WEBVTT 00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:10.000 Here we are in the new year, and I'm welcoming you to the new year, and it's an opportunity to accomplish much for the kingdom of God. 00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:22.879 And I'm I'm thankful to God for the elders entrusting me with the opening message of this series because this is really, to be honest, one of my life messages has been the whole issue of discipleship. 00:00:23.199 --> 00:00:29.039 I uh years ago was impacted by a man named Bruce Todd. 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:31.039 Shelley remembers Bruce. 00:00:31.120 --> 00:00:34.320 He was an elder, a full-time elder in our church in Michigan. 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:42.159 And I was at that time working a secular job and was not, I never thought I'd go back into ministry because some things had happened. 00:00:42.240 --> 00:00:43.439 I was burned out. 00:00:43.679 --> 00:00:48.399 And I got into a relationship with this older man, Bruce Todd. 00:00:48.560 --> 00:00:55.200 I would get off work and drive to the office and sit before him, no agenda, just listening and talking. 00:00:55.359 --> 00:00:57.679 And he was the wisest man I've ever known. 00:00:57.759 --> 00:01:04.560 And it impact me, I don't believe I'd be standing here in ministry today if it wasn't for Bruce's input into my life. 00:01:04.719 --> 00:01:08.799 So this is a message that is really home for me. 00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:14.319 And it's important that we uh accept it. 00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:18.719 Uh let's look at Matthew 11, uh Matthew 28. 00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:31.040 I'll open this scripture with this scripture that everybody knows by heart, but it's the place we want to start because it's central to our understanding of discipleship. 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:34.079 Matthew 28, 16. 00:01:38.959 --> 00:01:45.359 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 00:01:46.159 --> 00:01:50.319 And when they saw him, they worshipped him, but some doubted. 00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:56.879 And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and in earth has been given to me. 00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:16.000 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you, and behold, I am with you always to the end of the age. 00:02:16.319 --> 00:02:21.759 Father, thank you for these words that you gave us regarding discipleship. 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:26.639 I thank you for the opportunity, Lord, of a new year to make disciples. 00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:30.560 Lord, help us to understand what discipleship means. 00:02:30.719 --> 00:02:40.719 Help us to understand that you not only called us to be disciple makers, but you've given us every provision we could ever need to be disciple makers. 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:44.960 So help us, Father, in Jesus' name as we go through this series. 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:47.919 We thank you for it in Jesus' name. 00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:51.919 And everyone said, Amen and amen. 00:03:02.639 --> 00:03:05.919 That's he came into the world to make disciples. 00:03:06.240 --> 00:03:11.039 And uh he's called us to be disciple makers. 00:03:11.199 --> 00:03:13.840 What does it mean to be a disciple maker? 00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:23.120 It's un first of all, you have to understand what it means to be a disciple before you can understand what a disciple maker means. 00:03:23.680 --> 00:03:27.439 And Jesus was a disciple maker. 00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:29.520 I want to show you something, a chart. 00:03:29.680 --> 00:03:33.840 Put that chart up, if you would, of my friend Gordon. 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:43.919 I had a friend named Gordon, haven't seen him lately, but years ago I made friends with him, and he was one of the most powerful disciple makers I've ever known. 00:03:44.240 --> 00:03:51.759 He this is a chart of his spiritual offspring, and he told me a story I'll never forget. 00:03:51.919 --> 00:03:58.879 He told me a story that uh that started with this idea of disciple making. 00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:07.199 He said he discipled two men and took a couple of years to bring them to Jesus and pour into them. 00:04:07.439 --> 00:04:09.360 And then those men moved away. 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:10.800 They moved out west. 00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:16.800 And after they moved, he uh hadn't talked to them in a long time. 00:04:16.959 --> 00:04:20.720 And one of the men called him up and said, We bought you a plane ticket. 00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:23.199 We want to fly you out and we want to show you something. 00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:36.800 And he flew out west, and they got they picked him up at the airport and took him directly to a house where there was maybe 50, 60, 70 people, and they said, We want you wanted you to meet your spiritual offspring. 00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:41.759 See, Gordon had discipled those two. 00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:52.160 Those two poured into others who poured into others, and now he was meeting his spiritual offspring, and that's what discipleship is all about. 