Discipleship - The Heart Of Outreach Ministry

Good morning. It really has been a great time these last couple days getting to fellowship with many of you. And we're looking forward to another couple days of that. I know we probably won't be able to Spend time fellowshipping with everyone.

But just let me say since I have pretty much the whole church in front of me. Thank you so much. We love you for your partnership in the ministry we have. It's exciting to be serving the Lord together, isn't it.

Your prayers are important to us. Your financial support is important to us and we couldn't do it without you. So thank you so much for your Partnership with us in that ministry over in India. I'd love to talk to everyone.

But so please come up to me and and my wife Andrea. I don't know if she's here right now. She's out in the hall with Nathaniel but We would just love If she can poke her head in and you can see her my precious wife Andrea.

Thank you, dear. But we just very honestly want to say we love you. Thank you for your fellowship with us in the ministry. You know, the gospel is powerful as Mike said and the gospel is great. Because our Lord is great.

The Power of the Gospel for All People

The gospel is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Like Paul said in in Romans chapter 1. I am NOT ashamed of the gospel. Why the gospel of Christ. Because of the power of God for salvation? To everyone who believes to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

What was Paul saying there? He was saying the gospel is powerful to change lives to all people and the big cultural difference in those days was Jews and The Gentiles the Greeks the gospel is for all people for all men and so it's exciting to be just a vessel of that powerful word of Truth about Christ to the world, isn't it?

It's a wonderful ministry to be a part of. But you know as you look at a country like India like Mike said a billion people 1 billion people on that small piece of land in Southeast Asia called India, do you know that the the landmass of India is about one-third the size of the US?

It's about one-third the size but the population of India is Three times that of what we have in the United States. India contains a mass of humanity and when you think about that country that One-fifth of the world's population and then when you think of the fact that Less than 1 of those people know and love and honor and worship the true God.

It's mind-blowing. You know, I can tell you very honestly as I have gone to India To minister there. Our desire is to impact that Nation for Christ to bring the gospel to them. But you think I'm one person or our team is three people six people eight people.

Our church is 50 people in a nation of a billion. Most of which who don't know Christ. There is a temptation very often to to start thinking in terms of you know, what are we doing here? You know, what impact can we really have?

The PTI, you know, we have a few students. We're teaching them the Bible. We want them to go out and proclaim the gospel and the plant churches. But what can we really accomplish of significance for Christ in that nation?

And I don't know maybe sometimes you would feel the same way in your sphere of influence in the pastors graveyard, right in a place in a part of the world that Largely does not know and love and honor Christ.

We can feel very discouraged very small very insignificant. What are we going to do? You know very often We may be tempted to think okay. We need a plan. We need a strategy. We need some method to reach out to the world to we need you know, some methods some five-step plan and we think that we need to Conjure up some strategy some really Intelligent design in order to reach this mass of humanity.

But you know our Lord right after his resurrection from the dead right before his ascension into heaven. He gave us the plan. Right. He gave us the ultimate plan on how to reach out to a lost and dying world that largely Rejects and has no interest in the truth and he said that plan is discipleship our Lord's plan for reaching the lost masses of this world whether it's in India or whether it's in the United States of America is Discipleship.

Now when you say that you think Okay. Big deal. Is that really gonna do the job? Is that what's really gonna work? It is it's the plan the Lord Intended to give us when he came and that's what I want us to look at this morning is the the keystone the foundation.

The most important strategy and plan for reaching a lost world the powerful plan That God has ordained to reach out to a lost world whether it's here in your community or to the millions of people in India is biblical.

God ordained Discipleship and we're gonna learn about what that means today both from the command of our Lord as well as from the example of our Lord. You know the essence of discipleship the foundation of discipleship is transmission.

It's a passing on of a spiritual heritage from one spiritual generation to another and That's what Jesus said is our plan of attack. For reaching this world for him for the building of the church in this world.

It's that spiritual task of making disciples. You think about Jesus's ministry, right? He came to save us to die on the cross and to begin the church and What did he do when he came to earth? Yes, he preached to the crowds to the multitudes.

