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Well, I'm glad I don't believe in dream interpretation. Last night I woke up in the middle of a dream and I dreamed that even though it was a Labor Day weekend there wouldn't be very many people. There were eight of you here, and I was preaching and Kim and the kids weren't here, so I don't know what all that means, but I'm glad you're here today to worship.
Do you know you receive worship and give worship rather? When you listen to a sermon and so I would encourage you to have your Bibles open when we get to the text and To come to this part of the service as when we give our offerings when we hear scripture read when we hear Music when we sing music that is all an act of worship because God deserves that worship and so too is Preaching.
How do you get a church to grow? Real church growth. Coming soon to a theater near you open September 10th in a cinema nearby. Recommended rated R for everyone over and under 17. People all over have been waiting dreaming imagining what it would be like to be able to engage God in a worship experience.
That's relevant to today's culture. The church which I won't name for its own shame. It says there will be a great music there cool lighting intense media Starbucks coffee. And the most comfortable seating since the wooden pew the environment is comfortable relaxed.
So come and check it out with no strings attached attached. I look forward to seeing and meeting you on September 10th. Is that how you grow a church? If you remember last Sunday night when I talked about this a new spin on recovery.
Music message and skits. Come experience 12 steps like you've never seen them before. We offer upbeat services that won't put you to sleep every Thursday 7 p .m. Is that how you grow a church and Sadly I wish this was not true.
Hymns and hounds. A dog friendly church. Would you like to be able to go to church, but your pooch pouts because you would have to leave the faithful companion alone. Again after being gone during the week.
Well. Here's a solution. Come and enjoy a truly special and unique church service at hymns and hounds. Currently the second Sunday of each month at 4 p .m. Sermon topics relating to humans and their dog will be given by minister and retired professional dog trainer D Rinda followed by yappy hour with refreshments.
If it wasn't so sick, it would be funny wouldn't it? Psalm 150 is on the sheet on the website. Led everything that has breath. Praise the Lord for the safety of all. Please make sure your dogs are leashed.
Not all dogs may be as friendly as yours. I don't know whether to cry. Or Read an imprecatory psalm. How do you grow a church as the God of the universe so ill-equipped us in his word. That he'll say well, I'll start the church and I with my sovereign hand will build the church and I'll let you figure it out.
Happy, honey. It is my premise this morning that one of the ways that God builds his local church is through discipleship. You want a church that grows and I'm not talking necessarily about numbers although that will come but you want a healthy growing church, then it will be done through God's ordained means of Discipleship.
One man or woman teaching another man or woman. I if you haven't noticed I'm a fan of discipleship. I Love discipleship. It pays off. Some 12 to 13 years ago. I began a discipleship relationship with another man.
I don't know if he initiated it or I did. I Do remember that one of the first times we were to meet it was going to be at Denny's at 630. I do remember that person was late. I also remember saying to that person.
This will be the last time you're late. We were going over Princeton theologians book Charles Hodges primer for systematic theology for layman and That man was never late again. He learned he was growing he was changing.
He began to speak at rest homes. He was a different man at home. He began to go to seminary he began to study for the ministry and his name today is pastor Steve Cooley and Now Steve is more of a co-laborer with me than a disciple.
I am a fan of discipleship. A Book some time ago said this is what you do in a local church to have it grow. You want church growth. Here's what you do one Bible knowledge good personal devotions fine worship witnessing lay ministry missions giving fellowship.
Distinctive lifestyle attitude towards religion social service and social justice. My question to this morning is where is discipleship? Where's that's the lost ingredient? It's missing. If I had to sum up one of the goals for this church is that you would be discipled and that you would be a discipler.
Say what is discipleship? Well Discipleship is finding someone that knows more than you do about the Lord Who walks in a manner more worthy than you do and have them teach you everything they know so that you too could emulate.
Emulate that teacher and is also on the same Page finding someone who knows less than you do and teaching them everything, you know, so that they might grow. Alan hadid Ian said this is what discipleship is quote.
It's a long definition. So you won't have time to write it down. Discipling others is the process by which a Christian with a life worth emulating Commits himself for an extended period of time to a few individuals who have been one to Christ.
The purpose being to aid and guide their growth to maturity and to equip them to here's the bottom line reproduce themselves in a third spiritual generation. Training someone so that they and to they too might train someone one day if you'll take your Bibles, please and turn to 2nd Timothy.
We will look this morning at discipleship why it is needed in the church and why it is more important. Not that just the elders do it, but that everyone does it and I would say as a church I am NOT giving you some kind of a backhanded exhortation.
You disciple as a church. I commend you for that 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 1 and verse 10 says to the church of Thessalonica. You are doing a great job. Now continue that great job and excel. What?
Still more this church understands discipleship and today. It's just one more nail. On that idea that we need to continue. Continue the discipleship relations we have and then go further. This will be the last sermon that I've been stalling before we get to the Time next week when our church family is back.
And we have more than eight people here for the service back to Matthew chapter 5 next week 17 through 20. But today, I want to talk about something that certainly Jesus expected his disciples to do and that was to reproduce.
But before we get any further. I just want to put a warning out there. This is dangerous stuff when iron sharpens iron what comes out of that? Sparks fly this is dangerous. Cheap Christianity that requires little is gone in discipleship.