00:04:56.000 --> 00:05:05.600 We call it the Great Commission, what we read, but really it should be called the Great Omission, because in our zeal to obey it, we haven't bothered to read it. 00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:12.160 And it's actually a repeat of the original dominion mandate given to Adam and Eve in the garden. 00:05:12.319 --> 00:05:18.720 Remember, God called Adam and Eve and said, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the world with fruit. 00:05:18.879 --> 00:05:20.160 That was the commission. 00:05:20.639 --> 00:05:21.920 And they did. 00:05:22.800 --> 00:05:24.879 Three, there were three parts to that commission. 00:05:25.040 --> 00:05:30.399 They had to bear God's image, they had to be fruitful and multiply and subdue the earth. 00:05:30.560 --> 00:05:42.000 This is what the commission is about: people who bear God's image, constantly multiplying disciples until the earth is filled with people that love Jesus and the earth is changed. 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:45.279 You know, in the commission it said, go, therefore. 00:05:45.439 --> 00:05:51.040 And it's important to point out that go is not the imperative verb in that sentence. 00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:56.160 The emphasis is not on the word go, but on the word make. 00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:07.600 Because you could express that by saying, Jesus could have been saying, while you are going, make disciples. 00:06:07.759 --> 00:06:12.399 It presupposes that all of us are going and can make disciples in the process. 00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:14.399 How many are going to work tomorrow? 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:17.759 How many, yes, unfortunately you've been off, now you're going to go back. 00:06:18.879 --> 00:06:21.839 How many of you are going to school or going shopping? 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:25.279 All of us are involved in those aspects of going. 00:06:25.439 --> 00:06:31.680 And so it's in the normal course of life that we go and make disciples as we go. 00:06:32.480 --> 00:06:42.319 And this is not just a commission for people to go to the nations, though that's a central part of it, and we're obeying that through uh ministries in this church. 00:06:42.480 --> 00:06:47.759 It means that we're to make disciples, though, as we go through the normal aspects of life. 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:51.680 The simple word go tells us the nature of the mission. 00:06:52.160 --> 00:06:58.560 As God the Father sent Jesus Christ into the world, so Jesus Christ now sends us into the world. 00:06:58.720 --> 00:07:02.560 It tells us that the church is an apostolic company. 00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:10.079 A friend of mine had a message once, and he called it, if you're a disciple, you're out of here. 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:25.040 And what he meant was we need to think of discipleship, not only in terms of what God can use me to in the house, but how I can have a maximum influence outside these walls. 00:07:25.199 --> 00:07:26.800 That's what matters most. 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:33.040 The difficult problem for most of us is we've gotten comfortable in the church. 00:07:34.879 --> 00:07:40.480 And we're reluctant to leave the comfort of the church to conform to confront the world with the gospel. 00:07:40.639 --> 00:07:55.519 You know, years ago, I was reading uh in uh Matthew 9, where Jesus made the great statement, you know, uh, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest. 00:07:56.000 --> 00:08:11.040 And I never looked up the word sent there because I knew enough about the Greek language to know that most of the time the English word sent was the translation of a Greek word, apostolos, which was to make to be the heart of discipleship. 00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:21.439 And I never bothered to look it up because I always assumed that send out in Matthew 9 would be the same word as it is in other places. 00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:23.439 It would be the apostolos word. 00:08:23.600 --> 00:08:40.080 But one day I looked it up and was shocked because it wasn't uh the word apostolos, it was the word ekbalo, which is a Greek word uh translated by the English word kick, kick out, or compel. 00:08:40.399 --> 00:08:44.799 It's the word actually used of Jesus when he cast out demons. 00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:49.919 He kicked them out because how many know they weren't one willing to leave? 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:54.000 They had to be kicked out, and so what does that tell us about workers? 00:08:56.399 --> 00:08:58.080 It tells us a lot, right? 00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:02.559 Because we need to be kicked out of our comfort zones. 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:13.120 Now, Jesus gave four invitations to participate in four different stages of spiritual development. 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:15.440 And let me show you this wonderful chart. 00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:17.440 I had I had this charge, but it was ugly. 00:09:17.600 --> 00:09:19.440 Timothy made it beautiful. 00:09:20.639 --> 00:09:26.879 But these stages, I'm going to be talking about stage one, which is introduction to Jesus. 