WEBVTT 00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:06.320 So we were in a sermon series called Discipleship Matters. 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:14.800 And the way that this came about is we went away as an elder team in October to ask the Lord what we needed to do for this year for 2026. 00:00:14.800 --> 00:00:20.960 And we felt like he was encouraging us to make sure that we were better equipped to handle crisis. 00:00:20.960 --> 00:00:26.719 Now, before you get too scared about that, how many of you know that crisis happens? 00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:28.079 It's going to happen. 00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:32.159 It's not like if it happens, it's more like when it will happen. 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:36.960 It happens in each and every one of our lives in different ways, in different scenarios, right? 00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:40.079 And so we need to be equipped for that and prepared for that. 00:00:40.079 --> 00:00:47.759 We kind of walked away with this slogan, which is that sharpened Christians are best equipped for crisis. 00:00:47.759 --> 00:00:51.520 Sharpened Christians are best equipped for crisis. 00:00:51.520 --> 00:00:55.359 So my question for each and every one of us, how sharp are we? 00:00:55.359 --> 00:01:00.960 We're not talking about IQ or anything or the way we're dressed or anything like that. 00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:09.439 We're talking about being prepared, spirit, soul, and body, to face whatever it is that we might face in this year of 2026. 00:01:09.439 --> 00:01:16.480 And so as we were asking the Lord for strategy, we felt encouraged to focus primarily on discipleship. 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:22.000 Discipleship, specifically the way that Jesus discipled his followers. 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:33.120 His plan was to take a few ordinary people, to pour his life into them, and then to release them to do the same thing over and over and over again. 00:01:33.120 --> 00:01:39.760 And 2,000 years later, all of us are sitting here today because Jesus did what he did. 00:01:39.760 --> 00:01:41.359 Was it a good plan? 00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:51.920 Yeah, I've often wondered what the angels thought about as Jesus was beginning to implement this plan and saying the things because they're like, seriously, you're gonna leave it up to them? 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:54.159 And then Jesus said, no, no, no, no. 00:01:54.159 --> 00:01:55.760 I'm gonna send the Holy Spirit. 00:01:55.760 --> 00:02:01.439 He's gonna live on the inside of them, he's gonna help them and encourage them and strengthen them and all of those things, right? 00:02:01.439 --> 00:02:07.120 So this is the plan of God, and we want to participate with the plan of God, right? 00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:12.319 And it didn't stop uh last year or the year before or a thousand years ago. 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:15.599 This plan of discipleship continues on. 00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:22.080 And uh Neil reminded us last week that a disciple is a person who desires to be like Jesus. 00:02:22.080 --> 00:02:25.520 And I want to add one to this that I don't have in my notes. 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:31.439 A disciple is a person who wants to know Jesus, who wants to know him. 00:02:31.439 --> 00:02:40.000 Remember, Paul's crying out, I want to know him, and his suffering and the power of his resurrection and all of those things that he is. 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:42.560 I want to really know him. 00:02:42.560 --> 00:02:46.240 So let's not forget about that in the doing of things. 00:02:46.240 --> 00:02:49.199 Let's not forget about the knowing aspect. 00:02:49.199 --> 00:02:53.520 A person, and it's also a person who desires to be like Jesus. 00:02:53.520 --> 00:03:02.719 It's a person willing to practice the things that Jesus practiced, and it's a person who desires to be used by Jesus to draw others to him. 00:03:02.719 --> 00:03:11.599 We see a journey of four steps that Jesus engaged with his followers that all include a call to respond. 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:19.520 So it was God doing the work or Jesus doing the work, but there was a response that was required out of the people that were to follow him. 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:23.439 And again, we believe that that same practice continues today. 00:03:23.439 --> 00:03:29.439 So I'm gonna put up the slide that they built last week and just remind us of these four segments. 00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:33.520 So the first one is come and see, come and see. 00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:40.879 Second is follow me, third is be with me, and fourth is go for me. 00:03:40.879 --> 00:03:48.639 And if you haven't had a chance to snap a picture of this right now, go ahead and take it if you want to, and that way you can have it to refer back to later on. 00:03:48.639 --> 00:03:54.639 Or if you are an artist and you can quickly get this drawn out, go ahead and do that. 00:03:54.639 --> 00:03:57.520 But that's the four stages that we're looking at. 00:03:57.520 --> 00:04:02.240 Last week, Neil did an excellent job of sort of opening this whole thing up. 00:04:02.240 --> 00:04:14.879 In fact, one of the things that's dangerous about having a teacher of Neil's stature go first in a series like this is you're hoping as you're listening to the sermon that he's gonna leave you something to say. 00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:19.600 So when he gets back, you can thank him on my behalf. 