It was getting late. It would be difficult –
if not dangerous – to travel further during the night.
4. “And He went in to stay with them.” – He took the time to be with them, no doubt, to study
more!
J. [S13] “30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and
broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished
from their sight.” – Luke 24:30-31
1. “Then their eyes were opened” – the barriers were removed. Interestly, it happened when Jesus
sat down to eat (cf. Luke 24:35, 36-43).
2. “He vanished from their sight” – presumably a miraculous disappearance (for a while).
K. [S14] “32And they said to one another, ‘Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on
the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?’” – Luke 24:32
1. This is the power of that Bible study!
2. Jesus was helping them “connect the dots.” He was explaining the prophecies that had been
made about Him and how He had fulfilled them.
L. [S15] “33So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those
who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, ‘The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to
Simon!’ 35And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to
them in the breaking of bread.” – Luke 24:33-34
1. “They rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem” – Never mind that it was late and
traveling could be dangerous. They had some great news! They were now convinced and
convicted that Jesus was risen from the dead! They couldn’t wait to tell the other disciples!
2. “How He was known to them in the breaking of bread” – “How Jesus was recognized by them
when he broke the bread” (NIV) – Ghosts don’t need food; people do. This was confirmation
that Jesus rose from the dead.
1.
II. THE APPLICATION
A. At the beginning of this account, we find these two disciples walking AWAY from Jerusalem – sad,
downhearted, disillusioned, defeated.
B. At the end of this account, they are going BACK to Jerusalem – in a hurry, I think – with
excitement, hope, and renewed energy and focus. “Jesus is risen from the dead!”
C. What made the difference?
D. A better question is: “Who made the difference?” The answer is Jesus.
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E. [S16] Jesus, The Master Disciple-Maker. We’ve been studying about making disciples for Jesus.
There is no greater disciple-maker than Jesus Himself. He is the Master Disciple-Maker. How He
helped these two disciples is a great example of how He did it. What did He do?
1. [S16A] He engaged the disciples. “As they talked and discussed these things with each other,
Jesus himself came up and walked along with them” (Luke 24:15 NIV).
2. [S16B] He saw that they were troubled, and He cared. “17And He said to them, ‘What kind of
conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?’” – Luke 24:17
3. [S16C] He asked questions (Luke 24:17, 19). I repeat: He is giving them an opportunity to
vocalize their concerns and disappointments. He is setting them up for a revelation that will
change their lives!
4. [S16D] He was patient with their misunderstanding. “But we were hoping that it was He who
was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things
happened” (Luke 24:21). They misunderstood the nature of the Kingdom of Christ. He’s
going to help them. Yes, He is going to give them a rebuke for something they should have
known, but He does encourage them to share their (mis)understanding.
5. [S16E] He pointed them to the Scriptures. “25Then He said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow
of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26Ought not the Christ to have suffered
these things and to enter into His glory?’ 27And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He
expounded [“explained” NASB, NIV] to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning
Himself.” – Luke 24:25-27
6. [S16F] He remained available to them. “28 Then they drew near to the village where they were
going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. 29 But they constrained Him, saying,
‘Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.’” And He went in to stay with
them.” – Luke 24:28-29
F. Let’s “go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37).
G. [S17] [Gulf Coast Bible Camp] Byron Smith had a unique and difficult experience at Gulf Coast
Bible Camp a few years ago. He helped provide a great service to some people who needed it. He
gave Christians an opportunity to serve. He learned some valuable lessons in the process. I asked
Byron to tell about these experiences and lessons learned…
Engaging People, by Bryon Smith
In September 2017, Hurricane Irma made landfall in south Florida. Although the path was predicted
to travel up the east side of the state, the system changed direction at the last minute and impacted the
west coast of Florida instead. Immediate storm evacuations began along Florida's gulf coast from Naples
to Tampa. Among those attempting to flee the storm were the members of a company in Sarasota called
Neuro-International.
Neuro-International is an assisted living facility for those with traumatic brain and spinal injuries.
As the director of the company tried to make plans for evacuation, only two campground options
allowed room for a special needs group to stay together. About 150 patients, family members, and staff
were desperate to find immediate lodging. Having nowhere else to turn, they began their road trip unsure
where they were heading.
I was contacted while traveling home from a conference by this group. They decided to stay at Gulf
Coast Bible camp about eight hours before arriving. They understood that we were the only option that
offered some handicap facilities while the other camp facilities were much more rustic - stacking bunk
beds "three high." They arrived on the grounds at about 1 AM, each having only a grab bag with a
change of clothes.
It was the most stressful event I have ever hosted as these people took shelter with us- having no
food plans, no extra clothing, no bedding. Our canteen became their medical room which was locked
down like a pharmacy. Several of our mattresses (back then) became bed pans. This camp took on a
purpose to minister to a worldly and broken people ... and the church's response was incredible. Within
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the next 24 hours we mapped out a meal plan (thanks again Haley Gray), clothing drive, bedding,
laundry services, and even recruited some medical personnel to help. Over half their staff had left them,
running from the storm. After the first day, about 15 of the extreme cases found medically-equipped
rooms in Hattiesburg. These cases required one-on-one assistance, 24 hours a day. About sixty people
with head injuries remained at the camp. The Board/CEOs of the company asked me to join them in a
video conference as they looked toward helping the ones that remained with us.
The Director introduced me to the board and then brought me up to speed with their dilemma. They
were grateful for all the churches had done, but they still had issues before them. They explained how
patients with traumatic head injuries operate. "It's like having no filter between your brain and tongue.
When a thought enters their minds, they can't examine and process that thought normally. Often
whatever they think just comes out of their mouths." These patients/residents had been uprooted from a
comfortable home and dropped into a camp setting with no plans or supplies to deal with it. Our own
campers and counselors would be uncomfortable in those circumstances. They further explained,
"Having limited staff left many of their residents sitting alone, trapped with all these negative feelings,
thus becoming violent." They needed to find a better environment to keep their residents calm or they
needed to find volunteers that could just sit and engage them in conversation. They explained that if
their minds were 'engaged' in conversation, the violent outbreaks should cease. Since there were still no
other options as far as facilities, they turned to me for my thoughts. At this point, many of the churches
had asked, “What can we do?” So I responded to this group, "If we could supply all these other needs
with no notice, I'm positive we could recruit some people to sit, talk, and interact with the very people
we hope to help." I left this meeting and started making the calls.
The next day word had gotten out. Volunteers began to arrive early and I met as many as I could in
the parking lot. I explained quickly that we just needed to keep residents engaged in conversation so
they would remain calm, though many of them had no idea yet if their home had survived the storm, or
just how much longer they would be without a cigarette. I introduced many volunteers to individual
residents. For others, I only had time to point them in a direction, since I was still helping manage many
other aspects of the group. As I continued taking calls and sorting through facility issues, I was surprised
by a turn of events.
After about fifteen minutes, I noticed volunteers leaving. I tried to touch base with people as they
left. Many volunteers felt useless and decided they weren't doing anything. One lady seemed almost
upset as she explained her morning was important and she had changed her schedule to be here. No
sooner had the words left her lips, I noticed two of the residents that had been left alone start yelling.
One literally stood up and threw his walker from the side entrance of the Mess Hall toward the
Director's Hut. I continued to see this pattern throughout the morning. Our volunteers would introduce
themselves, ask where resident were from, maybe touch on a few other basic questions, and then just sit.
Over and over, volunteers felt uncomfortable and ineffective, and they left. Over and over I would see
residents getting upset and the limited staff just trying to put out fires. It was an eye-opening experience.
Please understand, I could relate to the volunteers and their frustrations. But this experience gave me
some unique perspectives on the church. We rally to do some incredible things in the midst of disaster,
yet when asked to engage a worldly and broken person, we fall short. How often does the world ask for
funds and Christians respond? How often are churches approached for physical aid and help is given?
Each day the cases are countless... Yet how often do broken people sit trapped by their own thoughts
and fears, remaining victims of depression or rage in their own minds – even those sitting in the pews
next to us. So often, even people with healthy minds go un-engaged. They have a "filter" between their
brains and tongue. They are able to process and control actions... so they choose to hide the pain, fear,
and anger.
[S18] To love our neighbor as ourselves goes beyond the physical aid we provide. To engage them
mentally is often the harder task because it is so intimate.
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[S19] To help and engage others physically is allowing them to touch our hearts while we open our
wallets.
[S19A] To help and engage others mentally is allowing them to touch our minds while we open our
lives.
In the end, many residents resembled first time campers. They hated being made to come, pouted
the first half of their stay, and yet ended up sad they had to go home. One even called after five months,
asking if he could return. I believe this is because some were truly engaged by believers and it impacted
them in a powerful way even in the midst of a stressful time.
CONCLUSION:
 [S20] Making disciples for Jesus begins with engaging others in relationship.
 Engage. Come alongside. Walk with others. Love them and lead them to Jesus.
 Aren’t you so thankful that Jesus “engaged” us? He came to this world, to walk alongside us, to
reveal God to us, and to save us.
 [S21] (blank slide)
SOURCES CONSULTED:
 Barclay, William. The Gospel of Luke. Revised edition. The Daily Study Bible Series.
Philadelphia, PA: The Westminster Press, 1975.
 Shelly, Rubel. Falling in Love with Jesus: Studies in the Book of Luke. Joplin, MO: College
Press Publishing Company, 1998.
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Being Disciples of Jesus #11
Pray for One Another
INTRODUCTION:
A. Text: John 17:6-26
B. [S1] “Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking to God for men is greater still.” – E.M.
Bound (37).
C. [S2] “I am praying for you.” That is one of the greatest things we can do for others. We’re asking
God to help in ways we cannot. We’re asking God to bless in ways that we cannot.
D. In Praying for Others…
I. [S3] PRAY MICRO PRAYERS
A. “Micro” -- 1: very small; 2: involving minute quantities or variations.
B. This does not mean that the difficulties that our friends and loved ones are small – by no means!
Many of our friends and loved ones are going through some difficult times. Praying “micro”
prayers simply means: pray for the immediate needs of others.
C. God is concerned about every detail of our lives and the lives of others. He wants us to pray about
everything!
D. [S4] “6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let
your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7
1. “In everything” – the big things and the “small” things. “Big” and “small” are relative terms.
2. Do you know the difference between “major” and “minor” surgery? It’s always major when I
3. Don’t worry about anything. Pray about everything!
4. We want to pray for our friends and loved ones about anything that is going on in their lives.
E. [S5] “[Cast] all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7
1. “All your care” – that’s all-inclusive!
2. “Cast” – as in throwing a cast net like Pop, only you don’t pull it back in.
F. [S6] “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” by Joseph Scriven
1. 1“What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!”
2. [S7] 3“Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.”
G. (1 Tim 2:1-4 NKJV)
1. [S8] “1Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of
thanks be made for all men, 2for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet
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and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” – 1 Timothy 2:1-2. Note: “intercessions” –
prayers to God on behalf of others.
2. “3For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4who desires all men to be
saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” – 1 Timothy 2:3-4
H. Pray “micro” prayers for others. Pray for their immediate needs. “If it’s big enough to be
concerned about, it’s big enough to be prayed about.”
1. A friend says, “I’ve lost my job. Please pray for employment.” Pray that the right job will open
up for them.
2. A neighbor says, “My brother was injured in a car accident. Please pray for his healing.” Pray
that he will receive the right care for him to heal from his wounds.
3. A co-worker says, “My husband and I are having problems in our marriage. Please pray for
us.” Pray for them. Pray that God will give them wisdom to work through their problems.
I. Pray for others. Pray specifically for their immediate needs. That is one of the greatest things we
can do for others. It is going to God on their behalf. It demonstrates our faith in God and our
loving concern for others.
J. Pray micro prayers AND…
II. [S9] PRAY MACRO PRAYERS
A. [S19A] “Macro” – “on a large scale; overall.” Think: “the big picture.”
B. “When we examine the prayer lives of Jesus and Paul, we see how they prayed ‘macro’ prayers”
(Bill Mowry 41).
C. These prayers go beyond immediate, physical needs to so much more.
D. “Micro prayers are often current and sometimes temporary conditions. While the Lord encourages
and responds to these immediate micro prayers, we should learn from the examples of Jesus and
Paul to focus on macro praying” (Mowry 41).
III. [S10] ONE OF JESUS’ MACRO PRAYERS: “The Real Lord’s Prayer” (John 17)
A. “Prayer was the hallmark of Jesus’ life and ministry” (38; see Mowry 38-41 for a brief discussion of
the Lord’s prayer life).
B. John 17 contains “the Real Lord’s Prayer.”
1. The prayer that Jesus gave as an example to His disciples which begins, “Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be Your name…” (Matthew 6:9-13), often called “The Lord’s Prayer,” would be
better understood as “The Lord’s Model Prayer.”
2. However, in John 17, we find a prayer that Jesus prayed. It is “first and foremost a prayer of
intercession. Almost 90 percent of it consists of requests on behalf of those Jesus counted as
special” (Roper “Prayer” 2).
3. Background (see Roper “Forgotten” 1):
a. Jesus and His apostles have eaten the Passover and Jesus has instituted the Lord’s Supper.
b. He has delivered His “great farewell discourse” to His apostles (John 14-16).
c. Now, still in the presence of the apostles (perhaps in the upper room) and just before they
move on the Garden of Gethsemane (or on the way), He lifts His voice to God.
d. This prayer “lets us see into the very soul of the Savior! It has been called ‘The Holiest of
Holies of God’s Revelation’” (Roper “Forgotten” 1).
4. The prayer divides itself naturally into three parts:
a. He prayed for Himself (17:1-5)
b. He prayed for His apostles (17:6-19)
c. He prayed for those who would believe on Him through the apostles’ word (17:20-26; vs.
24-26 may include both the apostles and every believer since them, according to Roper
“Forgotten” 4 fn #7).
C. [S11] Jesus’ Prayer for His Apostles (John 17:6-19). For what did Jesus pray for His apostles?
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
READ John 17:6-8.
[S11A] “9I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me,
for they are Yours. 10And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in
them.”
a. “I pray for them.” Let those words sink in.
b. “Those whom You have given me” –
1) They belonged to God by right of creation. Jesus viewed His apostles as gifts from
God. This does not mean that they became apostles automatically; they had to choose
to follow Jesus.
2) They were first God’s because they were first followers of God then became followers
of Jesus, explains David Roper (“Forgotten” 1). A number of them had been Jews
then disciples of John the Baptist before they followed Christ.
3) They continued to be God’s because all followers of Christ belong to God as well (v.
10).
4) “We are not talking about predestination here or some arbitrary decision on God’s
part” (Roper “Prayer” 4).
5) “God gave to Jesus those who responded to His call.” – David Roper (“Prayer” 4).
[S12] “11Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy
Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We
are.”
a. “Now I am no longer in the world” – He is “on His way out” after, of course, His death,
burial, resurrection, and ascension. He is speaking as if it has already been accomplished –
and it will, because it is the will of God! “This is a figure of speech called ‘prolepsis.’ One
speaks of the future as though it were present. (Note 2 Timothy 4:7.)” (Roper “Prayer” 1).
b. “KEEP THEM” – guard, protect them. The world is a rough place. “Keep them” to what
extent? Keep reading.
c. “Keep them … that they may be one as We are” –
1) He asked the Father to “keep” His disciples so that they would be united. Their
UNITY is vital, crucial. He is praying that God will keep them together.
2) They needed to be united because…
a) They needed one another.
b) They needed to be united to do the work that Jesus called them to do.
c) The same is true for followers of Jesus today.
[S13] “12While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You
gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture
might be fulfilled.”
a. “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name” – but, Jesus is saying, “I
protected them while I was with them, but I am leaving this world. Therefore, they need
Your protection.”
b. “None of them is lost except the son of perdition (destruction)” – a reference to Judas, the
betrayer.
1) Jesus “only lost one.” That is because Judas had his own plans.
2) “There are some you cannot help no matter how much you want to” (David Roper
“Forgotten” 2).
[S14] “13But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My
joy fulfilled in themselves.”
a. Happiness is based upon what is “happening,” upon one’s circumstances.
b. The “joy of Jesus” is a joy that is not based on circumstances but one that is experienced
no matter what is going on. It’s an inner joy based on one’s relationship with God.
c. A related blessing is the peace that is found in Jesus (John 14:27; 16:33).
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[S15] “14I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of
the world, just as I am not of the world. 15I do not pray that You should take them out of the
world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.”
a. “The world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world”
– They are “not of the world” – They are not like the world; they live by different
standards. “They don’t fit in with [the world]” (LB). Because of that, they are hated.
b. “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world” –
1) If God would just “translate” them to heaven like He did for Elijah, then they could be
spared a lot of trials and heartache.
2) He wants them to continue to be “in the world” because that is where their mission is
to be carried out. But being “in the world” means that they are going to be “hated”
and persecuted. That comes with following Jesus. He doesn’t pray that God will keep
them from the hate and persecution of unbelievers. His prayer is…
c. “But that You should keep them from the evil one” – He prays that God will protect them
from the Destroyer, Satan. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks
about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). His prayer is “I’m
not asking You to keep them from difficulties and struggles; I’m asking that you keep them
from Satan’s destruction.”
7. [S16] “16They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17Sanctify them by Your
truth. Your word is truth.”
a. “They are not of the world…” – They are not like the world.
b. “Sanctify them by Your truth” –
1) Sanctification refers to being set apart for a special work.
2) “Set them apart by the directions and standards of Your Word,” Jesus prays.
8. [S17] “18As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19And for their
sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.”
a. “I have sent them into the world” – the mission field.
b. They could not do the work of Christ without having contact with the world, without being
in the world. “In the world,” but not “of the world.”
c. In the same way, we cannot be the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world” (Matthew
5:13-16) without being “in the world.” We must retain our distinctiveness: be salty salt, be
bright lights. We must be “in the world,” but not “of the world.”
D. [S18] Jesus’ Prayer for All Believers.
1. [S18A] “20I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their
word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may
be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”
a. “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their
word” –
1) Jesus prayed for you and me. Let that one sink in a moment.
2) For what did Jesus pray for us?
b. “That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be
one in Us” –
1) He prayed for our UNITY.
2) Our unity is so important…
a) We need one another.
b) We need to be united to do the work that Jesus has called us to do.
c) Another reason that our unity is so important is…
c. “That the world may believe that You sent Me” –
6.
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1) Our unity is evidence to the world for the deity of Christ! Why is that important?
Because Jesus wants to save others! He wants His kingdom to grow! God “desires all
men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” – 1 Timothy 2:4
2) Disunity causes doubt or disbelief that Jesus is the Son of God.
3) “Jesus knew that the world would never be interested in our doctrine until they could
see how that doctrine affected us and specifically whether it enabled us to get along in
peace and love” (Roper “Prayer” 2).
4) [S19] “If we desire the see the world won, we must be one!” – David Roper
(“Forgotten” 3).
5) Our unity also evidences another important aspect…
2. [S20] “22And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as
We are one: 23I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the
world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.”
a. “That they may be made perfect in one” – “so that they may be brought to complete unity”
(NIV).
b. Our Unity is evidence of the LOVE OF GOD.
c. Jesus prayed that “the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” –
John 17:26
3. [S21] “24Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that
they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation
of the world.”
a. “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am” – that is,
where He is going: to heaven.
b. Jesus had comforted His troubled apostles with the same hope: John 14:1-3.
c. [S22] “1Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My
Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare
a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive
you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” – John 14:1-3
d. “I want them to be with Me in heaven.” That is what is on Jesus’ mind and in His prayer.
E. Pray macro prayers
1. A friend says, “I’ve lost my job. Please pray for employment.”
a. Pray that the right job will open up for him. But also…
b. Pray that God will be glorified through his work.
c. Pray that God will give him opportunities at work to make an eternal difference in the lives
of others.
2. A neighbor says, “My brother was injured in a car accident. Please pray for his healing.”
a. Pray that he will receive the right care for him to heal from his wounds. But also…
b. Pray that he and his family will draw close to God through this experience.
c. Pray that he and all of us will learn to value what matters most in this life: our family,
friends, and being right with God.
3. A co-worker says, “My husband and I are having problems in our marriage. Please pray for
us.”
a. Pray for them. Pray that God will give them wisdom to work through their problems. But
also…
b. Pray that they will draw closer to one another as they draw closer to God.
c. Pray that they will realize that if they want their marriage to survive and thrive that they
must build – individually and collectively – their lives on the Rock of Jesus Christ.
d. “24Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a
wise man who built his house on the rock: 25and the rain descended, the floods came, and
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F.
the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.”
– Matthew 7:24-25
e. “26But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a
foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came,
and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” – Matthew
7:26-27
Pray Macro Prayers because…
1. [S23] There is something worse that being unemployed.
There is something more important than being gainfully employed.
2. [S24] There is something worse than being physically injured.
There is something more important than being physically whole.
3. [S25] There is something worse than having problems in your marriage.
There is something even more important than having a stable marriage.
4. [S26] Jesus said it like this: “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and
loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” – Matthew 16:26
IV. CONCLUSION:
A. Let’s pray for one another.
1. Let’s pray micro prayers, addressing the immediate needs of our friends and loved ones.
2. Let’s pray macro prayers. Let’s see the “big picture.” Let’s pray for people, for them to realize
the eternal spiritual blessings that God wants to share with them.
B. [S27] (blank slide)
SOURCES:
 Mowry, Bill. The Way of the Alongsider: Growing Disciples Life to Life. Colorado Springs,
CO: NavPress, 2016. 37-44.
 Roper, David. “Jesus’ Prayer for Us.” http://www.biblecourses.com/
English/en_lessons/EN_198508_15.pdf
- - -. “The Lord’s Forgotten Prayer.” http://www.biblecourses.com/
English/en_lessons/EN_198508_14.pdf
Suggestions for developing a prayer strategy:
• Be faithful.
• Pray macro prayers for your life.
• Pray macro and micro prayers for your discipleship triad.
Note: “discipleship triad” – 1: Circle of concern, 2: circle of influence, 3: circle of investment (see page
34).
“Macro prayers can start with the Scriptures” (44):
• Matthew 22:37-39 – Pray that he would love God with all his heart.
• Galatians 2:21 – Pray that she would die to self and live for Christ.
• Matthew 4:4 – Pray that he would love the Word of God.
• 2 Timothy 2:2 – Pray that God would multiply her life into several generations.
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I Am A Disciple Of Jesus Series
Sermon 1: “I Am A Disciple Of Jesus!”
Scripture Reading: Matthew 7:21-23
David Owens
9.27.20
A. Today’s sermon begins a new sermon series on discipleship that I am calling “I Am A Disciple Of
Jesus!”
1. I spent some time wrestling with what to call the series.
2. I thought about naming the series “The Discipleship Adventure” or “The Discipleship Journey”
– those titles sound inspiring and inviting.
3. Another possible title that captivated my imagination is “Becoming a True Follower of Jesus” –
that would have brought attention to the need to be an authentic disciple of Jesus.
4. I almost went with the title of the song “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus.”
5. But in the end, I kept coming back to the positive statement: “I Am A Disciple Of Jesus.”
B. And that’s exactly where I want to begin this series, by turning the title of the series into a question,
so let me ask you: Are you a disciple of Jesus?
1. I know you might think it strange that I would ask that question to a gathering of Christians
during a Sunday morning Christian worship service.
2. You might be thinking that asking a group of Christians if they are disciples of Jesus is like
walking into JoAnn Fabrics and asking if anyone is into sewing, or walking into a sports pub
here in Syracuse and asking if anyone is for the SU Orange.
3. But let me clarify what I mean by asking if you are a disciple of Jesus by telling you what I am
not asking:
a. I am not asking if you grew up in a Christian home and went to VBS or church camp.
b. I am not asking if you have been a church member or if your name has appeared in a
church directory.
c. And I am not asking if you go to church regularly.
C. What I am asking is: are you a disciple of Jesus?
1. You might say, “I’m a Christian and a church member, isn’t that the same thing?”
2. And in theory you are correct, because when a person believes in Christ and turns to Christ in
repentance and baptism, they become a child of God, a member of God’s family, they are
added to the church, and are therefore a Christian – a Christ follower.
3. But one of the things that I want us to see and understand in this sermon series is that there is a
big difference between seeing yourself as a “member of an organization” (the church), and
seeing yourself as a “follower of a person” (Jesus the Christ).
4. Tommy South explains it this way: the term “member” is an organizational term and identifies
your place in a group, but the term “disciple” is a relational term that means you orient your
whole life around someone – someone who shapes your thinking, your priorities, your
behavior.
5. Tommy South explains that a disciple is a learner and follower of someone – they attach
themselves to a teacher to learn from Him and imitate His life.
6. I’m afraid we have allowed the idea of discipleship to morph into membership, and Christianity
has been replaced by churchianity.
7. And when that happens we begin to think of ourselves as members of Jesus’ club, rather than
followers of Jesus who walk in His steps, take on His character, and accomplish His mission.
8. And so, the place to begin determining if we are a disciple of Jesus is to evaluate whether or not
Jesus is everything to us – that He holds the right position and place in our lives.
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D. Let me use an illustration from the book The Disciple Maker’s Handbook: In the Spring of 1985,
the leadership of Coca-Cola took a big risk.
1. At the time, the company was steadily losing ground to Pepsi, which had captivated American
soda drinkers with its sweet taste and catchy advertising.
2. So Coca Cola brought in a consultant and went back to the proverbial “drawing board.”
3. The consultant encouraged them to reconsider what was the core of their mission as a company.
a. The consultant drew a box on a white board and asked the executives to put one word in
the box – a word that encapsulated what Coca-Cola was all about.
b. The overwhelming response was a single word – taste.
4. So the folks at Coca-Cola immediately began concocting new formulas and conducting blind
taste tests.
a. They settled on a new soft-drink flavor that they believed would win back their old
customers who had gone over to Pepsi.
5. They called the new product “New Coke,” but guess what happened?
a. The American public’s reaction to the change was very negative, even hostile.
b. People wrote hateful letters and many began stockpiling old Coke in fear that it was going
away forever.
6. Two weeks after the company launched “New Coke,” the leaders of Coca-Cola began to panic,
and they met without the high-paid consultant and they erased the word “taste” and replaced it
with a new word – “tradition.”
a. They went back to the company’s beginning and came up with a new product based on
something very old.
b. This led to the launch of “Coca-Cola Classic.”
c. Sales skyrocketed and Pepsi was no longer a real competitor.
7. The company returned to its roots and reclaimed its story.
E. When I apply the story of Coca-Cola to the church and to discipleship, I want to encourage us to
return to the beginning and the basics of Christianity.
1. I believe that there is only one word that should go in the “box” of the church and its members
and that word is “Jesus.”
2. Before it became an organized religion, the Christian faith was a movement about Jesus.
3. Christianity, at its heart, is not a set of ethical teachings, although Jesus frequently taught
people how to live.
4. Fundamentally, Christianity is not about attending church services or practicing spiritual
disciplines, though if you trust and follow Jesus, you will want to adopt this way of life.
5. In the beginning, the Christian faith wasn’t about church buildings, Bible classes, and
programs, rather it was all about the person who lived a sinless life, died on a cross, and three
days later walked out of a tomb leaving it empty.
F.
Those first Christians were people who said they actually saw Jesus, touched Him and ate with Him
after He rose from the dead.
1. They never claimed to be Bible scholars or experts in theology.
2. They believed Jesus was the center and source of life – they left everything and followed Him.
3. They were disciples of Jesus and their life mission was to make other disciples of Jesus.
4. Those of us who believe in Jesus today are forever in debt to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
and to those who first followed Him and taught others to follow Him.
5. The way of Jesus has been passed down to us across the centuries, and as disciples of Jesus
today, it must not stop with us, but we must faithfully pass it on.
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G. One of the great myths of our day is that all religions are pretty much the same and that they all
teach pretty much the same thing.
1. But nothing could be further from the truth.
2. Certainly every religion deserves a measure of respect and should be understood on its own
terms, but Christianity is unique and different in many ways.
3. One of the ways that Christianity is so different from other religions is that it focuses on a
single person.
4. That single person is Jesus - He claimed to be the only begotten son of God, He came into the
world and taught like no one ever taught, and healed the sick and demon-possessed like no one
had ever been able to do – He even raised people from the dead!
5. Jesus was put to death on a cross and three days later rose from the dead, never to die again.
6. Those apostles and first disciples of Jesus obeyed the great commission and began a disciplemaking movement called the church.
H. For the first Christians it was all about Jesus – knowing Him, trusting Him, following Him, and
proclaiming Him.
1. And I want to help us to be like them - to be a church full of people who put Jesus at the center
and who make the mission of Jesus our main thing.
