Jesus Calls His First Disciples: Part 1

I'd like to speak to you about Jesus calls his first disciples

Jesus calls his first disciples This is a Very heavy message the matter of fact there's going to be some

Very very strong verses.

I'm going to be referring to and I Want to let each and every one of you know?

If You think there's a finger pointed you there's four more pointed here I'm broken.

I broke this up and in two parts the reason why when we start talking about discipleship

There is much much to cover and this is timely. I really do believe Just as brother

Ben is reading through the book of Joshua. That is God's providence That's God's time time for us as redeeming grace

Church Here we are talking about discipleship

Jesus calls his first disciples and they were literally the The disciples of John the

Baptist we're going to look into this I'm going to cover a part of it and then

Lord willing we're going to cover the rest of it Next Lord's Day, so please turn with me to the gospel of John as we continue our journey

Through this wonderful fourth gospel beginning with verse 35 we will read to verse 42

Verse 35 to verse 42 Hear the word of the

Living God I'll be reading from the New King James Version again the next day

John stood with two of his disciples and Looking at Jesus as he walked he said behold the

Lamb of God The two disciples heard him speak and they followed

Jesus Then Jesus turned and seeing them following said to them

What do you seek? They said to him rabbi, which is to say when translated teacher

Where are you staying? He said to them come and see

And they came and saw where he was staying and remained with him that day now it was about the 10th hour and one of the two heard

John speak and followed him Was Andrew Simon Peter's brother?

He 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 Now when

Jesus looked at him, he said you're Simon the son of Jonah You shall be called

Cephas which is translated a stone Please bow with me in in praying and as we pray and seek the

Lord's face as we hear his word What God has to say to each and every one of us our

Father and our gracious Lord My prayer is that you would help us

Help us Lord for you are our help and our refuge in the time of trouble But you're our help and refuge anytime

Help us in our utter weakness Lord because I'm weak Depended upon you and your your

Holy Spirit to help me to deliver this message to your people Lord, I pray that you come and grant us grace

Help us in our time of need By your blessed Holy Spirit Who is the true teacher the

Spirit of truth? Help us Lord, I pray To perceive to understand

Just not with our heads Lord, but with our heart with our hearts and Lord we need your

Holy Spirit that we would understand this Holy Word you have given us

And what it truly means to follow Jesus to follow

Jesus To be his disciple to the very end of our journey until you call us home

We ask this for your honor and glory in Jesus name. Amen here before us we we have

Now come to the third day the third day in sequence to the text

Now as we looked at the first day of sequence of John's testimony concerning who Jesus is verse 19 to verse 28

John is basically saying he's in your midst. He's here The second day and Each of these days he is speaking to a different group of people.

We'll see that The second day verse 29 to the verse 34. He says behold the

Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world John the Baptist speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ and he bears public witness of who

Jesus is Who is he he speaks of his person and his work in that text behold the

Lamb of God He's the Lamb of God who takes away the sin in the world. He basically he covered it in one sentence

That was the purpose why John the Baptist existed. That was his call To say that one sentence to shout that one sentence

So he speaks of his person and his work all in that one sentence Verse 35 again the next day.

This is the third day a third group of people the group of people is John's disciples

John's disciples John the Baptist's disciples and He draws full attention to Jesus Christ now think of that he's drawn full attention to Christ And that's why he says once again

Behold the Lamb of God as Jesus is walking by He speaks of full attention to his person

And I like to think of it this way his his message was really short. It wasn't lengthy it was concise

It was short. It was simple and The message was all about the

Savior Jesus Christ. No, he wasn't about himself. It was all about Jesus Puritan William Grinnell, I know brother

Ben loves Grinnell great Puritan Said this about true discipleship and what it means to follow

Jesus Fasten your seatbelts folks These Puritans has got something to say and it's all biblical

It's based upon the scripture This is where Grinnell says quote. Why should you fear to be stripped of?

Of which you have resigned already to Christ, why should you fear?

