WEBVTT 00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:04.480 Good morning, Trinity. 00:00:04.480 --> 00:00:06.240 It's good to see you this morning. 00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:10.560 And uh, you know, my sermon is a little long, it'll take a little time. 00:00:10.560 --> 00:00:16.399 So sit back, relax, splash a little water on your face, or poke your neighbor. 00:00:16.399 --> 00:00:18.960 Now we'll get we'll get to that in a minute. 00:00:18.960 --> 00:00:34.159 Uh, I do have a question to begin uh today, this this morning, and uh the question is this um what if you were a Christian all your life, and yet you never did the one thing that Jesus asked us to do? 00:00:34.159 --> 00:00:36.479 Think about that. 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:41.039 You never did the one thing that Jesus asked you to do. 00:00:41.039 --> 00:00:53.280 You know, last things, our last words seem to be pretty important, and Jesus' last words to us in Matthew 28 were as you're going, make disciples. 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:55.119 As you're going, make disciples. 00:00:55.119 --> 00:00:57.840 So make sure we kind of get that really clear. 00:00:57.840 --> 00:01:00.159 He's not saying, are you going? 00:01:00.159 --> 00:01:02.719 Will you make disciples? 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:05.120 It's it's a command, it's not optional for us. 00:01:05.120 --> 00:01:07.359 It's not a question, it's it's a command. 00:01:07.359 --> 00:01:09.840 As you're going, make disciples. 00:01:09.840 --> 00:01:17.439 And so the question we've been in this series, just a third week, uh, called Discipleship Matters. 00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:20.719 And uh there's the question, does discipleship matter? 00:01:20.719 --> 00:01:28.239 And I want to tell you a few reasons why it should, uh, because we've watched as our world has changed. 00:01:28.239 --> 00:01:38.959 We've watched as the church has been consumed by the world and compromised with the world, what's going on with the world system, and it's gotten into the church. 00:01:38.959 --> 00:01:48.159 We've watched as a generation of young people have thrown away their faith and have rejected the gospel. 00:01:48.159 --> 00:02:00.799 We've watched as Islam has made inroads and actually, especially in the UK, has become mainstream and it's now becoming common in our country. 00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:06.480 And we've watched as socialism has taken hold, it's taken root in our country. 00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:10.560 And whatever you think about socialism, socialism is anti-God. 00:02:10.560 --> 00:02:17.759 And it's a philosophy that is not compatible with Christianity. 00:02:17.759 --> 00:02:24.560 You know, when in 2020, a national study was done on disciple making in U.S. 00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:26.000 churches, and you know what? 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:37.599 Found it found that fewer than 5%, fewer than 5% have a reproducing disciple-making ministry, disciple-making culture is what we call it. 00:02:37.599 --> 00:02:38.960 That astounding. 00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:58.719 So we're in a series, as I say, and then uh this has kind of put us on a course for this year. 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:11.120 And this series called Discipleship Matters, and the whole focus is to help us to kind of get this one thing that Jesus has called us to do in mind and to begin to actually do it. 00:03:11.120 --> 00:03:13.280 Each one of us. 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:21.680 We just kind of framed this series of messages around what I would just call Jesus' method of discipleship. 00:03:21.680 --> 00:03:24.479 And I put these up and they're just basically a four-stage. 00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:25.439 It's very simple. 00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:27.680 The first one was come and see. 00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:43.199 And Neil took us through a uh uh several scriptures showing us really how following a godly example and how how we're looking at what is a disciple and what does it mean to us? 00:03:43.199 --> 00:03:45.759 Do we do we know what a disciple really is? 00:03:45.759 --> 00:03:53.120 And what could happen if each one of us took on that task and we passed it on? 00:03:53.120 --> 00:03:55.840 The growth would be incredible. 00:03:55.840 --> 00:04:02.719 Tyler picked up last week with the words follow me, and he took it a step further. 00:04:02.719 --> 00:04:12.319 What it would be if we began to imitate Jesus as he lived this life and showed us all the things that he is for us. 00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:18.160 It's critical for us to understand and that we model Jesus as an example. 00:04:18.160 --> 00:04:22.480 To live and talk and think like Jesus. 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:29.360 And then today I want to talk about this next one, which is be with me, be with me. 00:04:29.360 --> 00:04:34.800 And I think this may be the most critical aspect because it's it's almost like an intangible. 