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:31.199 He's in Florida right now ministering at a church, but you can thank him on my behalf for leaving a little meat on the bones so that we could take kind of the foundation that was laid last week and build on it. 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:42.240 But the big picture of Jesus' discipleship style, while focusing in on come and see, this is the simple call to observe who Jesus is and what he does. 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:45.519 How many of you know that this call goes out to the masses? 00:04:45.519 --> 00:04:51.360 It went out to the crowds, it went out to the multitudes, and it also went out to individual people. 00:04:51.360 --> 00:04:53.439 Come and see this man. 00:04:53.439 --> 00:05:00.800 Come and see, come and listen to him, come and watch, come and observe what is going on with this man. 00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:11.519 And then we turn, as in turn, as believers in Christ, have the privilege and responsibility of inviting others into our lives to come and see. 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:16.959 And we're and that's again sort of the what uh what Neil led us through last week. 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:21.279 Today we're going to observe the second stage, and all of these are relational. 00:05:21.279 --> 00:05:26.959 All of these move deeper and deeper into uh a deeper relationship with Jesus, right? 00:05:26.959 --> 00:05:31.439 So the second one that we're going to talk about today is follow me. 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:34.800 So if you would turn in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 4. 00:05:34.800 --> 00:05:46.480 If you're reading in our uh New Testament reading plan, this last week we would have read this chapter, and so hopefully these words will uh will come back to your memory just from having read them recently. 00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:49.839 Matthew chapter 4, verses 18 through 22. 00:05:49.839 --> 00:05:54.639 It says, While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers. 00:05:54.639 --> 00:05:55.920 Who's the he there? 00:05:55.920 --> 00:05:57.439 Jesus. 00:05:57.439 --> 00:05:58.160 Yeah. 00:05:58.160 --> 00:06:05.279 Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:09.439 And he said to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 00:06:09.439 --> 00:06:14.000 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:23.920 And going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. 00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:31.519 And he called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. 00:06:31.519 --> 00:06:34.000 So, Lord, we pray for this day. 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:36.800 We we thank you, Lord, for what you've already accomplished. 00:06:36.800 --> 00:06:38.959 We give you all of the glory for that. 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:59.279 And Lord, we ask that you would take the words that you've put in my heart for this morning and that are from your word, Father, that you would cause them to produce life, to produce change where change is needed, and to inspire us, Lord God, to follow you and to help others to follow you as well. 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:00.720 In Jesus' name. 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:01.680 Amen. 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:07.920 So it's interesting in this passage in Matthew, we aren't given the precursor to the story. 00:07:07.920 --> 00:07:15.439 In fact, there's only one gospel book that tells us the before of what happened with Peter and Andrew and James and John. 00:07:15.439 --> 00:07:16.639 It's found in the book of Luke. 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:18.160 And do you remember the story? 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:21.120 They were fishing and they had been fishing all night. 00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:23.279 And how many had they caught? 00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:25.279 They were fishermen. 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:30.160 Now, I have a question about how good of a fish a fisherman they were. 00:07:30.160 --> 00:07:34.560 Because every time Jesus encounters them, he's having to produce fish for them. 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:44.000 So and being a fisherman myself, I've had many occasions like that where I go out and I fish all day and catch nothing, right? 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:50.319 My children, one of the reasons that they don't like to go fishing with me is because it's not called catching. 00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:56.720 If we could change the name to catching, I'm sure they'd all be right there with me all the time. 00:07:56.720 --> 00:08:00.240 But part of the whole thing is the fishing aspect, right? 00:08:00.240 --> 00:08:02.720 So uh anyway, we know the story. 00:08:02.720 --> 00:08:03.920 They've been fishing all night. 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:05.360 They come close to shore. 00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:07.040 Jesus is standing at the shore. 00:08:07.040 --> 00:08:16.560 He calls out to Peter and says, Hey, if you want to catch some fish, you go back out deeper into the water and cast your net on the other side of the boat. 00:08:16.560 --> 00:08:24.160 Now, how many of you know it's not that far from one side of the boat to the other side of the boat, especially those boats. 