It is the first lesson you learn. That's what the disciple is, right the first lesson you learn as a

Christian to deny yourself Take up your cross and follow your master so that the enemy comes too late

You have no life to lose because you've already given it already to Christ Nor can man take away that would without God's leave permission, basically

All you have is insured It's insured and though God has not promised you immunity from suffering

It's the opposite of what's preached today in it God has not promised you immunity from suffering in this kind Yet he has undertaken to bear the loss

Indeed to pay you a hundredfold What an encouragement a hundredfold and you will not stay for it till another world

He goes on to say Jesus Christ is but little known of those who consider themselves his friends

But we see them seeking him Their own comfort

And not his bitter sorrows in quote It almost sounds foreign to us because a lot what's preached today is opposite of that But what that what that great

Puritan is I should say not really great. He's preaching of a great Savior, but a weak Puritan He's preaching something that is biblical

We don't understand the fellowship of Christ to sufferers Therefore we don't have the power of the resurrection, but we can we can

Let me say this on a personal note here and comment of what William Grinnell has much mentioned

Sadly and tragically what has been adopted in most of the circles of evangelical churches today, especially today by the nominal name only quote -unquote

Christians Is this it says being a Christian is about being good

Moral doing what is right going to church Even reading the

Bible is Enough and that being a

Christian means that God will bless you God will give you long life health wealth and prosperity your best life now, basically

And that you shouldn't have to suffer God owes you something It's sad to say that I've spoken to an elderly man that he's got tremendous work ethics

I don't even think he darkens the door of a church But he really thinks God owes him He even tells me

That this is on my milk route. He even tells me that I'm praying that God gives me 125 years

I'm claiming it I'm claiming 125 years. I said, do you know what the Bible says about that read

Psalm 90? If you lived 70 or 80 years God's blessed you

I Said that's the Word of God and then he turned around and responded to listen to the obstinance

He said but I'm claiming Psalm 91. I just See you later

He's not going to listen It's it's sad folks

But the sad part about all this is that what I just listed briefly briefly There's much much more

I could speak about on that as many people do not know what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ What does the

Bible say What does the Bible say about being a disciple and we're going to hit on the application.

We're going to see that But what does it mean to follow Jesus actually John MacArthur's classic book?

That he wrote back in the late 80s was actually about what it means to follow

Jesus the gospel according to Jesus and He dealt with repentance the Lordship of Christ submission to his

Lordship Justification by faith was later on added Because he got a lot of heat about that, but I'm telling you folks when that book was released.

It was hot Because he even knew that it attacked Dallas Theological Seminary the evangelical conservatives but what what they stress in most

Southern Baptist circles and in other churches as well is just Jesus as Savior, but they leave out his

Lordship But if you read the scriptures very closely and carefully you cannot have

Christ as Savior Unless you have him as Lord you in other words, you can't divide

Christ He is Lord and Savior So in other words when people want some and just a

Savior they just want a ticket to heaven Their life here like doesn't matter. In other words,

I can live its antinomian ism. Basically licentiousness I can live whatever any way

I want. So I got my ticket to salvation So my sanctification really doesn't matter but it does matter doesn't it because if there's not and Washer said this he said actually a gospel that does not preach true sanctification true holiness tied in with justification by faith along He says a perverted gospel

So this is what we're talking about. We're talking about the cost of discipleship beloved when someone comes to genuine saving faith in Jesus Christ as I love the way

Bernal said it they were stripped they are stripped from everything that they thought is valuable and The cost of discipleship and this is heavy.

I'm preaching to myself because folks I need to be reminded of this just as well The cost of following Jesus is high

Amen, it is absolutely everything not some things everything but when you have

Jesus you got everything You have God all in one

And isn't he enough? He's more than enough How does this look like in a flesh when one comes to follow

Jesus? Well If you turn with me very quickly, this is all the the offset of the first here

What we're talking about if you notice when Jesus began That great sermon on the mount

How did he begin? he Noticed in verse 1 in chapter 5 is seeing the multitudes.

He went up on a mountain and when he was seated And it amazing he said he seated why is he seated

He wasn't standing He was seated his disciples came to him the disciples come

You know what Jesus is doing here Even though it was a sermon. It was a sermon to his disciples

So what's the master do it? He's teaching his disciples He's the master.

He's the rabbi then he opened his mouth and taught them saying and How does he begin it like a like the prophet as he is and was and as he is now?

The great prophet priest and King but he says blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of God Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake and for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

This is the master teaching the disciples The this is the opening of that great sermon sermon

Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake

Saw that yesterday Rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great is your reward in heaven

For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you and he goes on then he talks about Salt you are salt and light as I mentioned earlier.