00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:32.320 It is the invitation to come and see, and I'll talk about that in a minute. 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:40.240 Then the second thing is follow me, and we'll be talking about that next week. 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:41.519 Follow me. 00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:44.559 And then third stage is be with me. 00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:47.919 And fourth, go and make disciples. 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:53.440 So Jesus gave these imperatives, commissions to the disciples. 00:09:53.759 --> 00:09:58.159 Stage one is focusing on Jesus' invitation. 00:09:58.320 --> 00:10:01.440 He said to two men, come and see. 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:07.039 And Jesus was inviting these two disciples to enter a relationship with him. 00:10:07.519 --> 00:10:11.679 They were the first disciples who were invited to this relationship. 00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:20.320 By the way, only John in his gospel is the only gospel writer that tells us anything about the first year of Jesus' ministry. 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:31.279 The other disciples, the synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, start Jesus' story of ministry when uh it's gone about a year. 00:10:31.840 --> 00:10:37.200 Matthew, Mark, and Luke don't tell us anything about that first year, but only John does. 00:10:37.600 --> 00:10:47.200 And stage one is where true discipleship starts, by people being invited into a relationship with Jesus Christ. 00:10:47.519 --> 00:10:50.159 The disciples ask Jesus where he's staying. 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:50.799 Remember? 00:10:50.960 --> 00:10:55.120 And he responds by saying, Come and you will see. 00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:57.759 So he's inviting them simply to come. 00:10:57.919 --> 00:11:00.799 And Jesus did what all rabbis did in that day. 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:04.879 Rabbis invited would-be disciples to stay with them. 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:08.960 So it's important to, this is where all discipleship begins. 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:14.879 It begins by inviting someone into a relationship with you, not just into a Bible study. 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:20.879 We do invite them to study the Bible, but ultimately we are inviting them into our lives. 00:11:21.519 --> 00:11:30.000 We make disciples the same way Jesus did by entering the lives of a few in order to have maximum impact. 00:11:30.799 --> 00:11:32.240 Think about something. 00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:43.120 As Jesus' earthly ministry grew, Jesus actually withdrew from the crowds and gave himself more to the training of twelve than he did anything else. 00:11:43.360 --> 00:11:44.399 And I have a question. 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:52.080 Why, if Jesus was trying to reach as many people as possible, did he not organize his followers into a masked movement? 00:11:52.399 --> 00:11:56.240 Why didn't he use his popularity to get what he wanted? 00:11:56.480 --> 00:12:04.320 What we actually see, if you realize it, is Jesus had a healthy and appropriate skepticism of the masses. 00:12:05.200 --> 00:12:05.840 Why? 00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:15.360 I think it's because he knew that the same crowds who would be praising him this day would be yelling the next day, crucify him, crucify him. 00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:22.879 Jesus did minister to the crowds, but he did so to call people out of the crowds. 00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:25.679 You weren't a disciple simply because you're the crowd. 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:28.399 You're not a disciple because you're here today. 00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:36.879 I'm not belittling the importance of the corporate gathering, but being a disciple is more than being in the crowd on Sunday. 00:12:38.080 --> 00:12:51.919 Yet, in spite of Jesus' clear strategy of calling people out of the crowd and focusing on a few, most leaders today continue to rely on preaching and teaching the masses to make disciples. 00:12:53.360 --> 00:13:00.240 It doesn't work essentially because discipleship is a relational process, first and foremost. 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:10.480 Preaching is effective in calling people, pointing people to the need for discipleship, but these same people need to come out of the crowd and be disciples. 00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:17.440 So you see, for Jesus, discipleship wasn't a program, it was first and foremost a relationship. 00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:25.840 In the context of that relationship, he shaped the lives of 12 men who subsequently changed the world. 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:32.399 I think Jesus did it this way for two reasons: internalization and multiplication. 00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:41.279 Internalization means he had to have a group that internalized the message. 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:43.120 Remember how this worked? 00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:47.600 He spoke the parable of the sower, and then the the 12 idiots. 