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:26.639 They were not humongous boats, right? 00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:31.759 So, and also it's like Peter could have easily said, Who is this guy? 00:08:31.759 --> 00:08:32.559 First of all. 00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:37.679 And second of all, how's why what why is he trying to tell me how to do my job, right? 00:08:37.679 --> 00:08:40.639 That could have easily been his refrain. 00:08:40.639 --> 00:08:41.840 But Peter does it. 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:46.960 He he goes back out a little bit, they cast the net on the other side, and guess what happens? 00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:53.360 The fish show up and they pull that net, and it's so full that they can't even get it all into their boat. 00:08:53.360 --> 00:08:54.720 It's gonna sink their boat. 00:08:54.720 --> 00:09:01.440 So they call over James and John, who are in another fishing boat, and they have to give them some of the fish, right? 00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:03.279 It was such an overflowing thing. 00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:13.120 And so then uh adjacent to that story, we see this in Matthew, where Jesus says to them, Come and follow me, right? 00:09:13.120 --> 00:09:17.279 It's interesting, uh again, that only Luke records that. 00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:21.360 Um, when he obeyed, his nets were so filled with fish. 00:09:21.360 --> 00:09:29.279 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, didn't have this initial encounter with Jesus when Jesus spoke to Peter, right? 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:31.120 They had to be called over. 00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:35.279 And yet they were called over and they became a part of the twelve. 00:09:35.279 --> 00:09:37.440 It's really interesting the way that God does things. 00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:47.440 So, in my opinion, that was an example of the come and see part of Jesus' ministry, the miraculous side, the signs and wonders, all of those things. 00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:55.679 But the come and see for Peter and Andrew and James and John transitioned into follow me, follow me. 00:09:55.679 --> 00:09:57.519 And that's what we're gonna talk about this morning. 00:09:57.519 --> 00:10:00.960 He said, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:02.320 Fishers of men. 00:10:02.320 --> 00:10:05.600 Jesus talks to people in language that they understand. 00:10:05.600 --> 00:10:12.480 And he talked to fishermen about fishing, but he talked to them about fishing for men instead of for fish. 00:10:12.480 --> 00:10:16.799 And this this call to follow him is such a simple, straightforward call. 00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:18.639 We don't want to overcomplicate it today. 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:25.120 I'm not gonna give you, I'm not gonna go so deep that you can't uh you know come along with what I'm trying to say to you. 00:10:25.120 --> 00:10:27.039 It is it is not complicated. 00:10:27.039 --> 00:10:36.559 I simply want us to build this idea out of what following Jesus looks like and how we can implement his model of discipleship in our own lives. 00:10:36.559 --> 00:10:38.000 Here's the bottom line. 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:40.799 If you get nothing else this morning, I hope you get this. 00:10:40.799 --> 00:10:46.159 Jesus gave his disciples an invitation to imitation. 00:10:46.159 --> 00:10:51.840 Jesus gave his disciples an invitation to imitation. 00:10:51.840 --> 00:10:56.159 That's what he that's what he meant when he said, follow me. 00:10:56.159 --> 00:10:57.679 Follow me. 00:10:57.679 --> 00:11:04.879 He was inviting them into his life so that they could learn of him and learn to walk the way that he walks. 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:06.559 That's what we're talking about here. 00:11:06.559 --> 00:11:14.000 His call was not simply to observe him from a distance, to come and see, it was to follow him. 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:29.759 The plan was to move those who received his invitation from seekers to saints, who then would have a heart for seekers to become saints, who would then have a heart for seekers to become saints, and on and on and on. 00:11:29.759 --> 00:11:38.559 Time does not allow us the ability to talk about every way that Jesus influenced these 12 disciples. 00:11:38.559 --> 00:11:48.639 We would be here, and in fact, the book of John says that there's not enough paper, there's not enough time, there's not enough space to write all of the things that he said and did. 00:11:48.639 --> 00:11:54.240 But the disciples would learn specifically what it looks like to live as citizens of another kingdom. 00:11:54.240 --> 00:11:59.039 How many of you are thankful that you belong to a kingdom that is not of this world? 00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:19.440 All you have to do is watch the news for an hour, and at the end of that time, you're either you're repenting, you are interceding, or you are saying, Thank you, God, that you're in control and that you're sovereign and that we can trust you, and that we're citizens of another kingdom and of another realm. 