He goes on all the way through that great sermon. But what is he doing? he's teaching his disciples and The reason

I mentioned that is that is the way our Lord Taught now the

Apostle Paul understood this That being a disciple of Jesus Christ a slave of Jesus Christ that a do -loss of Christ Meant that it cost him everything everything

Paul counted that cost folks Paul was incredible He was a very weak man, but very strong in Christ The man is absolutely

Incredible He was a terrorist as you will know and then God stopped him in his tracks on the road of Damascus blinded him for three days and Then his first response

Lord who are you and Jesus responds? I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you persecute whom you persecute

Paul became A Tremendous apostle to the

Gentiles This is what he said in Philippians 3 7 through 11 Notice the word count count

He counted the cost listen to this, but what things were gained to me speaking of his past life very religious

These I have counted loss for Christ Yet indeed

I also count all things loss Not some things all things all things lost for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my

Lord My Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and Count there it is again

Count them as rubbish. You know what that means garbage It was all garbage it was all waste in the original

Greek it actually means dung manure It stinks

Basically is saying that all my religion stinks Before God, it's all it's dung

And then he says this this was his goal folks and this should be our goal as well that I may win

Christ that I may gain Christ and Be found in him Not having my own righteousness

Which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ Through the righteousness, which is from God by faith verse 10

That I may know him there it is That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings fellowship of his sufferings

Yes Being conformed to his death If by any means that I may attain that means to arrive to the resurrection from the dead, you know beloved this means

That everything one valued in love compared to Jesus Christ does not even come close

Does not even come close sadly many want to Want the title of Christian without a cross

But I'm telling you According to what this book preaches and what it speaks of and what

Jesus says there's a cross to bear There is a cross discipleship demands our life our soul and our all beloved

Because discipleship is a call to follow Jesus Christ Dietrich Bonhoeffer, he was executed a

German theologian from the Nazis stood up stood up to Hitler And this is what he said.

He wrote a great book about discipleship what it means to follow Christ He said Christianity without discipleship is always

Christianity without Christ It's so true Well, our text today simply shows us what happens when one follows

Jesus When they hear him call and what we should do is believers

Now again, I'm going to cover this in two sermons. So There's a bunch to be said here, but I've got three points we're going to look at one and a half today

Lord willing, but We would divide this up, right? Because there is much to speak of the first thing.

I like for us to look at in verse 35 to 37 is Jesus is followed by the disciples.

Jesus is followed by the disciples Second in verse 38 to 40

Jesus speaks to the disciples and then third Jesus is shared by the disciples in verse 41 and 42

So we look at Jesus is followed by the disciples Jesus speaks to the disciples and Jesus is shared by a disciple and That would be

Lord willing next week, let's look at 35 to 37 Jesus is followed by the disciples

Jesus is followed by the disciples. Look at verse 35. We've already looked part of it again the next day we've noted

Already that this third day is to a third group of people John the Baptist and his own disciples his own very own disciples

John stood with the two disciples right here. Here's John standing John's focus is completely on Jesus Christ totally

And then he says the Lamb of God the Lamb of God Verse 36 and looking at Jesus.

He walked He said behold the Lamb of God these two disciples as you look at verse 40 is

We one is named is Andrew that is Simon Peter's brother

Andrew and The other is actually anonymous and if he's anonymous more than likely it is

John the Apostle Because he keeps because of his humility folks. He does not name himself

You see this time and time again all the way through the book of John the disciple in whom

Jesus loved The disciple in whom Jesus loved time and time again, so it's more than likely

Andrew and John the Apostle So we look at these two disciples here the writer of the gospel, of course

So in John the Baptist ministry, he had made disciples. Let's think about this for a minute.

Okay? John the Baptist had two disciples

Andrew and John who would be later on John the

Apostle I'm sure if you think of it, and I like to use as little sanctification sanctify imagination if you don't mind that John the

Baptist invested many many years in these men and I really do believe in the backside of the wilderness somewhere

He was one -on -one with them Teaching them and I'm sure he shared with them many things.

We don't have it in Revelation what he shared So we don't know exactly what he said But you can actually we know some way or another that he discipled these men.

I'm sure he spoke of the Messiah That was to come The disciple is one who is a lifetime learner.