00:13:47.679 --> 00:13:51.840 I mean, disciples later asked him, what in the world did that mean? 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:54.080 And he was able to pour into them. 00:13:54.399 --> 00:14:00.639 Forgive me for that, I shouldn't belittle the disciples, but at times they were pretty, they didn't get it much. 00:14:00.879 --> 00:14:02.879 Let me say it that way. 00:14:04.159 --> 00:14:11.440 And he would take them aside and give them deeper input into what he meant in the parable of the sower. 00:14:12.159 --> 00:14:17.759 When the disciples argued over who was the greatest, he's able to expose their false value system. 00:14:19.200 --> 00:14:22.240 This was the way he chose to preserve his legacy. 00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:32.159 He never penned a book or enlisted a scribe, though some of the disciples certainly served as scribes of his rec making a record of his word and works. 00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:32.799 But F. 00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:32.960 F. 00:14:33.120 --> 00:14:56.480 Bruce, this great scholar, Christian scholar, said it best this careful, painstaking education of the disciples secured that the teacher's influence should be permanent, that his kingdom should be formed, founded on deep and indestructible convictions in the minds of a few, not on the shifting sands of superficial impressions in the minds of the many. 00:14:56.799 --> 00:14:58.879 Wow, what a statement. 00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:05.120 Also, not only internalization, the other reason he discipled is multiplication. 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:15.840 The other reason he focused on entering the lives of twelve men was that he might multiply a process whereby they could multiply themselves and others. 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:22.799 Was the fact that Jesus focused on the 12 evidence that he wasn't concerned with the multitudes? 00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:24.480 No, not at all. 00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:27.600 Jesus didn't think our way. 00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:34.879 We think that in order to reach the multitudes, you have to have public events and invite crowds. 00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:37.360 And there's a place for that, of course. 00:15:37.679 --> 00:15:39.679 But Jesus had a different vision. 00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:42.559 He had a big enough vision to think small. 00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:51.120 And it was because of his vision for the multitudes and his compassion for them that he gave himself to the twelve. 00:15:51.679 --> 00:15:52.799 Are you following me? 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:58.720 Eugene Peterson, the author of the message version of Scripture, said it best. 00:15:58.879 --> 00:15:59.759 I love this quote. 00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:08.879 He said, Jesus, it must be remembered, restricted nine-tenths of his ministry to twelve Jews because it was the only way to redeem all Americans. 00:16:10.799 --> 00:16:11.759 Well said. 00:16:13.039 --> 00:16:20.320 The irony is that by focusing on the multitudes, we have failed to train people who the masses couldn't emulate. 00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:26.480 We often perpetuate superficiality by casting a wider net. 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:29.120 It's wide without going deep. 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:37.600 Jesus' vision was to impact the lives of twelve so they would multiply themselves and others. 00:16:48.559 --> 00:16:52.799 Consider the multiplication versus addition process. 00:16:56.960 --> 00:16:59.200 Multiplication and addition if you can. 00:17:00.799 --> 00:17:02.080 Multiplication. 00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:07.759 Consider an evangelist who leads one person a day to the Lord. 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:12.799 And he prays with them to get saved, never sees them again. 00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:22.319 Whereas another person wins two people to the Lord and walks with them for the entire year, teaching them how to walk with Jesus. 00:17:23.599 --> 00:17:31.839 At the end of the year, the evangelist who's brought one person to the Lord every day, got them to pray the prayer, has 365 people. 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:38.559 He says he's led to the Lord, while the other person has only two, but those two are disciples. 00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:50.640 After a second year, the evangelist has led over 730 people to the Lord, while the two who were discipled have multiplied and now are four disciples. 00:17:52.160 --> 00:18:02.319 By the time we reach 13 years or so, you would have four far more disciples than if you just kept winning one person to the Lord each day and moving on. 00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:11.920 So let's go to the heart of this first invitation that Jesus gives when he says to the disciples, Come and see. 00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:14.720 He invites them into a relationship. 00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:21.440 And notice as I read this text how many times the word found appears in these verses. 00:18:21.920 --> 00:18:23.599 John chapter 1. 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:27.839 The two disciples heard him say, John 1.35. 