2. It may sound a little strange for me to make this statement as I begin a series about discipleship,
but discipleship is secondary to the main thing, and the main thing is Jesus Himself.
3. As disciples of Jesus we should want to know all about Him and try to be just like Him in His
thoughts and actions.
4. To help us see how Jesus must form the core of our own discipleship and our disciple making,
let’s look at two aspects of who Jesus is in our relationship with Him – He is our Savior and our
Lord.
I.
First of all, Jesus is our Savior.
1. In 1 Timothy 2:3-4, Paul tells us that God wants all people to be saved and to come to a
knowledge of the truth, and that’s why God the Father sent Jesus the Son.
2. In John 3:16, Jesus tells us that whoever believes in Jesus will not perish but have eternal life.
3. A few verses later, Jesus declares that whoever rejects the Son will not see life, because God’s
wrath will remain on them (Jn. 3:36).
4. When we say that Jesus is our Savior, we are acknowledging that He has “saved” us from
something – what are we saved from?
a. Well, for one thing, Jesus saves us from experiencing God’s wrath and eternal judgment
because of our rebellion and disobedience to God.
b. So, Jesus saves us from eternal separation from God, but He also saves us from other more
immediate and earthly things.
c. Jesus saves us from Satan’s ability to lead us into a life of misdirection and confusion, a
life without purpose; therefore, Jesus saves us from misguided and wasted lives.
5. And so the implications of salvation are endless – Jesus not only saved us from eternal negative
consequences, He also saved us for something current and positive.
a. Because Jesus is our Savior, we are at peace with God and are a part of God’s present
kingdom, and we have the privilege of announcing that kingdom and demonstrating its
present reality through our lives and good works.
b. We are saved by Jesus for citizenship in the unshakable and glorious kingdom of God.
c. Paul said it well in Colossians 1:13: He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and
transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.
6. Aren’t you thankful that Jesus is our Savior?
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J.
But there’s more, secondly, Jesus is also our Lord.
1. In Romans 14:8, Paul tells us how to focus our lives: If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we
die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
2. Perhaps Galatians 2:20 summarizes the true reality of life for disciples of Jesus better than any
other verse: I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The
life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for
me.
3. Being saved by a Savior is wonderful, but it doesn’t stop there – salvation is transformational.
4. When we become a Christian, a disciple of Jesus, we have a new life, a new identity, and a new
calling.
5. Jesus is not just our Savior, He must also be our Lord, our leader, and the one who determines
the direction of our lives.
6. What could be more important in life than living for the One who not only saved you from the
horrifying consequences of sin, but is also the reigning Lord of the universe who gives ultimate
meaning to our lives?
7. Being disciples of Jesus means that we give our lives to Jesus as Lord, and we help others to do
the same.
8. This is the only appropriate response to who Jesus is and what He has done as Savior and Lord.
K. Disciples of Jesus make sure that Jesus is the only one in our “box,” that He is the core and center
of everything in our lives.
1. Jesus is the only One or thing worthy of being on the throne and at the center of our lives.
2. We are so blessed and grateful to know Him as Savior and Lord.
3. We want everyone to know Jesus as we know Him, and to have what we have in Him.
4. That’s why we are disciples of Jesus whose mission is to make other disciples of Jesus.
5. When we are personally striving to follow Jesus and are striving to help others follow Jesus,
then we are engaging in the most important mission in this world.
L. So let’s return to the question we started with at the beginning of this sermon: are you a disciple of
Jesus?
1. Kyle Idleman, in his book on discipleship, called Not a Fan, titled chapter 1 – “D.T.R.”
2. Some of you might recognize what the letters D.T.R stand for, but in case you don’t, they stand
for “Define the Relationship.”
3. Kyle writes, “For a young man involved in a romantic relationship, these letters are often
enough to strike fear into his heart. He likely dreads the D.T.R. talk. In fact, many young men
will postpone, run away from, and put off the D.T.R. for as long as possible.”
4. Kyle shares a story from high school where on his very first date with a girl, she asked him,
“Where do you see this relationship going?”
a. That, of course, was trying to take things way too fast! Don’t you think?
b. And needless to say, that was their first and last date.
5. But the truth of the matter is every healthy relationship eventually reaches the point when the
D.T.R. talk is needed.
a. Is this relationship casual or is it committed?
b. Have things moved past admiration toward dedication?
M. Can you imagine Jesus needing to have a D.T.R. talk with each of us?
1. Picture Jesus skipping past the small talk and getting right to the point with us.
2. Jesus looks us in the eye and says: “It’s time to define this relationship.”
3. Jesus wants to know how we really feel about Him and about the level of our commitment to
Him.
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4.
5.
Is our relationship with Jesus committed and exclusive?
Or is our relationship with Jesus casual and are we still “playing the field”?
N. As you probably know, in the end, Jesus won’t allow us to be in a relationship with Him unless it is
exclusive.
1. Jesus must be Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all! Do you understand that?
2. Jesus won’t allow us to treat Him like “second fiddle” in our lives.
3. Being a disciple of Jesus means putting Jesus first and foremost in our lives and means that we
put into practice what we learn from Him.
a. In Luke 6:46, Jesus asks a very important question: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and
don’t do the things I say?”
b. In other words, “Why do you call me Lord, but don’t follow Me and obey Me?”
c. In the parallel passage from Matthew 7, Jesus declares: 21 “Not everyone who says to me,
‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my
Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in
your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then
I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’ ”
4. These verses emphasize the fact that discipleship is serious business.
a. Discipleship is about obeying Jesus’ commands and doing the will of the Father in heaven.
b. Discipleship isn’t about living in a way that pleases us, rather, it is about living in a way
that pleases God.
c. Being a disciple of Jesus isn’t a loose or casual commitment – it isn’t just another part of
our lives, rather, as disciples of Jesus, He is supposed to be at the center of our lives and
our lives are to be wholly committed to Him.
5. So I want to invite you on this important and serious journey of understanding how to be a
disciple of Jesus according to Jesus’ own terms.
a. We will be exploring the essentials of the life and the mission of disciples of Jesus.
b. I’m excited about what we will learn and the changes that God will bring into each of our
lives and into our church as a whole.
O. But it all begins with a decision and a desire to be a disciple of Jesus.
1. In a minute we will sing a song where we can declare our ongoing decision to follow Jesus.
2. But before we sing that song, I want to share a discipleship declaration that I find inspiring – I
don’t know who wrote it, but it is so good:
The decision has been made – I’m a disciple of His.
I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.
My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure.
I’m finished and I’m done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees,
Colorless dreams, tame vision, mundane talking, chintzy giving, and dwarf goals.
I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotion, platitudes, or popularity.
I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded.
I now live by present, lean by faith, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.
My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven.
My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my God reliable, my mission clear.
I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed.
I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity,
negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity
or meander at the maze of mediocrity.
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I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up
for the cause of Christ.
I am a disciple of Jesus.
I must go until He comes. Give ‘til I drop. Preach ‘til all know and work ‘til He stops me.
And when He comes for His own, He’ll have no problem recognizing me.
P. Powerful stuff! Such important commitments and attitudes!
1. Let’s become the kind of disciples of Jesus that when He comes for His own, He’ll have no
problem recognizing us! Amen!
Resources:
The Disciple Maker’s Handbook, Bobby Harrington & Josh Patrick, Zondervan, 2017.
Not a Fan, Kyle Idleman, Zondervan, 2011.
What Now? Sermon by Tommy South.
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I Am A Disciple Of Jesus Series
Sermon 2: “The Call of Discipleship”
Scripture Reading: Matthew 4:18-22
David Owens
10.4.20
A. Italian composer Pietro Mascagni was once irritated by an organ-grinder who stood outside the
composer’s apartment playing Mascagni’s own composition at about half the correct speed.
1. Eventually, when Mascagni could no longer stand hearing his composition be butchered in that
way, he went into the street and corrected the organ-grinder.
2. He said to the organ-grinder: “I am Mascagni. Let me show you how to play my music
correctly.”
3. Mascagni took the handle of the hurdy-gurdy, which is a stringed instrument that produces
sound by a hand crank turning a wheel that rubs against the strings, and began to turn the
handle more vigorously.
4. This pushed the tempo faster and he said to the organ-grinder this is the way the musical piece
should sound.
5. The following day, Mascagni again heard the organ-grinder in the street outside.
6. When he looked out the window, he noticed a sign on the instrument the organ-grinder was
playing, and the sign read: “Pupil of Mascagni.”
B. Anyone can claim to be a pupil or disciple of a master without actually being one, but true disciples
can be spotted by their similarity to their master.
1. Jesus said: “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like
his teacher” (Luke 6:40).
2. Last week we began a new sermon series on discipleship called “I Am A Disciple of Jesus.”
3. That first sermon helped us to ask ourselves the question: Am I a disciple of Jesus?
4. We explored the idea that when someone is a disciple of Jesus, it means that Jesus is the core
and center of their lives, that Jesus is their Savior and Jesus is their Lord.
5. As we continue to explore what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, I want us to explore the call
of discipleship.
6. Today I want us to explore and work toward answering these two questions: “What is the call
of discipleship?” and “What does it mean to answer that call?”
C. Let’s open our Bibles to Matthew chapter 4 and look at the calling of the first disciples of Jesus.
1. The Bible says: 18 As he was walking along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon
(who is called Peter), and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea—for they
were fishermen. 19 “Follow me,” he told them, “and I will make you fish for people.”
20
Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
21
Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his
brother John. They were in a boat with Zebedee their father, preparing their nets, and he called
them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him (Mt. 4:18-22).
2. Sometimes people wonder if this is the first time these men had seen Jesus or had any contact
with Him, but we can determine from other Scripture that it was not the first time or the extent
of the contact they had had with Jesus.
a. In Luke 5, a parallel passage of Matthew 4, Jesus got into Simon’s boat and made him put
out into deep water to do some additional fishing, even though Simon had fished all night
and had not caught anything.
b. Even though Simon didn’t want to, he obeyed Jesus’ instruction which resulted in a huge
catch that required the help of their fishing partners, James and John the sons of Zebedee.
3. In John 1, Simon’s brother, Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptizer and was with John just
after Jesus’ baptism when John the Baptizer identified Jesus as the Lamb of God.
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a.
4.
Andrew immediately pursued Jesus and spent some time with Him and then went and
found his brother, Simon Peter and said, “We have found the Messiah,” and he took Peter
to meet Jesus.
So, as I said, Scripture reveals that when Jesus invited them to follow Him, it was not their first
encounter with Jesus.
D. I believe that Jesus’ invitation to those fisherman that day can help us understand what it means for
all of us to answer the call to be a disciple of Jesus.
1. So let’s spend a little time breaking that calling down into the three aspects of discipleship that
are revealed in the call Jesus gave them that day.
E. The first part of the calling of discipleship is “Follow Me.”
1. From Jesus’ perspective, a disciple is a person who follows Him.
2. In Jesus’ day, it was a big deal to be a disciple of a rabbi, and I am sure the Peter, Andrew,
James and John were honored that a rabbi, like Jesus, would have asked lowly fisherman to be
His disciples.
3. And although they knew a little bit about Jesus that day when He called them, they were about
to spend the next 3 years learning all about Jesus, including His position, power and teachings.
4. Like them, to be disciples of Jesus, we too must recognize and accept who Jesus is, and we
must place ourselves under His authority.
5. When Jesus called them to “follow him,” they understood that being a disciple means to be
positioned behind the leader.
6. The positions and lines of authority are fixed – Jesus leads, and we follow.
7. In John 12:26, Jesus said it this way: “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my
servant also will be.”
8. As we come to understand who Jesus is and what He expects, we have to decide whether to
follow Him or not.
a. Many people like the idea of Jesus being their Savior, but they don’t really want Him to be
their Lord.
b. But He cannot be one without being the other as well.
c. Jesus is who He is, and we must accept Him as He is and follow Him if we want to be His
disciples.
9. So the first aspect of answering the call to discipleship is understanding and submitting
ourselves to follow Jesus.
a. A disciple is a person who is following Jesus.
b. We might describe this as an initial and an ongoing decision at the “head” level.
c. In our minds we know (in our head, mind) who Jesus is, and we accept Him as our “head”
(our authority, leader, Master).
d. Jesus is our Savior and our Lord and we are His followers – He leads and we follow.
10. A good illustration of this is the idea of military marching.
a. The first skill a soldier learns in the US Army is how to walk.
b. Before he or she learns how to fire a weapon or dig a fox hole, or survive in combat, a
soldier must learn to walk – after all, marching is nothing more than walking in a certain
way.
c. There are three distinct attributes to marching –
1. First, there is one person who is setting the rhythm and everyone else keeps step with
Him – that would be Jesus.
2. Second, there is perfect uniformity – eyes straight ahead, shoulders back, every foot
hitting the ground at the same time.
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3.
Third, those who are marching are all headed in the same direction, the direction given
by the one calling the cadence – and everyone follows those directions simultaneously.
d. It is beautiful and awe-inspiring to see a military unit marching across the parade field: All
in step, all walking with dignity and pride, and all singing out the cadence in perfect
harmony.
11. Jesus calls out the cadence and we, His disciples, march according to His direction.
a. So, the first thing we understand about the call of discipleship is that disciples of Jesus
follow Jesus.
F.
The second part of the calling of discipleship is “I will make you.”
1. This clarifies the truth that a disciple of Jesus is someone who is being changed by Jesus.
2. When Jesus invited Peter, Andrew, James and John to be His followers, He was also revealing
His intentions to them.
a. Jesus intended to change them – to make them into something.
b. Jesus intended to shape them into people who would be able to carry out His mission.
3. In John 15:1-2, Jesus explained: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Every
branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces
fruit so that it will produce more fruit.”
a. Being disciples of Jesus means that a pruning process needs to take place.
b. We don’t begin as disciples with the ability to produce all the fruit that God desires, but
over the course of time, through God’s work and our cooperation, good fruit results.
c. Just think about all the changes that God needed to bring about in the lives of that rag tag
group of 12!
d. Peter, the impetuous one…Thomas the doubting one…James and John the impatient ones.
4. Through the course of the discipling process, Jesus was going to shape these men into a group
who was able to be Christ’s representatives in the world.
a. Jesus was going to teach them and empower them to be like Him.
b. Jesus was going to shape their beliefs (head), their attitudes (heart), and their actions
(hands), so that they could be the messengers of the Good News to the world.
5. This goal of transformation is God’s intention for all disciples of Jesus.
a. Paul says it this way in Romans 8:29: For those he foreknew he also predestined to be
conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers
and sisters.
b. God’s desire is to have many, many sons and daughters who are conformed into the image
of His Son.
c. God wants to transform us into the likeness of Jesus.
6. How does that shaping and transforming take place? Through the work of the Holy Spirit.
a. Jesus promised those first disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit to be their
comforter and their guide.
b. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 3:18 that the Holy Spirit works in us to transform us into the
image of the Lord, and Galatians 5 tells us the kind of fruit the Spirit produces in us.
7. And so a disciple is someone whom Jesus is changing and shaping so that we can help to lead
others to God’s saving and changing power.
8. To be a disciple of Jesus we must follow Jesus and submit ourselves to His changing power at
work in us shaping our hearts and characters to make us more effective for the final aspect of
the call of discipleship.
G. The third part of the calling of discipleship is becoming “fishers of people.”
1. Those first four disciples (Peter, Andrew, James and John), had been fishers of fish, but their
new mission was to be fishers of people.
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2.
3.
4.
5.
The cause and mission of disciples of Jesus is people.
a. When we are following Jesus and when we are being transformed by the Holy Spirit who
resides in us, then we can’t help but care about what God cares about which is the
salvation of people.
As you know, Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).
a. Jesus came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark
10:45).
b. And Jesus told the crowd in John 8:24 that if they didn’t believe that He was who He was
(God’s only Son, the Messiah), then they would die in their sins.
This is the ultimate truth that disciples of Jesus know and understand and are compelled by: if
people do not come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior, then they are lost for all eternity.
a. Paul clearly communicated this truth to the Corinthians in his second letter to them.
b. 2 Cor. 5:10-11: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each
may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, since we
know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people.
c. Paul reaches a crescendo at the end of chapter 5: 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a
new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come! 18 Everything is from
God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of
reconciliation. 19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting
their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us. 20
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We
plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” 21 He made the one who did not know sin
to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:17-21).
d. Do you sense the conviction and urgency of Paul?
e. All of us who are disciples of Jesus should have the same conviction and urgency about the
lost and the salvation that God is holding out to them.
f. We are His ambassadors and Jesus intends to make us into fishers of people.
This is what it means to be a disciple of Jesus – we follow Him, are changed by Him, and are
committed to carrying out His mission to save the lost.
a. This reality should affect everything about us – the way we think, the way we pray, the
way we spend our time and money – everything!
b. We understand and believe that there are only two categories of people – the saved and the
unsaved.
c. We don’t judge or condemn the lost, rather we love them and reach out to them.
d. We long to see unbelievers be reconciled to God through Jesus, and we partner with Jesus
in His mission to save them.
e. As disciples of Jesus, we make available to Jesus our whole selves – our heads, our hearts,
our hands – our gifts and abilities – our time, our attention, and our love.
H. So, let’s review what we have learned today, and let’s ask ourselves how well we have answered the
call of discipleship in our own lives.
1. First, let’s ask ourselves: Am I following Christ?
a. Am I actively surrendering my life to Jesus as Lord and Savior?
b. Am I living in a way that Jesus is clearly the Head of my life, my authority?
c. If I am not following Christ as well as He would expect, what needs to change?
2. Second, let’s ask ourselves: Am I being changed by Jesus?
a. Am I growing in the character of Jesus and in the fruit of the Spirit?
b. Have I grown a lot since starting my journey with Jesus or have I not progressed very far?
c. Worse yet, have I lost ground and am returning to my pre-Christian ways?
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d.
3.
How can I be in tune with and cooperate more with the Holy Spirit in the transformation
process?
Finally, let’s ask ourselves: Am I committed to Jesus’ mission to save people?
a. Am I conscious on a daily basis of the lost people around me and how God might use me
to connect with them?
b. Am I doing what I can on a daily basis to plant seeds of faith in others or build relationship
bridges where the sharing of lives and the sharing of the Gospel can take place?
c. How can I have a greater burden for lost souls, and how can I be preparing to more
effectively share my faith and share God’s Word?
I.
I am praying that all of us will be blessed by taking to heart these basics of discipleship.
1. It is so important that we have this foundation of understanding about discipleship.
2. There is no way to expect that we will be true followers of Christ who are able to accomplish
His mission if we aren’t building on the right foundation.
3. As we learned last week, being a disciple of Jesus is more than church membership and church
attendance, it is relationship between teacher and student, between Master and apprentice.
4. Hopefully from this week’s sermon, we understand the call of discipleship is to follow Jesus,
be changed by Jesus, and to be engaged in the mission of Jesus.
5. Lord willing, next week, we will explore the cost of discipleship.
J.
Let’s pray…
Resources:
The Disciple Maker’s Handbook, Bobby Harrington & Josh Patrick, Zondervan, 2017.
Not a Fan, Kyle Idleman, Zondervan, 2011.
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I Am A Disciple Of Jesus Series
Sermon 3: “The Cost of Discipleship”
Scripture Reading: Mark 8:34-35
David Owens
10.11.20
A. I like the old classic joke about the chicken and the pig who were talking about going into business.
1. The chicken says: “Hey Pig, we should open a restaurant.” The pig replies: “I’m not sure, what
would we call it?”
2. The chicken answers: “What if we called it ‘Ham and Eggs’?” The pig doesn’t like that idea:
“No Thanks, I’d be committed and you’d only be involved.”
3. So the chicken counters: “What if I am committed as well?” The pig asks: “I don’t see how
you could be?”
4. The chicken explains: “We can open a place called ‘Wings-N-Ribs’!” The pig answers: “With
both of us committed, I’m in!”
B. The big question about discipleship that I want us to wrestle with today is: Am I just involved with
Jesus, or am I completely committed to Jesus?
1. In our sermon series on discipleship, we have been trying to understand what it means to be a
disciple of Jesus and are realizing that discipleship is a lot more than church membership and
church attendance.
2. Last week we explored the call of discipleship and learned that a disciple is someone who is
following Jesus, being changed by Jesus, and is committed to the mission of Jesus.
3. Today, we want to explore the cost of discipleship and come to realize that the cost of
discipleship is more like the sacrifice the pig makes for bacon than the chicken makes for eggs.
C. Most people really like the Bible verse John 3:16 (and for good reason) – “For God so loved the
world that he gave his only son, the whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
1. Back in the day when we could have fans at sporting events, you would often see someone
holding a sign with John 3:16 on it.
a. It is an important verse full of God’s love and truth, but the simplicity and brevity of our
response (believe) is open to misunderstanding and minimization.
b. Those of us who are committed disciples of Jesus know that believing in Jesus is much
more than a decision of the mind, it is a life of trust and obedience to Jesus.
2. A verse in the Bible that we will never see on a sign at a sports stadium is Luke 9:23 because it
clearly communicates the cost of discipleship.
a. Luke 9:23 reads: Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him
deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
3. Let’s spend a few minutes dissecting this important verse.
D. Let’s start with the first word that stands out in that verse – ANYONE.
1. “If anyone wants to follow after me” – If anyone wants to be a disciple of Jesus.
2. The amazing truth that leaps off the page is “anyone means anyone!”
3. Being a follower of Jesus is an invitation to everyone – no one is excluded from the possibility
of being a disciple of Jesus.
4. This means that discipleship isn’t just for a chosen few – an “elect” – so to speak.
5. Anyone is an all-inclusive word – anyone means everyone.
6. No one is too good or too bad to begin to follow after Jesus.
a. So, who is invited to follow Jesus? Anyone and everyone.
b. People with an immoral sexual past? Anyone.
c. People who have worshiped other gods? Anyone.
d. People who have been in trouble with the law and gone to prison? Anyone.
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7.
8.
9.
e. People who have had failed marriages? Anyone.
f. People who have been addicted to alcohol, cocaine, pot, gambling or porn? Anyone.
g. What about other kinds of sinners and hypocrites? Anyone.
How about that - anyone means me and you and everyone else.
Many people think that the excluding factor for discipleship has to do with a person’s past life
and behavior, but that is one of the devil’s lies – salvation and discipleship is open to anyone.
As we continue to dissect this verse from Luke 9, we will see that the greatest excluding factors
for discipleship have to do with the cost everyone must be willing to pay when they decide to
accept Jesus’ invitation.
E. The next important words are “wants to follow after me” or “would come after me” - this phrase
describes a passionate pursuit.
1. Jesus wants us to understand that following him is a pursuit that requires everything we have.
2. Jesus tells a parable in Matthew 13 called “The Pearl of Great Price” and it gives us a good
illustration of what Jesus means by pursuing Him.
a. Jesus said: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and
reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field. Again,
the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he found one
priceless pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it” (Mt. 13:44-46).
b. In Bible times, people would often bury their savings in the ground because that was
considered a safe place, especially during times of war or government upheaval.
c. It would not have been uncommon for a person to bury their treasure and then die in war or
die from some other cause without someone knowing where the treasure was buried.
3. So in the story that Jesus tells He imagines a man who happened to be digging in a certain field
(maybe treasure hunting) and he discovers a treasure.
a. What does the man do? He reburies the treasure and goes and buys the field.
b. The person who sells him the field has no idea a treasure is buried there.
c. The man is so desperate to buy the field he liquidates his assets to get enough cash.
d. His family and friends may think he has lost his mind, because it doesn’t make sense.
e. But the truth is, this is the best investment that man could make.
f. The same lesson is conveyed in the story of the finding of the priceless pearl.
4. When we discover the life that we can have in Jesus, then we are to come after Jesus like this
man pursued the pearl of great price.
a. Disciples of Jesus understand that following Jesus is a pursuit that may cost them
everything, but it is the best investment they could ever make.
F.
Once we get beyond the fact that the invitation to discipleship is open to everyone and that it must
be a passionate pursuit, the cost of discipleship becomes clearer in the phrase “he must deny
himself” – we learn from this phrase that discipleship is a total surrender.
1. We can’t follow after Jesus without denying ourselves.
2. What does it mean to deny ourselves? It doesn’t mean that we deny our own existence, but it
does mean that we deny ourselves the right to do our own thing and live for self alone.
3. It should be no surprise to us why discipleship and Christianity have fallen on hard times in our
day and our culture that is all about us and our rights.
4. Perhaps the story in Matthew 19 of the young man whom we call the “Rich Young Ruler” is a
good example of what it means for us to deny ourselves.
a. He asked Jesus a good question – “What good must I do to have eternal life?”
b. Jesus told the young man that he must keep the commandments.
c. The young man said that he had followed all of God’s commands, but does he lack
anything else?
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d.
Jesus said that if he wants to be perfect (complete), then he should sell his possessions and
give the money to the poor and come follow Jesus.
5. The rich young man was faced with the choice of following Jesus or keeping his stuff, but he
couldn’t do both.
a. There was no way to follow Jesus without denying himself.
b. Sometimes we make this story all about money, but it’s not as much about money as it is
about following Jesus.
c. Jesus clarifies the crossroads that this man found himself at – he could follow the path that
leads to money, or he could follow the path the leads to Jesus, but he couldn’t do both.
d. Everyone who follows Jesus finds themselves at the similar crossroads – in order to follow
Jesus, we must walk away from the path of self.
e. Anyone who follows Jesus must deny himself or herself.
6. Can you see why the call and cost of discipleship is so at odds with American individualism?
a. Our American culture of consumers approaches the church asking, “What can Jesus and
the church do for me?” but Jesus’ call of discipleship says, “This is what you must do for
Jesus.”
b. The modern church says, “Whatever you want you can get here” whereas Jesus says, “deny
yourself and give up everything to follow me.”
7. Christianity and discipleship are about Jesus being the King of His kingdom and we are His
subjects.
a. Jesus is the Master and Lord and we are His slaves.
b. I know that slavery is an awful thing to have forced upon someone – for a person to have
their rights and choices stripped from them against their will is a terrible thing.
c. But what if on the other hand, a person chooses to be a slave or servant of a master?
d. The great apostles who wrote the New Testament all identified themselves as slaves and
servants of Christ.
e. And when we choose to follow Jesus we agree to become His servants.
8. There’s an interesting and wonderful concept in the Old Testament about a person who chooses
to be a bondslave after their required time of service is over.
a. Deuteronomy 15:16-17 says: But if your slave says to you, “I don’t want to leave you,”
because he loves you and your family, and is well off with you, take an awl and pierce
through his ear into the door, and he will become your slave for life.
b. Question: Why would a person choose to continue to be a slave after his or her time of
service was over?
c. Answer – Because they love their master and family, and they realize they are better off as
a slave of that master than as a freeman.
d. In like manner, out of our love for Jesus and our knowledge that being a servant of Jesus is
what is best for us, we choose to be a slave of Christ.
e. When we truly surrender ourselves to Jesus in slavery, that’s when we find real freedom.
9. The Bible says that the rich young ruler went away sad because he was rich – Doesn’t that
sound strange? He was sad, because he was rich!
a. What he should have been sad about was choosing to go in the wrong direction.
b. He thought that denying himself all his stuff would make him sad, but when we deny
ourselves and follow Jesus we find real joy.
10. Let’s think about what blessings come to us as servants of God.
a. Our Master owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and He can provide for us.
b. Our Master has power over everything and He can protect us.
c. Our Master is full of grace and mercy and He forgives us.
d. And our Master is so gracious that He doesn’t think of us as slaves, but adopts us into His
family as sons and daughters.
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11. Isn’t it amazing how much better off we end up being by denying ourselves and surrendering
ourselves to God!
G. There is one more challenging phrase in the verse in Luke 9:23 – “take up your cross daily.”
1. As those who want to follow after Jesus, denying ourselves involves a daily death.
2. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the Christian minister, theologian and martyr, wrote: “When Christ calls a
man, he bids him come and die.”
3. The symbol that represents Christianity and discipleship is the cross.
a. Would you have preferred if a different symbol had been chosen?
b. How about a dove – the symbol of peace?
c. Or how about a rainbow – the symbol of hope and promise?
d. Or how about a shepherd’s staff – the symbol of protection and leadership?
4. Rather than any of those symbols, Jesus chose the symbol of the cross: “If anyone wants to
follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Lk. 9:23).
a. We might try to sanitize the symbol by turning into an ornament or a piece of jewelry, but
make no mistake about it – the cross is an instrument of torture and death.
b. For the Jewish people in the time of Jesus, the cross was a means of execution that the
Romans used to force them into submission.
c. When Jesus made that statement, the people heard and understood that the cross is the
symbol of humiliation, suffering and death.