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:21.919 And you are God above all. 00:12:21.919 --> 00:12:25.919 Jesus came to represent the kingdom of God. 00:12:25.919 --> 00:12:36.320 And you know this because almost every talk that he ever gave was a description of what the kingdom of God looked like, what the kingdom of God was, how it operated. 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:41.759 He spent most of his time showing everyone, especially his disciples, what it was all about. 00:12:41.759 --> 00:12:45.919 And this kingdom is an upside down kingdom, and maybe I'll correct that. 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:52.399 Maybe the kingdoms of this world are upside down, and the kingdom of God is right side up. 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:54.240 Can we say it like that? 00:12:54.240 --> 00:12:56.000 Because that's the truth. 00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:57.279 It is the truth. 00:12:57.279 --> 00:13:08.000 We are called to be a part of the kingdom of God that is not a kingdom of this world, even though it influences this world and affects this world, and we are in this world, right? 00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:12.159 But we are kingdoms of another, we are citizens of another kingdom. 00:13:12.159 --> 00:13:15.360 So let's look at what Christ's followers are called to do. 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:20.159 First of all, Christ's followers are called to serve wholeheartedly. 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:24.000 Christ's followers are called to serve wholeheartedly. 00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:35.440 In Mark chapter 10, verse 45, it says of Jesus, for even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:43.679 Jesus is the greatest example that has ever walked this planet of what it looks like to be a servant. 00:13:43.679 --> 00:13:50.960 He was a servant and he loved serving God and serving people. 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:56.000 Jesus in this passage in Mark is responding to James and John's request. 00:13:56.000 --> 00:13:59.120 Remember what they're saying, James and John later on. 00:13:59.120 --> 00:14:00.480 What was their request? 00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:06.960 That they could sit at the right hand and the left hand of Jesus when he comes into his kingdom. 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:11.600 One passage says that they asked Jesus, another passage says they sent their mama. 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:16.000 Oh my goodness. 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:17.440 Don't we love our mamas? 00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:18.480 Yeah, anyway. 00:14:18.480 --> 00:14:19.440 Yeah. 00:14:19.440 --> 00:14:25.039 So but Jesus looks at them and he loves them, but he also wants them to get it. 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:26.559 Guys, it's not about that. 00:14:26.559 --> 00:14:28.080 That's the kingdom of this world. 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:32.720 You're thinking about the way that Gentiles live, you're thinking about the kingdoms of this world. 00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:33.759 It's not that way. 00:14:33.759 --> 00:14:39.519 In fact, if you want to be great in this kingdom, learn to be the servant of all. 00:14:39.519 --> 00:14:48.159 If we are to be true followers of Jesus Christ, we will be servants who serve wholeheartedly. 00:14:48.159 --> 00:14:49.600 Amen. 00:14:49.600 --> 00:14:52.879 So let me ask us a question together. 00:14:52.879 --> 00:14:53.759 We're all here together. 00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:54.639 We're family, right? 00:14:54.639 --> 00:14:56.159 We can be honest with each other. 00:14:56.159 --> 00:14:57.919 How is our serve game? 00:14:57.919 --> 00:15:00.080 How is our serve game? 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:04.480 Not talking about tennis or pickleball, but how is our serve game? 00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:13.600 Are we serious about modeling for those around us what it looks like to emulate this attitude, this heart, this wholehearted service? 00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:20.000 Do people in our workplaces say of us, man, they'll do anything for anybody? 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:25.440 Man, when I was really struggling and I didn't have enough, I couldn't get everything done that I needed to get done. 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:29.039 So-and-so stepped in and they helped me get to the finish line. 00:15:29.039 --> 00:15:31.039 How was our serve game? 00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:37.840 I gotta be honest with you, many of the people in this room challenge me when it comes to serving. 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:45.039 Because Trinity Community Church, by the grace of God, is filled with people who love to serve the Lord and serve other people. 00:15:45.039 --> 00:15:49.120 Yeah, and I just want to give you a hand for that because it is amazing. 00:15:49.120 --> 00:15:52.320 It's amazing to be a part of a church like this. 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:53.919 And why do how do we do it? 00:15:53.919 --> 00:15:56.000 We do it by God's grace. 00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:58.159 His grace is sufficient for us. 00:15:58.159 --> 00:16:02.879 So if you're going to be a Christ follower, you got to make sure that you're willing to serve, right? 00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:05.600 Follow me means that you're going to be a server. 