But where was his focused ministry? Placed during his lifetime it was on 12 normal common. Everyday men wasn't it. He poured his life into them he loved them and Then he commissioned them to go out and to plant churches and to preach the gospel and to do ministry.

So we see in the life of our Lord himself. Both the command to do discipleship as well as the example in his own ministry. And that's what I want us to see today that not only did Christ command us to make Disciples and that was his plan for reaching the world, but he himself did it.

And as we follow the Lord in both his command and his example. The church will be built up the community will be affected. God most importantly will be glorified as we follow his strategy and plan for outreach into this world.

The Great Commission in Matthew 28

So why don't you turn your Bibles to Matthew 28? This is the Classic passage on missions, I suppose you could say. But we're gonna look at the last two verses of Matthew's Gospel. Matthew 28 verses 19 and 20 and here we will see the command of our Lord.

He preached he taught he died on the cross. He rose again for our salvation. He's about to ascend into heaven and he says to his disciples. This is what you need to be about. And he gives us the plan.

He gives us the strategy for carrying on his ministry in this world. And it's all about discipleship. Let's read this text. Then we'll talk about its implications for us. Matthew 28 verses 19 and 20. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.

Baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all that I commanded you and lo I am with you always. Even to the end of the age. I Want us to look at this passage just briefly.

That gives the command of our Lord in three parts. First. I want to look at the great command. Secondly, we'll look at the great means to fulfilling the command and thirdly, we'll look at the great encouragement.

And this will explain to us what the Lord wants us to be about right now in Ministry the first thing he says We will want to look at is the great command see what he says there in verse 19. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, you know, there's only one command in this verse.

Many often the translations will give the impression that there are two commands, right? But if you look at the the grammar the way Jesus said it the language that he used he only has one main command and The command is not go.

The command is what? Make disciples now. I don't want to bore you with grammar or language, but That word make disciples or disciples is a verb. It's an action word. It's the only verb in the verse. So what Jesus is saying is above all else?

This is what I want you to do while I am gone in heaven before I come for you again. Do this make? Disciples you could say go. Disciple people that's what Jesus intended to say. Now discipleship involves many things.

We just talked about what that word means just for a minute but basically the word itself means to Teach or to learn its communication. It's a passing on. It's a transmission. Like I said of a spiritual heritage.

But you know, it's not intellectual Teaching or in only intellectual learning that's involved, but it's more than that. It's the kind of transmission of knowledge that comes when life bumps up against life when two people come together in relationship in loving Christian fellowship and they they build into One another's lives, that's the kind of learning that's the kind of transmission that Jesus is talking about here when he uses this word.

He says make disciples. He says with life on life in Christian fellowship and love. Pass on the truth of the gospel and of God. That's the kind of teaching that discipleship means so that's the command.

We're commanded to be involved in Relationships with other people so that we can pass on to them the truth about Christ and the gospel now. How are we to do that? Jesus gives us in these verses really in just summary form the means to fulfill that command.

We saw the great command we are to make disciples. But then he also gives us the means to fulfill that command and there's three things he gives us here now the three words go baptizing and teaching are all descriptive words.

In Greek grammar you'd call those a participle and each one that the job of those Participles that Jesus used is to describe how the action the command is to be done. So Jesus says disciple people that's the main point and now let me in brief in summary form tell you how to do it and The first descriptive word he gives us there is what it's go.

Go and make disciples. Now some people will wonder you know why does the translation we have. Treat that first descriptive word as a command in most Translations you have it'll say go like Jesus is commanding us to go and there's a couple reasons for that.

The main reason is that in the original language Jesus spoke that word in a way that was very very emphatic. Just like you have in your Bibles. So also in the Greek that word came number one in the sentence.

It's the very first word. So Jesus is saying this is key. This is important. Also, he used a form of the word that is very emphatic different from the other two words baptizing and teaching and the form of that Word is placing emphasis on that particular Way in which you are to make disciples, so we know Jesus made Placed a very strong emphasis on that word.

He says go. This is how you make disciples first thing you've got to know the first thing you've got to do you have got to go now. I believe Jesus emphasized that word for this reason. He knew that to make disciples.