We can come on Sunday morning Sunday school, and it's good to do and listen and nobody ever has to Challenge us personally we can just sit there audit the class. You can come Sunday morning Sunday night home groups, maybe a little less.
But we can come to church and we can audit the whole thing, but when you're involved in the discipleship showing up accountability Standards plumb lines fail or succeed you can fail or succeed when you're in a relationship that's called discipleship and Bill Hull writing in the pastor who disciples book says you can always get a crowd if You demand very little and put on a show.
But you'll really see who those are who want to say yes to holiness and righteousness and no to their own sin. When you say why don't you follow me and let's disciple you it is also good for the discipler.
Isn't it because then you have to live a life? That's worth emulating and so it cuts both ways. Long gone in discipleship is the church mentality that says what can the church do for me? Where can I get my needs met?
Why don't I feel good when I leave? Why does the pastor make me feel guilty? Why do I have to do it if I don't feel like doing it? We're at a time in our church now where you can see Jesus with his disciples.
Passing it on to the next generation in the next generation where even though it hurts some and even though the sparks fly. This is God's ordained way of making people more like Christ. Discipleship you should be a disciple.
You should be a discipler. It is my goal with the elders to have everybody here in a discipleship relationship. Let's just ask maybe by show of hands. How many people have ever been discipled raise your hands by someone else.
That is unbelievable amount. How many people have ever discipled someone else? That is a great amount and my goal is that you would excel still more that you would realize. This is what the Bible says about discipleship.
And even though I know it's going to hurt. Even though it's gonna hurt my pride and I'm gonna have to be humbled even though I might be able to fail. I want to be more like Christ and in 2nd Timothy chapter 2 we see the main passage that talks about discipleship and We will see right in here that Paul never thought about the two words going together passive and Christian.
They are oxymoronic to him. They are moronic and oxymoronic as well. Passive Christian. Paul would never expect that one of his disciples would be a coaster a Loafer a lounger a Sunday only person. Someone who said to me recently not at this church, but they said my Christian walk.
I try to do the bare minimum just enough to get by. Does God bless that kind of attitude just as little as I could do? I'd hate to kind of overdo it in my lazy boy chair. Let's just go through the first chapter before we get to chapter 2 because it's all linked.
Remember chapter divisions were added later. Most of them are good. Some of them are bad and in 2nd Timothy chapter 1 verse 1 we come to this Epistle that's even different than 1st Timothy and Titus because it is so personal.
Paul is about ready to have his head chopped off on the Ostian way for his faith. And he writes this letter this last will and Testament. Talking about the glorious good news of the gospel and he is telling his disciple.
Here is the truth that I'm gonna hand over to you. And here's what I want you to do. So before we get to chapter 2 verse 2, let's do the first chapter. Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.
According to the promise of life in Christ Jesus that glorious gospel that we can have eternal life because we have been able to know Christ this is eternal life that you may know him and He's writing to Timothy my beloved son grace demerited favor Mercy and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul's had his first defense. He's gonna have a little more judgment and then impending death and he says boldly to Timothy in his jail cell. I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day.
Longing to see you Timothy, even as I recall your tears so that you may be filled with joy. For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you which first dwelled in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice.
And I am sure that is in you as well. For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God, which is in you through the laying out of my hands. But God has not given us a spirit of timidity but of power and love and discipline.
Then he says I'm gonna want you to suffer courageously Timothy. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join me in suffering for the gospel. Is there a better cause to suffer for?
More profound cause more eternally relevant cause to suffer for according to the power of God who has saved us and look at when the salvation was effectuated and Called us with the holy calling not according to our works.
But according to his own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity. But now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus who abolished death. Think about that for a minute and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
For which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. For this reason I also suffer these things. But I'm not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and I'm convinced that he is able to guard.
What I've entrusted to him until that day makes you want to sing. You've got to be faithful Timothy retain the standard of sound words, which you have heard from me. When I discipled you Timothy, those are the words that you say in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
Guard to the Holy Spirit who dwells in us the treasure which has been entrusted to you. Because not everyone's faithful Timothy. You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned from me. Among whom are figellas and homogenies.
Good news. Oh some were faithful the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus. For he has often refreshed me and is not ashamed of my change. But he went chains, but he went to Rome when he's in Rome.
He eagerly searched for me and found me. The Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that day and you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus and Now we come to the charge on the deathbed.
Here comes the command. Here comes the imperative look down at verse 3. And you can understand this. Here is the lieutenant giving orders as he's about ready to die from his battle wound. Suffer hardship.
It's a command boy. That's an interesting way to do it. Suffer hardship with me and then he gives. Some ways that you should suffer. Some ways that you should think about ministry. Some illustrations and here he says as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
What do soldiers do. What determines a soldier's mentality verse 4? No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life. He can't be caught up on the batting averages of the Red Sox in the trenches.
Single-minded focus. He can't be a master of everything. He's got to know about fighting and soldiering. That is his one purpose. Maybe an occasional look of his wife in a picture, but it is back to the battlefield.
Ministry is a battle and Paul says to Timothy you be single-minded. Suffer well as a soldier suffers. So that he may please the one who Enlisted him as a soldier and as God called Paul as an apostle.