5. Therefore, when Jesus says that His followers must take up their cross daily, He is inviting us
to die to ourselves – to die to our own desires, pursuits, and plans.
a. As followers of Jesus, we must make the every day decision to die to ourselves and to live
for Christ.
b. Our cross to bear is not just some challenging situation or responsibility in our lives, rather
the taking up our cross is the turning over of our whole selves and lives to God.
c. C.S. Lewis put it this way in Mere Christianity: Christ says, “Give me all. I don’t want so
much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want you. I
have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it. No half-measures are any good. I
don’t want to cut off a branch here and there. I want to have the whole tree down. I don’t
want to drill the tooth, or crown it, or stop it, but to have it out.”
d. In 1 Corinthians 15:31, Paul wrote: “I die daily” and so should all disciples of Jesus.
e. Every morning we have to crawl out of bed and crawl back on the altar and die to
ourselves so that we can live for Jesus.
6. In the next verse of Luke 9, Jesus explained, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life because of me will save it.”
a. It is only by dying to ourselves that we truly find life.
b. Taking up a cross and dying to self sounds like torture and we think that such a decision
would make us miserable.
c. But when we do it, when we die to ourselves and take up our cross, we find the surprising
side effect of dying to Christ – we discover true life.
d. We find that giving up our lives gives us the life we so desperately wanted all along.
H. So as we move toward the conclusion of this lesson on the cost of discipleship, let’s look at another
section of Luke where Jesus taught about the cost of discipleship.
1. In Luke 14, we read: 25 Now great crowds were traveling with him. So he turned and said to
them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and
children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.
27
Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple” (Lk. 14:2527).
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a.
2.
3.
4.
This language of Jesus about hating our families and our own lives is shocking and
troubling, but Jesus uses this language to help us understand what discipleship means.
b. In reality, Jesus doesn’t want us to hate our families or our own lives, but compared to our
commitment to Jesus, our commitment to our families and own lives looks like hatred.
c. We must love everyone and everything else so much less than we love Jesus.
Then Jesus gives two illustrations to aid our understanding: 28 “For which of you, wanting to
build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete
it? 29 Otherwise, after he has laid the foundation and cannot finish it, all the onlookers will
begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This man started to build and wasn’t able to finish.’
31
“Or what king, going to war against another king, will not first sit down and decide if he
is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 If
not, while the other is still far off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. (Lk.
14:28-32)
a. There’s a humorous TV commercial that is a good illustration of the tower story.
1. The commercial shows a man sitting in a tattoo parlor expressing his love for Donna
by getting her name tattooed on his arm.
2. Halfway through the process he asks how much this will cost, the tattoo artist replies
$50.
3. The man says, “I only have $41.00!
4. The next scene shows the couple on the sidewalk outside of the tattoo parlor with
Donna storming off and the man yelling after her, “I’ll get it finished later!”
5. The camera zooms onto the tattoo which reads: “I love Don.” (just 2 letters short!)
b. Whether it’s a tower or a tattoo, starting and not finishing is worse than not starting at all.
1. A person better be sure they have counted the cost before beginning a construction
project, because a half-finished tower is a worthless waste of money.
c. In the same way, we had better count the cost of being a disciple before we start to follow
Christ.
1. If we start to follow Jesus without knowing and agreeing to the cost, we may get into
it and stop following Jesus because the cost is higher than we were willing to pay.
2. Disciples of Jesus who will be blessed in the end must continue with Jesus to the end.
d. The second illustration is about counting the cost of war before you begin.
1. If your opponent has a much bigger and stronger army, then you will likely not only
lose the battle, but be annihilated.
2. If you know you can’t win the battle, then it is better to surrender and come to terms of
peace.
e. God, of course, is way bigger and stronger than us, we can’t win against God in any shape
or form, so it is better to accept God’s terms of peace rather than be condemned eternally.
1. In the end, we will realize that surrendering to God and receiving God’s peace, is in
our best interests and will lead to a better outcome than we could ever achieve for
ourselves.
Jesus concludes: 33 “In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not renounce all his
possessions cannot be my disciple.”
a. Billy Graham used to say: “Salvation is free, but discipleship costs everything we have.”
b. In the end, the cost of discipleship is everything – all that we are and have must be turned
over for God’s service.
Back in college we used to do a skit about discipleship where a person comes to Jesus and says
they want to be saved.
a. Jesus tells them it will cost them everything they are and have.
b. The person struggles with the decision, but then brings everything they have and are and
lays them before Jesus.
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c.
d.
e.
I.
The skit ends with Jesus telling the person that they are now His and are saved, but they
can go home with their life and their stuff, but Jesus may come by at any minute to use
them and their things.
When we become disciples of Jesus, we turn over to God all that we are and have, and
make ourselves and our stuff available for God’s service.
God is then the Owner and Master, and we are His stewards and managers.
We can summarize what we have learned today with two questions.
1. Who can be a disciple? Everyone!
2. What does it cost to be a disciple? Everything!
3. If you are a disciple of Jesus, then I want to encourage you to examine yourself:
a. Are you paying the cost of discipleship?
b. Are you denying yourself and taking up your cross daily and following Jesus?
4. If you are not yet a disciple of Jesus, but are thinking about becoming a disciple, then I want
you to know that it is the very best choice you can make.
a. But I also want you to know that it is a costly choice.
b. I hope that everyone will choose to be a disciple of Jesus, but I also hope that everyone
who is choosing to follow Jesus will also understand the cost and be willing to pay the cost
of discipleship.
Resources:
The Disciple Maker’s Handbook, Bobby Harrington & Josh Patrick, Zondervan, 2017.
Not a Fan, Kyle Idleman, Zondervan, 2011.
What Does It Cost To Be A Disciple? Sermon by K. Edward Skidmore, SermonCentral.com.
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I Am A Disciple Of Jesus Series
Sermon 4: “The Command of Discipleship”
Scripture Reading: Matthew 28:18-20
David Owens
10.18.20
A. I like the story told about a truck driver who was hauling a load of 500 penguins to the zoo.
1. Unfortunately, his truck broke down.
2. He eventually waved down another truck and offered the driver $500 to take the penguins to
the zoo.
3. Later that day the first truck driver got his truck fixed and drove into town and couldn’t believe
his eyes!
4. Just ahead of him he saw the second truck driver crossing the street with the 500 penguins
waddling single file behind him.
5. He jumped out of his truck, ran up to the guy and said, “What’s going on? I gave you $500 to
take these penguins to the zoo!”
6. The man responded, “I did take them to the zoo, but I had enough money left over so now
we’re going to the movies.”
7. See, that guy didn’t fully understand his assignment - he didn’t understand the command he had
received.
8. Likewise, many of us who are disciples of Jesus are fuzzy about the command Jesus gave to
His disciples.
B. Today, as we continue our series on discipleship, we are going to explore the command of
discipleship – in other words, what is the mission and commission for disciples of Jesus?
1. Before we get into this important subject, let’s review what we have learned so far in our series
on discipleship.
2. We have learned that being a disciple of Jesus involves a lot more than church membership and
church attendance.
3. We have learned that a disciple is someone who is following Jesus, being changed by Jesus,
and is committed to the mission of Jesus.
4. And we have learned that although the call of discipleship is open to everyone, not everyone
answers that call because the cost of discipleship is everything we are and have.
C. So, what is the mission and commission for disciples of Jesus?
1. As we begin to answer that question, consider this illustration (borrowed from Tommy South).
a. Many of you know how much I enjoyed playing basketball over the years, and I still enjoy
watching the SU basketball team.
b. But can you imagine how dull basketball would be if there wasn’t a goal at each end of the
court?
c. Imagine 10 guys just running around the court playing keep away, but with no way to score
a goal.
d. What makes basketball interesting and exciting is scoring more points than your opponent.
e. Without the goal of scoring, the game would not be nearly as interesting, and has no way to
measure who wins.
2. I wonder if basketball without a goal isn’t something like what God sees when disciples of
Jesus don’t know and obey the command of discipleship.
a. Do we as a church know what our goal and mission is?
b. Do we know what we are supposed to be accomplishing for Christ?
c. If we don’t know what the command and mission is, then we just end up with a lot of
spiritual activity that may be good, but doesn’t necessarily move us toward fulfilling the
real mission of Jesus.
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D. When we study our Bibles, it isn’t hard to discover what the real command of discipleship is.
1. Jesus declared that the reason He came was “to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
2. Jesus hinted at the mission for disciples of Jesus when He first called those fisherman, Peter,
Andrew, James and John, and told them He was going to make them fishers of people.
3. But it is in Jesus’ final words in Matthew 28 that He clearly states the command of
discipleship: 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have
commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Mt. 28:19-20).
4. It is interesting to note that the imperative is the verb “make disciples,” not the verb “go.”
a. A better translation might be “as you are going, make disciples” or “wherever you go,
make disciples.”
b. So what is the command for disciples of Jesus? It is to make other disciples of Jesus from
people of all nations.
c. That is what we are commanded to do – that is our mission.
5. Notice that the command to make disciples in this verse involves two things: baptizing them
and teaching them to obey all things.
a. “Baptizing them” represents the work involved in bringing them into a relationship with
Jesus, and “teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you” represents the
work involved in helping disciples grow and live faithful lives in Jesus.
b. Years ago, we used a mission statement based on this verse, we said: “Our mission is to
make and mature disciples of Jesus to the glory of God.”
c. This is still the mission I am trying to follow and obey and it is the one that I am trying to
help all of us follow and obey.
6. This mission wasn’t just for the apostles as some may try to claim.
a. How do we know that this command is for all disciples, not just those original disciples?
b. Because when Jesus commanded them to make disciples and then teach them to obey
everything Jesus had commanded them, embedded in teaching everything is the
perpetuating mission.
c. The apostles were to make disciples who were to teach others to make disciples, who
would teach others to make disciples.
d. Can you see how the mission is embedded in the mission and is perpetuated from one
generation of disciples to the next?
e. And so, until Jesus returns, this is what the church is supposed to be doing: making
disciples who make disciples.
f. The command of discipleship isn’t just for preachers and missionaries or gifted
evangelists, it is for all disciples.
7. Certainly disciples will be involved in disciple making in different ways depending on our
personalities and giftedness, but all of us, as disciples of Jesus are expected to be engaged in
carrying out the command of discipleship – the making of disciples who make disciples.
E. It is so important for us to understand what our real mission is and to focus on it, because there are
many other good things that could be substituted as the main mission for disciples of Jesus.
1. Consider some of the many things that we have not been commanded or commissioned to do as
disciples of Jesus:
a. We have not been commanded to alleviate hunger and poverty or create recreation
programs.
b. We have not been commanded to take on the movie and TV industry or tackle illiteracy.
c. We have not been commanded to build low-income housing or to promote political
campaigns.
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d.
e.
2.
3.
4.
5.
F.
We have not been commanded to create hospitals or to provide psychological counseling.
We have not been commanded to provide disaster relief or to alleviate drug and alcohol
abuse.
f. We have not been commanded to provide day care centers or Christian Schools.
Do you see what I’m trying to show? None of these things are bad things to be involved in.
a. All of these things can be considered good, worthy efforts, and many disciples will be
engaged in these kinds of ministries, but they should never take over as the church’s main
mission.
b. Satan would love for the church to abandon its real mission and take up one of these
secondary missions as the church’s primary mission.
c. No one else in the world can embrace the salvation and discipleship mission of the
church—if we don’t embrace it, it won’t be accomplished.
d. Many other groups and organizations can take on these other needs I have listed, and
churches and individual Christians can be involved, but we must always keep our eye on
our real business—the saving of the souls of people – the making of disciples.
What ultimate good will we have done if we will have fed the hungry, provided recreation for
the young, medical care for the sick, illiteracy for the illiterate if we have not brought salvation
to the lost?
As you know, Jesus often ministered to some physical need in a person’s life, but it was always
done in order to minister to the most important need—their spiritual need.
Disciples of Jesus must keep first things first – the making of disciples who make disciples!
So, how can each of us begin to fulfill the command of discipleship?
1. First, we can be active in reaching out to the lost, and second, we can be active in helping to
mature and equip those who are already disciples of Jesus.
2. Let’s briefly explore those two parts of our mission separately.
G. Disciples of Jesus know and understand that we are to be involved in seeking and saving the lost,
and yet how many of us are engaged in that kind of effort?
1. When was the last time you cultivated a relationship with an unbeliever and helped them
become a Christian?
2. If the answer to that question is: “It has been a long time” or “I haven’t ever helped someone
become a Christian,” then it might be helpful to ask ourselves why that is the case.
3. It might be helpful for us to recognize that we have different reasons why we don’t always
fulfill the Great Commission as we would like to.
4. Perhaps the thing that holds us back the most is fear.
a. Fear of rejection - Fear of losing a friendship or our job - Fear of being considered a
religious nut - Fear of handling tough questions - Fear of past failures in evangelism being
repeated.
b. Each of those fears can and should be addressed with God’s help.
5. A second thing that often gets in the way of fulfilling the Great Commission is apathy.
a. For some of us it might be being too busy or being too distracted.
1. It’s not that we don’t care about the lost, we are just too caught up in other things to
get around to helping them.
b. For others of us it might be that we don’t really believe that the lost are lost.
1. It has been reported that 50% of those who say they are Christian say that Satan and
hell are not real.
2. And 2 out of 5 of those same people say that good people can earn their salvation.
3. Many people today say that it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you believe
something.
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4.
6.
7.
8.
The prevailing attitude is that the Bible, the Koran, and the Book of Mormon are all
different expressions of the same truths and that they will all lead people to heaven.
c. But the Bible, however, tells us a different story.
1. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me.” (Jn 14:6)
2. Peter declared in Acts 4:12, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other
name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” That name is Jesus.
With God’s help we can overcome our fears and our apathy.
a. With God’s help we can become more single-minded and convicted that the lost are really
lost and that Jesus is the only one who saves.
One of the best ways to work on these hindrances is through prayer - Here are some things we
can be praying about that will enable us to fulfill the great commission:
a. We can pray for the salvation of lost people, mention them by name.
1. God answers prayer, and the Holy Spirit is at work in the hearts of people even before
they are Christians.
b. We can pray that our lives and words are a holy, sincere, testimony for Christ.
1. As Jesus said in Matthew 5:13-16, “you are the salt of the earth…you are the light of
the world…let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and
praise your Father in heaven.”
c. We can pray for opportunities to share your faith.
1. That was something that Paul prayed for and asked others to pray for, like in Col. 4,
Paul wrote: Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for
us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the
mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I
should (Col. 4:2-4).
d. A final thing we can pray for is for laborers for the harvest.
1. Jesus said: “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the
harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:37-38).
Prayer certainly is the best place for us to start fulfilling the great commission.
a. Andrew Murray said, “The man who mobilizes the church to pray will make the greatest
contribution to world evangelization in history.”
H. So the first part of being engaged in the command of discipleship is trying to bring others to Christ,
but the second part is helping new disciples and not-so-new disciples to grow and multiply.
1. And so, every one of us who are disciples of Jesus are to be faithfully living for Christ, helping
lead others to Christ, and mentoring other disciples so they can be faithful and productive in
Christ.
2. Unfortunately, many have mistakenly thought that the mission and goal was simply to bring
people to a decision for Christ.
a. They put great effort into people in order to help them to believe, repent, confess their
faith, and be baptized into Jesus, but then they move on to the next unbeliever.
b. These people leave new believers to find their way in Christ on their own.
3. Can you see how this approach to fulfilling the great commission falls far short and won’t lead
to multiplication?
a. It would be like being a couple who loves to bring children into the world, but doesn’t like
to parent them.
b. Leaving a new spiritual baby to raise itself, is just as illogical as leaving a new physical
baby to raise itself.
c. Those who help bring physical or spiritual babies into existence have a responsibility to
provide for them and guide them, right?
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4.
5.
6.
The apostle Paul is a great example for us in the discipling or mentoring process.
a. At one point in Paul’s missionary journeys, he took Timothy along with him to train him in
ministry.
b. When Timothy was ready, Paul then sent him to minister on his own.
c. In Paul’s last letter to Timothy, he reminded him of this principle: You, therefore, my son,
be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. What you have heard from me in the presence
of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also (2 Tim.
2:1-2).
d. In other words, Paul was saying: What I taught you, teach to others, who can teach others.
Here’s a powerful quote from Billy Graham: “One of the first verses of Scripture that Dawson
Trotman, founder of the Navigators, encouraged me to memorize was 2 Timothy 2:2. This is
like a mathematical formula for spreading the gospel and enlarging the church. Paul taught
Timothy; Timothy shared what he knew with faithful men; these faithful men would then teach
others also. And so the process goes on and on. If every believer followed this pattern, the
church could reach the entire world in one generation! Mass crusades, in which I believe and
to which I have committed my life, will never finish the Great Commission; but a one-to-one
ministry will.”
a. Dr. Herschel Hobbs wrote: “The work of evangelism is never complete until the one
evangelized becomes an evangelizer.”
And so this is the part of the command of discipleship that involves carrying out the “teaching
them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
a. The goal is not to have converts to Christianity; rather the goal is to make disciples who in
turn make disciples, who in turn make disciples – and the commission is carried on from
spiritual generation to spiritual generation until Christ returns.
b. The great evangelist Dwight L. Moody said, “It is better to train ten people than to do the
work of ten people, but it is harder.”
c. Each of us might be able to do the work of ten people, but then the work stops with us.
d. But if we train ten people, and train them to train others, then multiplication results.
I.
So how can each of us begin to be engaged in the discipling and mentoring process?
1. Let me start by saying that no one is too old or too young a Christian to be mentored by
someone and to mentor someone else.
2. Dr. Howard Hendricks wrote: “Every disciple needs three types of relationships in his life. He
needs a ‘Paul’ who can mentor him and challenge him. He needs a ‘Barnabas’ who can come
along side and encourage him. And he needs a ‘Timothy,’ someone he can pour his life into.”
3. So I want to encourage each of us to ask God to lead us to someone who is older or more
mature in Christ who can mentor us, and to lead us to someone who is younger or more
inexperienced in Christ whom we can mentor.
4. Once God makes clear who these individuals are, begin to spend time together – share life
together, encourage each other, challenge each other in the principles of discipleship, pray
together and hold each other accountable to grow in our obedience to the Lord.
J.
There are many resources available to aid us in carrying out the command of discipleship.
1. We have developed resources for studying the Bible with unbelievers in order to help lead them
to Christ.
2. We also have developed resources for studying the Bible with new believers in order to help
grow them in their walk with Christ.
3. I want to challenge all of us as disciples of Jesus to prepare ourselves and engage ourselves in
the mission of Jesus – the mission of making disciples who make disciples.
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4.
5.
I want to challenge us to repent of anything that is holding us back from being engaged in
carrying out the mission of Jesus.
And finally, I want to remind us that the power to carry out the command of discipleship does
not come from us but is from the Lord.
a. Jesus promised to be with us always to the end of the age and God promises that His power
would be at work in us and through us (Eph. 3:20) - What God expects, God empowers!
Resources:
The Disciple’s Mission, Sermon by Tommy South.
The Disciple’s Heritage, Sermon by Dave Mcfadden, SermonCentral.com
What is the Goal of a Disciple?, Sermon by K. Edward Skidmore, SermonCentral.com
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I Am A Disciple Of Jesus Series
Sermon 5: “The Stages of Discipleship”
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:11-16
David Owens
10.25.20
A. I like the story told of the little boy who was confused about something and said to his Bible class
teacher: “There’s somethin’ I can’t figger out.”
1. The teacher said, “What is it, Joey?”
2. Joey said, “Well accordin’ to the Bible, the Children of Israel crossed the Red Sea, right?”
a. “ Right,” said his teacher.
3. Joey continued, “And the Children of Israel defeated the Philistines, right?”
a. “Er – right,” said his teacher.
4. Joey continued, “And the Children of Israel built the Temple, right?”
a. His teacher said, “You’re right, again.”
5. Joey concluded, “So, the children of Israel wuz always doin’ somethin’ important, right?”
a. “That’s right,” said his teacher, “So what’s your question? What can’t you figure out?”
6. “What I wanna know is this,” demanded Joey, “if that’s what the children of Israel wuz doin’,
then what wuz all the grown-ups doin’?”
B. What little Joey didn’t understand was that even though God’s people are always described as
God’s children, that doesn’t mean that they aren’t the grown-ups.
1. Today, as we continue our series on discipleship, we want to explore the stages of discipleship.
2. When a person becomes a disciple of Jesus, they are born again into God’s family and will be
known as a child of God for the rest of their lives.
3. And even though God will always be their Father and they will always be His child, God has
created and designed His children to move through a progression of stages of growth.
4. I like the way Jim Putman and Bobby Harrington have defined these stages of growth in their
book Discipleshift, and I will be borrowing their model and their descriptions to help us
understand how we are to grow as a disciple and how we are to help others grow.
5. Putnam and Harrington suggest that there are five stages of discipleship; starting with a person
being spiritually DEAD, then becoming an INFANT, a CHILD, a YOUNG ADULT, and
finally a PARENT.
C. Before we look at these stages of discipleship more closely, let’s consider this illustration: Imagine
you are a medical doctor in charge of a number of residents at a large hospital.
1. You know that your task is to teach these med students the knowledge they need to be a doctor,
which includes appropriate empathy and compassion, as well as the best methods and practices
for patient health.
2. This is a huge undertaking, right? How can this task be accomplished?
3. The process needs to be broken into manageable pieces and an appropriate sequence.
4. First, you begin by recognizing that an apprenticeship like this will take several years.
5. Next, you begin to impart the knowledge and training step by step, with each successive year
building on the last.
6. The student’s advancement in the program is about more than just their grasp of the
information, it’s about how they progress in overall development in the process.
7. Obviously, a third-year student should exhibit more maturity than one in the first-year, because
that student has had more time to grow and develop in each key area of growth.
D. This process of becoming a doctor is similar to how people develop in all kinds of enterprises, from
the military to sports programs, and is also the way Christianity works as well.
1. Discipleship is a process that works through predictable stages.
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2.
3.
4.
5.
It might seem strange to categorize people into spiritual development levels and stages, but it is
necessary for growth to take place.
We need to keep in mind that there’s a big difference between judging people and assessing a
person’s spiritual development.
a. Judging implies that we are issuing a final verdict on their character or morality, or are
condemning them.
b. Instead of condemning them or placing them in a category that they can’t move out of,
spiritual assessment seeks to determine the stage of a person’s spiritual development in
order to help them move forward and grow.
Jesus made it clear that you can know a tree by its fruit and that out of the overflow of the heart
the mouth speaks.
a. In other words, you can tell where a person is in the stages of their spiritual journey by
paying attention to the things they say and do – these things reveal where they are on the
road to maturity.
So, it is very important and helpful for us to name the stages of growth for a disciple, and
understand the basic characteristics and the needs of each stage.
a. The goal is not to simply categorize or label people, but to help them grow.
b. When we understand how a disciple grows, we can be more intentional in the process of
growing disciples who make disciples.
E. This concept of spiritual assessment is entirely biblical.
1. As we look at the twelve disciples, we observe that these were all men who went through a
process of spiritual maturity.
2. Jesus chose them to follow Him, and while He spent time with them, He was helping them
grow more and more into the followers of God that God desires.
3. It is both comforting and humbling to know that we are all in a process of spiritual growth and
that no one fully arrives at the destination of perfection in this life.
4. As we grow by the grace of God, we can slip in and out of various stages at different times in
our lives.
5. Each of us can get stuck in a certain stage and not progress, or we can slip back into a more
immature stage if we are not careful.
F.
It is also important for us to keep in mind that the responsibility for spiritual growth never rests only
on the disciple or on the disciple-maker.
1. In reality, there are at least three persons involved in the discipling process.
2. There is the part that the disciple must play – they must be engaged and put forth effort.
3. There is the part that the disciple-maker plays – they must be a good example and share what
they know.
4. And, most importantly, there is God’s part – God is the one who transforms and brings lasting
change.
G. So let’s turn our attention to the five stages of discipleship.
1. As we review the stages, let’s keep in mind that although growth typically doesn’t happen in a
linear fashion (a straight line), there is a path of progress, a direction we need to move in order
to grow.
2. These growth stages are fairly general and simple and can be seen in Scripture.
3. Also, let’s keep in mind that other than the stage of being spiritually dead, all the other stages
of discipleship describe a person who has been born again and is saved.
4. When a person becomes a Christian, they stand justified in Christ and their position in Christ is
immediately “saved” – they have moved from death to life.
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5.
6.
All the stages from infant to parent represent the process of sanctification – the process of
becoming what God has already declared us to be – as we grow our condition in Christ begins
to match our position in Christ.
How wonderful it is that when we become a Christian, God gives us a new identity in Christ,
and as saved disciples, it should be our goal to grow into our new identity.
H. Spiritual Stage 1 – Spiritually Dead
1. Paul tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and that the
wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
2. In Ephesians 2:1-3, Paul describes our pre-Christian situation: 1 And you were dead in your
trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world,
according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We
too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our
flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.
3. People who have not yet become Christians, disciples of Jesus are lost and are spiritually dead.
4. Two words that best characterize those who are spiritually dead are unbelief and rebellion.
5. And because they are spiritually dead, it should not surprise us that they act and talk like a
spiritually dead person would act and talk with unbelief, rebellion and rejection of God’s will.
6. Here are some of the things we will likely encounter as we interact with those who are
spiritually dead:
a. Some may shake their fists at God or be angry at God for some hurt or injustice.
b. Others may show some spiritual interest, while others may show no interest at all.
c. We shouldn’t be surprised by or put off by their worldliness and lack of morality –
remember, they are spiritually dead, so we shouldn’t expect them to be alive!
7. If we listen to what the spiritual dead say, we will hear things like:
a. “I don’t believe there is a God, or the Bible is just a bunch of myths.”
b. “I’ve been a good person, and when I die, I will be okay – I will take my chances with the
big man upstairs.”
c. “I don’t believe in absolutes – what’s wrong for you might not be wrong for me.”
8. Listening to these kinds of statements helps us to recognize what stage a person is in – not to
judge or condemn them, but to know how to pray and to minister to them.
9. The key concept is that a spiritual dead person does not have the life of Jesus in them, because
they don’t have faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord.
10. What are the needs of people who are spiritually dead?
a. They need believers to love them and reach out to them in friendship.
b. They need to be introduced to Jesus and the good news of Jesus.
c. They likely need answers to their questions about God, the Bible and Christianity.
11. The good news of Jesus is that those who are spiritually dead can be born again (Jn. 3:3-5).
I.
Spiritual Stage 2 – Spiritual Infant
1. Scripture often uses the image of infants for the early stage of discipleship.
2. In 1 Peter 2:2-3, the apostle Peter suggests that people should be like newborn babies and crave
spiritual milk so they can grow up in their salvation.
a. People at this stage are spiritually alive because they have made the initial commitment to
follow Christ and become His disciple, but that’s about as far as they have gotten.
3. These people are likely very new Christians, but sadly they may also have been baptized years
ago, but have not make progress.
a. The writer of Hebrews describes the people he is writing to as those still living on milk
when in fact they should be eating solid food by now (Heb. 5:12-14).
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4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
J.
The words that best characterize this stage of a disciple’s life are ignorance, confusion and
dependence.
a. Ignorance – because spiritual infants don’t know much about biblical truth.
b. Confusion – because they don’t know how to replace old ways of thinking and doing with
the new ways of a disciple of Jesus.
c. Dependence – because they cannot accomplish growth alone any more than a physical
infant can feed and care for itself the day it comes home from the hospital.
Think about what we typically expect from a physical infant.
a. Babies are messy, loud, and need a lot of care and attention.
b. We know it will take time and training for them to grow and mature.
If we listen to spiritual infants, we can expect to hear them say things like this:
a. “I didn’t know the Bible said that.”
b. “I need someone to teach me and take care of me, please don’t leave me on my own.”
c. “I got baptized last week, but I am still giving into temptation. What is wrong with me?”
The key concept with spiritual infants is they don’t know much.
a. They have a lot to learn about what it means to follow Jesus.
So what are the needs of spiritual infants?
a. They need someone to care for and feed them so they can grow and thrive.
b. Eventually, they will learn to feed themselves, but at this point they don’t know how to.
c. They need the personal attention of a spiritual big brother or sister, or a spiritual parent.
d. They need protection and guidance during this vulnerable stage of discipleship.
e. They need the truths of the Christian faith to be taught and modeled for them.
f. They need to develop new habits that form new patterns for living as a disciple of Jesus.
Spiritual Stage 3 – Spiritual Child
1. The apostle John often referred to the early Christians as his children (1 Jn. 2:12).
2. In 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12, the apostle Paul described himself as a spiritual father who
ministered to his spiritual children: 11 As you know, like a father with his own children, 12 we
encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to walk worthy of God, who calls you
into his own kingdom and glory.