00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:39.600 Being with Christ does something that uh that we might not always see. 00:04:39.600 --> 00:04:42.160 It's subtle if we're with Christ. 00:04:42.160 --> 00:04:43.519 And I want us to look at this. 00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:50.079 We're gonna begin with Mark chapter 7 and uh or chapter 3 and read through verses 7 through 15. 00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:52.480 I want you to stand, I hate to get you back up, but stand up. 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:54.560 I want us to honor the word of God this morning. 00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:57.120 Mark 3, 7 through 15. 00:04:57.120 --> 00:05:10.800 Says Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and right before this, he has been attacked by the religious people. 00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:13.920 And they put a put out a hit on him. 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:16.079 They're ready to take Jesus out. 00:05:16.079 --> 00:05:29.839 And we come to this Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed from Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem and Edumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. 00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:39.920 When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him, and he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him. 00:05:39.920 --> 00:05:46.160 For he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:52.560 And whenever the unclean spirit saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, You are the Son of God. 00:05:52.560 --> 00:05:57.199 And he strictly ordered them not to make him known. 00:05:57.199 --> 00:06:03.040 And he went up on the mountain and he called to him those whom he desired. 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:16.480 And they came to him, and he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons. 00:06:16.480 --> 00:06:17.680 Let's pray. 00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:24.160 Father, we're thankful today that you are the word incarnate. 00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:26.480 Lord, you are the living word. 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:32.879 And Lord, we pray that, uh, Holy Spirit, you would open up this word today, your written word to us. 00:06:32.879 --> 00:06:44.399 You would not only give us understanding, give us wisdom, but Lord, you would transform us to your image in every way you want to today. 00:06:44.399 --> 00:06:47.839 Have your way, Lord Jesus, as we work through this pastor today. 00:06:47.839 --> 00:06:49.600 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:06:49.600 --> 00:06:50.959 You can be seated. 00:06:50.959 --> 00:07:10.639 Almost uh, I guess 40 years ago, when I was just getting into high school, I was invited along with a group of my peers to join a small group of guys, about five or six, to talk and learn about Jesus. 00:07:10.639 --> 00:07:16.319 And um, this group was led by a college student by the name of Jim. 00:07:16.319 --> 00:07:20.160 And Jim, he spent lots of time with us. 00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:24.879 We met every week for three for three years, all through my high school years. 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:30.560 And um, you know, the thing is, I don't remember a lot of what Jim taught. 00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:32.879 We did a lot of fun things. 00:07:32.879 --> 00:07:36.399 Some of them I can't even tell you what we did because they were so crazy. 00:07:36.399 --> 00:07:40.160 I'd be embarrassed by them because he was he was a fun guy. 00:07:40.160 --> 00:07:43.839 But you know what I remember most about Jim? 00:07:43.839 --> 00:07:49.839 That all through that year, those those years, he loved us really, really well. 00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:57.519 And looking back, and I just think about this, I marvel at how the Lord used that to change me. 00:07:57.519 --> 00:08:03.759 He put me on a path that changed my life. 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:08.720 I wasn't really planning on sharing this, but if I had the picture, I'd show it to you. 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:24.240 I have a picture when one of those groups we went one time and all the high school groups of this this type, there were a number of them in the in the high schools, uh, we went to a place in the mountains at a retreat place for a Christian uh gathering. 00:08:24.240 --> 00:08:29.759 And I have a picture, someone who took the picture, I don't even know who who it was, but they must have handed it to me. 00:08:29.759 --> 00:08:39.360 And there I sat on the wall by myself, looking down, and I didn't look real happy. 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:43.120 You see, I didn't like myself very much. 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:46.799 16-year-old kid. 00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:52.080 I was a Christian, but something was wrong. 00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:55.360 I didn't know who I was in Christ. 00:08:55.360 --> 00:09:05.600 But after that three years, Jesus put me on a path that began to transform everything. 