00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:32.559 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:37.920 Jesus turned and saw them, and following them, said to them, What are you seeking? 00:18:38.079 --> 00:18:42.400 And they said, Rabbi, which means teacher, where are you staying? 00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:46.079 He said to them, Come and you will see. 00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:54.880 So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 00:18:55.119 --> 00:19:01.359 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 00:19:01.680 --> 00:19:10.240 He first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, We have found the Messiah, which means Christ, and brought him to Jesus. 00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:14.559 Jesus looked at him and said, You are Simon, the son of John. 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:18.799 You shall be called Cephas, which means Peter. 00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:22.480 The next day Jesus decided to go to Val Galilee. 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:25.519 He found Philip and said to him, Follow me. 00:19:25.759 --> 00:19:29.839 Jesus, Philip was from Bethseda, the city of Andrew and Peter. 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:31.359 Philip found Nathanael. 00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:33.440 It's a lot of finding going on, did you notice? 00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:41.839 And said, We have found him of whom Moses and the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, son of Joseph. 00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:46.079 Nathanael said to him, Can anything good come out of Nazareth? 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:49.359 Philip said to him, Come and see. 00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:56.960 No matter how you push it, put it, discipleship is about one thing essentially, finding people. 00:19:57.119 --> 00:19:59.359 The two disciples found where Jesus was staying. 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:00.960 And they stayed with him. 00:20:01.119 --> 00:20:04.799 One of the two, Andrew, was a disciple of John the Baptist. 00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:08.720 He found his own brother Simon and said to him, We found the Messiah. 00:20:08.880 --> 00:20:09.599 Let's read it again. 00:20:09.680 --> 00:20:12.480 The next day, Jesus decided to go to Galilee. 00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:15.759 He found Philip and said to him, Follow me. 00:20:15.920 --> 00:20:19.839 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:28.799 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, We have found him of whom Moses and the law and the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:32.960 Nathanael said to him, Can anything good come out of Nazareth? 00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:35.279 Philip said to him, Come and see. 00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:39.359 Do you see how each one went out and found others? 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:42.319 And where does Jesus bring them to? 00:20:42.640 --> 00:20:45.279 He brings them to observe his signs. 00:20:46.880 --> 00:20:56.319 The first thing he does is bring those he called and entered relationship with to a wedding in Cana of Galilee that had a crisis. 00:20:56.559 --> 00:20:58.480 They ran out of grape juice. 00:20:58.640 --> 00:20:59.359 I'm sorry. 00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:01.759 They ran out of wine. 00:21:03.680 --> 00:21:05.599 They ran out of wine. 00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:13.440 And Jesus performed his first miracle. 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:24.559 When Jesus invited men and women to come and see, he was inviting them to behold his signs that clearly demonstrated he was the Messiah. 00:21:24.799 --> 00:21:30.240 In John's gospel, his mighty deeds are not called miracles, they're called signs. 00:21:31.119 --> 00:21:35.279 John is centered around seven signs that Jesus did. 00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:39.759 Did you know the whole gospel of John centers around seven signs? 00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:41.519 That's all. 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:49.519 Jesus did thousands of miracles, but John selects seven signs and invites the disciple. 00:21:49.759 --> 00:21:51.039 And what is a sign? 00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:57.119 A sign is something that points away from itself to something else, someone else. 00:21:57.279 --> 00:22:07.039 You know, if you're driving to Nashville and you see a sign that says Nashville, a hundred miles, you don't get out and hang at the sign and say, We're there. 00:22:10.400 --> 00:22:17.119 No, the sign points away from itself, telling how this is going to be a deep message today, so everybody stay with it. 00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:18.240 It's really deep. 00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:23.440 The sign points away from itself, telling how far you have to go. 00:22:23.599 --> 00:22:27.279 Jesus' signs point to the significance of his person. 00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:32.319 That's why God still still does signs and wonders today. 00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:36.720 And that's why we need to be asking God to do signs and wonders. 