3. People in this stage of discipleship are growing in their relationship with God and with other
Christians.
a. They are beginning to apply God’s Word in their lives, but even though they are growing,
much of their spiritual lives still revolves around them – their needs, desires and interests.
4. A person at this spiritual stage may be a relatively new Christian, or they may be someone who
has been a Christian for many years, but is stuck in this stage.
a. It’s not the amount of time that passes that marks the difference between the mature and
the immature, it’s what has happened or not happened in the discipleship process.
b. And it’s about how much the person has cooperated with the Holy Spirit in growing and
shaping them into the likeness of Christ.
5. Think about the characteristics of a typical child.
a. A child can do some things for himself, and yet he are still dependent on their parents.
b. A child may be unaware they are self-centered; that they are focused on their own needs
without regard for others.
c. A child can be overconfident and prideful, or they may be insecure and self-loathing.
d. Children crave affirmation and approval, and will usually do the right things if they are
rewarded in a way that pleases them.
e. Likewise, a spiritual child may serve in ministry, but they usually do, because it is
expected and will do so as long as the benefits outweigh the costs.
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f.
6.
7.
Children often think in concrete and black and white ways; and a spiritual child is also
likely to think about spiritual things in a rigid and unsophisticated way.
We would expect a spiritual child to say things like:
a. “Don’t branch my small group into two, I won’t get to be with all my friends.”
b. “No one ever says ‘Hi’ to me at church.”
c. “I was helping in the children’s ministry, but no one seemed to appreciate what I was
doing, so I quit.”
So what are the needs of spiritual children?
a. They need to continue to be connected to mature disciples so they can continue to grow.
b. They need to learn to trust God more and to walk in obedience.
c. As they grow, they will learn to do the right things for the right reasons, and to have a
servants heart.
K. Spiritual Stage 4 – Spiritual Young Adult
1. In 1 John 2:13-14, John describes people who are spiritual young adults – he refers to them as
“young men,” in contrast to those he addresses as “fathers” and “children.”
a. John says these young adults have overcome the Evil One, and the Word of God abides in
them.
2. Spiritual young adults are making a shift from being self-centered to be God-centered and
other-centered.
a. They are beginning to reorient their lives around God’s Word, God’s people and mission.
b. They are involved in ministering to others, putting the needs of others first, and being
doers of the Word.
c. They have learned to serve for the right reasons and even when people fail them, they
continue to serve because Jesus has never failed them.
d. They are becoming mature in their faith and are learning to focus on fitting their gifts and
passions to God’s kingdom purposes.
3. Spiritual young adults say things like:
a. “In my devotions, I came across something awesome.”
b. “I really want to go on a mission trip next summer.”
c. “I have three friends I’ve been witnessing to, I’m afraid our small group will be too big if
we add them, can I branch our small group so they can come?”
4. The key concept with spiritual young adults is that they are orienting their lives around God
and His purposes.
5. What are the needs of spiritual young adults?
a. They need a ministry where they can learn to serve and lead.
b. They need a spiritual mentor who will coach and debrief them on their ministry
experiences.
c. They need help identifying their gifts and they need to receive skills training.
L. Spiritual Stage 5 – Spiritual Parent
1. Putman and Harrington clarify the fact that God is the one who births people spiritually, but
they use the term spiritual parent to reinforce the concept of spiritual reproduction and
mentoring.
a. God’s plan for the church includes the role of spiritual parents guiding and training their
spiritual children.
b. Spiritually mature people make and mentor disciples who can make and mentor disciples.
2. In last week’s sermon, we looked at 2 Timothy 2:1-2, where Paul wrote these words to his
spiritual son, Timothy: 1 You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
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2
3.
4.
5.
6.
What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who
will be able to teach others also.
a. In that passage, Paul describes the multiplication of ministry that takes place as spiritual
parents mentor disciples who can become spiritual parents to others.
A spiritual parent is someone who has a solid understanding God and spiritual things, a deep
abiding relationship with God, and a desire to be involved in raising up other disciples.
a. Spiritual parents live out God’s Word in their daily lives; they are kingdom-centered and
God-dependent.
It is important to clarify the fact that spiritual parents are not perfect or perfectly mature.
a. There is always room for growth and refinement.
b. What marks a person as a spiritual parent is their intentionality – they are intentional in
building their ongoing relationship with the Lord, and they are intentional in their
relationships for the purpose of discipleship.
c. Spiritual parents are so seasoned in the ways of discipleship that they are able to recognize
where a person is in his or her spiritual journey, know where the person needs to go, and
know how to help them get there.
They key concept for the spiritual parent is a mindfulness of the needs of the less mature
disciples.
What are the needs of spiritual parents?
a. They need to have close peer relationships with other spiritual parents who are involved in
making disciples so they can have encouragement and accountability.
b. They need ongoing feedback and training to increase their ministry and mentoring skills.
c. They need assistance in learning how to delegate responsibility and they need to learn to
take time to rest so they avoid burnout.
d. They need to be celebrated and honored for their ministry of spiritual parenting.
M. As I bring this sermon to a close, I want to end with a few things to keep in mind.
1. First, we need to remember that no stage of discipleship is more important than any other.
a. Spiritual parents are not more valuable than spiritual children.
b. Spiritual young adults are not more significant than people who are spiritually dead.
c. All people are loved by God and God wants all people to be saved.
d. All people are created in God’s image and are precious in His sight.
e. Readiness and capabilities to be used in God’s mission may differ based on giftedness and
spiritual development, but our value to God is equal and does not change.
2. A second thing to keep in mind, is that a person rarely goes through the stages of spiritual
growth in a straight line and at a predictable pace.
a. People are complex and growth is multifaceted.
b. Disciples at the infant or child stage can say and do things that display significant maturity
or Christlikeness at times and in some areas.
c. Mature disciples at later stages of discipleship can often slip back into immaturity at times
and in some ways.
3. The delineation of stages simply reminds us that inherent in discipleship is the understanding
that disciples of Jesus need to grow and mature.
a. We start the discipleship journey with a commitment to trust and follow Jesus, and then,
over time, we are changed by Him and we become more mature and complete in Christ.
4. So how can each of us start on the road to spiritual maturity that eventually leads us to become
disciple makers and spiritual parents?
a. It starts with us making an honest evaluation of where we are right now – are you
spiritually dead, or a spiritual infant, child, young adult, or spiritual parent?
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b.
5.
And as I mentioned last week, we can ask God to lead us to the three people we need in
our lives: a Paul, a Barnabas, and a Timothy – A Barnabas to encourage us; A Paul to
mentor us; and a Timothy for us to mentor.
c. Then we need to make the effort and investment into growing as a disciple.
d. And a part of making the effort involves looking to and yielding to the power and the work
of the Holy Spirit in us.
I hope that all of us will grow up in our salvation and will move through the stages of
discipleship until we are fully mature disciples of Jesus.
Resources:
Discipleshift, Jim Putman and Bobby Harrington, Zondervan, 2013.
Real-Life Discipleship Training Manual, Jim Putman, Avery T. Willis Jr., Brandon Guindon, and Bill
Krause, NavPress, 2010.
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I Am A Disciple Of Jesus Series
Sermon 6: “The Completeness of Discipleship”
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:11-13
David Owens
11.15.20
A. Today, I want us to turn our attention back to our sermon series: “I Am A Disciple of Jesus!”
1. Let’s briefly review what we have learned so far.
2. First, we have learned that being a disciple of Jesus involves a lot more than church
membership and church attendance.
3. Second, we have learned that a disciple is someone who is following Jesus, being changed by
Jesus, and is committed to the mission of Jesus.
4. Third, we have learned that although the call of discipleship is open to everyone, not everyone
answers that call because the cost of discipleship is high – it is everything we are and have.
5. Fourth, we have learned that the command for all disciples of Jesus is to make disciples who
will make disciples – that is our great commission.
6. And, fifth, we have learned that it is God’s will for all people to progress through the stages of
discipleship from being spiritually dead, to being a spiritual infant, child, young adult, and
finally a spiritual parent.
B. Today, we want to focus on the completeness of discipleship and what I mean by that is that being a
disciple of Jesus means that every part of our lives must come under the lordship of Jesus.
1. If we are not careful, we will compartmentalize our lives and treat our spiritual life as just one
separate part of our lives and keep the different parts separate so they don’t affect each other.
2. Many people find it much easier to compartmentalize their lives in order to justify their
inconsistencies and to ultimately do what they want to do.
C. Consider this story true story told by Charles Swindoll.
1. One afternoon, a man went to a fried chicken restaurant in Long Beach, California and bought a
couple of chicken dinners for himself and his date.
2. The person working the drive thru accidently gave him the bag with the money for deposit at
the bank rather than the bag with his chicken order.
3. After driving to their picnic site, the couple sat down to enjoy their lunch.
4. When they opened the bag from the restaurant, imagine their surprise when it was filled with
$800 cash rather than their chicken dinners!
5. The couple quickly got back in the car and drove back to the chicken place.
6. The man and woman hurried into the restaurant with the bag of cash and they became instant
heroes.
7. By then the manager had discovered that the cash was missing and was frantic, so he was so
relieved and thrilled when the man and woman returned with the missing money.
8. The manager said, “Let me call the newspaper and get a picture with you two on the front page.
You’re the most honest and good people I have ever met.”
9. The man tried to downplay their heroic act, “Oh, no, no need to do that!”
10. Then the man leaned closer to the manager and whispered, “I don’t want our picture in the
newspaper because this woman I’m with is married to someone else.”
D. It’s so easy to be inconsistent and compartmentalize things and end up obeying Jesus and allowing
Him to be Lord about some things, but not about others.
1. Kyle Idleman put it this way in his book Not A Fan: One way fans try to follow Jesus without
denying themselves is by compartmentalizing the areas of their lives they don’t want him to
have access to. They try to negotiate the terms of the deal. I’ll follow Jesus, but I’m not going
to sell my possessions. Don’t ask me to forgive the people who hurt me; they don’t deserve
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2.
3.
that. Don’t ask me to save sex for marriage; I can’t help my desires. Don’t ask me to give a
percentage of my money; I worked hard for that cash. And instead of following Jesus with
their financial life, they follow Money magazine. In their relationships, instead of Jesus they
follow Oprah. In their sex lives, instead of following Jesus, they follow Cosmo. They follow
Jesus, just not with every area of their lives (p. 146).
So, if we are going to be true followers of Jesus, then He must be Lord over our entire lives.
No part of our lives can be compartmentalized as separate from His lordship.
E. Each of our lives can be easily summarized and organized into four spheres, and these four spheres
should not be seen as separate, nor kept separate, from each other; rather, they must be seen as a
unit and be allowed to intersect with and to affect each other.
1. These four main areas of our lives are: (1) our relationship with God, (2) our relationship with
the church (God’s family), (3) our relationships at home, and (4) our relationship with the
world.
2. A growing and faithful disciple of Jesus strives to understand God’s commands and submit to
God’s authority in each of these four spheres of life.
3. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians provides a good biblical foundation for each of these spheres, so
let’s spend a few minutes looking at God’s principles in Ephesians and see how they apply to
each sphere.
F.
Sphere 1 – God – The Centrality of a Relationship with God.
1. In the first two chapters of Ephesians, Paul sets the tone of his letter by reminding us that we
are adopted as spiritual children of our heavenly Father because of the Gospel (Eph. 1:4-10).
a. Paul reminds us that we came to be born again spiritually, even though we had been dead
in our sins and had been under the control of the god of this world (Eph. 2:1-7).
b. Paul declares that we are saved by grace through faith, and that even though we are not
saved by good works, God has created us to do good works (Eph. 2:8-10).
2. This sphere is at the center of our lives as represented in this Venn diagram.
a. Our relationship with God is central; it is the core and hub that unites the other spheres.
b. Without a relationship with God, we don’t really know what life is and what truth is.
3. And once we have a knowledge of God and a faith in God, then we must approach God on His
terms and allow Him to be Lord and Savior.
a. If we forget that we are saved by grace and that our security and our strength are from God
and not from ourselves, then we fall into a form of salvation by works.
b. Without an understanding of the Gospel, we become proud and begin to rely on ourselves,
rather than God.
4. Jesus tells us in John 15 that we must abide in Him (the Vine) if we want to bear fruit.
a. As disciples, we must be the branches that remain connected to the Vine, and therefore
receive direction from Jesus through His Word, strength from His Spirit, and help from His
people.
5. As disciples of Jesus, this first sphere (our relationship with God) is the most important and
must receive our prime attention and effort.
a. And as we work with new Christians and growing disciples, we need to help them develop
their relationship with God.
b. We do so by helping them grow in their handling of Scripture through Bible reading and
study, we help them grow in their prayer life and their ability to daily walk with God.
c. Trying to live as a disciple without this relationship is like a branch trying to live apart
from the vine.
G. Sphere 2 – Church – Relationships within the Family of God
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
In chapter 4 of Ephesians, Paul shifts his focus from the central importance of our relationship
with God and addresses the effect our relationship with God should have on our relationships
with God’s people in the church.
As disciples who are growing in our relationship with God, we should also be growing in our
relationships in God’s family – with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
As the family of God, the church works and lives together in a network of loving relationships.
Many of the earliest Christians lost their earthly families when they joined the spiritual family.
a. Some of the earliest Christians lost their jobs when they turned to Christ.
b. Others had been societal outcasts and were among the poor or sickly.
c. The church is God’s answer to these needs for belonging, support and service.
Paul emphasizes that the church family is led by spiritual shepherds, evangelists, and teachers
who are spiritual fathers to growing disciples (Eph. 4:11-13).
a. The spiritual leaders are to prepare and equip God’s people for works of service so that the
body of Christ may be built up and move toward maturity.
Paul also emphasizes that every member of the body needs to work together, building the body
up in love (Eph. 4:15-16).
a. Brothers and sisters in Christ should be willing to put others first and put aside their own
desires for the good of the mission and to help other believers in need.
Paul goes on in chapter 4 to talk about how to deal with conflict and anger through kindness,
compassion, and forgiveness and by learning to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:25-32).
Disciples who are growing up in Christ are developing the understanding and ability to have
healthy and helpful relationships in the church.
a. They are committed to the body of Christ and are committed to using their gifts to serve
their brothers and sisters.
b. They are developing and maintaining loving relationships with other believers – they are
being helped by those who are older or stronger in Christ, and are helping those who are
younger or weaker in Christ.
It is easy to see that there is a direct connection between growing in our relationship with God
and growing in our relationship with God’s family.
a. As we grow in our walk with God, we should be learning how to love and serve our
brothers and sisters in Christ.
b. The two should go hand in hand, and in reality, you can’t have one without the other.
c. We deceive ourselves if we think we can have a great relationship with God, and yet have
no relationship with God’s people or a very bad or loose relationship with the church.
H. Sphere 3 – Home – Relationships at Home
1. Paul addresses this third sphere of relationships in Ephesians 5 and 6.
a. In these chapters, Paul describes what the Christian home should look like and how it
should function.
b. Paul describes how a Christian husband should love and lead his wife, and how a wife
should love and respect her husband (Eph. 5:21-33).
c. Then Paul writes about the responsibility that Christian fathers and mothers have to raise
their children in the Lord and about how children should obey their parents (Eph. 6:1-4).
2. This is a very important sphere of a disciple’s life and one that sometimes gets ignored.
a. Unfortunately, some people who are serious about spiritual things fail to embody God’s
will at home, they think they can hang their Christianity on the hook when they enter their
house - you know, “they can let their hair down” so to speak.
b. Thankfully, that wasn’t Paul’s opinion – Paul knew that having a right relationship with
God includes having a right relationship with our spouse and children.
3. We can’t compartmentalize our Christianity in a way that it doesn’t apply at home.
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As a matter of fact, if a disciple’s mission is to make disciples who make disciples, then
one of the first places that that should be applied is in the home.
b. The hope of every Christian parent is that their children will also become believers who
walk faithfully with the Lord.
c. Helping our children learn about God and learn how to navigate a life of faith in this sinful
world is the high calling of Christian parenting.
d. Unfortunately, even if we as Christian parents do our very best job with God’s help, there
is no guarantee that our children will follow our example after they leave our homes.
e. Proverbs 22:6 offers the hopeful principle that if we train up a child in the right way, that
when they are old they will not depart from it, but it is no guarantee because of free will.
There are so many important Christian principles that must be lived out in our home life –
including all the aspects of love (like selflessness, consideration, patience and forgiveness), the
proper use of our tongues, hard work and responsibility, and financial and time management.
It is no surprise that Paul explains to Timothy and Titus that a man’s home life is a good
measurement of his spiritual maturity and whether he is a good candidate for elder or deacon.
a. These spiritual servants are able to be good models of godly family life for the church and
become examples that other Christians can look to and follow.
a.
4.
5.
I.
Sphere 4 – World – Relationships with the World
1. The final sphere of our lives is our relationship with the world – our relationships with people
outside our family and our church.
2. And for many people this also includes our relationships in the workplace – our relationships
with our boss and our coworkers.
3. In Ephesians 6, Paul addresses Christian workers and refers to them as slaves who must obey
their earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity (Eph. 6:5-8).
a. We shouldn’t be put off by Paul using the terms slave and master, because it is estimated
that 90% of people in the Roman world of Paul’s time were classified as slaves.
b. We often think of slaves in the context of American history, and certainly there was some
of that kind of slavery in the Roman world, but most of the slaves in the Roman empire
were simply workers whose employer paid their living expenses.
c. Today, we should apply Paul’s words to the context of our workplaces and the relationship
between employees and employers.
4. Paul offered instructions for Christians who found themselves on both sides of the employment
relationship (Eph. 6:5-9).
a. He makes it clear that when we are in the world, we represent Christ in all that we do, and
that no Christian simply works for an earthly boss; rather, we work for our heavenly boss.
b. And earthly bosses, also find themselves working under their heavenly boss as well.
c. All Christian workers, whether they are employees or employers, are impacting God’s
reputation for good or for ill.
d. Therefore, all Christian workers should be hard-working, trustworthy, and respectful.
e. Christians should be highly sought after by both Christian and non-Christian employers
because of their work ethic, attitudes and trustworthiness.
5. Another important aspect of our relationship with the world is the way we serve as missionaries
to a lost and dying world, both in the workplace and in the neighborhood and other places we
encounter non-Christians, and we see that Paul asked for prayer about this in Eph. 6:19-20.
a. Whenever we are in the world, whether behind the wheel of our car, in the line at the
grocery store, or on the sideline at the ballfield, we are to be light and salt in the world.
b. We should not only be trying to shine the light of God by our example, but should be
trying to build relationship bridges to the lost people around us so we can share the gospel.
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J.
So, let’s try to pull it all together as we review what we have learned today.
1. As disciples of Jesus, every part of our lives are to be lived under the leadership of Jesus.
a. There are no areas or parts of our lives that are separate from our spiritual life.
2. At the center of it all must be our relationship with God and how we try to walk with God and
remain attached to God’s power and wisdom.
3. Then as we live in relationship with God, we then take that relationship with God into our
relationships in the church, in the home and in the world.
a. We seek to honor and obey God by applying God’s principles to all our relationships.
4. I want to encourage all of us to do a personal inventory of our own lives.
a. Let’s ask ourselves, how well we are allowing Jesus to be Lord over all the spheres of my
lives?
b. How strong is our relationship with God? How well are we staying connected to the vine?
c. How consistently are we living the way God wants us to live in our relationships in the
church, in the home, and in the world?
d. Which areas do we need to grow the most in? Whom can we ask for help to grow?
K. And then, as we think about becoming spiritual parents and mentors – disciples who make disciples
who make disciples – let’s use these four spheres as an outline and target as we work with spiritual
infants, children and young adults to help them grow.
1. As we come alongside disciples at these different stages of development, we can help them
grow in their relationship with God, within the church, within their home, and in their world.
2. We want to help these younger Christians understand that all these areas of our lives need to
come under Christ’s control.
3. And we want to understand that it is in our best interest to be under Jesus’ leadership and
control, because we will make a mess of our relationships and our lives if we try to be lord.
4. We want to develop a biblical worldview and to develop the mind of Christ, because God’s
word is a light to our path, and God’s will for each area of our lives is a blessing for us.
L. Let’s read the words from Ephesians 4 where Paul so eloquently and hopefully describes the goal
for growing disciples: 11 And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists,
some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of
Christ, 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into
maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. 14 Then we will no longer be little children,
tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with
cleverness in the techniques of deceit. 15 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way
into him who is the head—Christ. 16 From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every
supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper
working of each individual part (Ephesians 4:11-16).
1. Helping each other grow in the completeness of discipleship is so important.
2. We want to grow into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.
3. We don’t want to be little children tossed about and blown around, but we want to grow in
every way into Him who is the head – Christ.
4. It takes all of us working toward the same goal with God’s power and wisdom, each of us
doing our part, for the whole body to reach completeness.
M. But as we learned in our sermon two weeks ago, the path of discipleship starts by helping those who
are spiritually dead to be born again and become infants in Christ.
1. In John 3:5, Jesus said: “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he
cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
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2.
3.
4.
5.
On the Day of Pentecost, when the apostle Peter preached the first Gospel sermon, he
commanded the people who believed his message to repent and be baptized so they might
receive the forgiveness of their sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:36-38).
It is in baptism – immersion in water – that a person is born of the water and the Spirit – at that
moment that they cross over from death to life because of their faith in the death and
resurrection of Jesus.
We would love to help anyone cross from death to life and begin to follow Jesus.
And we would love to help those who are disciples to grow up in Christ and bring all the
spheres of their lives under Christ’s control through mentoring.
Resources:
Discipleshift, Jim Putman and Bobby Harrington, Zondervan, 2013.
Story of the partly honest man – Charles Swindoll, from Growing Deep in the Christian Life.
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I Am A Disciple Of Jesus Series
Sermon 7: “Disciples of Jesus are Characterized by Love”
Scripture Reading: John 13:34-35
David Owens
11.22.20
A. Let me begin with a story from the Peanut’s cartoons - you know how much I enjoy the Peanuts!
1. It’s Christmas time and Lucy comes to Charlie Brown and says, “Merry Christmas, Charlie
Brown! At this time of year I think we should put aside all our differences and try to be kind.”
2. Charlie Brown counters with some questions: “Why does it have to be for just this time of
year? Why can’t it be all year ‘round?”
3. Lucy retorts with her negative, disparaging tone: “What are you, some kind of fanatic or
something?”
B. Today, I want to declare that when it comes to love, disciples of Jesus are supposed to be some kind
of fanatics or something.
1. We are not just supposed to put our differences aside and be kind during the Christmas season,
we are supposed to do it all year ‘round.
2. Disciples of Jesus are called to live lives that are characterized by love.
3. Jesus said it clearly and concisely: “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I
have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my
disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).
4. Our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ, our love for God, and our love for everyone in
the world, even our enemies will be the biggest sign that we are people of God.
C. Today, as we continue our series on discipleship called “I Am A Disciple of Jesus,” we want to
begin a new section in our series.
1. So far in this series, we have been focusing on some of the basics of discipleship; like: the call
of discipleship, the cost of discipleship, and the command of discipleship.
2. In the last two sermons, we have tried to gain an understanding of the stages of discipleship and
the spheres of discipleship, so that we understand how to grow to completeness as a disciple.
3. During the next section in our series, I want us to explore seven elements of a discipleship
lifestyle.
4. The first element of a discipleship lifestyle is a commitment to developing loving relationships.
D. It is not a stretch to say that the whole Bible is really about relationships.
1. If you boil the message of the Bible down to its basic elements, it is about our relationship with
God and our relationships with others.
2. For instance, think about the 10 Commandments – what are they all about? Relationships!
3. The first four of the 10 Commandments have to do with a person’s relationship with God – no
other gods before, don’t misuse the name of God, no graven images, and keep the Sabbath.
4. The last six of the 10 Commandments have to do with a person’s relationships with others –
honor your father and mother, don’t lie, steal, kill or covet.
E. You also might recall that when Jesus was asked what is the greatest commandment in the Bible,
He didn’t answer with just one commandment, but gave two.
1. He answered, 37 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all
your mind. 38 This is the greatest and most important command. 39 The second is like it: Love
your neighbor as yourself. 40 All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands”
(Matthew 22:37-40).
2. So, according to Jesus, you can surmise that the thing that God thinks is most important is for
us to have healthy, loving relationships with Him and with others.
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F.
This is why for the past four years or so, we have been using the “Loving” graphic as a way to
visually express what we intend to be all about.
1. As a congregation of God’s people, we want to be all about “Loving”…loving God, loving
people, and loving truth.
G. One of the things that comes through loud and clear from the Bible is that God has hard-wired us
for a relationship with Him and for relationships with others.
1. When God created Adam, God had a relationship with Adam there in the garden of Eden.
2. But God knew, even before He created Adam, that He would need to create other human beings
for Adam to live with and relate to.
a. In Genesis 2:18, God said: “It is not good for the man to be alone, I will make a helper
corresponding to him.”
b. And as you know, God created Eve to be that “helper corresponding to him.”
3. This means that our need, desire, and capacity for relationships are part of our hard wiring.
4. It also follows that God has created us to be able to grow and flourish best in a community of
faith characterized by loving relationships.
H. When we examine the life and ministry of Jesus, we notice that Jesus employed a relational process
to develop His disciples and to train them how to make disciples.
1. Jesus’ method for disciple making involved entering into the world of others and building
relationships with them.
2. Jesus didn’t just come to be a human being and die on the cross for our sins, rather He also
came to be in relationship with people and to show us what it means to live a godly life, and to
be fully alive in our relationship with God and with others.
I.
If we want to be disciples of Jesus who are disciple makers like Jesus was, then we have to start
where He started and we have to do what He did.
1. We must start by entering into the lives of others.
2. We must form relationships with others having the very heart of Jesus.
3. Jesus formed relationships with others to show them how much God the Father loved them.
4. Robert Coleman writes: “Nothing disarms a person like love. Everyone likes to be loved and
for someone to express love to them in tangible ways. When you know you’re loved, you’ll
listen and open up. It was Christ loving people, His service to them, His ministry to them –
healing the sick, opening the eyes of the blind, delivering those possessed by demons, teaching
them about the Kingdom of God – that drew people to Him, and the same is true with our
ministries. You have an audience with everybody who knows they’re loved and knows you
care about them.” (Disciple Maker’s Handbook, pg. 65)
J.
When I say that Jesus put a priority on relationships, I don’t just mean that Jesus was always
hanging out with people.
1. Jesus invested time with people – He ate with them, He talked with and listened to them.
2. Jesus entered into their world and invited them to enter into His world.
3. When we notice the tenderness in Jesus’ interactions with Mary, Martha and Lazarus, we
understand that having that level of depth and intimacy with people requires time and effort.
4. And we also learn from looking at Jesus and His relationships with others, that His
relationships were characterized by self-giving love – agape love.
5. Jesus lived in a way that sought to meet the needs of others around Him in a selfless way.
6. This was not just seen in His death on the cross, but was seen in His every day life of obedience
to His Father’s will as He loved lost sinners and put aside His own needs to serve others.
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K. One of Jesus’ most powerful teaching moments when He tried to teach His disciples the primacy of
serving people through loving relationships, was in the upper room when He washed their feet.
1. You know how the story goes – the time of His crucifixion was near and Jesus wanted to give
His disciples an example of love to follow.
2. So Jesus took the position and task of a servant and washed His disciples dirty feet.
3. The Bible says: 12 When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined
again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13 You call me Teacher and
Lord—and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher,
have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an
example, that you also should do just as I have done for you.” (Jn. 13:12-15)
4. Jesus then brought this teaching section to a close with this conclusion: 34 “I give you a new
command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. 35 By
this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (Jn. 13:34-35)
5. Jesus makes clear to them that loving service is the example they should follow.
6. Jesus clarifies that the command to love is made new by His demonstration of love – “Just as I
have loved you, you are also to love one another.”
7. And Jesus concludes that being characterized by love is the evidence of our true discipleship –
people will recognize that we know Jesus and are followers of Jesus because of our love.
L. The apostle John picked up on these concepts and expressed them with these words in his first
letter: This is how we have come to know love: He laid down his life for us. We should also lay
down our lives for our brothers and sisters (1 John 3:16).
1. As disciples of Jesus it is critically important that we know how much Jesus has loved us and
how Jesus demonstrated His love.
2. Once we grasp the love Jesus showed to us, we must turn around and practice that kind of love
with others.
3. Jesus’ love transforms us into people who willingly serve others with love.
4. Learning to love isn’t just one thing among many important things, rather it is the main thing,
both in our relationship with God and our relationships with other people.