He's a student Who adheres to the rabbi the master teacher the general use by the way of the word disciple is used 260 instances in the

New Testament 260 times About 230 times that peer appears in the four

Gospels. Think of that out of 260 times 230 times is in the

Gospels The word generally refers to the disciples of Jesus But there are also disciples of Moses in John 9 28

There are also disciples of the Pharisees in Matthew 22 16 mark 2 18 there's also as we see here in the text the disciples of John the

Baptist in mark 2 18 and Luke 11 1 and perhaps

Paul in Acts 9 25 So here in our text we see

Andrew and John Andrew and John and we're going to be focusing on these two here today but mainly the cost of discipleship and then

Lord willing we're going to look at Next Lord's Day Philip and Nathanael Philip and Nathanael So today is

Andrew and John and see how that goes But verse 37 the two disciples in verse 37 heard him speak

Heard who speak John the Baptist and they followed Jesus the word they heard him speak was behold the

Lamb of God It's incredible Again, day one John the

Baptist speaks to the priest and the Levites is here Day two John the Baptist speaks to the people behold in the public the

Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world Here his two disciples Andrew and John He says behold the

Lamb of God and he's basically saying follow him there he is

Follow him. He is God's Lamb So in essence, what is he saying?

He said I'd like to put it in a roundabout way in our terminology today.

What are you doing around hanging around me? Go and follow Jesus He's the master.

He's the Lamb of God Follow him and that really tells us a lot about John the

Baptist, doesn't it? It tells us about his humility his humility and his purpose

That should probe our hearts and minds a little what is your purpose and Are we truly humble about it?

Well, I think we can have the purpose, right? But we better have the attitude right as well

We better be humble about it and we need God's help in that don't we because our remaining sin is

Constantly battling against us and our flesh wants to rise up and we think we're somehow

Something when we're nothing even when we think we're nothing we think with something. That's so What are you saying pastor?

In other words when we think we're humble, we're not humble, right? It's such a subtle thing to us

But I really do believe John the Baptist had such a true humility here because he's the one that basically said

I Must decrease he must increase he really meant every bit of that so Think of it all these unknown years

About John the Baptist is invested in Andrew and John he invested all those years

We don't know exactly how many years we don't know by the revelation is it's basically not given to us again when

Andrew and John how they met John the Baptist, but we know that they came along and I'm sure there were many years there

So here's Andrew and John 101, I believe and I want you to think of it.

We come to this text and all of that Pouring of his life because of that sacrifice in which

John the Baptist gives to Andrew and John Comes to this great climax right here

Jesus comes out of obscurity out Wherever he was we don't know

But he appears he's here. He's the Lamb of God and John basically says follow him

That's what he's saying John the Baptist is fulfilling his purpose That was his goal.

That was his focus. That was his joy He said it he must increased.

I must decrease Now I do want to mention this to be clear on this when

Andrew and John followed Jesus Although the verb Follow usually means to follow as a disciple in the writing of the

Apostle You can see this verse 43 and John 8 12 and John 12 6 26 and John 2119

John 20 and I'm sorry 20 verse 20 and verse 21 all the way through the book of John you see this in a neutral sense

If this is exactly the following Could be meaning to two meanings here there's a neutral sense and the following here does not necessarily mean that they

Became permanent disciples at this moment Okay Because a lot of times we think oh right here.

This is when they became permanent Disciples the implication may be that they went after Jesus and I really believe that's what the meaning of the text is

They went after Jesus after John the Baptist says there is follow him in Other words, they wanted to examine

Jesus a little bit closer Do you see the difference they wanted to come closer to Christ Here is the first time that Jesus is on The scene

John the Baptist says follow him actually in John MacArthur's commentary he notes this quote this event constituted a

Preliminary exposure of John the Baptist's disciples to Jesus in quote

It constituted a pull in a preliminary exposure So really the full dedication if you could say of their lives to Jesus at At This time as true to size is true disciples and the

Apostles came when Jesus himself called them To a permanent service a permanent following after these events here in our text

Well, can you point that out? Yes go to Matthew chapter 4 Let's look at this just very quickly

Matthew chapter 4 And you see this is the permanence this this is the time what's the difference if you notice

John the Baptist Basically says you go follow him here. Jesus calls them to follow him

This is a permanence Look at verse 18 For fishermen called his disciples verse 18 and Jesus walking by the

Sea of Galilee saw two brothers Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother

Casting a net into the sea for they were fishermen. That was their trade. They were blue -collar workers.