00:09:05.600 --> 00:09:12.559 And now 40 years or so later, uh, I don't think that way at all. 00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:19.759 I know who I am in Christ, and I know what gee who Jesus is, and it's made all the difference. 00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:26.960 So it moved me out of what I would say say nominal Christianity. 00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:35.039 I I was just kind of uh floating along, and now I have a passion and a love for Jesus that I never had. 00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:39.200 And Jesus can change every one of you in that same way. 00:09:39.200 --> 00:09:42.720 Well, our key verse this morning is in verse 14. 00:09:42.720 --> 00:09:46.879 And he appointed twelve that they might be with him. 00:09:46.879 --> 00:09:55.120 And when we look at Jesus' method of discipleship, we can probably kind of summarize and say, come and see, that's about invitation. 00:09:55.120 --> 00:10:06.720 It's almost like the idea of Jesus invited these men and uh and think of Nathaniel, that one of those first disciples, and Jesus says, I saw you before I got here. 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:14.320 You were sitting under the fig tree, and Nathaniel is like blown away that this guy is more than whom he appears, who he appears to be. 00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:19.919 So invitation is about discovering who is Jesus really who he says he is? 00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:24.399 And then follow me, it's about imitation. 00:10:24.399 --> 00:10:27.840 And this is more, this is the outward, this is the practical side. 00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:38.879 As we follow Jesus, we begin to imitate and copy the things that he is and do the best we can to in and put those in things into our lives. 00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:42.240 And then be with me. 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:45.600 I think of this as just about transformation. 00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:48.799 And this is not just, this is not outward, this is inside. 00:10:48.799 --> 00:10:50.159 This is an inside job. 00:10:50.159 --> 00:10:57.759 Jesus, you see, works not just outwardly and on our habits and character and things like that, but he works on the inside. 00:10:57.759 --> 00:10:59.600 He works in the heart. 00:10:59.600 --> 00:11:04.240 And see, when our hearts are changed, everything changes. 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:06.639 Everything changes. 00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:08.559 I put a little diagram up here. 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:11.279 I want you to kind of see, it kind of pictures this. 00:11:11.279 --> 00:11:16.639 This is about Jesus' ministry and sort of what what we might call circles of influence. 00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:22.240 Because Jesus had, as we read in our passage, so many people out there. 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:24.799 His fame had spread far and wide. 00:11:24.799 --> 00:11:28.960 And uh if you want to look at those here, number one is the crowds. 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:32.799 Number two, the circle of 72 disciples. 00:11:32.799 --> 00:11:37.200 Number three, circle of 12 disciples. 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:43.120 Number four is a circle of three, and then the most inner circle is Jesus with his father. 00:11:43.120 --> 00:11:47.120 So this is this is more though than just physical proximity. 00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:52.559 You see, all these people were out to varying degrees of distance from Jesus. 00:11:52.559 --> 00:12:00.720 In fact, you could, if you wanted to put a note there outside of the crowds, these are the people who didn't believe in Jesus at all. 00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:03.039 In fact, they could have been his opponents. 00:12:03.039 --> 00:12:07.360 So this is the circle of Jesus' influence. 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:19.279 And so we look at this and what it involves, it involves varying degrees of personal relationship where disciples, they really were to learn Jesus. 00:12:19.279 --> 00:12:22.000 Just that little to learn Jesus. 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:28.559 And they were with him, as I said, to learn how to think, how to speak, how to act, how to live. 00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:35.600 And the purpose was, you see, for Jesus was for training them so that they could prepare to expand his kingdom. 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:42.320 And it's really amazing that he left that task with so few people. 00:12:42.320 --> 00:12:45.279 And uh yet we see what it's become. 00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:59.039 So this is a privileged communion or fellowship with the Lord, and it would be essential for them to carry the gospel to the ends of the earth, which is which is what you just think of all the expansion of the kingdom that Jesus engendered there. 00:12:59.039 --> 00:13:08.480 So you'll notice here, I believe, that the closer you get to the interior of these circles, the more intimate and privileged the relationship became. 