5. Love is the right answer to so many of the questions we face in our lives and ministries.
6. I like a meme that I saw on Facebook: “Confused about the “Christian response” to social
issues? Here’s a handy reference list. (the Meme then listed these people and our need to love)
a. Male, Female, Unsure – love them. Gay, Straight, Unsure – love them. Addict, Sober,
Unsure – love them. Believer, Unbeliever, Unsure – love them.
b. Let me add a few others: Legal immigrant, Illegal immigrant, Unsure – love them.
Republican, Democrat, Liberal, Conservative, Unsure – love them. Light skinned, Brown
skinned, Black skinned, or any other skinned – love them.
c. Can you think of any person, in any category, where love shouldn’t be the way God wants
us to treat them? I can’t!
M. Most of us are familiar with Paul’s wonderful chapter on love in 1 Corinthians 13 where Paul
describes what love really is – patient, kind, humble, forgiving, and selfless.
1. Before Paul gets to the qualities of love, he introduces the subject by emphasizing that love
must be the motive and reason for the right things that we do.
2. Paul wrote: 1 If I speak human or angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a
clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all
knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am
nothing. 3 And if I give away all my possessions, and if I give over my body in order to boast
but do not have love, I gain nothing (1 Cor. 13:1-3).
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3.
The list of religious activities that Paul gave here are quite impressive and are things we might
be tempted to place as a high priority.
a. He lists speaking in tongues, understanding all mysteries and knowledge, faith that moves
mountains, and sacrificing our possessions and body.
b. But notice that without love none of these things have much value or reward.
N. So, over and over again, we notice that the message of the Bible is that love is most important.
1. Paul said it this way in Ephesians 5:1-2: 1 Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved
children, 2 and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and
fragrant offering to God.
2. I like Paul’s conclusion in Galatians 5:6: For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor
uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love.
3. It is indeed a high calling to imitate God and to walk in love as Christ loved us, and how good
it is to know that what really matters is faith expressing itself through love!
O. As we move today’s sermon toward a conclusion, I want to help us know how to put this into
practice.
1. Christianity and discipleship are to be lived out in a community characterized by loving
relationships.
2. We need to recover a New Testament understanding of discipleship and Christianity.
3. In the New Testament, the early church was all about relational connectedness and didn’t
equate the church with a building or an institution.
4. The word “church” is a translation of the Greek word ekklesia, which literally means “those
called out.”
5. It describes those who are “called out” from the world into an “assembly” or “gathering” or
“congregation” of God’s people.
6. In the New Testament the word “church” is never used to refer to a building, because church
buildings didn’t become common place for hundreds of years after Christianity began.
7. The best way to think of the church is to think of it as a large, spiritual, support community, or
as an extended spiritual family.
P. I know you are familiar with the beautiful snapshot of early church from Acts 2: 42 They devoted
themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. 43
Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the
apostles. 44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. 45 They sold their
possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Every day they
devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They
ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the
people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved (Acts 2:42-47).
1. When it says that devoted themselves to “teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer,”
that’s a perfect description of the kind of loving, discipling relationships we need in the church.
2. This wasn’t your typical go to worship once a week and then have no contact or connection
with Christians the rest of the week.
3. Rather, we see that the early church was gathering regularly, beyond worship, in order to help
each other grow spiritually, putting their faith in action, and taking care of each other’s needs.
Q. The point that I want to drive home today is that the only way for disciples of Jesus to be effective
in helping other disciples grow or in helping non-Christians become disciples of Jesus is through
loving relationships.
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1.
2.
3.
It is impossible to have a positive effect in the lives of people if we don’t have a relationship
with them.
Relationships take time and effort, they usually don’t just happen accidentally.
We must be intentional in the cultivating of our relationships with others, both inside and
outside the church.
R. I realize that this is a challenging message to put into practice right now because of the social
distancing that we are experiencing during this COVID-19 pandemic.
1. But I also want us to realize that even before the pandemic hit, there have been societal shifts
occurring that are leading people away from community and relationships.
2. Despite having a thousand friends on Facebook or Instagram and being “connected” 24/7, the
truth of the matter is that we live in a culture of shallow relationships.
3. We’d rather watch actors pretend to engage in real relationships on TV than forge safe,
vulnerable connections of our own.
4. Ten years ago, Neal Gabler wrote these words in a piece in the Los Angeles Times: “The fact is
that we miss the friendships we no longer have, and we know that Facebook or emails cannot
possibly compensate for the loss. So we sit in front of our television sets and enjoy the dream
of friendship instead: a dream where we need never be alone, where there are a group of people
who would do anything for us, and where everyone seems to understand us to our very core,
just like Jerry and George, Chandler and Joey, Carrie and her girls, or the members of the
McKinley High glee club. It is a powerful dream, and it is one that may now be the primary
pleasure of television.”
5. Today, Americans have on average fewer friends than they had a decade ago.
6. In the place of actual friends and confidants, we have faux friendships on social media, or we
live vicariously through television and the internet.
7. But God wants so much more for us than this, and we need to be intentional about this.
8. We need to break through our culture of isolation and create the relationships that Jesus
demonstrated and for which people are made and for which they longing.
9. As I said, it is going to be even harder for us to break through this isolation during COVID, but
we need to be figure out a way to do so safely and creatively.
10. Phone calls, Facetime, Google and Zoom meetings may be our best tools for being in touch
with each other right now, but more is needed later on.
S. Let’s ask ourselves a few questions to help us think about our discipleship relationships:
1. How isolated are you right now from others?
2. Who in your life knows how you are doing right now - what you are celebrating and what you
are struggling with? Who are you trying to minister to right now (Christian and non-Christian)?
3. When was the last time you had a private time of Bible study and prayer with someone?
4. When was the last time did something to build a new friendship with someone, either a
Christian or a non-Christian?
5. Because we all have different personalities, how might introverts and extroverts attempt to
build and benefit from loving relationships in different ways?
T. Your elders and ministers spend time planning and implementing ways to develop and maintain a
loving relational environment that will lead to spiritual and numerical growth.
1. Through our worship gatherings, Bible classes, and small groups, we have sought to create the
kind of fellowship we see in the New Testament experience of the early church.
2. I know we have not done that perfectly and that with God’s help we will be able to improve our
effectiveness, both during and after the pandemic.
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3.
4.
We want to facilitate and encourage more discipleship mentoring in small groups and one on
one and provide Bible study material that is accessible and easy to use.
And the reason for it all is love – God’s love for us and our love for God and for each other.
U. I want to close with a quote from Dale Galloway’s 1986 book, 20/20 Vision: How to Create a
Successful Church with Lay Pastors and Cell Groups: “The best ministry is one that is based on
love relationships. Love God first. Build strong, loving relationships within your family. Build
loving relationships with your staff members…Build loving relationships with your people. Love
the prospects and visitors to your church whether they ever do what you wish. The greatest
evangelism in this world is just loving people. A successful pastor is one who learns to love people
anyway, no matter what they do.”
1. Two of the most effective evangelizers I have known are Glenn Olbricht and Bill Perkins, and
do you know what made them most effective? They loved and served people.
2. We would do well to follow their example.
3. And so, the first element of a discipleship lifestyle is a commitment to developing loving
relationships.
4. Disciples of Jesus must be characterized by love. Period!
5. All people will know we are disciples of Jesus because of our love.
V. And it all starts with God’s love for us.
1. John 3:16 says that because God so loved the world He gave His Son so that we could be
saved.
2. God doesn’t want anyone to be lost, but wants everyone to have a saving relationship with the
Lord.
3. Jesus sent out the apostles with the marching orders to make disciples of all nations baptizing
them and teaching them to obey everything He commanded (Mt. 28:19).
4. Jesus said, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mk. 16:16).
5. We would love to help anyone begin a saving relationship with God by helping them profess
their faith and be baptized into Christ.
6. We would also love to help anyone who is already in a saved relationship with God to grow in
their walk with God.
Resources:
The Disciple Maker’s Handbook, Bobby Harrington and Josh Patrick, Zondervan, 2017.
Neal Gabler, “Commentary: The Social Networks,” Los Angeles Times, Oct. 17, 2010.
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I Am A Disciple Of Jesus Series
Sermon 8: “Disciples of Jesus are Devoted to Jesus”
Scripture Reading: Colossians 1:15-20
David Owens
11.29.20
Introduction:
A. One Sunday after coming home from worship, a mother asked her young son, “So, who was your
Bible class teacher today?”
1. The little boy replied, “I don’t know her name but she must have been Jesus’ grandmother - all
she did was talk about Jesus.”
2. I love that – don’t you? And isn’t that the way all of us should be?
3. Shouldn’t we be so dedicated to Jesus that we talk about Him all the time, like grandmothers do
their grandchildren?
B. If our working definition of a disciple is a person who is following Jesus, being changed by Jesus,
and committed to the mission of Jesus, then don’t you think it is important for us to know Jesus, and
believe in Jesus, and want to tell everyone about Jesus?
1. If Jesus is not who He says He is, then there is no reason for any of us to be devoted to Him.
2. But if Jesus is who He says He is (and I believe He is who He says He is), then He is the
greatest person in the universe and the only one worthy of our total devotion.
3. Back in the 1920s, a preacher named James Allan Francis, wrote these well-known words: “He
was born in an obscure village. The child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another obscure
village, where he worked in a carpenter shop, until he was thirty.
He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never went to college. He never
visited a big city. He never travelled more than two hundred miles from the place where he
was born. He did none of the things usually associated with greatness. He had no credentials
but himself. He was only thirty three when His friends ran away. One of them denied him. He
was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a
cross between two thieves. While dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing, the only
property he had on earth. When he was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity
of a friend.
Nineteen centuries have come and gone and today Jesus is the central figure of the human
race and the leader of mankind's progress. All the armies that have ever marched. All the
navies that have ever sailed. All the parliaments that have ever sat. All the kings that ever
reigned put together have not affected the life of mankind on earth as powerfully as that one
solitary life.”
4. The late Wilbur Smith, a respected Bible scholar wrote: “The latest edition of the Encyclopedia
Britannica gives twenty thousand words to this person, Jesus, and does not even hint that He
did not exist – more words, by the way, than are given to Aristotle, Alexander, Cicero, Julius
Caesar, or Napoleon Bonaparte.”
5. Even Napoleon admitted: “I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ was no mere man:
Between Him, and whoever else in the world, there is no possible term of comparison.”
C. If we want to be true disciples of Jesus and want to make disciples who make disciples, then there
are few things more important that our faith in Jesus and what we teach about Jesus.
1. The apostle John made that clear in his first letter when he wrote: 22 Who is the liar, if not the
one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This one is the antichrist: the one who denies the
Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; he who confesses the Son has
the Father as well (1 John 2:22-23).
2. In chapter 5 of that same letter, John concludes: 10 The one who believes in the Son of God has
this testimony within himself. The one who does not believe God has made him a liar, because
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3.
he has not believed in the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony:
God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 The one who has the Son has life.
The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I have written these things to
you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life
(1 John 5:10-13).
From those verses, we see just how important it is for us to understand who Jesus is and to put
our faith in Jesus – eternal life is in the Son and whoever has the Son has life.
D. Unfortunately, over the past 2000 years many people have propagated misunderstandings about
Jesus and have not allowed Jesus to be who He is, but have made Him who they want Him to be.
1. Popular Christian writer Kevin DeYoung wrote a widely read blog post where he listed 15
different ways that Jesus is presented today that are false views of Jesus.
2. I won’t share all 15, but here are a few of the false ones, and the real one. DeYoung wrote:
a. There’s Therapist Jesus who helps us cope with life’s problems, heals our past, tells us
how valuable we are and not to be so hard on ourselves.
b. There’s Starbucks Jesus who drinks fair trade coffee, loves spiritual conversations, drives a
hybrid and goes to film festivals.
c. There’s Open-minded Jesus who loves everyone all the time no matter what, except for
people who are not as open-minded as you.
d. There’s Touchdown Jesus who helps athletes run faster and jump higher than nonChristians and determines the outcomes of Super Bowls.
e. There’s Gentle Jesus who was meek and mild, with high cheek bones, flowing hair, and
walks around barefoot, wearing a sash and looks German.
f. There’s Guru Jesus, a wise, inspirational teacher who believes in you and helps you find
your center.
g. And then there’s Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. Not just another prophet. Not just
another Rabbi. Not just another wonder-worker. He was the one they had been waiting for:
the Son of David and Abraham’s chosen seed, the one to deliver us from captivity, the goal
of the Mosaic law, Yahweh in the flesh, the one to establish God’s reign and rule, the one
to heal the sick, give sight to the blind, freedom to the prisoners and proclaim good news to
the poor, the lamb of God come to take away the sins of the world.
3. From that list, we see how easy it is to remake Jesus in a way that serves us, rather than
understanding who He really is and follow after Him as He really is as the Lord and Savior.
4. And if we want to help people to trust and follow Jesus, then we need to be sure we are
pointing them to the true Jesus.
5. We don’t have time in a single sermon to communicate everything the Bible says about Jesus,
but I want to share some of the foundational basics that disciples must cling to and
communicate.
I. First of all, the Real Jesus is both Fully Human and Fully God.
A. Jesus is somehow 100 percent human and 100 percent divine – this is a profound mystery.
B. The eternal Son of God became a human being named Jesus and was born to a young Jewish
woman and was raised in a small town in Israel.
C. The Bible indicates that Jesus was self-limited in several ways during His time on earth and allowed
Himself to experience the weaknesses that all humans experience – fear and loneliness, frustration
and fatigue, and temptation and physical pain.
D. But the Bible also makes it clear that despite some self-imposed limitations, Jesus was both fully
human and fully God – as God, He could know people’s thoughts, display great power over the
physical world and the spiritual world, and He could forgive sins.
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E. When John wrote His Gospel, he began by telling us about the identity and origin of Jesus because
John wanted us to understand that Jesus is divine; that He is God.
1. John tells us that Jesus was the Word and that the Word was God.
2. 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He
was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not
one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
5
That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it (Jn. 1:1-5).
3. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and
only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (Jn. 1:14).
4. No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s
side—he has revealed him (Jn. 1:18).
5. From these verses, we learn that Jesus was the “enfleshment” or “incarnation” of God, that He
is the creator of heaven and earth, and that He is the light and life of humans who reveals the
Father to us.
F. The writer of Hebrews wants to make it clear that Jesus is God, and that He was also fully human.
1. Hebrews 1 begins: 1 Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times
and in different ways. 2 In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed
him heir of all things and made the universe through him. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s
glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After
making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Heb. 1:1-3).
2. But then in chapter 2, we read: 14 Now since the children have flesh and blood in common,
Jesus also shared in these, so that through his death he might destroy the one holding the power
of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the
fear of death. 16 For it is clear that he does not reach out to help angels, but to help Abraham’s
offspring. 17 Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could
become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for
the sins of the people. 18 For since he himself has suffered when he was tempted, he is able to
help those who are tempted (Hebrews 2:14-18).
3. In these two passages the Hebrew writer tells us of Jesus’ divine characteristics and position,
but then explains why the Son of God had to take on flesh.
G. Why does all of this matter for discipleship?
1. As God, Jesus is worthy of our worship and qualifies to be the perfect Lamb of God.
2. As a human, Jesus is able to identify with us and minister to us.
3. Since He was both fully human and fully divine, we can confidently imitate Him and form our
lives around His teachings and example.
H. Sometimes we fail to keep Jesus’ identity as a human and as divine in balance, and if we overemphasize one or the other, we fail to understand, follow and proclaim Jesus accurately.
I. The dual nature of Jesus is a paradox and a mystery, but that shouldn’t trouble us.
J. Daniel Webster was once asked by an unbelieving friend: “Mr. Webster, can you comprehend how
Jesus Christ can be both God and man?”
1. Webster replied, “No sir, I cannot understand it. And I would be ashamed to acknowledge
Christ as my Savior if I could comprehend it. He could be no greater than myself, and such is
my conviction of accountability to God, my sense of sinfulness before Him, and my knowledge
of my own incapability to recover myself, that I feel I need a superhuman savior.”
II. Second, the Real Jesus is the Messiah.
A. Many of us, when we speak about Jesus, we identify Him as Jesus Christ, but we must understand
that “Christ” is not Jesus’ last name.
1. In the first century, a person was often identified by where they were from or who was their
father.
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So, Jesus is often called “Jesus from Nazareth” or “Jesus, son of Joseph” (earthly father).
Another way people were identified was by their profession or title.
This is where the word “Christ” comes in; it is a title or position.
The words “Christ” and “Messiah” are synonymous and can be used interchangeably.
And so, we should understand that Jesus is the Christ, or Jesus is the Messiah, and as a title we
could call Jesus: “Jesus the Christ” or “Jesus the Messiah.”
7. As John brought his Gospel to a conclusion, he declared: But these are written so that you may
believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his
name (John 20:31).
8. When the angel appeared to Joseph, the man who would be Jesus’ earthly father, he told him,
“Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been
conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him
Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21-22).
B. We don’t have time to trace out the whole story of the Bible that reveals our need for a Christ.
1. But you know the story: The Creation, The Fall, The Promise and Covenant of Abraham, The
Nation of Israel, the arrival of Jesus, and the beginning of His Kingdom, the church.
2. The key to understanding Jesus as Messiah is seeing how God’s relationship with humanity is
traced out in both the Old and New Testaments.
3. Every book in the Bible points to Jesus the Messiah who is our Savior, the Christ.
C. As disciples of Jesus and as disciple makers, we need to understand and embrace God’s grand story
because it answers all of the important questions of life, like:
1. Did God make the world this way? If not, what went wrong?
2. Why is the Old Testament important?
3. Why did Jesus have to come and die?
4. What is God’s Kingdom and where is life going?
5. Why do we need a Savior?
D. Being able to answer these questions requires that we draw upon the full story of the Bible.
1. The Messiah’s identity and mission is old, deep, and wonderfully complex and is grounded in
the Old Testament and made clear and complete in the New Testament.
2. How wonderful and powerful that Jesus is our Messiah, the Savior that all of us need!
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
III. Third. the Real Jesus is the Lord.
A. When Peter preached the first Gospel sermon on the Day of Pentecost, he concluded: “Therefore let
all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both
Lord and Messiah” (Acts 2:36).
1. In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he explained to them this important point about Jesus:
For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth—as there are many “gods”
and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father. All things are from him, and we
exist for him. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things are through him, and we exist
through him (1 Cor. 8:5-6).
B. Jesus is the Messiah (Savior) and the Lord, and for us there must be just one Lord – Jesus Christ.
1. As I have often said, many people like the idea of Jesus as Savior, but aren’t interested in Him
as Lord.
2. They want the benefits of a Savior, but don’t want the restrictions of a Lord.
3. But what many don’t realize is that you can’t have Jesus as Savior without also having Him as
Lord.
4. This isn’t a multiple choice situation (like the multiple choices tests) where the choices are:
a. You can have Jesus as Lord and Savior.
b. Or, You can have Jesus just as Lord.
c. Or, You can have Jesus just as Savior.
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d. Or none of the above.
5. Actually, there are only 2 choices: (1) You can have Jesus as Lord and Savior, or (2) no Jesus.
C. Those of us who know Jesus as Savior and Lord, know that the lordship of Jesus in our lives is not a
burden, but is a blessing.
1. Obeying the commands of Jesus as Lord leads us to abundant life and keeps us from disaster
and destruction.
2. I love Jesus’ promise in Matthew 11: “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble
in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Mt.
11:28-30).
3. The apostle John explained it this way: This is how we know that we love God’s children:
when we love God and obey his commands. For this is what love for God is: to keep his
commands. And his commands are not a burden (1 John 5:2-3).
D. Jesus is our Lord and this is a blessing to us because His yoke is easy and His burden is light – His
commands are not a burden, but are a blessing to obey.
IV. A final thing we must understand about the Real Jesus is that His Gospel is our message and hope.
A. The word “gospel” is an important word for us to know as we embark on our discipleship lifestyle
and mission.
1. The word “gospel” literally means “good news.”
2. The gospel is the good news of the big picture and story line of the Bible that we just covered
as we talked about Jesus being the Messiah (Christ, our Savior).
B. The good news of Jesus is that Jesus has overcome the curse and consequences of sin through His
life, death on the cross, resurrection from the dead, and enthronement at the right hand of the Father.
1. What Jesus has accomplished in His life is the sole basis by which our sins can now be forgiven
and we can be made right with God.
2. Jesus’ promised gift of the Holy Spirit marks our adoption into God’s family and empowers us
for discipleship and ministry.
C. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he emphasized that we are saved by the Gospel.
1. 1 Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel I preached to you, which
you received, on which you have taken your stand 2 and by which you are being saved, if you
hold to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I passed on to you as
most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4
that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he
appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. 6 Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and
sisters at one time; most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared
to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one born at the wrong time (one whose
birth was unusual), he also appeared to me (1 Cor. 15:1-8).
2. Paul’s language is clear – believing the Gospel, receiving the Gospel, and standing in the
Gospel of Jesus that has been preached to us is what saves us.
3. Jesus and His work on the cross are the basis of our right standing with God and there is
nothing more important than that.
4. The gospel focuses on Jesus the Messiah’s death for our sins, but the full gospel is not just His
death, but is also His burial, His resurrection, and His appearances to His followers.
D. Through the Gospel, we are saved by grace through faith, and it is God’s gift to us.
1. Paul makes this clear in his letter to the Ephesians: 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of
his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in
trespasses. You are saved by grace! … 8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is
not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are
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his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time
for us to do (Eph. 2:4-5, 8-10).
2. Notice how clearly Paul emphasizes God’s part in our salvation: It is God who is rich in mercy
and has great love for us, it is God who displays the immeasurable riches of His grace in Christ,
it is God who gives us His grace as a gift not as a reward for our works.
3. God’s part is grace, our part is faith in that grace.
E. The Bible teaches that we can only get right with God because of Jesus and the good news of what
He has accomplished.
1. By grace, we are free to receive God’s offer of forgiveness and place our faith in Jesus.
2. God does not accept us because we are good people or because we do the right righteous
things.
3. Rather, God offers us forgiveness and we receive it as we place our lives, our future, and all our
hopes in His Son.
F. In many respects, discipleship is all about learning how to live a life grounded in Jesus’ grace.
1. Disciples understand that Jesus’ righteousness and death on the cross are the basis of our
forgiveness - our faith is not in ourselves but is in Jesus.
2. Disciples learn to receive grace every day as we fellowship with God and depend on the Holy
Spirit – we need the grace of His cleansing and power.
3. Disciples learn how to share God’s grace with others as we tell people about the Gospel.
Conclusion:
A. Let’s bring this sermon to a close by focusing on the main point of today’s lesson – disciples of
Jesus are devoted to Jesus.
1. Jesus indeed is our everything and our lives must be all about Jesus – He is God in the flesh,
Our Messiah (our Savior), our Lord, and His Gospel is our message and hope.
2. We must let Jesus be who He is and not try to make Him what we want Him to be.
3. And as disciples, our sole purpose is to proclaim Jesus, follow Jesus, and draw people to Jesus.
B. When Lloyd C. Douglas, author of The Robe and other novels, was a university student, he lived in
a boarding house.
1. Downstairs from him was an elderly, retired music teacher who was homebound.
2. Douglas says that every morning he and the retired music teacher had a ritual that they would
go through together.
3. Douglas would come downstairs, open the man’s door, and ask, “Well, what’s the good news?”
4. The old man would pick up his tuning fork, tap it on the side of his wheelchair and say, “That’s
middle C! It was middle C yesterday; it will be middle C tomorrow; it will be middle C a
thousand years from now. The tenor upstairs sings flat, the piano across the hall is out of tune,
but, my friend, that is middle C!”
5. The old man had discovered one thing upon which he could depend, one constant reality in his
life, one “still point in a turning world” – middle C was always middle C.
C. For disciples of Jesus the one “still point in a turning world,” the one absolute of which there is not
shadow of turning, is Jesus the Christ – Jesus is our “middle C” – Christ!
1. The Hebrew writer had it right when he declared: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and
forever (Hebrews 13:8).
2. As disciples of Jesus, He is our everything and our faith is in Him and Him alone.
3. We know that our faith in Christ is well placed because He is the one true God who made us
and died for us, rose again, and is coming again.
4. Our faith isn’t just a mental exercise, it is everything about the way we live our lives.
5. As we follow Jesus every day, we intend to be changed and shaped by Jesus, and we intend to
carry out the mission of Jesus to make disciples who make disciples.
D. Let me end with two questions:
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1.
If you are already of disciple of Jesus, how faithfully are you carrying out your devotion to
Jesus and to the mission of Jesus?
2. If you aren’t yet a disciple of Jesus, are you ready to put your faith in Jesus and through grace
to receive the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit?
E. When people on the day of Pentecost asked Peter what they must do to be saved, Peter didn’t tell
them to say the sinners prayer, he told them to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of their
sins (Acts 2:38). Come see me if you are ready to put your faith in Christ and be baptized.
Resources:
The Disciple Maker’s Handbook, Bobby Harrington and Josh Patrick, Zondervan, 2017.
James Allan Francis, The Real Jesus and Other Sermons, Philadelphia: Judson Press, 1926.
Who Do You Say That I Am?, Kevin DeYoung, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/who-do-you-say-i-am/.
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I Am A Disciple Of Jesus Series
Sermon 9: “Disciples of Jesus are Guided by God’s Word”
Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 3:16-17
David Owens
12.6.20
A. One day many years ago, a boy walked down the beach, and as he did, he spotted a woman sitting
under a beach umbrella.
1. The boy walked up to her and asked, “Are you a Christian?” “Yes,” she replied.
2. Then the boy asked, “Do you read your Bible every day?” She nodded her head, “Yes.”
3. “Do you pray often?” the boy asked next, and again she answered, “Yes.”
4. Liking those answers, he asked his final question: “Will you hold my quarter while I go
swimming?”
5. That boy concluded that if a Christian reads their Bible every day and prays often, then they
can be trusted, and I think he’s right.
6. Disciples of Jesus who are committed to prayer and Scripture should be trustworthy and good.
B. Today, as we continue our series on discipleship, I want us to continue exploring some essentials
for disciples of Jesus.
1. In the last two sermons, we have concluded that it is essential for disciples of Jesus to be
characterized by love, and for disciples of Jesus to be devoted to Jesus.
2. It is easy to see why those are two essentials for disciples, right?
a. Loving God and loving others are the most important commands of the Bible.
b. And Jesus is our everything – He is God in the flesh, our Messiah, Savior and Lord – His
Gospel is the good news of salvation for everyone by God’s grace through faith.
3. Today, I want us to focus on why the Bible is the essential guide for disciples of Jesus.
C. Over the years, I have heard people say that the Bible is God’s “love letter” to us, and I like to think
of the Bible that way.
1. All of us love to get personal mail, and yet because of the changes in technology, we get less
and less handwritten letters and cards that used to be common place.
2. As a matter of fact, there was a day when people had pen pals, and even courtships took place
completely through the mail.
3. Through the Bible, God’s “love letter” to us, we come to know God and develop a relationship
with Him.
D. The practice of studying, reading and meditating on God’s Word is fundamental to what it means to
be a disciple of Jesus.
1. A disciple will not know who God is or what God wants without knowing God’s Word.
2. God created the Bible as His inspired and authoritative Word, and knowing, trusting in, and
obeying God’s Word is the primary means we develop and maintain a relationship with God.
E. Last week, we focused on the importance of Jesus in the life of a disciple, and the Bible clearly
unveils the identity and greatness of Jesus.
1. Every book of the Bible points to the grand story of God carried out in the person of Jesus, and
that’s why the Bible is the key source for making and maturing disciples of Jesus.
2. In discipleship, we commit ourselves to learning how to live as Jesus would live if He were in
our place – do you remember the WWJD movement? – what would Jesus do?
3. A common mistake is to think of discipleship as mastering the content of the Bible – which
equates discipleship with education.
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4.
F.
While learning facts and content is important and helpful, it is not the goal – the goal of
discipleship is to know Jesus and follow Him, putting into practice His teachings and will in
our everyday lives.
Some people mistakenly think that the Bible is optional for Christians.
1. They might be intimidated by the idea of reading, studying and memorizing Scripture, and so
they try to distance themselves from those spiritual disciplines.
2. But it is not possible for us to be faithful disciples who make disciples without the Bible
playing a proper role in our lives.
3. Discipleship requires a commitment to learning about Jesus and His ways and His teachings.
4. The lordship if Jesus is exercised when we carefully follow the teachings of the Bible, and we
can’t follow what we don’t know.
G. In 2 Corinthians 10:5, the apostle Paul described a key aspect of discipleship when he wrote about
“taking our thoughts captive in obedience to Christ.”