00:16:05.600 --> 00:16:10.720 Christ followers are also called to reflect the character of Christ. 00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:12.240 The character of Christ. 00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:23.120 Why was it important for the disciples to follow Jesus so they could learn what it looks like to serve, but also so they could learn what it looks like to live, how to live. 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:25.279 How then should we live? 00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:36.399 How many of you know Jesus, again, is the greatest example of living out good character, godly character that there has ever been or ever will be, right? 00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:44.960 In fact, in John 14, verses 6 and 7, it says, Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life. 00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:47.759 No one comes to the Father except through me. 00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:53.200 If you could stop there and maybe not catch the whole gist of this, but listen to what he says next. 00:16:53.200 --> 00:16:57.840 If you had known me, you would have known my father also. 00:16:57.840 --> 00:17:03.279 From now on, you do know him and have seen him. 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:11.759 Jesus was carrying out, walking out the same principles that he was asking his disciples to do. 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:21.680 How many of you know that Jesus did not say anything or do anything unless he heard his father say it or his father asked him to do it? 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:28.880 Jesus was following the Father just like he asks us to follow him. 00:17:28.880 --> 00:17:33.759 And part of that has to do with character. 00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:37.279 Jesus was a perfect representation of the Father. 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:44.240 His thoughts, words, and deeds were inspired by and divinely granted because of his relationship with his father. 00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:56.240 Jesus' followers are intended to carry this practice on by emulating the character of Jesus, which should be ever increasing based on the sanctification process. 00:17:56.240 --> 00:18:08.319 How many of you, if you're if if we're all honest today, if you've been in the Lord for some period of time, you cannot get away with things that you could get away with 20 years ago or 30 years ago. 00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:09.839 And why is that? 00:18:09.839 --> 00:18:13.200 Because you've just become a better version of yourself? 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:21.119 It's because the Holy Spirit gets louder and louder and louder and fine tunes and fine tunes and fine tunes. 00:18:21.119 --> 00:18:33.759 And once we're done with maybe the top 10 list of sin, then he begins to deal with attitudes and motivations and uh you know why we do what we do and all of those things, right? 00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:35.119 Am I the only one? 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:37.119 Okay, good, good. 00:18:37.119 --> 00:18:39.759 I'm glad I'm in good company here this morning. 00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:41.920 So let me ask you this question. 00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:45.839 Again, these are these are things that make me think, and hopefully they will too. 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:52.880 If those we are discipling followed us around for any length of time, what type of character would they be learning to imitate? 00:18:52.880 --> 00:19:01.599 Just look at your neighbor and smile at them because that way nobody will know what you're thinking or how you're feeling right now. 00:19:01.599 --> 00:19:05.200 But it's true. 00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:06.799 Let's ask the question. 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:19.440 If we were to ask somebody to imitate us, to follow us around and do what we do and say what we say and have the attitude that we have, what product would we produce? 00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:24.880 That's a good question. 00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:26.799 I'm asking myself. 00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:28.480 I did ask myself this week. 00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:31.119 Here, I want to just clarify something real quick. 00:19:31.119 --> 00:19:35.359 The pastors of this church are not super Christians. 00:19:35.359 --> 00:19:43.680 What I mean by that is we are not like extraordinary, like we have superpowers that are beyond what you're given. 00:19:43.680 --> 00:19:48.880 We have grace for a gift that we've been asked to to uh to walk in, right? 00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:50.240 To function in. 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:51.839 We have grace for that gift. 00:19:51.839 --> 00:19:54.960 But beyond that, we we have to live just like you live. 00:19:54.960 --> 00:19:58.160 And so when we're talking about you discipling. 00:19:58.160 --> 00:20:04.720 We're talking to me too, to us. 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:12.000 So I'm saying these things to you with a heart that understands that this affects all of us, including me. 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:25.839 How many of you know we can step it up by God's grace, not in our own strength, but we can step it up by grace to make sure that our character is lining up with Jesus' character. 