They were rough hardy Fishermen just common men like you and me

And then he said to them follow me and I will make you fishers of men

They immediately left their nets and followed him So you see the call Jesus calls them to a permanent service

And then it says in verse 21 going on from there. He saw two other brothers James the son of Zebedee John his brother in the boat was

Zebedee their father Mending their nets. He called them and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him

Wow They were serious because the master called them

But if you go back to our text here in a sense the John the Baptist basically points them to Christ Says there is you go follow him.

So it was in a sense. They went after Jesus Because they had such an interest and who he was as the

Messiah the Lamb of God They wanted to know more about him. So at this point in our text

John in John chapter 1 And verse 35 to 37 the narrative here

John the Baptist fades away His time has ended it's a season the star has faded away and the great

Christ comes on the scene the Messiah the Lamb of God. He says follow him and John the

Baptist throws full attention to Jesus Christ So Jesus is followed by these two disciples

Andrew and John To have a closer look now. My second point is this

The next point is found in verse 38 to 40 And this is as far as we're going to get in in the content of what we're looking at Then we're gonna look at some application

So Jesus speaks to the disciples Jesus speaks to the disciples in verse 38 to 40

The text tells us then Jesus turned Jesus turned and seeing them following Said to them the very first thing he does out comes from his

Wonderful words is the words What do you seek? There's a question.

What do you seek? And they responded and gave an answer

Back with a question they said to him rabbi Which is to say trance which translated teacher

Where are you staying? Where are you staying? I really believe

Jesus was very pleased with the way they answered that with a question to his question

The master teacher Savior is always interested in those who follow him, isn't he and aren't you glad?

We should take joy in that folks Verse 38 then Jesus turned and seeing them following.

What do you seek? What a question? What a question? What do you seek? Ask yourself this question.

What do you seek and following Jesus? What do you seek? Here we see the very beginning of the ministry of Jesus The master teacher gives

Andrew and John the Apostle a question and I'll be honest with you. It's very probing

It's very probing because the question goes to our innermost being our motives What do you seek in other words?

What's your motive of following Christ? What? What it what's your motivation or what do you want from Jesus?

What what what are you looking for in Jesus? Ask people these questions

In the church today. Well, what what are you seeking after Jesus? Are you just seeking after him the blessings or do you love him for who he is?

Are you really? Interested in who he is as the beautiful person is he is

That's what the disciple loves about the master. He loves the teacher. He loves the rabbi.

He loves the great one That's actually what it means What do you seek? What are you looking for?

Or Jesus knew the answer to that question didn't he he already knew it he because he knews he knows our hearts he knew their hearts but he wanted them to express their desires and words and The Lord desires the same out of us a lot of times.

I'm thinking Hey, you know, you've you've heard people I've heard some people even say this why pray?

Well, the question would be is why not pray? God already knows your hearts, but God commands us to pray right, but is it

Prayer the breath of a newborn baby that cries out That's the birth within the kingdom

We cry out to God because we love God and we know that God and I was telling the children on the way here today really to follow

Jesus is about loving Jesus about loving God and we Cry out to him because we're dependent on him as little children

As we were singing earlier blessed Jesus blessed Jesus. He'll hear us when we pray

So the answer really is wonderful Geez even though Jesus knows all things he wanted them to express their own desires and words and They said to him rabbi, which is to say which it says it in the scriptures, which say when translated teacher

And they ask a question Where are you staying? Where are you staying? Where are you staying?

What does that mean? Andrew and John basically is desiring to know their

Lord more In other words, they are wanting to be with him. They are wanting to get closer to him

They want to know him more and more. Don't you want to know him more and more? Where are you saying?

We want to know you more He addresses him as rabbi, which is respect for the

Lord Teacher and in the original Hebrew it literally means great one

He's a great one. You're the rabbi Where are you staying? In other words another translation puts it.

Where are you dwelling in? Where are you dwelling? They wanted time with the

Lord. They desired conversation with the Lord and And they have questions they and have inquiries they just wanted to be with him and Sweet communion and sweet fellowship, isn't that your in most desire is just to be with Jesus Wow, you know when we live in this evil world and especially the depravity we saw yesterday.

I just went home and I just When I retired to my study, I was just so grieved at all this

I was I was saying I said, I just want to fall at the feet of Jesus and just sit there At his feet and just gaze upon my

Lord and I grieve for those people, of course That's in blindness and darkness, but it's gotten really bad folks

But this is something that God has just done. He's given them over to a mind that is insane because of the utter rejection a

Nation that I'm telling you in Psalm 9 it says all nations all nations

That forget God will be turned into hell I Mean she owed to the grave.