To do that ministry of life-on-life training and interaction Would take a lot of work. It was going to take effort. It was going to be difficult it would be much much easier to sit back and and go through the motions of Christianity of our relationship with the Lord and To enjoy the blessings of God and our salvation.

But to step out of the comfort zone to take the initiative. To make the effort to build into another person's life. That's difficult. That's hard. Have you ever tried to do that maybe to reach out to an unbeliever at your work.

Or to try to take the steps to to build into your children's lives. It's tough to get involved with people's lives right to get down and dirty to get your your hands Into the ups and downs of another person's issues.

Relationships are hard right and Intimate relationships close relationships are difficult. But that's what discipleship is all about it's loving people it's weeping when they weep. It's rejoicing when they rejoice.

Discipleship is all about Relationships and that takes effort it takes initiative. It takes a plan. And that's what Jesus is saying. He's saying you need to make disciples. That's the plan for reaching the world, but you know what you're gonna have to get your lives in Close proximity with other people's lives you need to work for those relationships, so go.

Do it. Take initiative be proactive take action persevere in this task. Jesus says go and make disciples. The second way the second key action That that we can do to fulfill this Command of discipleship is of course baptizing.

Jesus says there go therefore make disciples of all the nations. Baptizing them in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit. This is the second way in which we are to make disciples now. What does baptism mean.

The essence of baptism is a declaration? It's a proclamation of my commitment to Jesus Christ alone. The Lord told us to do this because it was a symbol of Rejection of everything in my life in the past and a singular devotion to Jesus Christ.

I will follow him alone. That's the statement. That's what baptism signifies and Jesus said part of your disciple making. Ministry must be calling people to singular devotion to Jesus Christ. We don't call people to try Jesus.

We call people to love Jesus alone and worship him alone. You know in India that is a very difficult thing in America we're fairly Open right you can believe what you want the culture says that You can do what you want.

You know you grow up in a family That is of some particular religion you choose another religion well, okay? That's fine very often. It's that way in India. It's not that way at all. What you are raised in what your family is devoted to if you leave that it's extremely Difficult for the family they fill that wound very very personally and so for a person to come to Christ and to be baptized by turning their back on every Thing they else believed as a in their family and their background is a major decision for them.

And that's what Jesus intends. He says when you make disciples call people to that to that kind of commitment to that kind of devotion. It was neat right before we came on furlough a few months back one of our students his name was Jayesh was baptized and Jayesh had grown up in a Christian family.

Their their family had gone to a Christian church in Pune for a number of years, but it was a Very eclectic kind of a church Anglican in many ways very traditional. Kind of believing whatever they want and he came as a teenager to know Jesus Christ at his personal Savior.

And he went to his father and said I want to be baptized. In the as a believer as a follower of Christ he was sprinkled as a baby. But he said I didn't know Christ then I want to follow him alone and show that through my baptism and his father was angry.

He was upset. He said you know how can you do this? How can you imply that what we believe in the church? We've been involved in is not the true gospel is not the true faith, and he was angry and he threatened his son.

Even threatening to do harm to himself in order to keep Jayesh from being baptized. And it was neat just last year Jayesh was filling the call to ministry. He was following the Lord. He had not yet been baptized.

But he came to PTI. He was being trained for ministry To the Lord and he made the decision just a few months before we left. I will declare my devotion to Christ alone and We were there right a few days before we left and see him be baptized in the church with his father standing there his mother standing there.

Pastor Chris Williams the pastor of the church were connected with preached the gospel and he took that decision to follow Christ. Totally purely it was wonderful to see the Lord work in his heart. And that's what Christ wants us to do when we disciple people when we bring them to him call them to that commitment that decision.

To stand against all others. But stand with Christ alone. So Jesus says this is how you make disciples. You go to them you take the initiative you get involved in people's lives. You call them to an intimate relationship with Christ and then we see the third Summarizing principle here on how to make disciples.

He says Teaching them in verse 20 look at it in your Bibles, please teaching them to observe all that I commanded you. Teaching them to observe all that I commanded you essential to the ministry of disciple making is teaching.