So to God called Timothy as a Christian as a pastor and he says act like a soldier. I get that. He goes to another step and he says act like an athlete in ministry. Verse 5 of 2nd Timothy 2. Not just a soldier but an athlete and if anyone competes as an athlete.
He does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. Paul's second illustration. He says you're gonna act like a single-minded soldier and you've also got to act like an athlete who runs properly.
I was never big on high hurdles when I was a kid. But you just can't run around the side. There's a hurdle and you run around it and you beat everybody else and I've won. Paul said there are things here with the athletic contest this athletico and You have to run between the lines and Paul says Timothy.
These are your lines Genesis and Malachi you run between these lines are the Jewish canon Genesis and 2nd Chronicles. Here's your lines. You run in those lines. You're not just a soldier, but you're an athlete.
An athlete also has the idea of effort untiring labor to the point of sweat. Sometimes when I used to play basketball inside in human, Nebraska Gym at the University of Nebraska, I would get done working out after five or six full court games.
I would take my t-shirt off and I would wring it into my Cup that I just drank and I could wring out at least eight to ten ounces of just sweat. Now what kind of pictures in your mind now because if you're in really good shape you sweat a lot and you sweat easily.
No, it's this kind of toil that cost you sweat was the last time you saw an athlete that didn't sweat. I Know some of you love golf, so I won't say anything. Just kidding. There are different degrees.
The idea biblically though as they would think about the Olympic Games and the Isthmian Games in Corinth. Soldiers are single-minded and athletes are tireless and they sweat and they toil and that's just what ministry is.
And Paul's telling Timothy this on his deathbed. Sometimes do a little study and find out what people told those in the room on their deathbed their final words. It's amazing. But he didn't just talk about a soldier.
He didn't just talk about an athlete, but he talked about something else that every minister needs and therefore when the ministers train the congregation. They need to verse 6 Soldier athlete and now the hard-working farmer Ought to be the first to receive the share of crops.
Farmers to farmers had to work hard farmers had to work patiently persistently diligently doggingly. And you say when you step back and you think about ministry, you've got to be like a soldier. You've got to be like an athlete and you've got to be like a farmer and I get all that do you?
Now he says something in 2nd Timothy. You probably noticed I've skipped over some verses. Haven't I before he says act like a soldier act like an athlete act like a farmer. What does he tell the pastor or the elder or the leader of the church to act like before he even gets to these?
Soldiers athletes and farmers. What does he say? Here's what I want you to act like. He says here you go, Timothy. I'm laying there on my deathbed. I'd love to see you, but if I don't here's some words for you.
Here's some words for you my son before you're a soldier and athlete are a farmer you are to be a Disciple. That's amazing to me. You were to be a teaching disciple er, you were to disciple men. I'm dumbfounded by that.
Right there in your Bible 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verses 1 and 2 before soldier athlete our farmer discipler. And I would say it is fair to look at a church and to see how much they disciple and then you could tell how healthy that church is.
If you want real church growth, then you're going to be a discipler and you will be discipled. Well, let's come to the heart of our sermon today. 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse 1 and 2 that's a long introduction.
But that's just the way it goes. Somebody said to me that they're they were used to 15-minute sermons. I said I could never teach a 15-minute sermon because that's just the introduction. Everything is important in context.
Yes, and you just have to work up to that. Second Timothy 2 1 says you therefore my son. Be strong or be strengthened literally in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Before even disciple or he's saying you're not going to be able to do this on your own.
Sweat and toil and labor as you might you will have to be strengthened by the risen Savior to do any of this ministry. You have to be dependent on God and what he's done. Because the first time you think it's your ministry, you're gonna fall the first time you think oh I put this together and it is my church and it's this and that look at that.
And look at how they look at me and everything else. This is a church that is built by Christ Jesus as the actor the active one and we are passive in that and we played the part of being his hands and feet.
But we are not the head of the church. We have no power dwelling within us and he says be strengthened just like Ephesians 6 10 does. By the grace are in the grace that is in Christ Jesus be continually empowered.
Be plugged into the source as it were be strengthened. It is a passive present imperative that is to say passive. It is something done to you present. It should be done to you all the time. Imperative it must be done and then he says in verse 2 the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses in front of others at Ephesus in front of other apostles and many other people and Trust these two faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
There's where we get discipleship if you want the key verse of discipleship in all the Bible here it is just remember 2 2 2 2nd Timothy 2 2 and here's what he says. Let's pick this apart. Let's Expound this let's explicate this.
Let's look at it a little bit. Entrust these two faithful men. Commit these two faithful men. You know what this word means. It means to make a deposit. Anybody here still have safety deposit boxes you go there and you make a deposit in the safety deposit box.
That's exactly what this word here. You've got something valuable. You need it kept safely, then you Entrust it. You see back up in chapter 1 he's used the word already in verse 14 Guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us the treasure which has been Entrusted to you.
Timothy the Gospels been entrusted to you the law free gospel that says Jesus Christ Loves sinners and saves them from their own sin from Satan from the world and he does so by dying at Calvary in a substitutionary Way confirmed by God raising from the dead.
This has been entrusted to you. You're a leader. Here is the the valuable deposit now you take that deposit and you just don't hide it under a bushel you Deposited to someone else you actually guard it by giving it to someone else because Timothy you too one day are going to die.