In other words, God will give them up and this is a nation folks that has forgotten God That's the problem didn't

Paul say it there's no fear of God before their eyes look around the mocking

They mock God, but get this, you know, this God will not be mocked And we know that there's a judgment there's a storm coming on the horizon and now it's time for the church to be the church

Well back to our text you remember we see we see that they were made permanent disciples and that is

They are at the beginning here. Just desiring to be with him later on. They've become permanent disciples when

Jesus Calls them and now notice with me in verse 39 He said to them and he answers them after he asked him.

Where are you dwelling? Where are you dwelling? Come and see Don't you love that answer?

Jesus invites them Come and see So they came and saw where he was staying the text says and remained with him that day now was about the 10th hour

So the Lord gives them invitation and by the way, have you did you notice the invitation was immediate

There was no hesitation on the Lord. He gave immediate Invitation it almost reminds you of Matthew chapter 11 verse 28 and 30

Don't you through 30 don't you love that when our Lord tells the people you come to me

You come to me all you who labor and heavy laden. He's talking about those under the weightiness of the law

Was a heavy taskmaster and he says you come to me All you the labor and heavy laden and I will give you rest rest soul rest

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. There it is. There it is. What does it mean to be a disciple to learn?

from Jesus To look folks we never stopped learning I've been serving the

Lord and I'm not bragging about this but by his grace Since 1984, I would say that's a few decades and I'm still might have much to learn

I feel like I've had not even scratched the surface Because the more

I come to see Who Jesus is the more I realize I don't what I don't know

We are lifetime learners of the Lord and Jesus said learn from me learn from me for I am meek and lowly in heart and You will find rest for your souls.

You will find rest. That's a promise For my yoke is easy and my burdens light aren't you aren't you thankful for that?

Well, let me give some application in closing here I I really believe a good question for us today is

Learners and disciples of Jesus Christ. Do we really know what it means to follow Jesus? Well ask yourself that question.

Do I do I personally I'm asking myself this question right now Do I really down deep in my innermost being really know?

What it means? to be a disciple of Jesus Christ well We're going to carry this on next week

There's much the Bible says much in the Gospels about what it means to be a disciple It costs much folks, but let me give you a few things to start off with here

How does this look like from the Word of God? first of all number one

This is number one folks To be a disciple of Jesus Christ one must number one deny himself one must take up his cross and Follow Jesus that means

I deny myself. I die to myself. I take up the cross.

That means obedience to his commands and Then basically next one must lose their lives for his sake and the gospel sake

Next one must be unashamed of the of Jesus Christ and his words and so being a disciple of Jesus Christ demands our life our soul our all as Isaac Watt says and Not a casual belief that shows no proof of how we live

Chapter and verse look at Mark chapter 8 Jesus says it himself chapter 8

This is discipleship Mark chapter 8 look at verse 34 to 30 8

This is tremendous verse 34 to 38

Let me um, let me start with 33 then he came to Capernaum when he was in the house he asked

Here's here's the master asking another question. What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?

He already knew the answer right Listen to this, but they kept silent

Conviction set in already for on the road They had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest

Don't you love the Lord? Next text verse 35 and he sat down and Called the twelve and said to them.

Can you think of this? This is what the master is. He sits down He's patient with him.

He doesn't scold them Would be in judgmental.

He's a patient teacher He sits down with them.

He calls them to himself And he said to them if anyone desires to be first He shall be last of all

And serve it of all and then as the Lord does

He always not he he does show and tell and I think that's the most effective way to be a teacher is

Show and tell He tells them that then he took a little child

Folks, do you know the impact of that? Do you realize?

Here they are disputing among themselves who's going to be first in the kingdom and Jesus is patient He sits down with him.

He calls him to himself and then he brings a child. This would be like Him taking a little

Ethan Well use Ethan as an example. Is that okay? And Jesus is seated and he cut and he takes that little child

And he sits the child before them. How convicting is this?

I would want to find a hole and bury myself he took a little child and he said him in the midst of them and When he had taken his arms in his arms, he said to them

Whoever Whoever receives one of these little children and my name receives me and whoever receives me receives

Not me, but him who sent me in other words when you honor me you receive me you honor the father

Because he said I'm the father one right I don't know about you

I'm sure them disciples were very very humbled after that folks If you'd been in that mist and could you imagine along the road being the disciple

Of Jesus and then you start talking with your buddy over here the other fellow disciple

You know, I'm sure Peter and Andrew had some talks over brothers and here they are.