00:13:08.480 --> 00:13:11.600 The same will be true for you and me. 00:13:11.600 --> 00:13:16.399 The closer you are to the light, the better you'll be able to see. 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:23.200 And contrary, the farther you are away from Jesus, the darker it will be for you and for me. 00:13:23.200 --> 00:13:30.879 When it comes to the 12, even these guys didn't all have the same intimacy with Jesus. 00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:37.600 You look through the gospels and you see that within that group there were some who were closer than others. 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:41.679 And if we had time, we could go into a study about the 12. 00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:48.559 But so suffice it to say, not all even the 12 were at the same level of influence. 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:55.039 But at circle number four, that's Jesus, or the circle of four was the three. 00:13:55.039 --> 00:13:59.039 These were, I guess you call the internal confidence of Jesus. 00:13:59.039 --> 00:14:01.759 These are those who had special privilege and access. 00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:07.679 And Jesus invited them into things that he didn't invite the rest of the disciples to. 00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:14.000 Time alone with prayer, uh, the transfiguration, and various other times. 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:24.080 And so what Jesus is doing is letting them have an inside peek at what is going on, as Jesus has the most intimate relationship with his father. 00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:36.080 Overall, Jesus then made a distinction between the outsiders, which are we would say the crowd, and the insiders, those who say that they are his followers. 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:39.360 And you know what? 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:43.600 When you get on the inside, you get told things that nobody else does. 00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:46.639 Listen to this verse in Matthew 13. 00:14:46.639 --> 00:14:56.080 He says, Jesus talking to you, it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 00:14:56.080 --> 00:15:05.600 And so when we get closer to Jesus, Jesus reveals things to you the closer you get that you would not know had you not been with him. 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:13.120 So let's look now at our text and what this third aspect of Jesus' method of discipleship entails. 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:15.679 Mark chapter 3, verses 13 and 14. 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:17.200 Let's just work through this a little bit. 00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:22.159 Verse 13 says, And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired. 00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:23.519 Let's stop right there. 00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:30.480 The Greek language is really emphatic here, and it's more like he summoned those he wanted. 00:15:30.480 --> 00:15:34.639 He summoned those he willed, in fact. 00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:44.559 See, disciples, as disciples, we don't just get to decide to follow Jesus and sort of, I'm doing Jesus a favor by being his followers. 00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:49.519 Nor do we get to decide on what terms we are his disciple. 00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:51.279 He gets to decide that. 00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:56.320 And he wills us to himself and he calls the shots. 00:15:56.320 --> 00:16:08.720 I'm reminded of what Jesus said to Peter following Peter's public denial of Jesus, and Jesus is restoring people after Peter, after Peter had denied the Lord. 00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:17.600 And Jesus says to Peter, Truly, truly I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted. 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:25.840 But when you were old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go. 00:16:25.840 --> 00:16:30.720 This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God. 00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:34.720 And after saying this, he said to him, Follow me. 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:36.559 Follow me. 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:39.519 And that's what he says to us. 00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:41.600 Now notice what he says next. 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:43.360 Verse 13 again. 00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:45.360 And they came to him. 00:16:45.360 --> 00:16:46.720 They came to him. 00:16:46.720 --> 00:16:58.960 Normally, in that day, disciples would go out and find a rabbi to follow around and attach themselves to the rabbi to get the rabbi to teach them the Torah, the first five books of the Moses. 00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:01.679 But Jesus turns that all the way around. 00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:05.039 Jesus goes after the disciples. 