You want something kept safely. You deposited. Are you committed. Are you entrust it you got it for me you give it to someone else. And not everybody was like Paul in Galatians. It says in chapter 1 Speaking of Paul.
Paul speaking rather for I neither received it from man nor was taught it. But I received it through a revelation of Jesus. Paul didn't have to be Discipled by anybody. Jesus just said Paul. Here's the information for you how he did it.
I don't know. It's like he did it that way. That's not the exact way, but Paul received the revelation. Whether it was visible whether it was just implanted into his brain whether it was audible. We don't know but it was something from Jesus himself, but Jesus doesn't do that today anymore.
He says I'm going to entrust this message to someone else. By human discipleship. That's why I want you to be discipled. I Want you to come to this church and say, you know, I just want to be free. I just want to be unshackled.
I just want to kind of just coast and this is kind of church my way and just kind of get off my cloud and Just say, you know, just I just want to be For those of you that are that way. I want you to be very uncomfortable.
I want you to walk in here going. You know what? I'm walking around I'm trying to hide by the doughnuts or somewhere else and somebody's gonna come up and say I'd like to disciple you or somebody's gonna Come up and say would you like to serve here?
I'm after kind of you kind of people because you don't know what you're missing. Jesus Christ is not here in bodily form true. So the way we serve Christ Jesus is by serving his body. The joy and privilege of serving it will change your life.
People have all kinds of troubles. One of the first things I say I don't only say this but if somebody comes and they're troubled in their life. I want to say do you have a ministry? I know you're hurting but you have a ministry that you can pour your life into somebody else who's hurting too.
Because then you'll really think about what love is and how Jesus loved you. Now Jesus is even a great example on the cross. He's more than example on a cross. He's a sin bearer, but he's also an example of caring for his mother and I Want to get people who try to come here to the church and they say I'm here for coasting.
I don't want you to coast. For the good of you and for the good of our church. We're not like Paul receiving revelation directly from the mind of Christ. We receive revelation from the word Yes, and we receive discipleship through other people through fallible people even I remember back at Grace Church.
Everybody wanted to go to John MacArthur to get Discipled. Nobody else is good enough. The lines lined up. There's John you could go to Swindolls Church Alistair Beggs Church James Boyce's Church when he was alive Spurgeon Church when he was alive and everybody would line up and they Want him to do the discipleship and we're gonna see here soon.
That it is not necessarily only the pastor's job to disciple not just the elders job the disciple. But it is everyone's job to disciple and if everyone's job is to disciple then how can you all be discipled by only one person?
For those of you that do disciple now, I want you to be Riveted in your mind this morning to say yeah, that's good. And even though it's painful and even though I deal with people and and you know sheep by the way are dirty.
You ever notice that? Kind of get on you. And that's one of my pet peeves of all time if I come home from church on Sunday morning knowing that I have to go back on Sunday night and preach except tonight.
There's no service tonight. And I've got a white shirt on or something nice and of course I love the kids jumping up on me and everything. But I don't like the kids jumping up on me after they've eaten and not wash their hands and then they want to kind of just glom on and it's just this kind of I Got to get another shirt for tonight and just like oh, I just don't want that when you disciple.
Oh, it just happens. Sheep are dirty and you want to kick those dirty sheep, but they're God's sheep. So you can't kick him you have to restrain you have to pray you have to be patient. It's hard. Then all of a sudden you're getting discipled and you see something in your disciples life.
That doesn't match up to what you think they teach or preach or. It's difficult. Paul knew is difficult. Paul had poured his life into people that have betrayed him, but here on his deathbed He says to Timothy your job since you have been entrusted with the gospel is to then entrust the gospel to the next generation and pass that baton.
On to them. There are no direct electronic deposits. They are through people. Negatively. If you don't Paul could have said you will lose it. It would be neglected. You could ignore it you could falsify it, but when you've been given that baton.
You hand it to the next person and you teach them how to hold that baton to receive it from the giver. William Barclay the commentary who gives good historical information. But who denies supernatural miracles at least was right when he said this the teacher is a link in the living chain.
Which stretches unbroken? From this present moment back to Jesus Christ. That's what happens. It gets passed on and on and on a lot more. So back in those days when there was not a lot of Bibles to be Had but still that's the way we do it today.
Teachers and disciples. I Read this and I got convicted this week the pastor must possess convictions. Concerning disciple making and declare it as a top priority from the pulpit. Hence the sermon today.
This is one of our top priorities as more people come into the church. Who knows if we grow anymore? What happens. It is our job to take the new Christians and to help them? Mature it is our job to say this person is not a Christian.
Let's preach the gospel and pray that God's save them. God saves them. But I want you to know from the elder board position our main jobs are not these cleaning the church administrating. Visiting. They're all good to do.
I like to do. But it is the word and prayer and what. Discipleship we are to disciple every one of us. We must disciple. MacArthur said a church should emphasize Discipleship. The design of the Christian Church is not to have a professional preacher financed by layman who act merely as spectators.
Every Christian should be involved in edifying other believers. Then that good he goes on to say a Christian who isn't discipling someone is a contradiction. You're supposed to be reproducing your life in the lives of others.
Friends I love you, but my job my relationship with you is not primarily buddy friend advocate running out of nouns counselor. Workout partner fellow bike rider. My job is to preach the Word of God to you and encourage you to obey what it says and to teach other people.
