DISCIPLE MAKING IN OUR TIME

SERMON STARTER

          The REAL work of “equipping the Saints” is the forming of Christian, Christ-Like character in ourselves and those around us.  Jesus didn't set into place over His Church “pastors and teachers” merely to become school teachers in the sense of passing on information.   Jesus/aim with His Own disciples was not only to inform their minds, but to form their lives into mature character and useful ministry.

          The Koine Greek word for disciple is “MA-THE- TAISE,” which in the secular sense means being an apprentice to a tradesman. I recommend W.E. Vine's commentary which says, “A disciple is not only a pupil, but an adherent; hence, they are spoken of as IMITATORS of their teacher.”  In Luke 6:40 Jesus says, “A student (math-e-taise), is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.” (NIV)

          We have seen more than a century of evangelicals and evangelism, but we have not done well in the actual forming of Christian lives into the character of Jesus. There is a process we need to apply to our evangelistic practices.

Converts need to. . .

1) Evaluate their Decision to follow Jesus

2) Become Initiated into the Church

3) Join in the on-going process of making other disciples

4) Grow in Biblical understanding and faith

5) Engage in personal growth in Christian character

(Either we will grow in character, or we will become a character!)

6) Discover and use the 27 gifts of the Holy Spirit

7) Learn how to adopt and live a Christian life-style

8) Allow the stewardship of personal resources

9) Develop a lifetime practice of prayer

10) Become open and transparent to others

          This sermon explores ways to implement disciple making in our culture. Thank you to Elder Jim Anderson, overseer of Harvest Network International for his input on obstacles to contemporary disciple making.

Pastor Phil   <><<

April 15, 2012 - Pastor Phil Roland

Sheepfold Ministries

 

DISCIPLE MAKING IN OUR TIME

Mathew 28:19-20 - Luke 14:25-33

 

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

"teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

 

I. WHAT IS DISCIPLE MAKING?

            A. “MAKE DISCIPLES” – Ma-thay-tayse = “Learner”

1. Not through Programs

                            a. Before people will learn from Jesus, they learn from you     

                            b. People Learn through Relationship

                            c. “Like Begats Like”

                            d. The Sheep  become like the Shepherd, or vice versa

                            e. People will learn from your Example

                        2. It is Relationship that wins People to Christ

                            a. Jesus caused Passion in His Disciples – Luke 24:32

                                “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on                                          the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"

                            b. Augustine: “One loving heart sets another on fire!”   

            B. Disciple Making is Cultivating a Life-Long Passion to Learn

                 from Jesus

                        4. Develop a desire for Relationship with Jesus in Others

                            a. Have a relationship with Him yourself

                            b. Cannot lead others on paths you have not first traveled

                            c. Spend time with Him

                            d. Listen to Him through His Word and your own Heart

                            e. Enjoy spending time with Him, taking Him where you Go

            C. There is no Elite Leadership Class in Following Jesus - Luke 6:40

               "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained                  will be like his teacher."

                        1. We Imitate Jesus

                        2. We Carry on His Ministry

                        3. Hopefully, we become like Him in the Process

 

II.  HINDRANCES TO DISCIPLEMAKING

        A. We are Too Busy to Make Disciples the Biblical Way

                        1. Relationship Plus Time Defines Character

                        2. Relationship with Jesus

                        3. Relationship with One Another

                        4. Relationship w/World - U become what U spend Time with

DISCIPLE MAKING IN OUR TIME, cont., p.2

                        4. By Failing to Invest Time with Converts we end up with a                                     church full of Immature People w/o Christ's Character

                                    a. More concerned with Entertainment

                                    b. What can you do to "Feed Me?" / "Entertain Me?"

            B. Forgotten the Four-Fold Process of Practical Discipleship                 

                        1. Observation: "You Watch Me while I do it"

                        2. Participation: "We Do it Together"

                        3. Guiding: "I Watch While You Do it"

                        4. Releasing: "I Release you to Go Do It"

            C. American Leaders have Over-Sold the Gospel - Luke 9:23-25

            "Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny               himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."
                        1. We have Over-Emphasized the Benefits of Following Jesus

                                    a. Wrong Emphasis on Acquiring of Material Wealth

                                        Eg. Joyce Myers' Ministry

                                                $20 million building - $23,000 marble toilet

                                                $30,000 conference table - $11,219 French clock

                                                $10 million corporate jet

                                                $900,000 annual salary paid to Joyce Meyers

                                                $450,000 paid to her husband, Dave Meyers

                             (Total Income of 8 Million monthly, but only 10% to Charities)

This lifestyle implies that following Jesus will make you rich

                                    b. Freedom from Calamity, Sickness and Disease

                        2. We have Under-Emphasized the Costs of Following Jesus

                        3. Becoming a Disciple won't exempt your from Pain or Loss

                        4. Being a Disciple won't exempt you from Heartache or                                                   Disappointment

            D. Our Culture is Obsessed about Comfort, Ease and Stability

                        1. American People are Caught in Cultural Captivity

                        2. Advertising Sells its Continuous Message

                                    a. Need - "You really Need this Product!"

                                    b. Tension - "You're going to be lost without this product!"

                                    c. Satisfaction - "Life is Complete, you have this product!"

3. In one commercial TV hour, this message is repeated 50X

                        3. Result: We are Fickle, Vain, Self-Centered and Narcissistic

                        4. We are not familiar with Depravation and Doing Without

            E. Following Jesus and becoming His Disciple is just the Opposite

            "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust                       destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves

             treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where

             thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your

             heart will be also."  Matthew 6:19-21

                1. Our Rewards are Out of this World

                        2. We need a Genuine Cause for which to Commit our Lives

                        3. The Gospel of Jesus is Good News

                        4. He grants Meaning and Purpose to our Lives

DISCIPLE MAKING IN OUR TIME, cont., p.3

 

III.   DISCIPLE MAKING INVOLVES SACRIFICE  AND LOVE

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." (Matt. 22:37-40)

            A. We keep His commands out of Love, not Fear - 1 John 4:18-19

            "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear

             involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

            19 We love Him because He first loved us."

                        1. 1. We Love Him because He first loved us  - John 14:15

                          “If you love me, you will keep my commandments”

                        2. We are Driven by His Incredible Irresistible Love

                        3. His Love Leads us to Lay Down our Lives for One Another

                        "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we

                         also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."   1 John 3:16

a. Mentors Lay Down their Lives for their Disciples

                                    b. Disciples Lay Down their Lives for their Mentors

                        4. Love is the Reward - John 15:9-10

                        "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If

                         you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I

                         have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love."

            B. Discipleship is Costly, it cost Jesus' Disciples all they had

                        1. Potential Income

                        2. Houses and Land

                        3. Mothers and Fathers

 

 

DISCIPLE MAKING IN OUR TIME

Luke 14:25-33 (NKJV)
25 Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them,
26 "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it--
29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,
30 saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'
31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.
33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

 

 

 

http://multiplymovement.com/#Part-1-Living-as-a-Disciple-Maker