00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:12.480 Not to teach them the Torah, but to learn him, because he is the word incarnate. 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:16.000 If they had Jesus, that was what they needed. 00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:20.000 And so he seeks out these disciples to learn him. 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:28.960 And then verse 14 says, He appointed 12 so that they might be with him. 00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:30.559 The key phrase. 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:32.400 So that they might be with him. 00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:33.839 He appointed 12. 00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:36.400 Most versions read, he appointed 12. 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:38.720 And I'd say probably your Bible reads like that. 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:40.160 But you know what the Greek actually says? 00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:42.240 It says, He made them. 00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:44.799 He made 12. 00:17:44.799 --> 00:17:47.119 Consider that for a minute. 00:17:47.119 --> 00:17:53.599 To appoint means you select out of a group and you raise them to a new status, right? 00:17:53.599 --> 00:17:56.319 This is not what Jesus did. 00:17:56.319 --> 00:18:01.359 To make is to bring something into existence that wasn't there. 00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:06.960 Mark's verb epoeson here is the same verb that was used in Genesis 1, chapter 1. 00:18:06.960 --> 00:18:09.599 God made the heavens and the earth. 00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:11.359 Isn't that amazing? 00:18:11.359 --> 00:18:14.160 And so Jesus is making something. 00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:16.319 He's making men who follow him. 00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:19.279 He's making and forming these men to look like him. 00:18:19.279 --> 00:18:30.319 So I would say, discipleship in some senses is not so much taught as it is caught. 00:18:30.319 --> 00:18:34.480 Now I'm not minimizing the value of biblical teaching. 00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:37.039 The church needs to teach, it must teach. 00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:42.240 But and I that's why I brought this book. 00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:44.480 This is not the sermon. 00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:47.200 This is a book called Systematic Theology. 00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:48.720 Sick book, isn't it? 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:52.000 Wayne Grudom's book, and it's a great book. 00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:54.559 It has all kinds of truth in it. 00:18:54.559 --> 00:19:02.160 But you know, I can I can learn everything in this book and know all about the God whom I serve. 00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:06.400 About the Jesus I serve and love. 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:10.640 But not even know him. 00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:16.880 And so knowledge won't alone won't get you there. 00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:19.519 We have to have relationship. 00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:21.279 Life on life. 00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:25.519 The transfer of Jesus' life to our life is what matters. 00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:28.000 And if that's not occurring, something's wrong. 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:31.759 You can't just fill your head with knowledge inspect to go to heaven. 00:19:31.759 --> 00:19:36.480 So here's the point. 00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:42.640 Christians who spent time with Jesus have the power to change the world. 00:19:42.640 --> 00:19:47.680 Christians who have spent time with Jesus have the power to change the world. 00:19:47.680 --> 00:19:49.279 You know why I know that? 00:19:49.279 --> 00:19:54.880 It's because you see it all through the New Testament, and you see it in people whose lives have been changed. 00:19:54.880 --> 00:19:59.759 James Edward writes the simple prepositional phrase to be. 00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:03.680 With him has atomic significance in the Gospel of Mark. 00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:10.720 Discipleship is a relationship before it is a task, a who before a what. 00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:21.680 Being with Jesus becomes the way of forsaking human idols and honoring the true God, thus recovering the image of God. 00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:27.759 To be with Jesus is the most profound mystery of discipleship. 00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:29.759 And why is it a mystery? 00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:36.079 Because I look back at my life and I go, okay, somebody asked me, tell you, you want me to tell you how this happened? 