1. If obedience to Jesus is our goal, then it will require a certain way of thinking – a way of
thinking that is in line with God’s thoughts and commands.
2. In Romans 12:2, Paul said it this way: Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will
of God.
3. Paul says that our transformation is grounded in the “renewing of our minds” and that renewing
takes place as we allow God’s Word to shape our thinking.
4. So while knowledge is not the end goal of discipleship, it is vitally important, because how we
think will determine how we live.
H. Discipleship requires a manual, and that manual for learning to be a follower of Jesus is the Bible.
1. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Paul describes the role Scripture should play in the life of a disciple:
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All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting,
for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every
good work.
2. Paul declares that all Scripture comes from God who inspires it or literally “breaths it” into
existence.
3. God inspires it and breaths it into human authors who spoke it and wrote it down for our use.
4. And Paul specifies how the Word of God is useful or profitable for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training.
5. As disciples of Jesus we must allow the Word to teach, rebuke, correct and train us, and we
have to allow those leading and mentoring us to use the Word in our lives for these purposes.
6. Each of us need to listen carefully to God’s Word and personally apply it to our lives, allowing
it to judge and convict our hearts, and to guide our actions so that we can grow up in Christ.
I.
In the verses that follow the ones we just looked at in 2 Timothy 3, Paul goes on to warn us about
the importance of knowing and adhering to the Bible’s teachings.
1. Paul wrote: 1 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the
living and the dead, and because of his appearing and his kingdom: 2 Preach the word; be ready
in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and teaching. 3
For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own
desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want
to hear. 4 They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths (2 Tim. 4:14).
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
J.
From those verses we see how important it is for disciples to stick with God’s Word and to be
sure we are teaching those we are mentoring to follow the Bible.
The Word of God is our ultimate and final authority – this is true when we feel like it, and
when we don’t; and, when what the Bible says suits us, and when it doesn’t.
In a recent discipleship.org forum, Francis Chan gave these powerful insights: “Discipleship in
this day is a lot of people getting together and sharing their feelings and thoughts. So as leaders
we have to teach people to be able to teach others that ‘your thoughts really don’t matter that
much, and you can’t believe everything you think and feel.’ And we come under the authority
of Scripture. We have to be honest and say, ‘Look, there’s things in this book that I don’t agree
with, I don’t think, I don’t feel, but I surrender to it, and when I disagree with this book, I
assume God is right and I am wrong.’ We have to teach them that and show them that. And
the greatest thing that any of the guys who discipled me taught me was how to read this book
for myself.”
Teaching God’s Word requires great patience and careful instruction.
But we have to start with the understanding that God and His Word are always right and that
the human tendency is always going to be to want to make the Word say and mean what we
want it to say and mean.
Some of the best safeguards against mishandling and misinterpreting God’s Word are: (1)
while studying the Bible let the Bible interpret itself, (2) to study the Bible with other sincere
believers, and (3) to depend on the Holy Spirit to help guide us and interpret the Bible for us.
So on a practical level, how do disciples allow the Bible to play its essential role in our lives and
how do we instill the same in those we disciple and mentor?
1. First, I want to encourage us to make a commitment to study the Bible with other disciples in
Bible classes and small groups.
a. Here at Wetzel Road, we try to offer many group study experiences.
b. Right now during the pandemic, we are limited to some degree, but we are still offering
virtual classes, and hopefully very soon we will be able to resume in-person classes.
c. But let me ask you, have you in the past been a part of our Bible classes, or are you
presently involved in the Bible studies we offer?
d. If not, then why not? Why not take advantage of as many Bible study opportunities as you
can? What could be more important than growing in the wisdom of God and God’s ways?
2. Second, I want to encourage us to make a commitment to spend some time in the Word of God
on a daily or regular basis.
a. The Bible provides the spiritual nourishment we need.
b. Francis Cosgrove wrote: “Our spiritual growth is directly dependent on our consistent
intake of the Word of God as our spiritual food” (Cosgrove, pg. 85).
c. The apostle Peter wrote: Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that by
it you may grow up into your salvation (1 Peter. 2:2).
d. But it isn’t just new Christians who need the Word, Spurgeon said, “Nobody ever outgrows
Scripture; the book widens and deepens with our years.”
e. George Mueller said, “The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the place
held by the Bible in our life and thoughts.”
K. Francis Cosgrove, in his book Essentials of Discipleship, suggested that there are five ways we can
“get into” the Scriptures so that the Scriptures can “get into” us (Cosgrove pgs. 91-103):
1. Hearing the Bible – “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
(Romans 10:17).
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a.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Most computer websites and cellphone apps will read the Bible to you so a person can hear
it, or if you have a copy of the Bible on CD, then you could listen in your car while driving
or at home while getting ready for the day or while cooking.
b. It is interesting how that you notice things in the Bible while listening that you might not
notice while reading.
c. I am an auditory learner, so listening is always a good way for me to learn the Bible.
Reading the Bible – “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and
blessed are those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it, because
the time is near” (Rev. 1:3).
a. Paul told Timothy, his son in the faith: “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading
of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” (1 Timothy 4:13 ESV).
b. Every year I encourage the congregation to follow a Bible reading schedule – sometimes it
is a reading of the whole Bible, and sometimes it is the NT, Psalms and Proverbs.
c. How many of you are presently following a Bible reading schedule?
d. Regular reading is so important to help us cover the message of the whole Bible rather than
scattered verses or parts of the Bible.
Studying the Bible – The Bereans are held up as a good example in Scripture because of their
Bible study: The people here were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, since
they received the word with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things
were so (Acts 17:11).
a. Paul challenged Timothy with these words: Be diligent to present yourself to God as one
approved, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth
(2 Tim. 2:15) – some translations say, “study to show yourself approved.”
b. When we study the Word, we don’t just listen or read, we dissect and investigate to better
understand.
c. As we study, we might ask ourselves these questions about the passages we are reading:
1. Is there an example for me to follow?
2. Is there a command for me to obey?
3. Is there any error for me to avoid?
4. Is there any sin for me to renounce?
5. Is there any promise for me to claim?
6. What does this text teach me about God?
7. And the most important question in Bible study is: “Lord, what do You want me to
apply to my life from this portion that I am studying?”
d. James reminds us to be “be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22)
Memorizing the Bible – “I have hidden [“stored” ESV, “treasured” CSB] your word in my
heart, so that I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11).
a. The more Scripture we have fixed in our mind through memorization, the more easily the
Holy Spirit can bring it to our minds to use for spiritual warfare and ministry.
b. Remember how Jesus quoted Scripture to counter the temptations of Satan? It works!
Meditating on the Bible – “Meditation is simply reflecting on what you have on your mind”
(Cosgrove, pg. 102).
a. My favorite verse on the power of meditating on Scripture is Psalm 1:1-3: 1 How happy is
the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners
or sit in the company of mockers! 2 Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he
meditates on it day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears
its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
b. How’s that for an amazing and wonderful promise?!
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K. In summary, a disciple of Jesus should commit himself or herself to taking in the Word of God on a
regular basis: hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating on it.
1. And we should always remember, anytime we open God’s Word, we are on holy ground.
2. A man named J. Wilbur Chapman offered this simple plan to follow as we handle God’s Word:
a. Study it through – seek to investigate some of God’s Word every day.
b. Pray it in – ask God to help you to understand and apply the Word.
c. Write it down – make a note about what you learn in the margin of your Bible or in your
notebook.
d. Work it out – live the truth by putting it into practice.
3. It’s impossible to overemphasize the importance of the Bible in the life of every disciple for
their personal spiritual growth and for their use in disciple-making.
4. Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path (Psalm 119:105).
L. How are you doing as a disciple with regard to God’s Word?
1. Are you putting in enough effort to learn it? To obey it? And to share it?
2. If you aren’t yet a believer or follower of Jesus, then reading the Bible is a good place to start.
a. Reading and studying the Bible has brought many people to faith and to a decision to
follow Jesus.
b. Please reach out to us if we can help you with your faith and your understanding of God’s
Word.
c. We would love to help everyone confess their faith in Jesus and repent and be baptized into
Christ.
Resources:
The Disciple Maker’s Handbook, Bobby Harrington and Josh Patrick, Zondervan, 2017.
Being Disciple of Jesus – Morning Watch, Sermon by David Sargent.
Cosgrove, Francis M. Essentials of Discipleship. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1980.
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I Am A Disciple Of Jesus Series
Sermon 10: “Disciples of Jesus Believe in the Power of Prayer”
Scripture Reading: John 14:12-14
David Owens
12.13.20
A. One night a young boy was kneeling next to his bed with his mother and grandmother beside him as
he softly said his prayers, “Dear God, please bless Mommy and Daddy, and all the family, and
please give me a good night’s sleep.”
1. Then suddenly the little boy raised his voice and shouted, “And don’t forget to give me a
bicycle for my birthday!”
2. The boy’s mother gently corrected him, “There is no need to shout like that, son, God isn’t
deaf.”
3. “I know,” whispered the little boy, “but Grandma is.”
B. Today, I want us to talk about the important place that prayer holds in the life of a disciple of Jesus.
1. Disciples of Jesus believe in the power of prayer, because disciples believe that God hears and
answers our prayers.
2. And like that little boy in the opening story, disciples of Jesus know that God isn’t deaf.
3. We know that we don’t have to shout our prayers in order for God to hear us.
4. In this sermon, I want us to be reminded of what disciples should believe about prayer, and
then what we should do with prayer because we believe in prayer’s power.
C. Before we focus in on these things about prayer, let’s do a brief review.
1. After having covered lots of the basics of discipleship, including: the call, the cost, and the
command of discipleship, we moved into understanding the stages of discipleship and the
spheres of discipleship.
2. Since then, we have been talking about the essentials of discipleship and have focused on the
place of love, Jesus, and the Bible in the life of a disciple of Jesus.
3. Today, we add the essential of prayer in the life of a disciple.
4. Prayer in the life of a disciple should include all kinds of prayer – concentrated prayer,
continuous prayer, and quick prayer.
5. I will describe what I mean by those kinds of prayer later in the sermon.
D. But let me say at the outset of this sermon: prayer is a huge subject that requires extensive study and
lots of practice.
1. One sermon can’t cover every aspect of prayer, and I won’t attempt to do so today.
2. Prayer is a subject and discipline full of paradoxes.
a. Prayer is simple and basic, and yet it is filled with complexities and nuances.
b. Prayer is sometimes put into words that are verbalized, but other times prayer is just
something in our hearts and minds, and is sometimes beyond words or thoughts.
c. Sometimes prayer requires lots of time and attention, persistence and patience, but other
times it is brief and immediate.
d. God knows what we need before we ask, yet God wants us to ask and waits for us to ask.
e. God has a will and wants it to be done, and yet works His will through our asking.
f. God promises to give us what we ask for, and yet God reserves the right to say “no” or to
give us something different and better than what we ask for.
3. I won’t pretend to know and understand all there is to know and understand about prayer, but
that won’t stop me from believing in the power of prayer and obeying God’s command to pray.
E. So, what should every disciple know and believe about prayer?
1. First of all, we should know and believe that God hears and answers our prayers.
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a.
2.
3.
F.
Psalm 17:6 says: I call on you, God, because you will answer me; listen closely to me; hear
what I say. (This verse begins with just a general truth that God hears our prayers)
b. Psalm 145:18 says: The Lord is near all who call out to him, all who call out to him with
integrity. (This verse adds the truth that God is near and listening to those with integrity)
c. Proverbs 15:29 says: The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the
righteous. (This verse adds to the requirement of integrity with idea of righteousness)
d. 1 John 5:14-15 says: This is the confidence we have before him: If we ask anything
according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears whatever we ask, we
know that we have what we have asked of him.
e. This verse adds the understanding that our confidence about God’s hearing us and
answering us comes from our relationship with Him and our knowledge of God’s will.
f. So, for starters, disciples should know that God hears and answers our prayers.
Second, we should know and believe that God hears and answers our prayers because we are
His children, His faithful followers.
a. Look at what Jesus said in Matthew 7: “7 Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you
will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives,
and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 Who
among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish,
will give him a snake? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask
him” (Mt. 7:7-11).
1. Here we note that Jesus emphasizes that God is a good father who hears and answers
His children’s requests with what is good and right.
2. We are promised that those who ask - receive, those who seek – find, and those who
knock – the door is opened, because they are children of a good God and Father.
b. Let’s add a verse from the letter of James: The prayer of a righteous person is very
powerful in its effect (James 5:16b).
1. James emphasizes that the prayer of the person who is in a right relationship with God
is effective and powerful.
c. Look at this promise of Jesus from John 15: If you remain in me and my words remain in
you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you (Jn. 15:7).
1. Note the condition that makes prayer powerful and effective – that we remain in Jesus
and that His words remain in us.
2. In other words, if we walk in faithfulness as disciples of Jesus and children of God,
then we know that God hears and answers our prayers.
Let me offer one final thing that we should know and believe about prayer, and that is that God
can do more than we can ask or imagine.
a. That’s what Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians: Now to him who is able to do above
and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— to him be
glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen (Eph.
3:20-21).
b. That’s what disciples of Jesus should believe – that God is able to do above and beyond all
that we ask or think – God can do more than we can imagine or even dare to ask.
c. And all this unbelievable and unimaginable stuff that God does, He does through His
power that is at work in us.
Because disciples of Jesus know and believe these things about prayer, we should “always pray and
not give up” (Luke 18:1), we should “devote ourselves to prayer” (Col. 4:2), and we should “pray
constantly” (1 Thess. 5:17, or pray “continually,” or “unceasingly”).
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Because disciples of Jesus believe that God hears, and powerfully and wisely answers our
prayers, then we should always pray…be devoted to prayer…be in prayer constantly.
On a practical level, how do disciples of Jesus pray constantly?
We do so by making prayer a regular and natural part of our lives.
Corrie Ten Boom, the famous Holocaust concentration camp survivor asked the question: “Is
prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” (I like that question, don’t you?)
How often do you use your spare tire? Rarely, maybe never, only in the case of an emergency.
How often do you use your steering wheel? Continually while driving, right?
We need to use prayer continually while living.
G. Let’s go back to those three kinds of prayer I mentioned at the beginning of the sermon:
concentrated prayer, continuous prayer, and quick prayer.
1. I want to help us understand how to employ the power of prayer in these three ways.
2. Let’s start with the idea of concentrated prayer – a time of prayer during our devotions.
3. It was in 1882 on the campus of Cambridge University that the world was first given the
slogan: “Remember the morning watch.”
a. Students at Cambridge found their days loaded with studies, games, and lectures.
b. Enthusiasm and activity were the order of the day, but some of the Christian students soon
discovered a weakness in their spiritual armor, a small crack which could bring disaster.
c. They sought an answer and came up with a scheme they called the morning watch – the
plan to spend the first minutes of a new day alone with God, praying and reading the Bible.
d. The morning watch sealed the crack and it brought to the surface an important truth: To
know God, it is necessary to spend consistent time with Him.
4. The idea of the morning watch caught fire and a remarkable period of religious blessing
followed on that campus which culminated in the departure of the Cambridge Seven, a band of
prominent athletes and men of wealth and education for missionary service.
a. Those seven young men gave up everything to go to China for Christ, and before they left
for China in February of 1885, the seven held a farewell tour across England, and that’s
when they were dubbed “The Cambridge Seven.”
b. They all served long and well for the cause of Christ in China, and it all began with prayer.
5. Now we should realize that beginning each day with a time devoted to Bible study and prayer
was not new or unique, and yet it was revolutionary and life changing for those young men, and
for anyone who has made it a practice.
a. Every disciple of Jesus who wants to grow in their relationship with God and who wants to
be spiritually strong will set a regular time each day to meet with the Lord in His Word and
in prayer.
b. Consider the Example of Jesus…Jesus spent time alone with His heavenly Father regularly
throughout His busy ministry, and many times it was first thing in the morning: Very early
in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up, went out, and made his way to a deserted
place; and there he was praying (Mark 1:35).
5. Certainly, our daily devotional time doesn’t have to be in the morning, but I can’t think of a
better way to begin each day.
a. And I can’t think of a better way to prepare myself for walking with God and living for
God throughout the day, than to begin the day communing with God.
6. Here is a great poem on the subject of morning devotions: “The Secret” by Ralph Cushman
I met God in the morning, when the day was at its best,
And His presence came like sunrise, like a glory in my breast.
All day long the presence lingered, all day long He stayed with me,
And we sailed in perfect calmness o’er a very troubled sea.
Other ships were blown and battered, other ships were sore distressed,
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But the winds that seemed to drive them brought to us a peace and rest.
Then I thought of other mornings, with a keen remorse of mind,
When I too had loosed the moorings with the Presence left behind.
So I think I know the secret, learned from many a troubled way;
You must seek Him in the morning if you want Him through the day.
H. Concentrated prayer is a devoted time of prayer where we commune with God in listening and
speaking.
1. In this time of prayer we will want to include all the aspects of well-rounded prayer that
includes: praise, thanksgiving, confession and requests.
2. The acronym A.C.T.S. of prayer is a helpful outline: adoration, confession, thanksgiving and
supplication (requests).
I.
In addition to times of concentrated prayer, I want to encourage us to learn to walk with God in a
spirit of prayer throughout the day – what I am calling continuous prayer.
1. Just because we can’t be in concentrated prayer all the time doesn’t mean we can’t have an
ongoing conversation with God going in our minds and hearts.
2. When we see or experience something good or beautiful, we can thank God for it.
3. When we see someone or something that needs prayer, we can bring it before God and ask Him
to intervene – it could be the ambulance rushing by, or the young mother with a misbehaving
child – we can just lift them before God in our hearts.
4. As requests come to our mind, we can talk with God about them.
5. I’ve used the illustration of Tevye from the musical Fiddler on the Roof and how he had an
ongoing conversation with God as he walked through his day.
J.
The last kind of prayer – is what I call quick prayer (I couldn’t come up with a word that started
with C) – it’s emergency prayer for something urgent and serious, when immediate help is needed.
1. For instance, like when your angry boss barges into your office to confront you about
something – you don’t have time to drop to your knees in prayer, but you need prayer! – so in
your heart you can quickly ask God for help.
2. This is what Nehemiah did – he had been fasting and praying for some time about the situation
in Jerusalem, but when the King asked him what was bothering him, Nehemiah shot off a quick
emergency prayer and then he answered the king.
L. These three kinds of prayer – concentrated, continuous, and quick – help us to build a strong
relationship with God and they provide the discipleship empowering we need for life and ministry.
1. Here are three ways to use prayer in life and ministry.
2. First, life can be hard and filled with challenges and anxiety, but our relationship with God and
the discipline of prayer helps us cope.
a. Paul taught us to use prayer for this purpose: Don’t worry about anything, but in
everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and
minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:6-7).
b. I hope that every disciple will learn to use prayer to overcome our tendency to worry.
3. Second, there is a spiritual battle going on around us and the only way to fight and win that
battle is to put on the armor of God and to employ the power of prayer.
a. Paul instructed us: Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. Put on the
full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil…Pray at all times
in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and
intercession for all the saints (Eph. 6:10-11, 18).
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4.
b. I hope that every disciple will learn to use prayer to overcome the spiritual battles we face.
And third, in the life of every disciple there are daily opportunities to serve others and to share
the good news, and prayer helps us to minister God’s grace and to share the Gospel with others.
a. Paul asked for prayer about his ministry: Pray also for me, that the message may be given
to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. For
this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I
should (Eph. 6:19-20).
b. As great a follower of Christ as Paul was, he knew he still needed prayer for God’s
provision of boldness and the right words to share God’s truths.
c. If he needed God’s help to minister, then surely I need God’s help, and so do you!
K. I hope and pray that all of us will believe in the power of prayer and will therefore devote ourselves
to prayer – concentrated prayer, continuous prayer, and quick prayer.
1. I hope we will be ready to pray about everything and with everyone when there is a need.
2. When we are with people we can ask them if there is anything we can pray for them about.
a. You can simply ask: “Is there something I can pray for you about today?”
b. Ask that of the waiter serving you at the restaurant, the cashier at the store or bank, the
doctor or nurse at the doctor’s office or hospital.
3. When a situation arises, or someone pours out their heart to you about something, ask if you
can pray with them about it right then and there.
4. As disciples of Jesus, and ministers of His grace, prayer needs to be the tool and weapon we
reach for to unleash the power of God.
5. And let’s remember: the power doesn’t come because of us, rather the power is in God and
from God.
6. But when we pray, we need to pray with faith and anticipate that God will do something
because He hears and answers our prayers.
M. Let me end with this humorous story:
1. Once there was a nightclub owner who decided to build a raunchy nightspot right next door to a
church called the Saint Lukewarm Church.
2. The good folks of the church started a prayer vigil against that nightclub business.
3. Amazingly, the nightclub’s business dwindled so much they had to close the doors.
4. This wasn’t altogether good news because the owner of the nightclub brought a lawsuit against
the church accusing them of ruining his business with their prayers.
5. The attorneys for the church argued that there was no way their prayers could have had any
effect on the poor performance of the nightclub.
6. The judge agreed and ruled in favor of Saint Lukewarm, saying: “While the nightclub owner
strongly believes in the power of prayer, the church membership does not.”
7. Let’s not be like them, let’s believe in our God and pray believing that God will work, and
when God answers our prayers, let’s give the credit and glory to God. Amen!
N. Just as faith is critical for effective prayer, faith is also critical for salvation.
1. We can’t be saved without faith.
2. But when we believe, we will repent and be baptized into Christ, and then by faith we will live
faithfully.
3. If you haven’t yet become a Christian, or if you are not walking faithfully as a Christian, then
we would love to help you in your relationship with God.
Resources:
Being Disciple of Jesus – Morning Watch, Sermon by David Sargent.
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I Am A Disciple Of Jesus Series
Sermon 11: “Disciples of Jesus are Empowered by The Holy Spirit”
Scripture Reading: Romans 8:10-11
David Owens
1.10.21
A. In the Spring of last year, I preached a series on hope in the promises of God.
1. One of God’s promises that I covered in that series is: we have a helper who empowers us – the
Holy Spirit.
2. I want to open this sermon with the same story I opened that sermon with because I like it and
it makes me laugh.
B. The Apostles’ Creed is an early statement of Christian belief that has been embraced by many
Christians over the years.
1. There is a story told about a children’s catechism class that was learning the Apostles Creed.
2. Each child in the class had been assigned a sentence from the creed to recite and one day the
class was going through the recitation of the creed with each child saying their part.
3. The first one said, “I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.”
4. The second child said, “I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.”
5. Then, after a number of other children followed with their additional statements about Jesus
(His virgin birth, death and resurrection), there was an awkward silence.
6. Everyone waited for the next line of the creed to be recited: “I believe in the Holy Spirit.”
7. Finally, one of the children said, “Teacher, the boy who believes in the Holy Spirit isn’t here.”
C. I hope that everyone who is here today and everyone who is watching at home are people who
believe in the Holy Spirit. Amen!
1. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we believe that there is one God in three persons– the Father
Almighty, Jesus Christ, His only Son, and the Holy Spirit.
2. And today, as we return to our series on discipleship, I want us to focus on this important
essential of discipleship: disciples of Jesus are empowered by the Holy Spirit.
D. Before we focus in on the essential role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a disciple, let’s review.
1. In our series on discipleship, we have covered lots of the basics of discipleship, including:
a. The Call: A disciple of Jesus is someone who is following Jesus, being changed by Jesus,
and is committed to the mission of Jesus.
b. The Cost: The cost of discipleship is everything we are and everything we have.
c. The Command: The command of discipleship is to make disciples who make disciples.
2. Next in our series, we explored the stages of discipleship that starts with a person being
spiritually dead, then moves them through being an infant, child, young adult, and finally a
spiritual parent.
3. Then we discussed the completeness of discipleship showing that our relationship with God
must impact all the spheres of our lives: our relationships with God, the church, our family, and
the world.
4. Since then, we have been talking about the essentials of discipleship and have focused on the
place of love, Jesus, the Bible, and prayer in the life of a disciple of Jesus.
E. Today, we add the essential of the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a disciple.
1. The Holy Spirit is sometimes called the neglected person of the Trinity – Francis Chan titled
his book on the Holy Spirit - “The Forgotten God.”
2. But the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit isn’t just an add-on to the Christian life, rather the
Holy Spirit is essential.
3. Without the Holy Spirit, the Christian life is impossible.
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4.
5.
6.
F.
Unless the Holy Spirit is present and doing His work, nobody can be born again or grow in
Christlikeness.
Without the work of the Holy Spirit, we cannot accomplish the mission of Jesus.
Attempting to live the Christian life without the supernatural assistance of the Holy Spirit, is
like trying to begin a cross-country road trip without any gasoline in the tank.
One of the important things we need to understand about the way the Holy Spirit works, is that He
works in the background, and doesn’t seek to bring attention to Himself.
1. Jesus explained this to His disciples when He said: 12 “I still have many things to tell you, but
you can’t bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth.
For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to
you what is to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare
it to you.” (Jn. 16:12-14).
2. In a book called Your Father Loves You, James Packer compares the work of the Holy Spirit to
a floodlight illuminating the exterior of a building.
a. If it’s done right, the floodlight calls no attention to itself and you might not even be aware
of the source of the light.
b. Rather the floodlight just calls attention to the building it illuminates.
3. That’s the way the Holy Spirit works – He doesn’t call attention to Himself, but rather He seeks
to illuminate Jesus, so that we can see Jesus and understand Jesus, and follow Him better.
4. And more than just pointing us to Jesus, the Holy Spirit helps us to become more like Jesus,
and I want to explore further how the Holy Spirit does that as the sermon continues.
G. But, before we get into how the Holy Spirit works in us, I want to remind us of how the Holy Spirit
enters our lives.
1. The Holy Spirit comes to live in us at the time of our conversion to Christ.
2. The apostle Peter declared, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).
3. Peter and the apostles also said, “We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit
whom God has given to those who obey him” (Acts 5:32).
4. The apostle Paul explained about the Holy Spirit’s role in Titus 3 when he wrote: 4 But when
the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, 5 he saved us—not by
works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through the washing of
regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6 He poured out his Spirit on us abundantly
through Jesus Christ our Savior 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we may become
heirs with the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:4-7).
a. Isn’t that beautiful and wonderful!
b. The Holy Spirit brings regeneration (rebirth) and renewal through the washing of baptism
and God pours out His spirit abundantly – not sparingly!
5. How wonderful to know that when we professed our faith in Christ and were buried with Christ
in baptism, we received the gift of the Holy Spirit who now dwells in us and gives us life.
6. Paul wrote: 10 Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life
because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in
you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through
his Spirit who lives in you (Romans 8:10-11).
7. So there is no doubt that the Holy Spirit is living in us and is giving us spiritual life.
H. Now let’s spend a few minutes exploring how the Holy Spirit is working in our lives to help us to
live as disciples of Christ.
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
First of all, we must understand that the Holy Spirit helps us to overcome the flesh and to live
in obedience to God.
We read from Romans 8 just a minute ago about the Spirit living in us and giving us life, but
look at what Paul says about the Spirit in the next few verses: 12 So then, brothers and sisters,
we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, 13 because if you live according
to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,
you will live (Romans 8:12-13).
The pull of the flesh can be very strong, but the pull of the Spirit is even stronger.
The good news for us is that there isn’t any temptation we face that we can’t overcome by the
power of God’s Spirit in us.
Isn’t that what Paul meant when he wrote 1 Corinthians 10:13: No temptation has come upon
you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be
tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so
that you may be able to bear it.
a. The way out is through the leading and empowering of the Holy Spirit.
In Ephesians 3:16, Paul prayed that all of us would “be strengthened with power in your inner
being through his Spirit.”
This doesn’t mean that any of this is automatic or easy, but if we cooperate with the Holy Spirit
and depend on the Holy Spirit, we can overcome the flesh and live in obedience to the Lord.
I.
Second, we must understand that the Holy Spirit helps us to become more like Jesus.
1. The Holy Spirit is the ultimate change agent.
2. The process of becoming like Jesus is called sanctification.
3. This metamorphosis comes in at least two ways, and these two ways are not easy or
instantaneous, they are a process.
J.
The first of those ways involves a disciplined and habitual approach to walking in the Spirit.
1. the disciplined and habitual approach to walking in the Spirit includes the historic spiritual
practices of things like: prayer, Scripture reading, fasting, worship and service.
2. These spiritual practices shape our inner life as intentional habits and they orient our lives
toward spiritual things.
3. By practicing these disciplines, we open ourselves up to the Holy Spirit’s transformative
power.