To have the baton passed to them so they could pass it on to the next generation. Let me give you some facts about discipleship in the remaining time. I know those of you who think in a Western mindset, and you think very deductively are looking for an outline so here we go.
So far it's all been discipleships important now. Let me give you some facts about discipleship that will help you become one help you become a better one and motivate you to realize the importance of discipleship.
Where you can find someone and train them what you know and then you can find someone and say teach me what you know and by The way, we're not only I'll get into this maybe later. We're not only talking about theology.
Who do I know around here who could teach me teach me about sublapsarianism? Yeah, okay. I'll go there who can I go here to tea of them teach me about the hypostatic Union. Oh, yeah, that's good. Who can I have to teach me about?
Synchronistic refixed recapitulation, but that would be good. Yeah, that's probably what you're gonna dream about tonight. I Just hope you dream the church is more than eight people. I would say you guys all might leave.
But if God has kept me faithful at least we'll have the elders and their families and that is more than eight. It can be anything. I Loved Lewis Brown's mother joy. She goes around and she finds the 20 year old 22 year old new marrieds, and she has him over and she says you know.
Here's what we're gonna learn. I'm gonna teach you how to bake bread and Here's what I want you to do. I'm gonna show you what goes in the ingredients and everything else and here's when you make bread.
She tells her her disciples called brownies Joy Brown the brownies she could barely see 90 some years old. She says you know here's what you do when you get mad at your husband. It's your fault. No just kidding when you get past your husband.
When you get mad at your husband you need to serve him a gift. That costs you and so what you do is you start making some bread and as you make that homemade bread. You're just getting that angst out, and you're doing something with your hands, and you're working on it.
And you just pray God help me to love my husband and everything else and then by the time you get done kneading all that bread and doing all That stuff and baking it you just have the right attitude because you spent time thinking about your husband and the Lord and How we're to honor and all these other things and you present your husband with a love gift even though he didn't deserve it you honor Him with that.
There's some there's some ladies here who have had mothers who have not taught their daughters how to bake. But we have other people in the church who know how to bake. I'd say to yourself. You know what it's not all about theology.
It's who knows how to bake. I don't really know how to bake that well. So I think I'm gonna go over to Maxine's house. I'm gonna learn how to bake me the best apple pie you've ever tasted this side of my grandma.
I Can't budget. I can't budget. I can't figure it out. Well you go to John Zook or you go to Fred or you go to somebody else and say yeah. They seem to have their life in order. We'll do that. I can't figure out what to do with my.
You know I've spent all my free time on myself, and I do this and I do that and you go find somebody else I'm not only talking about My discipleship group that will start in three weeks that will teach you how to teach the Bible if you're a man that is important.
Yes. That is really the context of 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse 2 where we're to train other faithful men that they might train others. But discipleship is more than that. It's not just about theology and if you're a Disciple er and by the grace of God you've got your life in order and you know how to bake and you know how to Do this and you are a man who realize realizes that your career is not an idol.
Then you say you know I met this guy here at church. And he seems to just worship his job in his career, and he says he loves his family. But by his actions he proves every single week that he doesn't love his family.
He loves his job more. He can say no to his wife and kids, but he can't say no to his boss. I think I just need to come alongside of that young man and say let me just teach a few things. Maybe you see kids in the church, and you go those are some disobedient kids.
Those are little hellions running around this church and you say well oxygen mask to the parents first and I'm just by the grace of God I can train kids and they seem to be obedient. And I'm not perfect, but I strive to honor God training kids.
I need to go find that person instead of complaining. That's the kid that's always running around and disobeying and doing all kinds of things and the dad doesn't even care. I'm gonna just go talk to the dad.
I'm gonna work on that dad, and I'm gonna pray with that dad. I'm gonna work and then eventually we'll get to child raising. And none of us when we disciple should come around saying I am the model and I never disobey.
No, but as God has matured us, then we pour our lives into someone else. So let me give you some facts in the time left as we continue this out. So much to say number one. The first fact about discipleship that will help you become one or be a better one is this.
Don't forget to start at the beginning. Don't forget to start at the beginning that is to say you can't be a disciple of some other Christian until you're a disciple of Christ Jesus. You first have to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Matthew chapter 28 if you'll turn there, please the word disciple can be used in many different ways. It could be used in John 6 66 where the disciples followed him no more. People that were learners, that's what disciple means a pupil or a learner.
People that follow Jesus, but when the times were tough. They weren't around anymore. It could also be used of Paul teaching Timothy a Christian man to another Christian man. Let me teach you about life and godliness.
But it also can be used of someone who used to not who used to be an unbeliever now. They're a Christian and they're now used to be called. They were called in the past a pagan and now they're called a disciple.
So it's another synonym for a Christian. Matthew 28 16, you know the passage we see Matthew the book talking about Jesus the King and We see in verse 16 of Matthew 28, but the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee to the mountain which Jesus had designated Matthew the gospel of the mountain the Sermon on the Mount the Mount of Transfiguration.
The Mount of Olives and now the Galilean mountain where the Great Commission was given Quiet serene away. And they saw him they worshipped him post resurrected Christ glorified body, but some were doubtful some laid on their face in humility and Some for a short time were doubtful.