00:20:36.079 --> 00:20:37.759 I don't know. 00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:40.640 I mean, I know what I did. 00:20:40.640 --> 00:20:48.880 I got in the Bible, I read the Word, I spent time with Christian people who had like minds as I do, and all the things. 00:20:48.880 --> 00:20:50.960 But you know what? 00:20:50.960 --> 00:20:52.880 Jesus is the one that changed me. 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:56.400 And I look back and I go, how in the world? 00:20:56.400 --> 00:20:59.119 I don't think like that anymore. 00:20:59.119 --> 00:21:02.240 I don't operate or live like that. 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:04.960 Everything is just different. 00:21:04.960 --> 00:21:10.400 And if you're here this morning wondering if God can change you, well, get closer to him. 00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:12.960 Come closer to him. 00:21:12.960 --> 00:21:19.519 In the gospel, Jesus, and I think I want to just give you two significant pictures in the gospel. 00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:23.039 Jesus gave us two really important pictures. 00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:25.839 You know, they say, as they say, a picture's worth a thousand words. 00:21:25.839 --> 00:21:28.160 Well, let me give you two pictures. 00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:32.079 The first one is the yoke metaphor. 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:33.440 The yoke metaphor. 00:21:33.440 --> 00:21:34.720 And what is Jesus talking about? 00:21:34.720 --> 00:21:35.839 He says, learn of me. 00:21:35.839 --> 00:21:40.480 I think one of the things that being with Jesus means is that we do learn of him. 00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:43.599 He is our teacher. 00:21:43.599 --> 00:21:47.440 And then now, as it says, the Holy Spirit is our teacher. 00:21:47.440 --> 00:22:00.720 Matthew 11 says this: Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 00:22:00.720 --> 00:22:04.000 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. 00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:18.160 This comes right after the passage where the people who are out to get Jesus have Jesus even talks about they put heavy burdens on you that nobody, no, God didn't intend. 00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:20.079 These are religious people. 00:22:20.079 --> 00:22:21.839 Religion will crush you. 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:24.559 Relationship will heal you. 00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:29.680 Who qualifies for this, this yoke? 00:22:29.680 --> 00:22:33.759 Well, it says in verse 27, those who are weary and heavy laden. 00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:36.240 Are you weary and heavy laden this morning? 00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:38.880 This is Jesus' promise to all of us. 00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:40.319 A yoke, you know what is that? 00:22:40.319 --> 00:22:51.839 A yoke is this heavy crossbar that's laid over the top of animals, the ox that forces them to drag farming equipment across a field. 00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:53.119 That's all that is. 00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:59.119 It's not as common we see in our nation or whatever, but you find it in other countries. 00:22:59.119 --> 00:23:10.640 Jesus is using this, though, kind of as irony, because he's saying that the yoke is actually, it's actually a way to stay together with him. 00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:13.200 So get the image here. 00:23:13.200 --> 00:23:15.759 So it's actually not what it appears to be. 00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:22.319 In fact, I like what uh Dane Ortland says in his book, Gentle Lowly, a great book if you've not read it. 00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:26.319 Uh, because what we say is being in a yoke sounds pretty awful. 00:23:26.319 --> 00:23:28.160 Who would want that? 00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:38.720 He says it's like telling a drowning man that he must put on the burden of a life preserver, only to hear him shout back, sputtering, no way, not me. 00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:41.359 This is hard enough. 00:23:41.359 --> 00:23:48.880 Drowning here in these stormy waters, the last thing I need is the added burden of a life preserver around my body. 00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:51.839 That's what we're all like, he says. 00:23:51.839 --> 00:24:01.119 Confessing Christ with our lips, but generally avoiding deep fellowship with him out of a muted understanding of his heart. 00:24:01.119 --> 00:24:06.000 I am gentle and humble of heart. 00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:14.240 And the question for this metaphor is, you know, and it's been discussed quite a bit, who is Jesus here in this picture? 00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:26.400 Is he the farmer who puts on the yoke and watches you go to it, or is he the ox paired with you to do what you're called to do? 00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:37.039 And I just believe Jesus has identified himself as an older, well-trained ox who we're to be yoked with so that we can learn from him. 00:24:37.039 --> 00:24:38.799 That's the idea. 00:24:38.799 --> 00:24:41.200 In fact, that technique is still used today. 