TEACHING THEM TO OBEY

Introduction

What ‘s up everybody!

I hope that everyone is having an amazing morning so far?!

Whether you are here or watching online, we are so glad that you chose to join us!

In case you don’t know who I am - I am Antoine. I am one of the Pastors here and I have the honor and the privilege of leading our Student and Young Adult Ministry along with an amazing group of leaders.

Over the last couple of weeks, we have been going through this series “Mission Impossible” - where we have been looking at the Great Commission and what it means for those of us that profess to be Christians and claim to be disciples. We have been helping you to understand that this mission that you may have thought was IMPOSSIBLE for you IS possible and that it isn’t for Pastors or Directors or Teachers - but for YOU.

Week 1 Pastor Brian Pawlowski gave an overview of Matthew 28:16-20, which says:

Matthew 28:16–20 (NIV)

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

As Pastor Brian said - HE HAS ALL OF THE POWER…and in that power…Jesus…God in flesh…Creator of the Universe and everything in it - the one that gave us life and breath - YHWH - the LITERAL WORD OF GOD…says:

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

That is some powerful stuff…that God…personally empowers each and everyone of us that call ourselves disciples…to participate in this Great Commission...

Week 2 - we began to zoom in and look closer at the Great Commission - and Pastor Brian Rathbun - broke down what it means to GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES…and how each and every believer has a part to play in this…they have a role…to play in this…regardless of if you have been a Christian for a day…a week…a month…or years…and it starts with making more…disciples…more followers of Jesus Christ...

And then week 3, Pastor Brian spoke on the fact that as disciples that make disciples we are to baptize those that we make disciples…which means…everyone that is a disciple

_______

Now…for those of you that don’t know, I served in the Army for a little over 11 years. And in the Army…the Military all together…there are whats called Commissioned officers - these are your captians and lieutenants and generals. And as commissioned officers, their role is to train and lead soldiers…help to boost their morale…pay attention to this because we will be coming back to this…LEADING BY EXAMPLE and orchestrating the professional development of those around them…their ultimate goal is to teach those around them how to excel in their positions and function as a cohesive group...

And so when I hear the Great Commision, having come from a military background…I think of the fact that each and everyone of us…have been COMMISSIONED BY GOD IN MUCH THE SAME WAY THAT THE MILITARY COMMISSIONS THEIR OFFICERS…

As disciples that have been commissioned BY GOD to go and make disciples…we are to train and lead other believers…when life is going bad and things seem to not make sense, we are to help boost their morale…we are to LEAD BY EXAMPLE - which we believe here at Lakeshore we are able to do by using the Gifts that God has given us - which is one of our 5 G’s…while serving in various areas in the church...

We are to orchestrate or assist in the spiritual development of those around us…but our ultimate goal - much like a commissioned officer in the military...is to teach those around us how to live as believers and function as a cohesive and unified group…a community…and we at Lakeshore, believe that that happens in Groups - again one of our 5 G’s, where we are able to come together…and like I just said...teach those around us how to live as believers and function as a cohesive and unified group…in a community

And so today thats what we are going to dive into…that next part of the Great Commission…the fact that we are called to teach…Jesus says... “teach them to obey everything that I have commanded you...”

_______

I have a question for you…when you think of “teaching someone to obey” …what kind of people do you automatically think of and associate with the act of teaching someone something? A teacher? Maybe a professor in college…maybe a parent…maybe an uncle or aunt…or a boss…many of us wouldn’t think about just an average person when we think of someone that teaches…am I right? And if you do, then your a better person than I!

But this command that is given by Jesus…to teach “them to obey everything that I have commanded you...”…, as we have seen over the last couple of weeks...is for everyone that calls themseles disciples…

When I was in the Army…and any of you military folk can back me up on this…one thing that you constantly heard through training and through your time in the service is that “you are a soldier…___first...”

Your MOS…or what you specifically do…what you are qualified to do…your job…comes second...

Which means…that if you signed up to push papers…but the base you’re on gets attacked…you can’t say “that isn’t my job…I didn’t sign up for that...” - No…your responsibility and what you swore to - is to “support and defend the constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic...”

When I was in basic - because the base of who you are in the military isn’t your job, it is the fact that you are a soldier…so they even train you as a soldier first…we had to recite the Soldiers Creed…which starts with I AM AN AMERICAN SOLDIER...

As you continued on…you get to a point where it says... “I WILL ALWAYS PLACE THE MISSION FIRST...”

Which is to support and defend…the constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic...

There is no option…its not a suggestion…it is a commandment...

And the same is with this Great Commission…specifically for us today…in “teaching them to obey...”…because there is no option…

It isnt for just the pastor…or someone that is “qualified”…it isnt for a great teacher…or kids director…it isnt for someone that has years and years of schooling…no...