Oh When the kingdom who's gonna be first Who's gonna be the great one the greatest in the kingdom and Jesus already knew this he knew this

He's patient with them he sits down with them then he puts a child right in front of them as an illustration

Wow What a teacher Well self -denial

Powerful Wow Second the second

Application would be to be a disciple of Jesus Christ one must abide Continuing his word abiding continuing his word means to obey him

It means that knowing the truth of his word sets us free to obey and there are many who profess faith, but live disobediently, right?

That's not a body to obey means to obey the truth and Know the truth, but it's more than just knowing it's obeying because we can have it in our heads and not in our hearts

So we better make sure if we are disciple of Jesus Christ, we are obeying our master if we love our

Lord we obey him That's what Jesus taught So one must know the truth and knowing the truth

Intimately not just intellectually but intimately Should set them free heart knowledge folks as far valuable and Surpasses head knowledge, even though it like R .C.

Sproul says it to get to the heart. It's got to go It's got to travel through the mind right

So the Bible says renew your mind so there's we got to love the Lord our God with all of our mind our heart and our strength, but The heart is what

God is after Our minds like a computer it has to be reprogrammed, right?

But the heart is where God wants to transform us. I would say

John Chapter 8 verse 31 32 For this what

I just mentioned so Jesus was saying to those Jews who believed in him If you abide that means continue in my word, then you are truly my disciples

Did you hear what he said? You must abide in my word. You must abide

Continue in my word That's what the word abide means you continue and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free to follow up with that the third

Application would be to bear fruit of our faith in Jesus Christ that would go to John chapter 15

John chapter 15 and Bearing fruit means that you your faith could be evidenced by our lives

It must be evidenced by our lives. In other words the fruit it must be good fruit the disciple of Jesus Christ knows that apart from him they could do nothing right a

True did the follow of Jesus Christ is one that cannot find life outside of Christ But Jesus says I'm the way the truth and the life

Listen to the Word of God John 15 Verse 4 abiding me and I and you as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself

Unless it abides in the vine neither. Can you unless you abide in me? I Am the vine you are the branches he who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit for without me you can do nothing

It's that abiding in Jesus. So if anyone does not abide in me, he says he is cast out as a branch and is withered

And they gather them and throw them into the fire and they are burned if you abide in me and my words abiding you you will

Ask what you desire and it shall be done for you By this my father is glorified that you bear much fruit so that you will be my disciples.

There it is the fourth application would be

If we're going to love our Lord, we've got to love our fellow believers Amen That Love is expressed in many ways

It's prioritized and fellowship with God's people. That's why we're here today We love one another but we ultimately here because of our

Lord. We love our Lord Because we love the church we love the church because we love the

Lord and Loving one another is given by Jesus He is speaking of believers loving one another

This idea that one can do this without the church the body of Christ may have to question their love for God Now this is exactly what it says in 1st

John chapter 3 go with me to the 1st John chapter 3 And I'm almost finished 1st

John chapter 3 this read the book of 1st John it's actually written to encourage

God's people of assurance of salvation if you look at it as It's whole the 1st

John Is really really powerful chapter 3

Look at verse 16 by this. We know love because he laid down his life for us and We ought also to lay down our lives for the brethren

But whoever has this world's goods Sees his brother in need

Shuts up his heart from him. How does the love of God abide in him? Listen to that question my little children

Let us not love in word or in tongue, but indeed and in truth By this we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before God And if our heart condemns us

God is greater than our heart and knows all things Beloved if our heart does not condemn us

We have confidence toward God and whatever we ask we receive from him because we keep his commandments there it is and do those things which are pleasing in his sight and This is the commandment

That we should believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us commandment.

He's He's basically Repeating what the Lord has commanded

Now he who abides I'm sorry he who keeps his commandments abides in him and he in him

And by this we know that we that he abides in us by the spirit whom he has given us there it is by keeping his commandments

Keeping his commandments he abides in us and he and him Obedience is huge.