Its communication of the truth. It's leading someone to the truth of the gospel the truth of God's Word. I Notice that Jesus says here it's not just education again. It's not just academic. It's teaching them to what?

To do all that. I commanded you. It's practical. It's showing someone how to follow Christ how to love him how to worship God. Teaching them. You know I can tell you in PTI and the Institute that we've had the privilege to be a part of these are the most wonderful times that we spend with these men day in and day out hour after hour discussing the Word of God as I'm learning and the students are learning and we're learning together what God's Word says and how that applies to life.

It's a wonderful experience. I'm sure you experience it as well in Bible studies as you fellowship around the Word of God. That's what Jesus is talking about here. Essential to the ministry of discipleship is that teaching that education that growing of our knowledge of Christ and his Word?

So this is in brief how we are to do discipleship. I want us to look at the life of Christ in a few minutes. About how to do discipleship, but this in brief Jesus says this is what you must be about. Disciple people be disciples of men.

This is how we are to reach the world for him with the gospel. But there's one more aspect a third key truth about Discipleship, which Jesus gives here. We saw the command we saw the means to fulfill that command.

But let's look at the third aspect of these verses. And we can call this the great encouragement. The great encouragement look what Jesus says in the end of verse 20. It's wonderful. And lo I am with you always even to the end of the age.

You could translate this this phrase literally. I like the way it comes out. Literally Jesus says and look I Am with you all the days. Until the consummation of the age or the end of the age Jesus says here.

I am with you all the days and He makes it very very particular. I like that. Because he's saying every day at every moment. Every single day all the way to my second coming I Will be with you. You know, our Lord Jesus is concerned about the build-up and the growth of his church, do you believe that I Believe our Lord Jesus is more concerned.

He's more zealous. He's more passionate about the growing up of his church than you and I are. It's his plan. It's his strategy. It's his desire. To see people come to him and for the church to grow up into maturity.

We mentioned before Matthew 16 18 in Sunday school this morning Jesus said I will build My church. Jesus takes it personally. When it comes to reaching out to the world to the community to the build-up of Saints in the church.

It's not just our plan. We don't have to stand alone. It's not our power. It's the Lord's plan. It's the Lord's power and He will do it Through us. For his glory. So Jesus says I will be with you. Do you ever feel intimidated?

You say I don't. I don't feel equipped to go. I Don't know how to teach. I'm not gonna baptize anyone, right? But the Lord is with us he says I will be with you even to the end go. Make disciples baptize them teach them bring them into the fold.

So that's the great command. We see that Jesus has commanded us. We don't have an option. The Great Commission applies to you and to me. Whether we're ministering in India whether you're ministering here in your communities you are to be disciple makers.

The Example of Jesus as a Disciple Maker

Now, let's look at the second part. That I want to look at today is that we see that discipleship is the the heart of evangelism of outreach. From the example of our Lord himself when Jesus came to earth.

He poured his life in a loving relationship into these men. He placed all of his Strategy pinned all of his hopes if you can say that about the Lord on 12 men. Who would be empowered by the Spirit to preach the gospel and to begin the church.

And so Jesus himself was a disciple maker. And so he leads us not only by command but also by Example and I just want to survey six key actions this morning from the Gospels. That show us what our Lord was like as a disciple maker.

Six pictures of his disciple making ministry now before we do that I want to direct your attention to one verse in Mark chapter 3, which really in a nutshell summarizes The discipleship ministry of our Lord.

Turn to Mark chapter 3 and verse 14 Jesus said this or that the gospel says this about Jesus. He says and he appointed 12. So that they would be with him and That he would send them out to preach and to have authority to cast out the demons and to continue their ministry.

Don't you love the way it says that? It doesn't say Jesus appointed 12 to be in his seminary. All right. Jesus appointed 12 to be the directors of his ministry strategy. All right. What did what did Jesus do.

Jesus appointed 12. So that they would be what? With him. This is discipleship. That he would love them that he would have a relationship with them that he would teach them as a loving teacher. And that they would go out and spread the gospel and do the same to others and disciple others.