We know who that was and Jesus came up and spoke to them saying all. Authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth inclusive authority from top to bottom east to west. Christ in the in the Gospels has healed sick.
He's had authority to cleanse lepers. Authorities to cast out demons. Authorities to give the 12 authority to give the 70 authority. He has the authority to forgive sins. He has the authority to execute judgment.
He has the authority to lay down his life and take it up again and now it all falls short for the ultimate authority that he has on heaven and earth and with this authority he delegates and Passes over the authority to the disciples by saying this verse 19.
Going therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of a 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.
Go make disciples that is preach the gospel pray for them. God saves. He makes the ultimate disciple, but as we make disciples We can't change the hearts, but we can't preach the gospel. Go make learners of Christ go make Christians.
So if you want to be discipled, and you'd like to have your finances better, and you're not a Christian. May I implore you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Your problem is not you worship your job.
Your problem Is not I can't cook. Your problem is not my kids are disobedient. Your problem Is there's a thrice Holy God who so demands judgment that he punished his son for bearing sin. That He is in conflict with you, and you need this great God not to exercise judgment upon you.
But to have mercy upon you and the only way that God of the universe sees mercy is through the lens of the cross. God raises him from the dead this resurrected Christ. You don't need to be discipled. You need to become a disciple a Christian number two.
You shouldn't call yourself a disciple if you aren't baptized. Oh here we go whoo. Let's close in prayer. Now I'm not saying you aren't one, but you shouldn't call yourself one now you say well Mike. That's kind of a provocative statement.
I know that's what I like to do. I preach like I like to be preached to. I Like to throw in the hand grenade and walk out of the room see what happens. But I think you'll find that there's some biblical truth here and I think you will agree with me that we in our churches today have taken salvation and Baptism and done everything we have been able to do to drive a wedge between the two time wise.
To somehow think here we get saved and then baptized. We do that later. You know I'm kind of afraid to speak in front of people. I'm kind of afraid of heights. I'm kind of afraid of this and of that and what will people think in the New Testament Church.
Peter could say in a non Baptismal regeneration way in Acts 238 repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins. That's just what you did when you were a Christian. You were baptized. Are none of the Apostles are the teachers would even say you're A Christian.
You're not a Christian till you've been baptized. Well, we know temporally Chronologically that you can be saved and then there's time in between baptism, and you're still saved. You're not saved by being baptized.
For those of you that didn't hear that let me say it one more time you are not saved by being baptized. But you who are saved are called to be baptized now. Let me just forget my logic. Let's go to the text go back to Matthew 28 19.
I have a couple kids who I think are Christians. They haven't been baptized. Can they be Christians. Yes? But for my point here for you adults especially as I want to urge you and beseech you to think on this thought.
How are disciples made. What are they characterized by in Matthew 28 19 going therefore and make disciples? How do you make disciples. Main disciples is the main verb by three part of disciples by three modifiers.
By three ing words by? Three gerunds. You take your pick. There's a main you ever diagram in school. I guess you didn't diagram. You should can you imagine when we first went to seminary the first class they taught you was English?
And if you didn't pass out of English you couldn't go to Greek. It's amazing so diagram, and you've got your little T there, and you've got the noun here. And you've got the main verb here, and you've got all kinds of modifiers down below here are the three modifiers make disciples ye.
Assumed make disciples modifier by going by what? Baptizing by teaching a definition of a disciple is one who has had somebody come to them and have been taught and baptized. Just so happens in two weeks.
We're gonna have a baptism right here. It's amazing how that works. If you're a learner the learner says my teacher just said before you stop pass go. Before you have communion before you witness before you serve before you're discipled by another human before you attend public worship service.
Before you give money before you say to someone you're a Christian. Is you are to be what? Disciple. I Just talked to somebody today about this. And you know it's that salesman background that I have in corporate America where I just go all right.
I'm gonna persuade people to get baptized. Summarize the situation. State the idea explain how it works. Reinforce key benefits and clothes gotcha. But I'm not selling when I said you must be baptized.
You call yourself a Christian act like one. That's all I'm saying. Can you be a Christian, but disobedient and not getting baptized. Yes. But I hope your conscience won't let you by definition. Disciples are baptized and the word baptism means in the fourth century BC It was used of dipping or plunging a cup into a bowl of wine to draw the wine out in.
The second century BC it was used to describe a sunken ship immersed ship and. In baptism you are saying to the world to God I am dead to my in trust. But I was dead in my trespasses and sins. I'm alive in Christ Jesus He is my Savior, and I'm baptized in the name of the Father the Son and the Spirit the father's pre-electing work the son and Calvary dying for me and the spirit now in time sealing me.
I am a student a learner a product of the triune God. And I don't say it because I'm mad at you because if you say to me. You know I've been convicted, and I haven't been baptized and I want to get baptized.
I've said that just as soon even as today. I've said it to someone. I will say it I believe with a friendships heart and with someone who says I'm so proud of you. You are not gonna hear me say when you come in and say all right uncle.
I'm convicted by the word I want to get baptized, and I'm gonna look at you in the eyes and say how could you? You haven't been baptized all these years. You've had all the excuses I can't believe you you call yourself a Christian.