4. In 1 Timothy 4:7-8, Paul encouraged Timothy to: Train yourself in godliness. For the training
of the body has limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise
for the present life and also for the life to come.
a. Our training in godliness comes through spiritual discipline and obedience to God’s Word.
5. Paul explained about the process of spiritual transformation when he wrote these words to the
Corinthians: 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18
We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being
transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit (2
Cor. 3:17-18).
a. We notice in those verses the important role of the Spirit in that transformation process.
b. As we walk in the Spirit and look into the Word of God, we are changed.
6. And in Galatians 5, Paul explains that the fruit of the Spirit (in other words, the product of the
Spirit, or the influence of the Spirit) creates the character of Jesus: love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
7. I’ve always enjoyed explaining to people who are studying to become a Christian, that if they
could see 10 years into the future and see how much they will have grown and transformed into
the character of Christ, then they would like what they see.
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8.
9.
The long-term result of walking in the Spirit and cooperating with the Spirit is dramatic
character transformation.
And so, the first way the Spirit helps us become like Jesus is through a disciplined approach to
walking in the Spirit.
K. The second way that the Holy Spirit helps us to become like Jesus is through suffering.
1. James wrote: 2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience
various trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let
endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing (James
1:2-4).
a. It takes a spiritual perspective to view our trials with great joy! Amen?!
2. Peter wrote: 6 You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer
grief in various trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold
which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the
revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:6-7).
a. Our painful trials refine and prove the genuineness of our faith.
3. Paul wrote: We know that affliction produces endurance, 4 endurance produces proven
character, and proven character produces hope. 5 This hope will not disappoint us, because
God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us
(Rom. 5:3-5).
4. At some point all of us are going to face suffering – it may be persecution because of our faith,
or it may be just the suffering that comes from living in a broken and corrupt world.
a. We might experience the physical suffering that comes from cancer, chronic illness, or
life’s accidents – like car accidents, or falls.
b. We might experience emotional suffering from childhood trauma, sexual abuse, domestic
violence, or mental illness.
c. We might experience relational difficulties that pierce our hearts – betrayal, insults, gossip.
d. Some of the suffering we face can be the result of our own sinful or foolish choices, and
some of it comes because of the sinful and foolish choices of others.
5. But whatever the reason or kind of the suffering we experience, God wants us to view it as a
trial or a test that can produce growth in us.
a. We don’t get to choose our struggles, but God has given us the freedom to choose how we
respond to them.
b. When “life happens” as they say, it can be very ugly, horrid, and evil stuff may come our
way, but when it comes, God is present and ready to help in ways that transcends our
ability to understand.
c. God is present to lovingly refine us and provide for us so that we can grow.
6. The Bible says that Jesus was made perfect (or complete) through the things He suffered (Heb.
5:8-9).
a. And so, just like Jesus, we can be made perfect (or complete) through our suffering.
b. The fires of suffering can refine us or destroy us depending on how we rely on God.
c. Our daily habits of spiritual discipline can prepare us for the suffering and help carry us
through the suffering, and that’s one of the values of spiritual training.
7. If we cooperate with God, then God can use our suffering to build our perseverance, shape our
character, and increase our hope.
a. A goldsmith uses heat under a smelting pot to bring the impurities to the top so they can be
skimmed off, leaving only pure gold.
b. In the same way, God uses suffering to bring out the impurities of our lives so they can be
removed.
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c.
d.
God uses suffering to dethrone our idols, show us our true selves, and teach us how to trust
God more.
Character that is sanctified by the Spirit through suffering becomes progressively more
stable and is therefore able to focus more attentively on the things of God.
L. Many of us want to be more physical healthy and fit, and maybe it is one of our new year’s goals
but then we realize that it will require a change in eating habits and exercise – no pain, no gain!
a. And the same is true spiritually – we like the idea of growing spiritually, but then we realize
that it will require a healthy spiritual diet, and a rigorous spiritual routine, including suffering.
b. We might excitedly pray: “Lord, help me to grow!” but we don’t realize that the only way that
God can help us to grow is to bring us through training and tests and trials.
M. But in the end, it is all for the good, and the most important thing is that we don’t give up.
1. There’s a great promise in Galatians 6:7-9: 7 Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For
whatever a person sows he will also reap, 8 because the one who sows to his flesh will reap
destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the
Spirit. 9 Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give
up.
2. If we keep trying to cooperate with the Holy Spirit, then we will be pleasing to our God.
3. No one bears the mature fruit of the Spirit in a day or a week, rather it’s the task of a lifetime,
it’s an ongoing growth process.
4. It will take time, but it will happen, because the Spirit will help make it happen, if we don’t
give up.
N. Remember, we can’t do the Christian life in our own strength and ability – we don’t have the ability
to follow Jesus, be changed by Jesus, and join in the mission of Jesus – we need the Holy Spirit to
be able to do these things.
1. The gospel is good news because it tells us that none of us are good enough or strong enough to
do what Jesus asks of us.
2. But God promises to give us the strength and ability that we need to please Him through the
presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
O. But all of us have to start at the same place – we have to first believe, repent and be baptized into
Christ, and when we do we are born again and receive the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
1. We would love to help everyone to begin their journey as a disciple of Jesus.
2. And we are here to help all of us to be faithful in our commitment to Jesus as we depend on the
empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
3. Please let us ministers and elders know if you need help to follow Jesus or help to be
empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Resources:
The Disciple Maker’s Handbook, Bobby Harrington & Josh Patrick, Zondervan, 2017.
In Step with the Spirit, Sermon by Tommy South
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I Am A Disciple Of Jesus Series
Sermon 12: “Disciples of Jesus Have the Heart of a Servant”
Scripture Reading: Matthew 20:26-28
David Owens
1.17.21
A. One day a kind old gentleman saw a little boy who was trying to reach a doorbell.
1. The boy asked the old gentleman for his help, and the old man lifted the boy up so the boy
could push the doorbell.
2. As the old gentleman put the boy back on the ground he asked the boy, “What now, little boy?”
3. “Run!” said the boy, “that’s what I’m gonna do!”
B. Hopefully our desire to serve won’t get us into trouble, like that kind old gentleman.
1. Back in the 1990s, another servant got himself into trouble.
2. A professional clown named “Mr. Twister,” whose real name is Cory McDonald got himself
into trouble out in Santa Cruz, California.
3. What kind of trouble did he get himself into, you might ask? Well, acting as a good servant,
“Mr. Twister” walked about town putting quarters in people’s expired parking meters.
4. According to the Santa Cruz municipal code, it is against the law for a person to put money in
another person’s parking meter without their permission, and anyone breaking that law can be
fined.
5. After several warnings, Mr. Twister was ticketed for his random acts of kindness.
6. But Mr. Twister refused to stop doing the golden rule – doing for others what he would want
for them to do for him.
7. In the end, his acts of kindness prevailed and he became both a local and national hero.
8. Cory McDonald, Mr. Twister said that he just wants people to be nice to each other and to help
in whatever way they can.
C. God certainly agrees with that kind of an attitude – an attitude of kindness and service.
1. Today, as we continue our series on discipleship, I want us to focus on this essential of
following Jesus: Disciples of Jesus must have the heart of a servant.
2. And the reason that disciples of Jesus must have the heart of a servant, is because Jesus had the
heart of a servant, and disciples of Jesus are supposed to like Jesus.
3. In Luke 6:40, Jesus said: “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained
will be like his teacher.”
4. Jesus our teacher is a great example for us in the area of service.
D. Look with me at how Jesus characterized His own life and purpose: “Just as the Son of Man did not
come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).
1. How’s that for simplicity and clarity? Jesus came to serve and to give!
2. If that was true for Jesus, then don’t you think that is what God would want for us?
3. After bringing us into His family through our faith in His Son, God then sets His sights on
building into us the same quality that made Jesus distinct from all others in His day, and for
that matter, from anyone who had ever walked the face of the earth.
4. God wants to build in us the same serving and giving qualities that characterized His Son.
E.
In many ways, there is nothing more refreshing than seeing someone with a servant’s heart and a
giving spirit.
1. Colonel James Irwin was a former astronaut who was part of the crew that made a successful
moon walk in 1971.
2. He often spoke of the thrill connected with leaving this planet and seeing it shrink in size.
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3. While watching earthrise one day in space, he realized just how privileged he was to be a
member of that unique crew of Apollo 15.
4. While on the way back to earth, he thought about the way that many would consider him a
“superstar,” and that he was about to become an international celebrity.
5. But his relationship with God would not allow any of this to go to his head.
6. Listen to the humility that he expressed in these words: “As I was returning to earth, I realized
that I was a servant – not a celebrity. So I am here as God’s servant on planet Earth to share
what I have experienced that others might know the glory of God.”
7. That basic motto would help all of us Christ followers: I am a servant, not a celebrity.
8. Like Jesus, I am here to serve, not to be served.
F.
But it is so easy to lose sight of that primary calling as we go about our daily life in our selfabsorbed world.
1. If you are like me, then you sometimes think, “I wish I could go back in time and sit at the feet
of Jesus. How great it must have been to sit as one of the Twelve and soak up all those truths
that Jesus taught. I mean, if I had been there with Jesus and Twelve, it would have been easier
to learn this idea of being a servant.”
2. Do you ever think that way? Do you ever think that it must have been easier for the disciples
who were physically with Jesus to follow Jesus and become a servant like Him?
3. If and when we think that way, we are wrong.
4. It wasn’t easier for them to get it and as a matter of fact they often failed to get it, right?
G. In Matthew 20, we are told about an incident that had to do with jockeying for power and position.
1. The Bible says: 20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons approached him with her sons. She knelt
down to ask him for something. 21 “What do you want?” he asked her. “Promise,” she said to
him, “that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right and the other on your left, in your
kingdom” (Mt. 20:20-21).
2. We shouldn’t be too tough on this dear Jewish mother, right?
a. Picture her standing there proudly with her sons at her side.
b. Like any good mother, she watched for “breaks in life” that could lead to a nice promotion.
c. Her request was tempered by the proper perspective – she didn’t ask that her sons occupy
the center throne – she knew that that place belonged to Jesus.
d. So, she pushed for her sons, James and John, to be candidates for thrones #2 and #3.
3. Just in case you’re wondering how the other ten apostles felt about this mother’s request, check
out verse 24 – It says that the ten became indignant!
a. They were likely angry that they hadn’t been the first to make the same request.
b. And they were not going to give up those spots without a fight!
c. You and I might have reacted the same way, right?
4. Jesus’ initial reply was: “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup
that I am about to drink?” (vs. 22)
a. They foolishly answered: “We are able.” (No problem. Piece of cake)
b. Keep in mind that in the three verses that had preceded their mother’s request, Jesus had
said that he was going to Jerusalem where he would be betrayed, condemned, mocked,
flogged and crucified.
c. Obviously, this mother and her sons didn’t really understand the cup he was to drink!
d. In spite of all that Jesus had said, she and her sons were imagining a kingdom with
emperors with jeweled crowns, palaces protected by soldiers, with subjects and slaves
serving those at the top of the pyramid.
5. The Bible tells us that Jesus pulled all the disciples aside and attempted to straighten out their
thinking.
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a. The Bible says: 25 Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the rulers of the
Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. 26 It must
not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you
must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave;
28
just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a
ransom for many” (vs. 25-28).
b. Do you see how Jesus spelled out a sharp contrast between His philosophy and the
philosophy of the world?
c. Do you see how different is His movement and kingdom from the ways of the world?
H. The key phrase is: Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.
1. These have become forgotten words and an unwelcome concept in the world.
2. Sadly even in many churches these are forgotten words and an unwelcome concept.
a. In many of the Mega Churches there are celebrity pastors, high powered executives, and
superstar singers.
b. Yet even in the smallest of churches the notion of serving rather than being served can get
lost as some preachers or leaders may demand a special title, or a special parking place, or
special treatment.
3. A man named Diotrephes was openly rebuked by the apostle John in 3 John 9-10.
a. What was it that Diotrephes was doing that was so wrong?
b. John wrote: I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing
to do with us. So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously
about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those
who want to do so and puts them out of the church.
c. Diotrephes considered himself the boss. He was large and in charge.
d. The mentality and behavior of Diotrephes has no place among the followers of Christ.
4. Perhaps the best model we have, next to Jesus Himself, is that of the apostle Paul.
a. As you know, Paul was a preeminent leader in the Jewish Hierarchy of Jesus’ day, but after
an encounter with the risen Christ, he became a servant of Jesus.
b. Almost without exception, Paul began every piece of correspondence with the words,
“Paul, a servant of God…” or “Paul, a bond-slave of Jesus Christ…”
c. Isn’t that amazing, this man who certainly could have expected preferential treatment or
could have demanded a “high-and-mighty” role of authority over others, referred to himself
most often as a “servant” of God.
I.
Jesus, Himself, is the only one who deserves the place of preeminence - He is the only one who
deserves to be served, and yet He became a servant.
1. In Philippians 2, Paul challenges us to have the attitude of Jesus Himself, Paul wrote: 5 Your
attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not
consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the
very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a
man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! 9 Therefore
God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at
the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and
every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:5-11)
a. Isn’t that amazing? For all eternity, God the Son had been reigning in heaven with God the
Father and God the Holy Spirit.
b. But Jesus was willing to become a servant, which required leaving His heavenly position,
coming to earth as a human, and suffering death by crucifixion.
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c.
J.
But after doing all that, He returned to His rightful place beside His Father, and He is
worthy to be served as Lord.
But even though Jesus was and is God for all eternity, let’s notice again how He thought and acted
while He was here in the earth.
1. One of the clearest pictures Jesus painted for us of what it means to be a servant is found in
John 13.
2. The apostle John sets the stage for this event, saying that it was just before the Passover Feast.
a. Jesus knew that His time on the earth was quickly coming to an end.
b. Jesus wanted to show His disciples the full extent of His love.
3. So all the disciples arrived at the upper room where preparations for the Passover Meal had
been made, but surprisingly, there was no servant there to greet them at the door with a basin
and towel to wash their tired, dirty feet as was the custom.
a. So, with dirty feet, they reclined at the table and began to enjoy the meal.
4. About halfway through the meal the Bible says: 4 So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer
clothing, took a towel, and tied it around himself. 5 Next, he poured water into a basin and
began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him (Jn. 13:4-5).
a. Jesus washed His disciples’ dirty feet, and His disciples must have been uncomfortable
with Jesus’ actions.
b. Peter initially strongly protested, but then relented after Jesus clarified things.
5. This is how the story ends: 12 When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing,
he reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13 You call me
Teacher and Lord—and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am. 14 So if I, your Lord
and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have
given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done for you. 16 “Truly I tell you,
a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent
him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them” (Jn. 13:12-17).
K. God wants us to follow the example of Jesus, right?
1. Disciples of Jesus are supposed to follow their Lord and become like their Lord.
2. And the great news is that we will be blessed when we follow Jesus and become like Jesus.
3. When we have the heart of a servant and the life of a servant, we will be blessed.
4. Albert Schwitzer, the German theologian, philosopher, physician and missionary to Africa
said, “I do not know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know, the only ones among you
who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.”
L.
Bob Russell said: “Great occasions for serving God come seldom. Little ones surround us daily.”
1. Jesus, our Lord and Savior, came to serve and to give.
2. Jesus was willing to serve in so many ways: healing the sick, teaching the lost, and even
washing dirty feet.
3. As His disciples, we must, like Him, be willing to serve and to give, and even wash dirty feet.
M. Dave Thomas, the late founder of Wendy’s Hamburgers, in his book Well Done, wrote: “I got my
M.B.A. long before my G.E.D. I even have a photograph of me in my M.B.A. graduation outfit; a
snazzy knee-length work apron. I guarantee you that I’m the only founder among America’s big
companies whose picture in the corporate annual report shows him wielding a mop and plastic
bucket. That wasn’t a gag; it was a case of leading by example. At Wendy’s, M.B.A. does not
mean Master of Business Administration. It means “Mop Bucket Attitude.” It’s how we define
satisfying the customer through cleanliness, quality food, friendly service, and atmosphere.” (Well
Done, Harper Collins, 1994, p. 159)
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1.
2.
3.
I believe the heart of a servant is a heart with an M.B.A. – a “mop bucket attitude.”
Having the heart of a servant of Jesus means that we are willing to serve in any way that is
needed, big or small, hard or easy, clean or dirty.
I consider it such a joy and a privilege when I get to serve – whether it is talking with someone
on the phone, giving someone a ride, fixing a leaky pipe or roof, or holding someone’s hand at
the hospital or funeral home – serving God by serving others is what the Christian life is all
about!
N. Allow me to end with this written piece:
I saw Jesus last week.
He was wearing blue jeans and an old shirt.
He was up at the church building; He was alone and working hard.
For just a minute, he looked a little like one of our members,
But it was Jesus, I could tell by his smile.
I saw Jesus last Sunday.
He was teaching a Bible class.
He didn’t talk real loud or use long words,
But you could tell he believed what he said.
For just a minute, he looked like my Sunday School teacher,
But it was Jesus, I could tell by his loving voice.
I saw Jesus yesterday.
He was at the hospital visiting a friend who was sick.
They prayed together quietly.
For just a minute, he looked like Brother Jones,
But it was Jesus, I could tell by the tears in his eyes.
I saw Jesus this morning.
He was in my kitchen making my breakfast and fixing me a special lunch.
For just a minute, he looked like my mom,
But it was Jesus, I could feel the love from his heart.
I see Jesus everywhere,
Taking food to the sick, welcoming others to his home,
Being friendly to a newcomer.
And for just a minute, I think he’s someone I know,
But it is always Jesus, I can tell by the way he serves.
May someone see Jesus in you today…
O. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ came to serve and to give.
1. And we look the most like Jesus when we serve and give.
2. I hope and pray that all of us will develop the heart of Jesus - the heart of a servant.
3. And I hope and pray that as we serve others on a daily basis, someone will see Jesus through us
P.
Jesus served all of us by dying on the cross for our sins, and being raised from the dead to give us
life.
1. We would love to help anyone who has not yet given their life to Jesus to receive the salvation
that Jesus offers – each person is born again when they believe, repent and are baptized into
Christ.
2. We would love to help all of us who have become followers of Jesus to become servants like
Jesus is a servant.
3. As servants, may all of us become channels of God’s blessings.
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Resources:
Serving Like Jesus, Sermon by David Owens, 2016.
Improving Your Serve, Charles Swindoll, Word, Inc., 1981, Chapter 1.
A Life that Matters, Sermon by C. Philip Green, SermonCentral.com
From Served to Serving, Sermon by Rik Wadge, SermonCentral.com
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I Am A Disciple Of Jesus Series
Sermon 13: “Disciples of Jesus are Engaged in Seeking the Lost”
Scripture Reading: Matthew 9:35-38
David Owens
1.24.21
Introduction:
A. The endeavor of evangelism is one that is so very close to the heart of God.
1. On one occasion, when Jesus was clarifying His purpose and mission, He said, “For the Son of
Man has come to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
2. As disciples of Jesus, who are committed to the mission of Jesus, it is so important for us to
prepare ourselves and apply ourselves in the ministry of seeking and saving the lost.
B. One day a five-year old boy ran to answer the telephone, and answering it said, “Hello.”
1. A woman asked him, “Is your mother home?”
2. “Yes,” the boy replied, “but she is changing the baby’s diaper and can’t come to the phone right
now. May I take a message?”
3. “Yes,” said the lady as she was impressed by the little boy, “tell her Mary Jones called.”
4. “How do you spell Mary?” the boy asked.
5. “M-A-R-Y,” came the woman’s reply.
6. A long pause followed, and the little boy asked, “How do you make an M?”
C. See, this little guy was very willing to share the message with his mother, but he simply wasn’t able.
1. Those of us who wish to reach unbelievers for Christ need to be both willing and able.
2. To be one without the other is not helpful.
a. We can be able to share our faith, but not willing to do so, and maybe that’s where some of
us have been.
b. Or we can be willing to share our faith, but are not be able to do so.
3. The last thing I want to see happen in our church family, is for us to be convicted by Jesus’
command to make disciples, and then not have a clue as to how to begin to do so.
4. So, I want to help us to be more prepared to share our faith by giving us some simple ways to
begin to share the good news with others.
5. I believe that if we will devote ourselves to developing just a few simple attitudes and actions,
we will be more able to be used by God in reaching the lost.
D. To help us develop these attitudes and actions, I want to use the Old Testament person of Nehemiah
as an example and an illustration.
1. You might be thinking: “What in the world does Nehemiah have to do with evangelism?”
2. But I trust that you see the connection as we proceed.
E. So, who was this man named Nehemiah?
1. He was a Jew, but he was far from his Jewish homeland, because he was a descendent of the
Jews who were taken into exile during the 70 years of God’s punishment of Israel.
2. Nehemiah was placed by God in an important position - he was cupbearer to the king of Persia.
3. But even though he is loyal to the king of Persia, deep in his heart he had a greater loyalty – he
was devoted to Jehovah God, and to God’s people the Jews.
4. Nehemiah was very concerned about his people and his homeland, so he asked his brother who
had just come from Judah how things were going back there, and the report was devastating.
5. Just as you would cry if you heard that your hometown lay in ruins, he sat down and wept.
F. Jerusalem, the once magnificent city, the capital of the nation of Israel, still laid in ruins.
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1. Early in the 6th century B.C., Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, had invaded Judah and left it
devastated.
2. Jerusalem was destroyed and Solomon’s temple was stripped of its sacred items and burned to
the ground.
3. In three separate deportations, thousands of Jews were taken to Babylon as prisoners.
G. For those taken in captivity, everything must have felt hopeless.
1. They were marched 500 miles east, far from their homeland and their dreams.
2. There in Babylon, they must have begun to question their God, fearing that He had forever
turned against them.
3. But then in their hopelessness, the prophets of God began to hear the voice of God and began to
fill the people with hope of restoration.
4. The Babylonian empire became unstable with the death of Nebuchadnezzar in 562 B.C.
5. By the year 539 B.C., Cyrus, King of Persia conquered Babylon.
H. One year later, King Cyrus of Persia issued the Edict of Restoration allowing the Jews to return to
their homeland and rebuild both Jerusalem and the temple.
1. After many delays, the temple was finally rebuilt and dedicated in 515 B.C., but despite the
predictions and prayers, the new age for the Jews did not materialize.
2. Jerusalem still lay in ruins and the Israelites were not up-holding the Law of God.
I. This brief history lesson brings us back to Nehemiah.
1. The year was 446 B.C. - It was almost 100 years since the Jews had been allowed to return and
rebuild, and yet the great city of God still laid in ruins.
2. For Nehemiah, this state of affairs brought only one reaction - grief.
3. Nehemiah 1:4 says: When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of
days, fasting and praying before the God of the heavens.
4. This brings me to our first point and first step in being prepared to seek the lost.
I. Not much will happen evangelistically until we begin to GRIEVE.
A. Let me ask you, “Is your heart filled with concern for the lost?”
1. Do you have a burden on your heart for the souls of people?
2. Are you conscious of the fact that people around you are not right with God and are in danger of
eternal condemnation?
B. When Dwight L. Moody was in London during one of his famous evangelistic tours, several British
ministers visited him.
1. They asked him how he could be so effective in reaching people when he was so poorly
educated.
2. Moody took the three men to the window of his hotel room and asked each in turn what they
saw when they looked out his window.
3. One by one, the men described the buildings, the park below, the people in the park.
4. Then they turned to Moody and asked, “What do you see?”
5. He replied with tears in his eyes, “I see countless thousands of souls that will one day spend
eternity in hell if they do not find the Savior.”
C. Obviously, D.L. Moody saw people differently than the average observer does.
1. And because he saw eternal souls where others saw only people strolling in the park, Moody
approached life with a different agenda.
2. Moody had a burden on his heart for lost people.
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3. Their plight grieved him, and caused him to approach them with a heart of concern and urgency.
4. Charles Swindoll has suggested that we should: “Rise and shine friend, for everyone you meet
today is on heaven’s most wanted list.”
D. Brother and sisters: the lost really are lost, but God wants them to be saved.
1. Of course, Satan would have us believe otherwise about both those facts.
2. Satan continues to whisper: to any who will listen…“people are okay…people are basically
good, and God will go easy on them…sin is not as serious as some think, God doesn’t expect
that much from people…there are many paths to God, one way is as good as another.”
3. The truth of the matter is that there is only one way to God.
4. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through
me.” (Jn 14:6).
5. Paul wrote, “God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to
you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from
heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and
do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction
and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power.” (2 Thess 4:6-9)
6. All people have many needs, but no need is greater than the need for salvation.
E. As disciples of Jesus, if we are going to be engaged in seeking the lost, it must begin with an ongoing consciousness of the lostness of the lost.
1. That mindset will prompt the next simple, but very important step.
II. Not much will happen evangelistically until we PRAY.
A. Nehemiah’s grief for the plight of his people drove him to his knees in prayer.
1. Nehemiah chapter one records his wonderful prayer.
2. He prayed with praise for God, he prayed with confession for his own sins and the sins of his
people, and he also prayed the promises of God.
3. Finally he prayed for the ability to do something to help his people.
B. What is convicting to me about Nehemiah’s prayers is the fact that he was persistent.
1. He prayed with fasting and mourning.
2. And he prayed with endurance.
3. Chapters 1 and 2 of Nehemiah are separated by four months.
4. Nehemiah kept after it in prayer, every day for 4 months.
C. His example is a good one for us with regard to evangelism.
1. The burden on our hearts for the lost should compel us to pray for their salvation and for our
part in introducing them to Jesus.
2. Andrew Murray, the noted author on prayer wrote, “The man who mobilizes the church to pray
will make the greatest contribution in history to world evangelization.”
3. Sidlow Baxter said, “Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments,
and despise our persons, but they are helpless against our prayers.”
4. Do we believe what God said through James: “The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful
in its effect”? (James 5:16)
5. There is a spiritual war going on for the hearts of people, and prayer is one of our greatest
weapons.
6. There is no telling how much good we can do in preparing lost people for salvation simply
through our prayers on their behalf.
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7. When we are faithful in prayer for the lost, both those we know, and those we do not know, it is
amazing how the doors of opportunity will finally open.
8. So, I would encourage all of us to make a list of people we hope God will influence through us
and begin to pray for them on a daily basis.
9. This leads to our last simple, but vital step.
III. Not much will happen evangelistically until we SPEAK.
A. When the door of opportunity opens, we must walk through it.
1. For Nehemiah, the opportunity came one day when he was doing his job before the king.
2. Nehemiah chapter 2 says: 1 During the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,
when wine was set before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in
his presence, 2 so the king said to me, “Why do you look so sad, when you aren’t sick? This is
nothing but sadness of heart.”
I was overwhelmed with fear 3 and replied to the king, “May the king live forever! Why
should I not be sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have
been destroyed by fire?”
4
Then the king asked me, “What is your request?”
So I prayed to the God of the heavens 5 and answered the king, “If it pleases the king, and
if your servant has found favor with you, send me to Judah and to the city where my ancestors
are buried, so that I may rebuild it.” (Neh. 2:1-5)
3. Now consider for a moment, would this situation have presented itself had Nehemiah not been
grieving and praying about Jerusalem? No.
4. But is it possible that Nehemiah could have dropped the ball at this critical moment? Indeed.
5. AS the king asked him what was wrong, fear could have gotten the best of him.
6. He could have clamed up and missed this great opportunity, but he didn’t.
7. Nehemiah shot off a quick prayer to heaven and proceeded to speak his request.
B. If we begin to have a heart for the lost, and if we begin to really pray for the lost, then we must begin
to be aware of the opportunities that God gives us and then take advantage of them.
1. Some of them may be very obvious like in the case of Nehemiah when the king asked him,
“What’s wrong?” and “What’s your request?”
2. Someone may ask us a very direct question about ourselves: “What makes you such a joyful
person?” Or “How do you stay positive and hopeful when you are suffering so greatly?”
a. Questions like those are golden opportunities to testify about the Lord.
b. Peter tells us to “Be prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks you to give the reason
for the hope you have.” (1 Peter 3:15)
3. Unfortunately, the majority of the open doors that we will come across will be far less obvious.
a. The door maybe a hidden one or may be open just a crack.
4. Many times, we will have to look for ways to turn conversations toward the spiritual.
5. We will have to look for opportunities when we can minister to others.
6. And we will have to create environments where relationships can develop and matters can be
discussed by inviting someone to lunch, or into our homes for dinner, or to an event or activity.
C. But regardless of what the opportunity is or how widely the door is open, at some point, we are
going to have to speak.
1. We will have to utter the words that contain a spiritual message.
2. It may be an answer to a question. It may be to make an observation. It may be to ask a
question, or give an invitation, but whatever it is it will be something we speak.