Isn't it? That's huge. I want to close with one more text

Luke chapter 10 I know we're all busy We have a busy life

And you know, there's nothing wrong and serving a matter of fact we should serve

We should be Martha's we should serve our Lord But look at the lesson that Jesus gives here

It's a very Familiar text, isn't it in chapter 10 of Luke? verse 38

To 42 notice what the text says now it happened as they went and he entered into a certain village and a certain woman named

Martha Welcomed him into her house. She's so hospitable She welcomes Jesus into the house and she had a sister called

Mary Who also sat at Jesus feet and heard his word

Mary you can see these sisters were opposite Mary is She's really got the gift of serving.

She's hospitable. She's wanting to serve Please the Lord here

Mary is more quiet and yet she sits at the feet of Jesus and heard his word quietly

But Martha verse 40, but Martha was distracted Sometimes serving too much can be distracting

Distracted with much serving we need to be careful this folks Let us not be taken up to too much serving because it distracts us from knowing

Jesus and notice what it detects says and she approached him and said

She's so bold and she Lord Do you Do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone in other words what she's saying in our terms

She's in there at your feet doing nothing Thinking Thinking that probably and I'm doing all the work in the kitchen.

I'm doing all the serving. I am Constantly doing this to please you that this is basically what she's saying

Lord, do you not care about this that I'm doing all the work that my sister has left me to serve alone

In other words, she's not helping me Therefore tell her to help me

She tells you therefore you tell her to help me come help me Jesus gives a loving loving

Rebuke, and it is a rebuke, but it's so loving

I'm sure it was so convicting and we don't know exactly what happens afterwards But notice in verse 41 and Jesus answered and said to her and you can almost hear our

Lord say He just didn't say Martha once he says it twice. He says Martha Martha Almost hear him saying

David David You are worried and troubled about many things

You know what Jesus is doing. He's helping her in a loving way to help her prioritize to seek

What is best? Not second best but best

Martha Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things

Verse 42 is the point. That's the punchline But one thing listen to our

Lord folks. Don't never miss this and I'm preaching to myself here

One thing is needed Just one thing

You know David said that one thing I desire one thing I desire it's the beauty of the

Lord, right Paul says one thing one thing is to know Jesus Christ One thing is needed and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her

Jesus is basically saying in the loving way Martha your priorities are out of line and And he's helping her in a loving way as a master as a

Savior as Lord as Friend as teacher to line them up And that's what we need to do.

We need to line up our priorities to prioritize our time with Jesus Charles Spurgeon put it this way

He says I may sometimes run with Martha To do what

Christ needs of me, but I think I should more frequently sit with Mary To receive from Christ what

I need from him. Can I get a man? I'm telling you folks

I need to hear this because my life right now at the phase that I'm in I am so busy and I think what is the most important thing the

Lord has me Does desires of me he desires to supplement me to have communion with me that and I must come and choose the best and even though We're all busy.

We have busy lives Mothers, I know you're busy wives. You're busy fathers husbands all of us in this little room is busy

But we could get too busy folks. Don't forget Jesus make him the first priority

When you get up Seek his face Open the Bible or hear the

Bible make every way you can to know Jesus Christ more and more that you may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings

We need to know him Because folks everything that we are Your ministry my ministry our service

Whatever it may be it all flows out from knowing Jesus Everything all that's going to matter when we hit eternity is knowing

Jesus It's not those that are seen It's it's not the ministers That's gonna be

I tell you the one God's gonna recognize those that were not seen and unknown that were prayer warriors

May we be like that folks. May we be that desire? the best

One thing is needed and Mary has chosen that good part Which will not be taken away from her.

It will not be taken away from us as well if we seek our Lord and Place him as first in our life.

Let's pray our father and our gracious Lord Lord this this message is

For us at redeeming grace church, but it Lord I preach to myself here because I need to I need to be reminded that the most important Thing in my life is that one thing

That one thing that good part is to know you and sit at your feet sit at your feet

To draw near to your bleeding side To kiss your feet as your word says kiss the

Sun Kiss the Sun least he be angry least you be angry.

We perish in the way For your wrath may soon be kindled Lord, how blessed are all those who take refuge in you

Thank you Lord for this time and our worship today Lord, I pray that you help each and every one of us

To serve you with fear and rejoice with trembling but Lord help us to worship you in the beauty of your holiness and sit at your feet at the feet of Jesus and just Have supper time with him

Save us from ourselves. Oh God Help us to just remember this

And if we need to repent of it Lord help us to repent of this Oh God give us grace to love you more and more

And carry out the gospel To a lost and dying world