Steve Cooley even has a whole sunny school on can you be called a Christian? And how could you I? Won't do that friends. Because I am a filthy depraved rotten sinner, and if you knew my mind right now.
You wouldn't want to listen to me, and if I knew your minds right now you I wouldn't want to listen to you as Dick Lucas. We are all sinners and when we repent there's joy and repentance yes. There's joy when we say you know what I got baptized when I was four.
And I lived like I was a son of the darkness. Till I was 35, but since I don't really want to be baptized I'm gonna hold on to that false baptism because you weren't baptized you were just dunked friends.
Should have been held under a little longer to Number three boy time is just gone. I had seven. I'm gonna give you three. Make you wonder no not doing next week Number three if you'd like to know how to disciple observe Jesus the Master Disciple er He would be a good one to study.
Yes, the Master Disciple er Jesus would be good to study and one of the themes that you'll see when he is teaching there are many themes. But one that I'll bring out this morning is this discipleship costs.
It cost to be a disciple turn to Luke 14 for our last passage of the day, please and I want to show you that Jesus Said discipleship costs now. This is both for so we could look at here this passage for salvation it costs.
But also there's an element that we should drive at when we disciple other people. That it not should not be easy. Here's what I do in my discipleship when I teach the guys how to teach. We will meet here.
I hate to give it all away for those who will be in this latest class. I think we've had about 25 show up the next class of about six to ten guys will meet. They'll all have to stand up in this pulpit with all the lights on the microphone turned up super high.
I will have the Russian National Anthem screaming from these Bose speakers. They will have to stand up here and teach in front of all of us at 6 30 in the morning. And I want them to be frayed very afraid.
I want them to be so afraid that this is what they do. They're on their knees at night praying to the God. They say they believe God it helped me. That's what I want. And that's what discipleship is like somebody's gonna say you know what I don't know if you're really ready to go in that hospital visit yet.
But I've I've shown by example. I've trained you. I've taught you you've gone with me. And then I'm kicking you out of the nest and now I need you to go visit that person and preach the gospel of them.
And you drive home all night. I'll never forget one of the guys here Who's sitting towards the back, and I said did you get any sleep last night before discipleship no? Because you're praying all night going.
I can't believe I have to do this. There's a cost not only for Christians who are discipled. But in this context for those who want to become disciples, and they're not Christians. Look at how Jesus puts these hurdles up.
I mean, I there's a Church down at Atlanta. I think it's called worship without walls. There's a conference going on soon. It's called celebrate you. I Want to tell you if you'd like to see something antithetical to celebrate you it's Luke 14.
Here's what Jesus is going to do. You want it all and you're gonna have to give it up all. Give it all up you Want it, and I'm gonna tell you you want to be of my disciple. Here's what's gonna happen.
Jesus is not going to say to these large crowds in verse 25 who are going along with him. And he turned and said to them follow me and you can have your sales quota met. Follow me and there'll be no bugs in your computer programming modules.
Follow me and the Red Sox will win. Follow me you'll get a spouse. Follow me you'll feel a lot better about yourself. Follow me you'll be my partner on my team. He puts up hurdles. He puts up obstacles and hindrances to true disciples.
Because you know what if the God of the universe can make you jump these hurdles. Then you're a Christian if you try to do it on your own you can't. If anyone comes to me verse 26 and does not Take a breath hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters and then with a very interesting Greek little and moreover also.
Yes, and even his own life. He cannot be my disciple and it's amazing to me that will empty a Cinema full of people who think they're at church, and if you're playing around with Christianity it will empty you too.
It won't empty those that God is drawing. He goes on to say amazingly verse 27 you think they'd pick up stones already. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Jesus says you want to exalt yourself.
And I'm going to slay you. Or do you think people leave Bible teaching churches to go find something watered down because who can take this? Bible knowledge commentary said quote when the Roman Empire Crucified a criminal or a captive the victim was often forced to carry his cross part of the way to the crucifixion.
Carrying his own cross to the heart of the city listen to this was supposed to be a tacit admission from the Roman Empire. That they were correct in the sentence of death imposed an admission that Rome was right, and he was wrong.
So when Jesus enjoined his followers to carry their crosses and follow him He was referring to a public display before others that Jesus was right and the disciples were following him even to their deaths and.
Then the commentary says this is exactly what religious leaders refuse to do. Jesus doesn't placate pacify. Indulge our survey those large crowds. He calls them to salvation and a hurdle so high it takes grace to get over it.
Yes. Verse 28 which one of you you've got to count the cost in Discipleship when he manages to build a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete It. You go to Mexico you go to India, and you'll see these buildings.
There are three-quarters of the way done, and then that's it it didn't count the cost. In a mocking way almost he says verse 30 this man the whore of this man. Scoffingly with contempt this kind of man the guy who didn't count the cost he began to build it was not able to finish.
Another illustration or what. King when he sets out to meet another king in battle. Well not first sit down and consider whether he's strong enough 10 ,000 men to encounter the one who's coming against with 20 ,000.
Or else while the others far away sends a delegation asked for peace. There has to be in discipleship a planning a reckoning a figuring a weighing. Well, I'm ready to give everything up. It's gonna cost me to be a disciple of Christ.
Verse 33 so then none of you can be my disciple. Who does not give up all his possessions? Goodbye to everything that's the terminology there and all your belongings sacrifice. It's all gone career security.