3. And I know that saying the words that need to be said can be very scary, but that is where we
must trust the Lord.
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4. Nehemiah was very much afraid, but he spoke up anyhow, and so must we.
D. There are two simple things that I would like to encourage us to be ready to say to people.
1. They are both simple questions, but they can make all the difference in the world.
E. The 1st question we can be ready to ask is: “Would you like to come with me to visit my church?”
1. Someone has called this the “come and see” method.
2. The New Testament shows 40 people, each suffering from disease who were helped by Jesus.
a. Of this number, 34 were either brought to Jesus by friends, or he was taken to them.
b. In only 6 cases did people find their way to Jesus without assistance.
3. John the Baptizer pointed Andrew to Jesus, and then Andrew invited Peter to “come and see.”
4. After Matthew was converted, he invited many of his friends to come and see Jesus (Lk 5:29).
5. The woman at the well who came to faith ran to town and told everyone, “Come and see a man
who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” (Jn 4:29)
6. Those people came and saw and many of them believed.
7. If we can just get people here to see God’s Son and God’s family, then many will believe.
F.
A 2nd question we can be ready to ask is: “Would you like to read and study the Bible with me?”
1. There are many ways to approach the task of sharing the Gospel and all of them work to some
degree.
a. I have developed and made available a study called the “Seeking God” study that I think is
easy to use, but there are many other very good studies a person can use.
2. But there is an even more simple or basic method that I would like to suggest – we can just read
the Bible together with someone.
a. We can simply start with one of the Gospels - I would suggest that you try using either the
Gospel of Mark or the Gospel of John.
b. Simply read through a gospel, an hour or a chapter at time, asking the questions: “What is
Jesus Like? What do we learn about Jesus? Why should a person believe in Jesus?”
3. I believe that if people will read the Bible, then they will see what Jesus is like, and many of
them will like Him, and come to love Him and believe in Him.
4. The beauty of this method is that we don’t have to memorize anything, nor do we have to jump
around from passage to passage.
a. Instead, we will be showing them, connectedly, in their own Bible, what Jesus is like.
b. I believe that if we will put people in touch with Jesus, He will do the rest.
5. The Bible says: So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the
message about Christ. (Romans 10:17)
6. John wrote these words at the end of his gospel: 30 Jesus performed many other signs in the
presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you
may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life
in his name. (Jn. 20:30-31)
Conclusion:
A. So, what have we learned today?
1. Hopefully we have realized that although reaching the lost may not be easy, it does not have to
be complex.
2. We can start with this very simple plan: Grieve, pray, and speak.
3. Let’s develop a burden for the lostness of people, let’s begin praying for lost people, and then
let’s be ready to speak when God gives us opportunity.
4. When we speak we can invite people to visit our church and/or begin studying the Bible with us.
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B. On one occasion Jesus said to the disciples, “Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe
for harvest.” (Jn 4:35) There are many lost people around us!
1. On another occasion he said to, “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest
field.” (Mt. 9:38) Pray that God send more workers into the field, including us!
2. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost, and because disciples of Jesus are to follow Him and be
like him, therefore, as His disciples we must also be engaged in seeking the lost.
C. If you are lost and in need of God’s salvation, we would love to help you become a Christian, a
follower of Jesus.
D. If you are a Christian, then I hope you will want to tell others about your Savior.
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I Am A Disciple Of Jesus Series
Sermon 14: “Disciples of Jesus Employ the Strategy of Multiplication”
Scripture Reading: Matthew 28:19-20
David Owens
1.31.21
A. Today, I want to talk about the strategy of multiplication.
1. Let’s start with a riddle and a joke.
2. What do you call a hen that can add, subtract, and multiply? A math-a-ma-chicken.
3. In the days of Noah, when the animals left the ark, Noah told them to go forth and multiply.
a. After some time, Noah came upon two snakes who were just lying there sunning
themselves, so Noah asked them, “Why aren’t you multiplying?”
b. The snakes replied, “We can’t, we’re adders.”
B. As disciples of Jesus, we need to employ the strategy of multiplication.
1. Obviously, the goal for disciples of Jesus should never be subtraction or division.
2. But even though addition is better than subtraction or division, the strategy God has in mind for
His kingdom is multiplication.
3. There are at least two biblical passages that communicate the strategy of multiplication.
C. The first is our scripture reading for today – Matthew 28:19-20.
1. Jesus said: “19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have
commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
2. This is the command of discipleship – to go and make disciples of people from all nations.
3. From these verses, we learn that making disciples includes two things:
a. First, the initial baptizing of those who believe and want to follow Jesus.
b. Second, the continuing teaching of those disciples how to observe and obey everything
Jesus commands.
4. It is in the second part of making disciples that the multiplication process takes place.
5. The baptizing of converts only adds people to the church, but the teaching them to obey
everything leads to multiplication.
6. When the convert learns and grows and becomes the one doing the discipling and teaching,
then multiplication takes place.
7. The strategy for multiplication embedded in the great commission is: to make disciples, who
make disciples, who make disciples, and so on, until Christ returns.
D. The second passage that communicates the strategy of multiplication is 2 Timothy 2:2.
1. Paul wrote: What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to
faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
2. This passage speaks of four generations of disciples and disciple making: First there’s Paul,
then his disciple, Timothy; then “faithful men” whom Timothy will teach; and finally, those
“others” who will be taught about Jesus and His ways by the faithful men.
3. This is a beautiful picture about the way multiplication works.
E. Let’s consider the math of discipleship multiplication for just a minute.
1. Let’s imagine if you or I were able to bring 12 people to Christ each year (1 per month) for 10
years, but we didn’t help them to grow in their discipleship to the point of being a disciple
maker, then the result after 10 years would be 121 disciples – me or you, and the 120 new
disciples.
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2.
But if you or I not only brought one person to Christ each year, but then we helped them grow
in their discipleship to the point that they were being disciple makers, then the result would be
much different.
3.
Look at the chart:
Year
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Year 10
Year 20
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
F.
Converts Made
1 + 12 = 13
13 + 12 = 25
25 + 12 = 37
37 + 12 = 49
49 + 12 = 61
61 + 12 = 73
109 + 12 = 121
229 + 12 = 241
Disciples Made
1+1=2
2+2=4
4+4=8
8 + 8 = 16
16 + 16 = 32
32 + 32 = 64
512 + 512 = 1,024
524,288 + 524,288 = 1,048,576
Notice that it takes six years for the strategy of multiplication to catch up with the strategy of
addition because multiplication is a slower process initially.
But at the 10 year point, the multiplication strategy is ten times ahead of the other strategy.
And at the 20 year point, the multiplication strategy is about 5000 times ahead of addition.
This is just an example of what could happen and how it could happen – it assumes the
retention of every convert, and the regular multiplication of every disciple.
Neither of those things are likely to happen, and yet we can see what God can do through
multiplication and it is amazing.
The key is to make disciples who are able to make disciples, and not just to make converts.
1. A true disciple of Jesus wants to become just like Jesus in character and in mission.
2. Therefore, a true disciple of Jesus wants to become a disciple who makes disciples who makes
disciples.
3. This process may very well take more than the one year I used in the example for simplicity
sake.
4. You will recall that in an earlier lesson, I talked about the stages of discipleship: spiritually
dead, spiritual infant, spiritual child, spiritual young adult, and then spiritual parent.
5. Those stages take time, and we must not allow ourselves or others to get stuck in any stage.
6. But the wonderful thing about becoming a disciple maker, is we can be part of the disciple
making mission even before we reach spiritual maturity.
7. A new convert can begin to share the Gospel with others immediately – they don’t have to wait
until they are more mature – they can share what they know at any stage.
8. And when someone they have helped becomes a Christian, then they can be a part of helping
that spiritual infant begin to grow in Christ.
G. So how do we help new disciples grow up and become disciple makers?
1. Let’s look at some of Paul’s methods that he talks about in his letters to his mentees and to the
churches he planted.
2. After Paul established the church in Thessalonica, he wrote them two letters and reminded
them about his ministry among them.
3. In the first letter, he wrote: We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you
not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. (1
Thess. 2:8)
a. I love this! We have to be willing to share not only the Gospel, but our lives as well.
b. Truly effective discipleship is the sharing of lives – love, trust, time, wisdom, guidance.
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c.
4.
5.
6.
The church must truly be a family, and relationships have to be real and committed, and
intertwined – and all this takes time and effort.
A few verse later, Paul wrote: As you know, like a father with his own children, we
encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to walk worthy of God, who calls you
into his own kingdom and glory. (1 Thess. 2:11-12)
a. Like the spiritual parent that Paul was, he encouraged, comforted, and urged these new
Christians to walk a worthy life in the Lord.
b. Paul needed to help them understand what that worthy life consisted of, and had to teach
them how to walk that way with the assistance of the Holy Spirit.
In the rest of his letter to them, Paul spells out how to live and minister as disciples of Jesus.
In chapter 5, Paul included these commands: 14 And we exhort you, brothers and sisters: warn
those who are idle, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 See to
it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and
for all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will
for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Don’t stifle the Spirit. 20 Don’t despise prophecies, 21 but test all
things. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil. (1 Thess. 5:14-22)
a. There’s certainly a lot in those verses, and I won’t address everything, but I like verse 14
where there is the acknowledgement that not everyone needs the same thing and isn’t in
the same situation – each person must be ministered to according to their needs.
b. But on the other hand, we all have the same targets to be shooting at: to be good to each
other, to rejoice always, to pray constantly, to give thanks, to not quench the Spirit, and to
stay away from evil.
c. We can see from this short list that there are a lot of aspects of following Jesus that need to
be passed on to disciples as they grow toward maturity.
H. Let’s turn our attention back to Paul’s training of Timothy.
1. In 2 Timothy 3, Paul reminded Timothy about the ways he equipped Timothy to be a disciple
maker.
2. Paul wrote: 10 But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and
endurance, 11 along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium,
and Lystra. What persecutions I endured—and yet the Lord rescued me from them all. 12 In
fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 Evil people and
impostors will become worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what
you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you…(2 Tim. 3:10-14).
3. Here we see Paul reminding Timothy about all of the things Timothy experienced with Paul,
both the things he learned in formal times of instruction and the things he learned in the
informal times of Paul’s modeling the life of a disciple.
4. Paul even modeled for Timothy how to endure suffering for Christ, and how to recognize and
stand against those who are evil and deceptive.
5. Paul taught Timothy to never be swayed or stopped, but to always continue in the things he
learned from Paul and had come to firmly believe.
6. These things that were true for Timothy must also be true for all of us who are disciples of
Jesus, as we strive to follow Christ and help others do the same.
I.
In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he reminded Timothy of another important discipleship principle.
1. Paul wrote: Pay close attention to your life and your teaching; persevere in these things, for in
doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Tim. 4:16)
2. Paul had put this into practice in his own life, he had paid close attention to his own life and
doctrine, and here reminded Timothy to do the same.
3. A disciple’s teaching and doctrine are critically important, but so is a disciple’s personal life.
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4.
5.
6.
7.
J.
In an earlier lesson in this series, we talked about the spheres of discipleship, and how
important it is to bring the Lordship of Jesus into all the spheres of our lives.
Being a disciple of Jesus isn’t just about what happens on Sunday in worship, it is about our
whole lives (24/7) and all our relationships in the church, in the home, in the workplace, the
neighborhood and at school.
If the discipler isn’t careful about their own life and doctrine, then those whom they are
discipling won’t know how to be careful about their own lives and doctrine.
Paul was concerned how he lived in front of Timothy and how he modeled faith and leadership,
in order to make sure that Timothy would be able to do the same, and to pass on the same to the
next generation.
In our sermon last week, we focused on a disciples need to be engaged in seeking the lost.
1. The first part of the great commission is to go and share the Gospel and help people come to
know Christ and become His followers.
2. We must not drop the ball on this part of the commission, and so I encouraged us to begin by
grieving for the lost, praying for the lost, and to prepare to speak to the lost when we have
opportunity.
3. And two simple things we can be ready to say are: (1) would you like to come with me to visit
my church? and (2) would you like to read and study the Bible with me?
4. Doing those two things will hopefully lead people to becoming new Christians.
5. But as I have tried to show today, that is just the beginning of the process of making disciples.
6. The new Christian, the spiritual infant, needs to be grounded in the faith and must be helped to
grow up in their salvation, so they can become a disciple maker, and become a spiritual parent.
K. One of the most important things any of us can do for a new Christian is to be a mentor for them.
1. There are times when we as a congregation will offer a new Christians class, or a Bible basics
class, and this is good, and newer, younger Christians can benefit from those classes.
2. But what each new Christian needs immediately is an older brother or sister in Christ to be their
mentor – their guide and their helper.
3. The older brother or sister in Christ should walk the new Christian through a follow-up Bible
study.
4. We have developed and make available a follow-up study called “New Beginnings Study.”
a. The study guides the new Christian through the basics of salvation and the Christian life.
b. It helps them establish the practices of prayer and Bible reading.
c. It helps them learn about their place in the church family and how to be led by God and
how to overcome temptation.
d. The study also covers other important aspects of discipleship; like worship, money, family,
forgiveness, and being led by the Holy Spirit.
5. The study we developed isn’t perfect nor is it comprehensive, but it is a place to start, and is
easy to use.
6. There are many other good books and studies that can be used for this purpose.
7. I recently ordered a newly revised and expanded version of a book called Discipleship
Essentials it has 25 studies for newer Christians, and it could be used for small groups as well
as one on one follow-up.
8. The key really isn’t the outline or the study, but the fact that the new Christian is being helped
to explore God’s Word and develop and grow in Christ.
9. Just like a physical new born baby should not be left alone to make their way in the world, so
too a spiritual new born baby needs someone to guide and help them in their journey in Christ.
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L. The multiplication of the kingdom will take place when older Christians are helping new Christians
to grow to a place where they are also helping people become Christians who then grow up in
Christ.
1. The goal is for all Christians to become disciples, who make disciples, who make disciples, and
so on until Jesus returns.
M. So how can each of us who are disciples of Jesus be a part of the strategy of multiplication?
1. It starts with us making an honest, personal evaluation of where we are right now.
a. How long have each of us been a Christian, and how mature are we in Christ?
b. How prepared are we to share our faith and lead people to Christ?
c. How prepared are we to come alongside a new Christian and help them grow?
d. What do we need to do to be a stronger, more mature Christian ready to help make and
mature disciples of Jesus?
e. Those are important questions for each of us to be asking ourselves.
2. Perhaps we need to ask God to lead us to the three types of people that we need in our lives:
a. A Paul to mentor us.
b. A Timothy for us to mentor.
c. An Ethiopian eunuch for us to lead to Christ.
3. How wonderful if each of us had these two goals:
a. Each one reach one.
b. Each one mentor one.
c. These could be yearly goals for could be the goal for as long as it takes.
4. Growing as a disciple and as a disciple maker is going to take effort, and part of making the
effort involves looking to and yielding to the power and the work of the Holy Spirit in us.
5. I hope that all of us will grow up in our salvation and will become effective evangelists and
disciple makers so that God’s kingdom will multiply.
N. Please reach out to us if you are interested in learning more about Jesus and about becoming a
follower of Jesus.
1. Or please reach out to us if you would like some mentoring to grow up in your salvation.
Resources:
The Disciple Maker’s Handbook, Bobby Harrington & Josh Patrick, Zondervan, 2017.
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I Am A Disciple Of Jesus Series
Sermon 15: “Disciples of Jesus Will Receive Their Reward”
Scripture Reading: Revelation 22:12-13
David Owens
2.7.21
A. The comic strip characters Calvin & Hobbes have been many people’s favorites over the years.
1. Calvin is the hyper-active little boy with a wild and vivid imagination, and his companion is
Hobbes, a tiger.
2. One of their cartoons shows Calvin & Hobbes lying in the shade of a tree on a summer
afternoon discussing the important things of life.
3. Calvin says, “What if there is no heaven? What if this is all we get?”
4. Hobbes answers, “Well, if this is all we get I guess we’ll just have to accept it.”
5. But Calvin replies, “Yeah, but if I’m not going to be rewarded for my good deeds, I want to
know it now.”
B. It’s only fair, isn’t it, for all of us know that?
1. Don’t we have a right to know that how we live in this life has a bearing on what happens in
the next life?
2. Don’t we have a right to know that if we believe in God and try to faithfully serve as disciples
of Jesus, that will we be rewarded?
C. I like the story told about the preacher who died and went to heaven. (Ray Heit, in Reader’s Digest)
1. There in heaven, he noticed that a New York cabdriver had been given a higher position and
better place in heaven than he had.
2. “I don’t understand,” he complained to St. Peter. “I devoted my entire life to serving the Lord
and His people so why did I get so little reward compared with the taxi driver?”
3. Peter explained, “Our policy is to reward results. As you know, when you preached, people
slept. But when people rode in this man’s taxi, they not only stayed awake, they prayed.”
D. In another story, a wealthy woman dreamed she visited heaven and saw a mansion being built.
1. The wealthy woman asked, “Who is that mansion for?” The answer came, “For your gardener.”
2. The woman replied, “But my gardener lives in the tiny cottage on my estate. He’s a good man,
but he would have more if he didn’t give it all away to his friends in need.”
3. As she continued her visit in heaven she noticed a tiny cottage being built.
4. “Who is that tiny cottage for?” she asked. The answer came, “It is for you.”
5. The wealthy woman replied, “But I have lived in a mansion all my life. I wouldn’t know how
to live in a tiny cottage.”
6. The answer came, “The Master Builder is doing the best he can with the material He is
receiving from you.”
7. The wealthy woman awoke abruptly from her dream and resolved to lay up for herself treasures
in heaven, rather than treasures on earth.
E. Christian author, Ken Boa wrote: “If any of us would be transported to heaven for even a five
minute visit, we would never be the same after our return to earth. For the first time, we would
have a true perspective on the frailty and brevity of life on earth and the absurdity of giving our
hearts to things that will not last.”
1. Another Christian author, John White wrote: “It is want of faith that makes us opt for earthly,
rather than heavenly treasure. If we really believed in celestial treasures, who among us would
be so stupid as to buy gold? We just do not believe. Heaven is a dream, a religious fantasy
which we affirm because we are orthodox. If people believed in heaven, they would spend
their time preparing for permanent residence there. But nobody does.”
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2.
3.
4.
F.
I’m not sure I would go so far as John White, saying that nobody is preparing for their
permanent residence in heaven, but I would agree that we likely don’t give it enough attention
or value it as much as we should.
And I agree with Ken Boa, that a five minute visit to heaven would do us a world of good.
It would bring clarity and strengthen our commitment to live for Jesus with an eye on eternity.
I hope you have found our series on discipleship to be inspiring and challenging.
1. As we bring our series on discipleship to a close today, I want to emphasize a very important
truth: faithful disciples of Jesus will receive their reward.
2. This is a very important promise from God and it is God’s will and God’s plan for us to be
motivated to remain faithful because of God’s promised rewards.
G. Many of us are familiar with the incident that happened one day between Jesus and a young man
who has been referred to as the rich young ruler in Matthew 19.
1. The young man came to Jesus because he was interested in eternal life and wanted to know
what he had to do to be saved.
2. Jesus told him that he needed to keep God’s commandments if he wanted to enter into life.
3. After asking Jesus which commandments, and hearing Jesus rattle off the 10 Commandments,
the young man said, “I have kept all these. What do I still lack?” (Mt. 19:20)
4. Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your belongings and give to the poor, and
you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Mt. 19:21)
5. The Bible says: When the young man heard that, he went away grieving, because he had many
possessions. (Mt. 19:22)
H. My friend and fellow preacher, Tommy South, insightfully says: “The story of the man we call the
rich young ruler isn’t just about the rich young ruler. It’s also about the poor disciples of Jesus.”
1. As you know, the apostles of Jesus had become poor materially, because they had done the
opposite of what the rich young man had done.
2. The apostles of Jesus had heeded the call to follow Jesus and they had left behind everything
that they had.
3. After the apostles saw the rich young man turn away from Jesus, and turn away from Jesus’
invitation to follow Him, they heard Jesus utter these startling words: “Truly I tell you, it will
be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a
camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
(Mt. 19:23-24)
I.
This prompted Peter to ask a very important and personal question: “See, we have left everything
and followed you. So what will there be for us?” (Mt. 19:27)
1. Now, this may seem like a very selfish and inappropriate question – “What’s in it for us?” - But
let’s not judge Peter too harshly.
2. Keep in mind that Peter was asking the question after the fact, right?
a. They had already become disciples of Jesus – they had already left everything to follow
Him, even before they understood all that it would cost them to follow Jesus.
3. Also, keep in mind Peter’s question was asked after seeing the rich young man refuse to leave
everything to follow Jesus, so it seems reasonable to ask what they can expect to receive since
they actually did the thing the rich young man wouldn’t do.
4. And so, how did Jesus answer Peter’s question?
a. Did Jesus rebuke Peter for asking such a question? “How dare you…!” Absolutely not!
b. Jesus said: “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his
glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the
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5.
6.
J.
twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or
mother or children or fields because of my name will receive a hundred times more and
will inherit eternal life.” (Mt. 19:28-29)
Peter wanted to know what would be their reward for their faithful service to Jesus – what will
we get?
a. Jesus answered, “You will get plenty. You will receive places of honor and authority in
heaven and a hundred fold more than anything you left (in other words – no comparison).
But note that this promise isn’t just for the apostles, rather in verse 29, Jesus says that this
promise is for “everyone” – all who chose to faithfully follow Jesus.
Whenever we discuss the subject of heavenly rewards, it is so important that we keep in mind that
we are saved by grace and not by works.
1. Paul makes that so clear in his letters, especially in Ephesians 2.
a. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us
alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! (vs. 4-5)
b. 8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift 9
not from works, so that no one can boast. (vs. 8-9)
2. Paul expresses this same truth so beautifully in Titus 3.
a. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, 5 he saved
us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through
the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6 He poured out his Spirit on
us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior 7 so that, having been justified by his grace,
we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life. (vs. 4-7)
3. So there is no doubt about what saves us – we are saved because of God’s mercy and grace
poured out through Jesus Christ – we are not saved by our works of righteousness.
K. So with that understanding firmly established – that no one is saved by their good works – we need
to understand that the Bible also communicates that those who are saved by grace through Jesus
will also be rewarded by their deeds.
1. We could look at many verses this morning to establish this truth, but let me share just a few.
2. Jesus said, “Look, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me to repay each person according
to his work.” (Rev. 22:12)
3. Jesus said, “You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind
of evil against you because of me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in
heaven.” (Mt. 5:11-12)
4. Jesus said, “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them.
Otherwise, you have no reward with your Father in heaven.” (Mt. 6:1)
a. Then Jesus spoke specifically about the good works of giving, praying and fasting, saying
that we should do these things in secret because, “And your Father who sees in secret will
reward you.” (6:4, 6, 18)
5. Jesus said, “And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he
is a disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.” (Mt. 10:42)
6. Jesus said, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and
follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of
me will find it….For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father,
and then he will reward each according to what he has done.” (Mt. 16:24-25, 27)
7. Jesus said, “But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return.
Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High.” (Lk. 6:35)
8. So we see that Jesus had a lot to say about being rewarded, but so did other Biblical writers.
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9.
Paul wrote: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be
repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. (2 Cor. 5:10)
10. John wrote: Watch yourselves so that you don’t lose what we have worked for, but that you
may receive a full reward. (2 John 1:8)
L. And so from these verses and so many more, we can see that the concept of receiving a reward for
being a disciple of Jesus is a thoroughly biblical one, and it is not something we should back away
from, but something we should be encouraged and inspired by.
1. God doesn’t just give us permission to get excited about future rewards, rather God delights in
our wanting them.
2. In fact the Bible says that anyone who seeks after God must not only believe that God exists,
but that God rewards those who earnestly seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)
3. Paul says that he ran the discipleship race with his eyes on the heavenly prize. (Phil. 3:13-14)
a. Paul encouraged the Corinthians to “run in such a way to win the prize.” (1 Cor. 9:24)
b. Paul explained to Timothy: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have
kept the faith. There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have
loved his appearing. (2 Tim. 4:7-8)
c. To wealthy Christians, Paul wrote: Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be
arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides
us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to
be generous and willing to share, storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation
for the coming age, so that they may take hold of what is truly life. (1 Tim. 6:17-19)
4. So it is thoroughly biblical to keep our eyes on the heavenly prize, and run in such a way as to
win the prize, and to store up treasures in heaven as a good foundation for the coming age.
5. C. S. Lewis once wrote that Christians sometimes shy away from talking about our future
reward so people won’t accuse us of having a “pie-in-the-sky” religion.
a. But Lewis goes on to say: “that’s only valid if there’s no pie!”
b. But Jesus says there’s “pie” and so does Paul and many of the other writers of the Bible.
c. We can expect heavenly rewards, prizes and crowns.
M. Honestly, I don’t know how all this reward stuff is going to work in heaven.
1. I don’t know what difference there will be between those whose reward is great or those whose
reward is small.
2. I don’t know what difference there will be for those who have stored up for themselves many
treasures in heaven and for those who have only stored up a few treasures in heaven.
3. The Bible speaks of different kinds of crowns that a person might receive.
a. There’s the crown of life for those who remained faithful through trials, persecution or
martyrdom. (James 1:12; Rev. 2:10)
b. There’s the imperishable crown given for determination, discipline and victory in the
Christian life. (1 Cor. 9:25)
c. There’s the crown of glory given for faithfully representing Christ in a position of spiritual
leadership. (1 Peter 5:4)
d. There’s the crown of righteousness given for the faithful fighting and finishing the
Christian life. (2 Tim. 4:6-8)
e. There’s the crown of rejoicing given for pouring oneself into others in evangelism and
discipleship. (1 Thess. 2:19; Phil. 4:1)
4. I don’t know exactly what we will do with these crowns that we will receive – I doubt that we
will be flaunting them around in heaven saying, “Nana nana boo boo, I got more crowns than
you do!”
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a.
b.
In Revelation 4 we are given a picture of the 24 elders who bow down and cast their
crowns before the one who sits on the thrown.
So maybe that’s what we will do with our crowns – use them to bring glory to Jesus.
N. The Bible gives us a few glimpses into the wonder and beauty of heaven.
1. It will be a perfect place – without suffering or pain.
2. It will be a bright place – without any darkness.
3. But the most important thing about heaven is that it is a place where we will be with God.
a. In heaven we will be with God and will dwell with God in a way unlike what we have
experienced in our earthly existence.
b. Revelation 21 includes these words: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first
heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy
city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride
adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling
is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself
will be with them and will be their God. (Rev. 21:1-3)
c. Don’t you long to be in that place with God so very near?
d. The apostle Paul expressed that longing to be there in his letter to the Philippians: For me,
to live is Christ and to die is gain. Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful work
for me; and I don’t know which one I should choose. I am torn between the two. I long to
depart and be with Christ—which is far better—but to remain in the flesh is more
necessary for your sake. (Phil. 1:21-24)
O. I hope that every one of us is looking forward to that day when we will receive our heavenly
reward.
1. I hope the promise of God’s rewards will motivate us to remain faithful to our calling as
disciples of Jesus.
2. How wonderful it is for us to know why we are here and where we are going!
3. How wonderful to have a purpose for living that will lead to the ultimate heavenly rewards!
4. If each of us will remain faithful to our Lord, we will hear the Lord say: “Well done, good and
faithful servant, come and share your Master’s joy.” (Mt. 25:23)
P. I like the story told about the old missionary couple who had been on the mission field for many
years.
1. The time came for them to retire and return to the United States.
2. It just so happened that their airplane arrived at the same airport and at the same time as the
airplane carrying the President of the United States on a good-will tour of the country.
3. As they were departing their airplane they could see the President out on the tarmac addressing
a large crowd of cheering supporters.
4. The old missionary made a comment to his wife about how sad that the President is welcomed
by a crowd, but that there was no crowd to welcome home a faithful missionary couple.
5. His wife quickly and sincerely replied, “But dear, we are not really home yet.”
Q. As disciples of Jesus, we should not expect our applause or reward on this side of heaven.
1. But when it is our time to “go home”, as faithful disciples of Jesus we can look forward to
God’s promised rewards.
2. But until then, we must concentrate on living as faithful disciples of Jesus.
3. And for those who have yet made a commitment to Christ, we would urge you to be reconciled
to God by professing your faith in Jesus and being buried in baptism so that you will receive
the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
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4.
As a brand new Christian, saved by grace, you can begin your life as a faithful disciple of Jesus
that will lead to heavenly rewards.
Resources:
The Disciple’s Reward, Sermon by Tommy South.
Heaven and Rewards, Sermon by Charles Wall, Jr. on SermonCentral.com
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