00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:30.240 And we can do that again because the Holy Spirit lives within us. 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:37.759 Oh, by the way, if you don't know the answer to the question about how would those followers act if they were imitating you, ask your family. 00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:44.720 At least my family, they they they tend to tell me the truth. 00:20:44.720 --> 00:20:49.599 Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don't, right? 00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:50.640 But I need it. 00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:52.240 I need the truth. 00:20:52.240 --> 00:20:58.880 Okay, so so what I'm saying to you is I'm not I'm not trying to condemn you, but what I am saying is there's room for improvement. 00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:06.960 If we are going to be disciplers of other people, we have to understand what it looks like to be a disciple ourselves. 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:15.680 Aren't you so thankful that Jesus saw through the crowd that came to see him and called out a few? 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:27.359 Aren't you thankful that in the crowd of this whole earth, the billions of people on this planet, God saw through the crowd and he called each and every one of us to follow him? 00:21:27.359 --> 00:21:29.839 What a privilege. 00:21:29.839 --> 00:21:31.200 What a privilege. 00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:35.200 And we get to be a part of that continuing story. 00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:40.720 And finally, Christ's followers are called to share God's heart for the lost. 00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:48.079 Luke chapter 19, verse 10, it says, For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost. 00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:53.039 This verse just taken by itself is a nice verse, but here's the context with it. 00:21:53.039 --> 00:22:01.759 Zacchaeus, remember Zacchaeus, the tax collector, the wee little man, that climbed up in the sycamore tree to see what Jesus might do. 00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:06.079 And Jesus came by and he said, Zacchaeus, I'm going home with you today. 00:22:06.079 --> 00:22:08.319 We're having lunch at your house. 00:22:08.319 --> 00:22:10.319 And so he did. 00:22:10.319 --> 00:22:14.640 And during the time of the conversation with Zacchaeus, something changed. 00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:17.200 How do we know it changed? 00:22:17.200 --> 00:22:24.480 Because Zacchaeus took the money that he had stolen from everybody else and he gave it back. 00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:26.319 And he also gave more. 00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:28.160 What was a sign? 00:22:28.160 --> 00:22:30.720 It was an outward sign of what was happening on his heart. 00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:42.880 And when Jesus was questioned about why he would go sit in a filthy, stinking tax collector's house, and you can fill in tax collector with whichever sin you hate the most. 00:22:42.880 --> 00:22:54.559 But he would why would he go and sit in a filthy tax collector's house who is stolen from all of us, who is on Rome's side instead of our side? 00:22:54.559 --> 00:22:59.119 And Jesus said, I'm doing my father's work. 00:22:59.119 --> 00:23:04.640 The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost. 00:23:04.640 --> 00:23:18.960 If there was anything that Jesus wanted his disciples to catch, it was that his very purpose was to ransom back those who had been lost because of the curse of sin. 00:23:18.960 --> 00:23:21.200 We see it in Genesis 3:15. 00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:27.359 As soon as sin occurred, as soon as the curse of sin was given, there was an answer. 00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:30.400 And the answer was Jesus. 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:41.039 Think about the many times that it is said of Jesus that he was moved with compassion and did fill in the blank over and over and over again. 00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:43.599 It says that his heart was torn. 00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:44.799 He was moved. 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:47.519 He felt what the crowds were feeling. 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:50.079 He felt what individuals must feel. 00:23:50.079 --> 00:24:03.920 He stopped a funeral procession of a widow whose only son had passed away to reach up his hand and touch the coffin and for the young man to rise again. 00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:10.400 This is the love that Jesus has for those who are lost. 00:24:10.400 --> 00:24:26.480 In fact, as part of his entry onto the scene, he stood up in his hometown and he read from the book of Isaiah and is quoted here in Luke chapter 4: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. 00:24:26.480 --> 00:24:38.480 He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. 00:24:38.480 --> 00:24:41.680 This is the message of Jesus. 00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:44.799 This is the heart of Jesus. 00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:53.519 This is what we carry with us as followers of Jesus who are attempting to reach those who are not yet following him. 00:24:53.519 --> 00:25:00.240 The Spirit of the Lord is upon us to bring freedom into people's lives. 