Money family it's all gone, and do you notice the text there? It is present tense continually and does not keep on giving up all his possessions. I have all these things, but here is the one to whom I look forever and ever.
By the way, he has the grim Rejoinder in verse 34. Therefore salt is good, but if even salt has become tasteless with what will it be seasoned? It is useless either for the soil or for the manure pile.
It is thrown out he who has ears to hear let him hear. No planning. No sacrifice misplaced. Affections. You're no disciple at all. Well. Here's what I want to say about those Christians who want to be cycled.
Here's for people who aren't Christians who need to be a disciple if you're a Christian and you want to be discipled. You have lots of options here at the church. Find somebody that does something well and just go up to them and say you know I know that you may have a long way to go in your sanctification, but I see you do this very well.
Would you teach me for the next few weeks you say well? I just gonna pick somebody. I just looked over and saw Kathleen. I mean Kathleen's the only person I know who I could say to on Thursday night. I'd like to bring 80 people from the church over to your house tomorrow night.
What time should I come and she'd say 630 how to coordinate all these things? Find somebody like that and you say they do that. Well. We're not promoting the people. We know they're just trophies of God's grace.
They do it. Well teach me train me. Could we meet I? Love it that new people are coming to our church, but we're so far away. How do we interact with body life? It's going to have to cost us. We're gonna have to make a determination to do it no matter what the price.
You say well, I've got an area in my life, and I'm struggling and I can't get over it well. Have you ever thought that maybe the divine way of getting over that struggle is by having somebody come alongside of you in love and prayer?
And accountability and comfort and say I'm gonna help you. I'm gonna lean on you, and you can lean on me and together. We're going to do this. What a great way to do it if you haven't noticed the false cults do discipleship.
Have you noticed that they know? It works two by twos teaching false things. They do it and you say well, you know when I'm older, and I'm kind of a grandma in the faith and I Don't think I can have anything to offer really.
Older women likewise Titus two are to be reverent in the behavior not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine. Teaching what is good so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands to love their children to be sensible pure workers.
At home kind being subject to their own husbands so that the Word of God may not be dishonored. Did you notice that statement there the training of younger women is not the pastoral staffs duty? It is you older Saints duty to train the young ones.
Somebody's missing out if you're not teaching. Parents you can disciple your kids. Grandparents what a joy do you remember back in 2nd Timothy chapter 1? Timothy was saved by the preaching of the word from his grandmother Lois and his mother.
What an opportunity you have as grandparents? It's your job. It's your privilege. I think somebody here at the church wants to hook up families with WPI students. Yes, who's trying to do that? Somebody's trying to do that.
Come on obey tell me who it is. Raise your hand. Karen Brown tell her to raise her hand. Oh, she's gone. She's serving that's right. It's got preaching today. Oh in the back. Okay Karen this one's for you.
No, but there are opportunities where we can say that's a great idea. And I want to be able to as a pastoral staff to cut you loose you have an idea. You say this can serve this other group and it can disciple.
We can be friends and maybe a discipleship relationship will spin out of that you have our go. We are ready to just cut you loose. One man described a cypress up like this discipleship is nothing more than building a true friendship with a spiritual basis.
It's not being friends with someone because you both like baseball the same music the same hobbies our work at the same place. At the core of your friendship is an openness about spiritual issues. When you disciple someone you're teaching them biblical responses.
A Person is spiritually mature when his involuntary responses are godly. In Discipleship you are to bring a person to the point where he doesn't have to figure out how to act right when he can just react right spontaneously.
That is exactly right. Modeling. Tell them what tell them how tell them why to do that with them. Let them do it and ship them out. Hebrew 13 says we're to imitate people's faith. Paul says in 1st Corinthians 4 it'd be imitators of me.
Same thing in 1st Corinthians chapter 11. I know football season started and so at the risk of closing it was some kind of football thing. Bud Wilkinson the coach from Oklahoma years ago once described a football game this way.
Thousands of people sit in the stands of in desperate need of exercise while 22 men on the field. Are there in desperate need of rest? It won't take a village to have this church mature more. But it will take every one of you because it's not just the leaders Role it is the leaders responsibility.
Yes, but I want to be able to have you have someone that you can say this is my Paul and this is my Timothy and even though I'm just a Sinner saved by grace God actually used me to change somebody's life for good exciting days ahead.
Let the sparks fly. Let's pray Father we exalt your name today. These commands and Imperatives given from your word and then from me certainly can never be fulfilled on our own. We're thankful that when we have fallen we look to Christ the perfect discipler.
Always did your will always sought to please you and was pouring his life into people. Some responded. Well like Peter and others were like Judas, but father He never set his face towards anything else except to please you.
So would you help us Lord to be a church that pleases you? Would you help us to have humility in approaching people and being approached and we could try to teach those around us Life skills godly skills how to act husband towards wife and wife towards children.
Maybe some of us need to have a training on how to witness and evangelize Lord. You have given us so many people and so many gifts. Help us to pass those gifts on and Lord would you help us now even as I wanted to preach it.
But now I'd ask that you'd seal in our hearts that we would have ministries. That we would train up someone else to take our jobs, and I'd ask that you do that for Christ's honor in his name.