Jesus was a disciple maker. That was his plan. That was his strategy. And how did he do that? Let's look at these six Key actions of discipleship. There are more we could look at but I think these are really key.

People, Teaching, and Correction in Jesus' Ministry

Turn first of all to John chapter 15. John chapter 15 and I'm gonna be looking at several passages and reading through them quickly. I want us just to get a picture in our minds of What discipleship is life like in the life of our Lord?

So turn to John 15 and let me read verses 12 to 17. Jesus is teaching his disciples. He says this is my commandment that you love one another. Just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this that one lay down his life for his friends.

You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves for the slave does not know what his master is doing, but I have called you friends. For all things that I have heard from my father.

I have made known to you. You did not choose me but I chose you and I appointed you that you would go and bear fruit and That your fruit would remain. So that whatever you ask of the father in my name, he may give to you this I command you.

That you love one another. The key trait we see about our Lord in his disciple making ministry. Firstly is that he was focused on people. Our Lord was people focused in his ministry. Did you notice what he said there in verses 15 and 16?

Jesus the teacher the master the miracle worker the one who was just. Who will raise from the dead. What did he say? He says I don't call you slaves. I don't Lord my authority over you. I call you friends.

I love you. You are my friends. I am with you. And why does he call them that he says in verse 16 I chose you. Yes, I appointed you. Yes, I was in the position of authority. Why what does it say in verse 16?

So that you would go and what? Bear fruit. My ministry to you my teaching of you my authority over you as a teacher and a master is so that you would be fruitful. See for our Lord the ministry was not about you know, how many people are coming to my ministry.

It wasn't what is the bottom line? How are we doing financially? It wasn't about our people respecting me and appreciating what I'm doing. Right that wasn't our Lord's focus. He says I don't call you slaves.

I don't have to keep you under my control. Our Lord says I love you. And the reason I chose you and appointed you is so you would be fruitful. So that you would grow and so that your you would have joy in the Lord and in serving him.

And this is the first principle. I want us to see from the ministry of our Lord and his this is Relationship and ministry with his disciples. He did it. With their best interests in mind he was people focused not things focused or programs focused.

Or money focused or authority focused. However, you want to say it. He was focused on people and their fruitfulness. And that's what a disciple or must be. First and foremost concerned about the fruitfulness and the growth of that person.

Let's look at the second Characteristic we see of our Lord and we see that He was also a Teaching disciple er he would teach and we see this throughout the Gospels, but I want to point your attention to Mark chapter 9.

Look at Mark chapter 9 and we'll read verses 30 to 37. Says from there they went out and began to go through Galilee. That's Jesus and his disciples and he did not want anyone to know about it for he was teaching his disciples and telling them the Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men and They will kill him and when he has been killed he will raise three days later.

So Jesus is traveling with his disciples. He's teaching them along the way about important truths about what was going to happen to him. But notice what it says in verse 32 it says but they did not understand this statement and they were afraid to ask him.

They came to Capernaum and when he was in the house, he began to question them. What were you discussing on the way? But they kept silent for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest and.

And sitting down he called the twelve and said to them If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all. Taking the child he set him before them and taking him in his arms he said to them whoever receives one child like this in my name receives me and Whoever receives me does not receive me.

But him who sent me. Do you see the picture of what's going on here in this relationship between Christ and his disciples. Jesus is about to die. He's about to go give his life for the sins of the world and he's communicating these important truths to his disciples and Number one they aren't getting it.

They're not understanding what he's saying and more than that. They're too proud to ask him. It says they're afraid to ask and to say to admit that they didn't understand and Beyond that what were they discussing on the road right after Jesus teaches them these things.

What are they discussing about? Who's the greatest who's better? You know, who does the Lord like the most? Who's the highest up who's the most spiritual in the group? All right. These disciples are really missing the mark.

I think if I was The teacher there I'd be yo stupid guys. What are you doing? You're way off here. I'd feel frustrated right? But what does our Lord do? In his gentleness as the master discipler. He sits him down and asks them a question.

What are you guys discussing? He knew what they were discussing. But he wants them to learn he wants to teach them. He doesn't hammer them. He understands that they are Still a long way off from where they ought to be.