00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:06.640 You see, the work of discipleship isn't finished until disciples are making disciples. 00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:15.759 Can you imagine if there was a moratorium on having children in the world? 00:25:15.759 --> 00:25:19.279 How long would it take for the world to be depopulated? 00:25:19.279 --> 00:25:23.200 It's hard to even imagine. 00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:25.119 It's hard to even think about, right? 00:25:25.119 --> 00:25:27.039 It's never going to happen. 00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:31.599 But in our lives, Christianity could suffer the same fate. 00:25:31.599 --> 00:25:36.160 If disciples refuse to disciple those who would come next. 00:25:36.160 --> 00:25:40.240 Remember, he said, follow me and I will make you fishers of men. 00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:46.079 The temptation for all of us is to throw up our hands and say that this is an impossible feat. 00:25:46.079 --> 00:25:48.400 I cannot do this. 00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:51.440 I can't do it. 00:25:51.440 --> 00:26:03.759 That none of us can ever even get close to accomplishing in our lives what uh what discipleship, what how Jesus was a disciple and emulated discipleship to us. 00:26:03.759 --> 00:26:13.200 Thankfully, we have the rest of the story where these followers of Jesus who were imperfect, aren't you glad that the Bible's real? 00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:22.319 Any other religious religious book makes everything pretty, makes all the characters perfect and excellent. 00:26:22.319 --> 00:26:30.640 And you know, like otherworldly, the Bible made Peter Simon before he was Peter, right? 00:26:30.640 --> 00:26:32.240 Jesus did that. 00:26:32.240 --> 00:26:40.319 But it showed all of the failings of everyday average people who Jesus was working with. 00:26:40.319 --> 00:26:52.400 And how many of you know that they became fishers of men who represented Christ, most of them even being willing to lay down their lives for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:26:52.400 --> 00:26:56.960 Let's look at an example from the Bible. 00:26:56.960 --> 00:27:00.960 Paul was a great example of this follow-me aspect of discipleship. 00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:06.720 He told the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 11, verse 1, be imitators of me. 00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:12.160 Don't stop there, as I am of Christ. 00:27:12.160 --> 00:27:15.119 Paul wasn't saying just do everything I do. 00:27:15.119 --> 00:27:18.720 He's saying everything that is of Christ, do that. 00:27:18.720 --> 00:27:24.799 In fact, I want to say to you that if you follow me around long enough, I'm going to disappoint you. 00:27:24.799 --> 00:27:33.920 It's not my goal, it's not what I'm aiming for, but I'm going to say something, do something, act a certain way, whatever it is, that's going to be a disappointment to you. 00:27:33.920 --> 00:27:40.400 But I would say to you, if there's anything of Christ in me that you see, follow that. 00:27:40.400 --> 00:27:42.480 Follow that. 00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:48.880 You see, we're not emulating our own personalities or our own goodness or our own kindness. 00:27:48.880 --> 00:27:58.880 We're emulating the kindness of Jesus, the goodness of Jesus, the mercy of Jesus, the faithfulness of Jesus. 00:27:58.880 --> 00:28:02.640 Paul understood this as he told the Corinthian church. 00:28:02.640 --> 00:28:10.960 He also encouraged his son in the faith, Timothy, concerning his own example as a Christian leader in 1 Timothy 4.12, my life verse. 00:28:10.960 --> 00:28:39.359 He's saying to Timothy, if you really want to do this, if you want to be a part of the kingdom of God, if you really want to have an impact in the churches that you are serving, make sure that you're living this life the way that Jesus lived his life. 00:28:39.359 --> 00:28:46.720 He also reiterated to Timothy the fact that he wouldn't be finished with his job until his disciples were making disciples. 00:28:46.720 --> 00:28:53.519 In 2 Timothy chapter 2, it says, You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 00:28:53.519 --> 00:29:01.839 And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 00:29:01.839 --> 00:29:09.920 Paul understood that this was something that was to be transferred, it was to be expanded, it was to be multiplied. 00:29:09.920 --> 00:29:13.839 The kingdom of God is a kingdom of multiplication, not addition. 00:29:13.839 --> 00:29:19.359 And yet, so many times we focus on subtraction, right? 00:29:19.359 --> 00:29:22.640 The kingdom is a kingdom of multiplication. 00:29:22.640 --> 00:29:27.359 So let's get to sort of a bottom line thing to finish this out. 00:29:27.359 --> 00:29:41.920 Disciple making is investing ourselves in the lives of others in order to help their growth in the faith, which includes helping them to invest in others who will invest in others. 00:29:41.920 --> 00:29:44.640 It's the simplest way I know how to say it. 00:29:44.640 --> 00:29:50.160 We help people grow in the faith so they can help other people grow in the faith. 00:29:50.160 --> 00:29:56.319 Obviously, it's easy to focus on the tremendous result in the lives of those who are being discipled. 00:29:56.319 --> 00:29:59.039 In other words, we could say, well, it's just all for them. 00:29:59.039 --> 00:30:00.880 It's all for the people that I'm discipling. 00:30:00.880 --> 00:30:04.480 How many of you, if you've ever discipled somebody, what do you discover? 