00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:38.559 It's part of the commission. 00:22:40.400 --> 00:22:44.240 Remember Jesus' final words at the end of Mark's gospel? 00:22:44.720 --> 00:22:48.960 These signs shall follow those who believe. 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:50.880 These signs shall follow. 00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:55.759 We should be concerned if there's no signs accompanying the word. 00:22:56.880 --> 00:23:04.319 That's why it's important to recognize that God still wants to perform signs today to demonstrate he is the Christ. 00:23:04.400 --> 00:23:07.920 And the first one Jesus does is turning the water into wine. 00:23:08.079 --> 00:23:17.359 And John's gospel says, John said, this, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana and Galilee and manifested his glory. 00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:19.279 And his disciples believed in him. 00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:27.200 We're going to ask God at the end of the message to stretch forth his hand, and signs and wonders would begin to occur. 00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:34.319 Now, let me give you six practical steps to disciple making. 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:39.440 Number one, dare to be a disciple yourself. 00:23:39.680 --> 00:23:42.160 You can't give what you don't have. 00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:43.759 So you start there. 00:23:44.000 --> 00:23:45.680 Let's be clear on what that means. 00:23:45.920 --> 00:23:48.160 Doesn't mean you have to be perfect. 00:23:48.480 --> 00:23:55.039 It means, as was said previously, a disciple isn't a perfect man or woman. 00:23:55.200 --> 00:23:56.160 They're an honest man. 00:23:56.720 --> 00:24:04.240 A disciple is a learner, someone who is passionate about learning to follow and walk with Jesus. 00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:09.680 He or she is learning to practice the things that Jesus practiced. 00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:17.839 A disciple is a person who has a deep desire that God use them to powerfully affect the lives of others. 00:24:18.319 --> 00:24:24.079 And because of their love for Jesus, they want Jesus to use them to draw others to him. 00:24:28.079 --> 00:24:30.000 We call it evangelism. 00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:34.559 But it begins with a burden in the heart, not just a sense of obligation. 00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:40.880 I would sum up a disciple this way: number one, it's a person who desires to be like Jesus. 00:24:41.039 --> 00:24:41.920 That's number one. 00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:44.000 I want to be like the Lamb of God. 00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:46.319 Because again, you can't give what you don't have. 00:24:46.480 --> 00:24:51.519 Number two, it's a person willing to practice the things that Jesus practiced. 00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:58.960 Jesus had definite practices that he did regularly, and he's calling us to follow him in those practices. 00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:05.759 And then thirdly, a person who desires to be used by Jesus to draw others to him. 00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:12.480 Number two, step number two, take stock of your present relationships. 00:25:12.799 --> 00:25:16.319 Do an assessment of the people who are in your life right now. 00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:22.559 Remember, you don't need to go anywhere else to be a disciple maker. 00:25:24.880 --> 00:25:32.880 You just need to enter the lives of the people already in your uh immediate orbit, especially unbelievers. 00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:47.599 There's a number of people in your life right now who are potential disciples who you don't yet know the Lord, but they have the opportunity to because you're in their life. 00:25:47.839 --> 00:25:51.279 People in your school, your workplace, your neighborhood. 00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:57.920 There are people the Father has ordained for you to reach and for me to reach. 00:25:58.799 --> 00:26:02.240 That you alone can do because you have access to them. 00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:09.200 And this also includes new believers who are just learning to walk with Jesus. 00:26:09.359 --> 00:26:11.839 That they need someone to walk with them. 00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:15.920 And you can be that someone if you're in proximity to them. 00:26:18.079 --> 00:26:21.759 Step three, pray about who Father might want you to disciple. 00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:24.160 Start praying about the people in your life. 00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:35.279 And don't just invite somebody into your life lightly, because it's a huge commitment of time to take the time to pour into others. 00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:37.039 So take time to pray about it. 00:26:37.279 --> 00:26:38.559 You know what Luke tells us? 00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:58.559 Luke tells us that Jesus, before he chose the 12, spent the entire night in prayer to God before he chose the disciples, because he knew that the commitment needed to be, was radical, and he had to be willing to have the, he needed the right people. 