So he questions them he gently gathers them together and he teaches them he brings a object lesson, right. He brings a little child says brings a little child over and says let me show you. Let me show you where you were wrong.

Our Lord was a master teacher in gentleness in patience. This is what discipleship is about. It's patient instruction. I Love 2nd Timothy 4 2, you know what that verse says, right? Preach the word in season and out of season.

Reprove rebuke exhort with what? Much patience and instruction. That's the heart of our Lord. That's how he disciples. That's how you and I must disciple. To understand that we're not where we ought to be.

These brothers and sisters in Christ in my church are not where they ought to be. But I am going to patiently Help them to get there. That was the heart of our Lord. He was a teacher. He brought people along to the truth.

So he was focused on people he was a teacher. Let's look at a third Aspect of our Lord's discipleship ministry and we see it in Mark 8. Not only did he gently teach but he confronted he corrected he rebuked.

Mark chapter 8 verses 31 to 33 is a well-known passage. Says. And he began to teach them that's the disciples that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed and after three days rise again and He was state stating the matter plainly and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

But turning around and seeing his disciples he rebuked Peter and said get behind me Satan. For you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's. Our Lord is discipling his men, right? He was gentle.

He was patient but at appropriate times out of love. He rebuked them. He confronted them. How would you like to have been Peter there? How would you have felt? Jesus Christ the Lord and Master turns to you and says you're thinking like Satan.

Peter. Man, what a rebuke how painful that would have been. You know, one of the key aspects of disciple making is Speaking the truth in love, right? Ephesians 4 15 Speak the truth in love. So that the church is built up and grows.

So when pastor stands in the pulpit and he hammers away on you, why is he doing that? It's because he loves you and He knows to walk down the path of wrong unbiblical thinking will hurt you it will lead you astray and Just like our Lord who rebukes who in his zeal and passion for the life of the people he loves.

He will turn and he will rebuke. That's part of discipleship. It's telling the truth. Even when it hurts. Out of love now think about how this just for a minute. How does this apply to your life? What does it mean perhaps in your relationship as you think about disciple making and evangelism perhaps with an unbeliever?

When you need to say the truth, even though you know, it's going to hurt and it's not going to be accepted. You know very often we're afraid to talk about the hard issues the hard spiritual issues with with believers particularly.

Right the fact of sin and that God is holy and will bring judgment. But when Jesus said in Matthew 28 go make disciples He meant that that would include Confronting people with the truth of the gospel and the truth of sin and of God's holiness.

So we see in the life of our Lord here also disciple making will involve confrontation correction setting people straight. Why out of love out of love for their soul? That's the hardest thing to do. I know in PTI.

I'm still learning to do this. I hate it. When someone is lazy, they're not doing their work. They've spoken Angrily against another student we have to sit them down and say you have sinned it's uncomfortable.

Right, but the only thing that will keep me from doing that because of the discomfort is my lack of love for that person. If I love like my Lord loves I will confront For their ultimate good. So discipleship also includes this third aspect of confrontation and Correction, let's look at a fourth.

We see the discipleship involves these things as well as modeling. Modeling and we see this wonderfully in John 13 turn there in your Bibles John chapter 13. And we're gonna read verses 3 to 17. It's a little bit long passage, but I want you to get the picture.

I want you to feel the heart of our Lord as he does this. So just notice the heart of our Lord and how he disciples in this Short story that we see here. John 13 verses 3 to 17 Jesus Knowing that the father had given all things into his hands and that he had come forth from God and was going back to God.

Got up from supper Laid aside his garments and taking a towel. He girded himself. Then he poured water into the basin and began to wash the disciples feet and To wipe them with the towel With which he was girded.

So he came to Simon Peter and he said to him Lord. Do you wash my feet? Jesus answered and said to him how do. How what I do you what I do you do not realize now. But you will understand hereafter. Peter said to him never shall you wash my feet and Jesus answered him if I do not wash you you have no part with me.

Simon Peter said to him Lord then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head. Jesus said to him he who has bathed needs only to wash his feet. But It's completely clean and you are clean, but not all of you for he knew The one who was betraying him for this reason.