00:30:04.480 --> 00:30:19.119 Every time I've ever come back from a mission trip where I poured myself out to try to bless the people there and to be an example to them, I came away feeling like they had given way more to me than I could have ever given to them. 00:30:19.119 --> 00:30:24.960 My friends, there is gold found in them their hills. 00:30:24.960 --> 00:30:30.400 When we make disciples, it not only affects them, it affects us. 00:30:30.400 --> 00:30:39.119 Teaching something to somebody else helps you to learn it better yourself. 00:30:39.119 --> 00:30:52.160 There's a book called Habits of Grace by David Mathis, and our staff just went through this and we're almost finished, or we finished it? 00:30:52.160 --> 00:30:53.039 I can't remember. 00:30:53.039 --> 00:30:53.599 Almost. 00:30:53.599 --> 00:30:54.480 One more chapter. 00:30:54.480 --> 00:31:00.640 So um, in this last chapter, we talked about they talked about this very thing, and I wanted just to pull a couple thoughts from there. 00:31:00.640 --> 00:31:04.240 So let's look at four disciple-making lessons for disciplers. 00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:10.000 Number one, disciple making shows us our smallness and God's bigness. 00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:13.599 How many of you know that's a proper perspective? 00:31:13.599 --> 00:31:17.359 God is big and I am small. 00:31:17.359 --> 00:31:27.599 It doesn't mean that I'm not significant or important or anything like that, but his purpose, how many of you know the call to discipleship is huge? 00:31:27.599 --> 00:31:31.039 Go therefore and make disciples of what? 00:31:31.039 --> 00:31:33.599 All nations. 00:31:33.599 --> 00:31:35.119 Is that a big deal? 00:31:35.119 --> 00:31:38.319 God's a big deal with a big plan. 00:31:38.319 --> 00:31:46.079 And me as an individual feels like a small part of that big deal, big plan. 00:31:46.079 --> 00:31:49.119 But how many of you know you're an important part? 00:31:49.119 --> 00:31:51.119 You and I are an important part. 00:31:51.119 --> 00:31:52.480 The vision is huge. 00:31:52.480 --> 00:31:55.839 Our part in the equation is relatively small, but very important. 00:31:55.839 --> 00:32:00.160 So this is something that a lot of people use as a slogan. 00:32:00.160 --> 00:32:03.920 I think I may have a oh, my son corrected it on the slide. 00:32:03.920 --> 00:32:05.039 Thank you, Benjamin. 00:32:05.039 --> 00:32:07.680 I have it wrong in my notes, but he's got it right on the slide. 00:32:07.680 --> 00:32:13.279 So these three little uh segments that a lot of um missionary organizations use. 00:32:13.279 --> 00:32:19.839 So think big, think big, start small, and go deep. 00:32:19.839 --> 00:32:26.799 If if you if you want to just wrap your mind around what this discipleship process looks like for you, think big. 00:32:26.799 --> 00:32:28.480 This is a big deal. 00:32:28.480 --> 00:32:30.319 This is a huge deal. 00:32:30.319 --> 00:32:32.799 It's God's master plan, right? 00:32:32.799 --> 00:32:34.559 Think big, start small. 00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:35.839 It's one-on-one. 00:32:35.839 --> 00:32:38.000 It's me with one other person. 00:32:38.000 --> 00:32:42.000 It's a small beginning, but go deep. 00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:49.920 Go deep, walk with that person, help them to understand who Jesus is and why he does what he does and how important he is to them. 00:32:49.920 --> 00:32:54.960 And don't walk away from them until they're discipling somebody else, right? 00:32:54.960 --> 00:32:59.200 While we're going, make disciples. 00:32:59.200 --> 00:33:00.480 Make disciples. 00:33:00.480 --> 00:33:06.559 Number two, disciple making challenges challenges us to be authentic Christians. 00:33:06.559 --> 00:33:13.920 And we please, for the love of God, be authentic in our Christianity. 00:33:13.920 --> 00:33:17.279 We've talked about this many times before. 00:33:17.279 --> 00:33:24.640 The number one thing that keeps people away from Christ is not Satan in the flesh, like Satan appearing to them. 00:33:24.640 --> 00:33:35.119 It's the fact that he uses the hypocrisy within those who call themselves Christians as a reason to stay away from Christ. 00:33:35.119 --> 00:33:36.720 The only answer. 00:33:36.720 --> 00:33:43.279 One thing to invite someone to an event where they might encounter Christ that's important. 00:33:43.279 --> 00:33:44.319 Please do that. 00:33:44.319 --> 00:33:46.400 Invite people to come to church. 00:33:46.400 --> 00:33:48.160 It's a good thing. 00:33:48.160 --> 00:33:54.880 But it's another thing to invite them into your life where they see Christ in you. 00:33:54.880 --> 00:34:00.640 Good disciple making requires us to be both intentional and relational. 00:34:00.640 --> 00:34:12.079 It's strategic and social, it's the sharing of ordinary life, which is relationship, while seeking to initiate and make the most of teachable moments, which is intentionality. 00:34:12.079 --> 00:34:17.039 Think of Jesus as long walks and talks with his disciples. 00:34:17.039 --> 00:34:25.199 He performed miracles and all of those things. 00:34:25.199 --> 00:34:32.000 But I would have loved to just be around the fire, listening to him, watching him. 00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:36.719 Number three, disciple making makes us more aware of our sin. 00:34:36.719 --> 00:34:38.239 Oh, I don't want that. 00:34:38.239 --> 00:34:41.679 Yeah, it does. 00:34:41.679 --> 00:34:47.440 It feels much easier to fly under the radar when we assume that no one is watching us. 00:34:47.440 --> 00:34:50.559 But here's, you guys ready for the big news of the day? 00:34:50.559 --> 00:34:52.719 God is always watching. 00:34:52.719 --> 00:34:55.599 He knows. 00:34:55.599 --> 00:34:59.360