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:01.119 And it's a huge commitment of time. 00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:11.359 You might be naturally drawn to someone, but God might have someone else for you to not that you're not immediately drawn to. 00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:20.559 I've had men in my life that I've walked with that I thought were were going to be, it's going to be a good relationship, but it didn't turn out that way. 00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:26.160 So make sure and ask the Father to make it very clear to you who he wants you to pour into. 00:27:26.400 --> 00:27:26.880 Amen. 00:27:28.640 --> 00:27:32.880 Step four, invite someone into your life. 00:27:33.359 --> 00:27:39.119 Again, it's not so much you're inviting people to study the Bible or a church service, but into your life. 00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:48.000 We do study the Bible, we do attend church, we do the things that we're called to do, but we're doing it because we've invited them into our lives. 00:27:48.240 --> 00:27:51.920 And that's where the power is of transformation is. 00:29:14.240 --> 00:29:22.079 The end result is the size of a ministry base is substantially the same as it was before the program was started. 00:29:22.640 --> 00:29:24.799 What is missing from this approach? 00:29:25.119 --> 00:29:27.519 The priority of relationship. 00:29:27.759 --> 00:29:35.440 Curriculum is good, but for transformation to occur, it can only happen in the context of relationship. 00:29:36.319 --> 00:29:43.359 Jesus says, come into a relationship with me, and I'll empower you to fulfill what I've called you to do. 00:29:44.400 --> 00:29:49.440 And this same appeal has to be at the heart of our disciple-making strategy. 00:29:49.680 --> 00:29:54.240 How does church, this church, this approach differ from church programs? 00:29:54.400 --> 00:30:00.960 Again, we're not inviting people into a program or a curriculum where they study material, take exams, and turn it in. 00:30:01.119 --> 00:30:07.839 Instead, we're inviting them into accountable relationships of trust, love, and transparency. 00:30:10.480 --> 00:30:14.240 Step five, teach them how to follow Jesus. 00:30:14.559 --> 00:30:18.000 Discipleship is not taught, it's caught. 00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:19.279 Teach them how to follow. 00:30:19.839 --> 00:30:26.400 It's in the concept of context of loving relationships, of accountability, that we make disciples. 00:30:26.559 --> 00:30:32.160 We certainly can use material, but the way a person learns is through relationship. 00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:34.799 Discipleship, again, is caught, not taught. 00:30:34.960 --> 00:30:41.200 When you disciple someone, it's not just you teaching them, but both of you learning through relationship. 00:30:41.440 --> 00:30:50.000 One of the things God uses in discipling relationship, honesty, is honesty in the lives of the two people in the relationship or more. 00:30:50.400 --> 00:30:59.759 God uses the honesty of the discipler as much as he does the discipleship program we're using. 00:30:59.920 --> 00:31:07.359 And one of the reasons discipleship is so powerful is that God uses models to help us live the Christian life. 00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:10.640 We get to observe in flesh and blood. 00:31:11.440 --> 00:31:21.200 You know, I've had people in my life that I've learned what it means to be a husband by because they were stellar, they had stellar marriages. 00:31:22.880 --> 00:31:28.079 You learn to walk with someone through the various phases of their Christian life. 00:31:28.480 --> 00:31:32.240 And then step six, teach them to multiply. 00:31:32.400 --> 00:31:34.880 It doesn't work if it ends with you. 00:31:35.039 --> 00:31:38.880 You have to teach them to multiply and make disciples. 00:31:39.039 --> 00:31:40.559 Give them a mandate. 00:31:40.799 --> 00:31:42.559 Go and make disciples. 00:31:42.720 --> 00:31:46.720 And your chart, your chart, what will what does it look like presently? 00:31:46.880 --> 00:31:48.400 You saw Gordon's chart. 00:31:48.559 --> 00:31:50.480 What does your chart look like? 00:31:51.119 --> 00:31:54.160 Who is are you spending time pouring into? 00:31:54.559 --> 00:32:08.000 You know, anybody that's a little bit more advanced than another person is really able to disciple because they have learned something that you have yet to learn. 00:32:08.319 --> 00:32:09.920 I'm gonna ask you to stand. 00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:25.440 I want to pray that this message will be powerfully built in our lives. 00:32:25.680 --> 00:32:30.960 Father, thank you, Father, for the call to make disciples. 00:32:31.200 --> 00:32:33.519 We pray for Trinity Community Church. 00:32:33.680 --> 00:32:38.319 Thank you, Lord, for the call that the elders heard the call to disciple, Father. 00:32:38.400 --> 00:32:43.440 And we thank you, Lord God, that you're gonna allow us to flesh it out. 00:32:43.599 --> 00:32:47.759 Thank you for allowing us to flesh it out and to walk with people. 00:32:48.000 --> 00:32:56.400 Lord, show everybody in this church who they should be discipling or who they should be receiving discipleship from. 00:32:56.559 --> 00:33:13.519 We pray in Jesus' name for a clarity that people seek God about this, that there would be clarity and there would be, Lord God, no uh level of frustration as they seek you. 00:33:13.680 --> 00:33:15.920 Teach them to multiply disciples. 00:33:16.079 --> 00:33:20.000 We ask this in Jesus' name, and everyone said, Amen.