00:24:41.200 --> 00:24:56.559 I read a little note that said yoking an untrained animal with a trained ox can be a very successful technique, as over time the young animal learns what it should do in the yoke by following the trained ox. 00:24:56.559 --> 00:24:58.559 So this is a neat picture. 00:24:58.559 --> 00:25:02.960 Keep this in mind as you're thinking about what it means to be with Jesus. 00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:04.799 And what do we learn? 00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:06.720 Well, several things. 00:25:06.720 --> 00:25:12.400 Number one, we learn that yoke with Christ, we learn how to shed our unchrist-like character. 00:25:12.400 --> 00:25:15.440 Tyler talked a little bit about that last week. 00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:18.079 We learn to shed our unchrist-like character. 00:25:18.079 --> 00:25:25.519 And I just think my mind is drawn back to James and John, two of Jesus' disciples, and they were nicknamed. 00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:27.680 Do you remember what the nickname was? 00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:29.920 Sons of Thunder. 00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:31.440 Not good. 00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:42.960 And on one occasion, their character was kind of revealed in Luke chapter 9 as they asked Jesus to call down fire from heaven on the Samaritan village for rejecting Jesus. 00:25:42.960 --> 00:25:47.359 And Jesus kind of kind of paraphrased, what in the world are you doing? 00:25:47.359 --> 00:25:51.759 You know, their character need to be changed. 00:25:51.759 --> 00:25:55.119 So yoke with Christ, we learn to shed our unchrist-like character. 00:25:55.119 --> 00:25:59.279 Number two, yoke with Christ, we learn how to grow our faith. 00:25:59.279 --> 00:26:07.119 Did you know that four times in the gospel, Jesus said to the disciples on different occasions, Oh, you of little faith. 00:26:07.119 --> 00:26:14.799 He's not diminishing them, he's making them aware of something. 00:26:14.799 --> 00:26:17.279 All of these had to do with something. 00:26:17.279 --> 00:26:20.799 Every one of those had to do with fear and doubt. 00:26:20.799 --> 00:26:22.960 Oh, you of little faith. 00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:28.000 Jesus would show them that God would always come through. 00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:30.559 Number three, what do we learn? 00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:34.160 Yoke with Christ, we learn how to love agape one another. 00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:35.519 You know what agape love is? 00:26:35.519 --> 00:26:37.200 Love that is like God. 00:26:37.200 --> 00:26:46.319 It's God's love that goes out of its way to seek the other person, to do what's best for the other person, even sometimes when it's when it's hard. 00:26:46.319 --> 00:26:48.880 Unconditional love. 00:26:48.880 --> 00:27:15.359 And I'm thinking about one particular woman one day who was caught in adultery, and there was a group of people around her, men who were ready to stone her, and she was right in the center, and Jesus walks up, and long story short, he he basically says, okay, whoever's not sinned, throw the first stone. 00:27:15.359 --> 00:27:19.920 And you hear stones dropping. 00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:26.079 And then she he looks at Jesus, he looks at the woman, he says, We're your accusers. 00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:31.359 This is Jesus' compassionate love toward us. 00:27:31.359 --> 00:27:33.519 Just like Mike shared this morning. 00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:36.000 He he has that love for every one of us. 00:27:36.000 --> 00:27:37.839 But it's sometimes tough love. 00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:39.839 He told the woman, go and sin no more. 00:27:39.839 --> 00:27:44.160 We learn how to love one another. 00:27:44.160 --> 00:27:48.720 Number four, yoke with Christ, we learn how to bear fruit that will last. 00:27:48.720 --> 00:27:52.160 Fruit that will last. 00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:57.920 And then number five, yoke with Christ, we learn to die to ourself. 00:27:57.920 --> 00:28:14.160 And I don't think there's probably any more great example than watching Jesus as he went to the cross on our behalf, taking our sin upon himself, burying our sin at the cross, and dying and giving us in return eternal life. 00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:17.039 That's the yoke metaphor. 00:28:17.039 --> 00:28:17.680 Learn of me. 00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:22.559 The second picture I want to give you beyond the yoke metaphor is the vine metaphor. 00:28:22.559 --> 00:28:24.960 Remain in me, remain in me. 00:28:24.960 --> 00:28:29.200 John 15, verse 4 says, Remain in me and I will remain in you. 00:28:29.200 --> 00:28:38.400 For a branch cannot bear fruit, produce fruit, that it is, if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. 00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:40.720 Your version may say, abide in me. 00:28:40.720 --> 00:28:44.079 I almost think that that always confused me. 00:28:44.079 --> 00:28:46.480 What does it mean to abide in Jesus? 00:28:46.480 --> 00:28:48.799 But you know, I can understand this. 00:28:48.799 --> 00:28:51.279 It means don't leave Jesus. 00:28:51.279 --> 00:28:52.640 Stay with him. 00:28:52.640 --> 00:28:55.039 Remain in him. 00:28:55.039 --> 00:28:59.759 And so you see of this, this is not a contract that we're in with Jesus. 00:28:59.759 --> 00:29:02.880 We think sometimes it's a duty to follow Jesus. 00:29:02.880 --> 00:29:04.799 It's not a duty, it's a privilege. 00:29:04.799 --> 00:29:10.799 It's it what it brings us is a tangible encounter with a living Lord. 00:29:10.799 --> 00:29:14.400 Jesus is alive. 00:29:14.400 --> 00:29:20.480 Let me give you some being with principles. 00:29:20.480 --> 00:29:26.160 Number one, what I would call the principle of identity. 00:29:26.160 --> 00:29:32.640 Based on this metaphor of the vine, he says, I am the vine, you are the branches, my father is the gardener. 00:29:32.640 --> 00:29:36.799 He's telling us who we are, who Jesus is, and who the Father is. 00:29:36.799 --> 00:29:42.799 Know God, know me, know yourself in relation to me. 00:29:42.799 --> 00:29:49.920 And I will tell you that many people in the church today deal with rejection and struggle with self-identity. 00:29:49.920 --> 00:29:53.279 They don't know who they are because they are not close to Jesus. 00:29:53.279 --> 00:29:56.319 You get close to Jesus, Jesus will tell you who you are. 00:29:56.319 --> 00:29:58.640 You're his wonderful creation. 00:29:58.640 --> 00:30:03.839 You are the one he died for. 00:30:03.839 --> 00:30:05.680 You're everything to him. 00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:10.480 Don't diminish who you are in Christ. 00:30:10.480 --> 00:30:11.759 So many other things. 00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:12.880 The principle of identity. 00:30:12.880 --> 00:30:17.119 The second thing we learned, being with principles, the principle of consistency. 00:30:17.119 --> 00:30:24.480 He says, not only, I am the vine, you're the branches, my father is a gardener, but he says, Remain in me. 00:30:24.480 --> 00:30:26.880 Remain in me. 00:30:26.880 --> 00:30:30.079 And I'm thinking back to that time in John chapter 6. 00:30:30.079 --> 00:30:36.000 And sometimes Jesus tells us to do things that we will that make us want to run away. 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:42.640 All the time there are people who come into the church that get offended. 00:30:42.640 --> 00:30:50.640 They don't like the idea that Jesus is calling them to do this, or this might be the way. 00:30:50.640 --> 00:30:54.240 And that happened one time with Jesus. 00:30:54.240 --> 00:30:58.960 In John chapter 6, Jesus said something pretty hard to understand. 00:30:58.960 --> 00:31:00.799 One of the hard sayings of Jesus. 00:31:00.799 --> 00:31:04.079 They didn't get it because he was speaking at a different level. 00:31:04.079 --> 00:31:07.440 They heard it one way, but Jesus meant something else. 00:31:07.440 --> 00:31:13.119 But it says there, it says, after this, many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 00:31:13.119 --> 00:31:17.839 You wonder how many in that circle disappeared. 00:31:17.839 --> 00:31:22.079 So Jesus said to the twelve, Do you want to go away as well? 00:31:22.079 --> 00:31:26.960 Think about Jesus' heart right there. 00:31:26.960 --> 00:31:28.880 Are you going to leave me too? 00:31:28.880 --> 00:31:33.200 Simon Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go? 00:31:33.200 --> 00:31:35.920 You have the words of eternal life. 00:31:35.920 --> 00:31:46.000 You see, true discipleship involves faith beyond your mere intellect or your emotions. 00:31:46.000 --> 00:31:52.000 When you don't feel like following, that's that's that's some level that's irrelevant. 00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:55.200 It doesn't make sense to you. 00:31:55.200 --> 00:31:56.640 That's irrelevant. 00:31:56.640 --> 00:32:00.400 Stick with Jesus and it will become relevant. 00:32:00.400 --> 00:32:04.160 Stick with Jesus and your emotions will change. 00:32:04.160 --> 00:32:06.160 Our emotions are fickle. 00:32:06.160 --> 00:32:10.880 And so, like the crowd, the crowd is a fickle crowd in many occasions. 00:32:10.880 --> 00:32:19.519 And you see that by the end of Jesus' time on the earth, the crowd basically are the one that crucified him. 00:32:19.519 --> 00:32:27.200 So this is the principle of consistency, sticking with Jesus for the long haul. 00:32:27.200 --> 00:32:29.440 For the long haul. 00:32:29.440 --> 00:32:34.400 Not giving up, not quitting, not getting so tired that you give up and go away. 00:32:34.400 --> 00:32:38.079 And then number three, the principle of dependency. 00:32:38.079 --> 00:32:38.799 He says this. 00:32:38.799 --> 00:32:43.200 He says, apart from me, you can do lots of things. 00:32:43.200 --> 00:32:45.759 No. 00:32:45.759 --> 00:32:48.640 Apart from me, you can do nothing. 00:32:48.640 --> 00:32:49.359 Nothing. 00:32:49.359 --> 00:32:50.799 Nothing means zero. 00:32:50.799 --> 00:32:51.599 Nothing. 00:32:51.599 --> 00:32:54.720 Do you think of your life like that? 00:32:54.720 --> 00:33:01.519 Are you so dependent on Jesus that if you think if I do this, I can just think this through and I can make this work out. 00:33:01.519 --> 00:33:03.759