This mission that Jesus…God in flesh…has given…is for ALL DISCIPLES…regardless of how long it is that you have been a disciple…regardless of what level of maturity you are as a disciple…regardless of what role it is that you have AS a disciple…WE ARE DISCIPLES FIRST...

And...write this down…YOU BEING A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST…IS WHAT MAKES THIS MISSION POSSIBLE…because the ONLY way that you can teach someone to obey…is if YOU yourself are obeying…but you can’t truly obey…UNTIL…you are a disciple…JESUS even said…IF YOU LOVE ME…if you are MY DISCIPLE…you will keep my commandments...

And so…we…as disciples…are to teach them…or those that have become disciples…themselves…other disciples…to obey everything that Jesus has commanded...

Awesome…Great…I’m down with that...I am supposed to TEACH other disciples…to OBEY…the commandments of Christ...

But...I think as we look at this deeper…we must ask ourselves 2 questions - 1. What…has Jesus Commanded us…and 2. How are we supposed to teach it...

So...Point 1…WHAT HAS JESUS COMMANDED...

I think that we can see this in Matthew 22 when we look at an interaction that Jesus has with a group called the Pharisee’s…or the religious leaders at the time…these Pharisees come to Jesus and they ask him...”WHAT IS THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT IN THE LAW?” - the NOMOS…the first 5 books of the Bible…Genesis…Exodus…Leviticus…Numbers and Dueruteronomy…OUT OF ALL OF THAT…they ask Jesus…who we know to be God…the AUTHOR of the OT…and the law…OUT OF EVERYTHING THAT GOD COMMANDS IN THE LAW…unknowingly…asking…OUT OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU COMMANDED…which is the greatest…and this is what Jesus says...

Matthew 22:37–40 (NIV)

“ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

EVERYTHING that we see in the OT comes from these 2 commandements…to: 1. Love God…and 2. love your neighbor...

But where do these come from? Because that will help us in understanding exactly what it is that we as disciples must teach other disciples.

And so when Jesus tells the Pharisees that we must love God…he is telling us HOW it is that we must love God as he is referring to a passage in Deuteronomy known as the Shema…which Moses gave to Israel…and so in it Moses says: Deuteronomy 6:4-5 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” -

And so after Moses says this…he goes on to tell the Israelites to be sure to take the commandments that the Lord was going to give them and impress them…or teach them…to their children…to have them be a constant part of their life…regardless of where they are or what they are doing…living it out…on a daily basis...

Moses then goes on to say…remember what God has saved you from, saying…Deuteronomy 6:12 “be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” - dont forget what he has done for you…and then he says this…

And this is how we LOVE GOD...Deuteronomy 6:13-19

He says

a: FEAR THE LORD

“Fear the Lord your God, (revere him…worship him…stand in awe of him…)…Deuteronomy 6:13a NIV

b: SERVE THE LORD

serve him only (put him firsts in your lives…don’t put anything before him) and take your oaths in his name...Deuteronomy 6:13b NIV

c. FOLLOW THE LORD - by saying...

“Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land.” Deuteronomy 6:14-15 NIV

d. DONT TEST THE LORD

Do not put the Lord your God to the test as you did at Massah. (This is when God provided the Israelites with water in Horeb…so consequently again…remembering Gods provisions goes into loving God)…then Moses says to:

e. OBEY THE LORD

Be sure to keep the commands of the Lord your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you. (be obedient…obedience is an act of love…if you love me you will keep my commandments…he goes on to say…) Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, (not your own…but his…why?)...so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land the Lord promised on oath (that he swore) to your ancestors, thrusting out all your enemies before you, as the Lord said.”

So when Jesus tells the Pharisees that the first commandment is to Love God…this is how we are to love God…by fearing him…serving him…following him…not testing him…and obeying him...

Then Jesus says…just like that…you must love your neighbor…again..making a reference back to the OT…back to something that the Pharisees would have known all to well...this time in Leviticus 19…and we see how it is that we should LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR.

So once again, we see Moses speaking to the Israelites…and he says this…now pay attention…starting in verse 11…Leviticus 19:11-18 - he says this…and notice…as we go through this…our love for our neighbor…extends from our love for God…he says:

Leviticus 19:11–18 (NIV)

“ ‘Do not steal.

“ ‘Do not lie.

“ ‘Do not deceive one another.

“ ‘Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord.

“ ‘Do not defraud or rob your neighbor.

“ ‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight.

“ ‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord.

“ ‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.

“ ‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people.

“ ‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord.

“ ‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt.

“ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

And so as we look back - we now know what it is that we have to teach them to obey…to Love God and Love our neighbor…to love others around them…but no that we know what it is that we are teaching them to obey…this begs the second question that we must ask…HOW…HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO TEACH THEM?

How do we teach them to love God and Love their neighbor?

This is where I have been wrapped up on over the last couple weeks as I have been preparing for this message…asking over and over again…HOW do we teach someone to obey…and not teach in a way that a teacher or professor would…not in a way that Pastor Vince would on Sunday morning or on Thursday night for midweek…not like ms Jill would for the kids ministry…but in a way that gives EVERY BELIEVER the oppurtunity to do so...

And I believe that the best way that every believer…every disciple can teach other discciples how to love God and love their neighbors…regardless of where it is that they are in their walk with Christ…from day old Christian to 50 years a Christian…from just making a faith committment all the way to one of the Pastors…I believe that the best way to do this is by SHOWING them how to love God and love their neighbors…to live it out…

Even the defintion of a disciple is “one that follows”

apa.org - a highly credted source…THE creditable source for anything psyhcology…says that “children” - humans in extension...”learn by imitating and watching people...”

(Evan and his watch)

(Colton and reading his Bible)

It is about the way that we live…how are we TEACHING THEM them…through the things that we are doing…and mind you…this is crucial…because this means that we must be doing the same thing…not just saying it…but actually living it…im about to get up in your business…if you claim to be a disciple…yet someone can’t tell that you are a follower of Christ because of the way that you live…then you are not

Teaching them to obey isn’t about teaching some sort of class…that may be a part of it based on your role…but it is living our life in a way that models Christ. HAT IS HOW JESUS MADE DISCIPLES...

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:1 “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”…imitate me…walk like me…as I walk like Christ…FOLLOW MY EXAMPLE…but how does that look in application?

I believe that it is through 1. Humility and 2. Action

And we can see that from the example of Jesus Christ…as Paul says…follow me…as I follow Christ...

And we can see a perfect example of this…how we must live…therefore how to go about teaching someone to obey...on display in Philippians 2:5-8

Philippians 2:5–8 (NIV)

In your relationships with one another,

When you are interacting with other disciples…when you are in community…when you are going about your everyday life...

have the same mindset as Christ Jesus

FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE...

Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

rather, he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

I want us to stop here…I want you all to notice something interesting…because many times we see this passage and we see, instead of nothing…some translatians say that he EMPTIED himself…which tends to cause many people to think that Jesus got rid of something…but…lets say he emptied himself of something…whatever he empties himself of, would cause him to cease to be God...

Right? If Jesus…being God...is the same yesterday today and forever…then it is impossible for him to empty himself of any qualities or characteristics of God…because the moment he did…he no longer is the same...

So what does this mean…? It means that…Christ…fully God…MADE HIMSELF NOTHING…he made himself less than…not that he made himself less God…but that he put himself lower than…and we can see this in moments such as when HE…GOD…Creator…Savior…KING…knelt down at his disciples feet and WASHED THEM…if that is humility…I don’t know what is…but he made himself less than…his own creation I might add…by taking the very nature of a servant…not a Conquering King as Israel thought…not in royalty and richess…not on a horse coming to rescue his people from the grips of Rome…no…he came as a baby…born in a manger…born to a virgin and her carpenter husband…someone from Nazarath…what good comes from Nazarath…sorry all of you that graduated or go to Nazarath…different one…but Jesus…IN HUMILITY...accepted…he received…or one definition of the greek word here…is that he PUT ON…the very nature of a servant…BEING MADE IN HUMAN LIKENESS…he looked like us…he felt the things that we felt…experienced the same things that we experience…so that he could show us how it is that we are to live… instead of taking something off, he put something on…which is why we believe at Lakeshore that Jesus is fully 100 percent God, while also…at the same time…being 100 percent man…and so Paul continues…IN HUMILITY…Jesus...

being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death—

even death on a cross! (Action)...

Christ gave us the perfect example of humility and action through being born as a human…and subjecting himself…becoming obedient to death…because the flesh…his body…which is temproary…would one day die…even death on a cross…he gave us the best example of how to love God and love others…through humility…but it doesnt stop there…because the humility of Christ was expressed through action…his love for God the father…and his love for those around him was expressed in the things that he did...

And so if we are to follow his example…if we are to teach those aroud us…other disciples to love God and love their neighbor…then WE MUST not only have humility…but action...

In closing...

Philippians 2:3–4 (NIV)

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, (by using your gifts in the various areas around Lakeshore, even outside of Lakeshore…serving others…looking at someone and putting them above yourself…thats why I wear this wristband, I AM SECOND…to remind myself that it isnt about me…) not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Here at Lakeshore we believe that this happens in Small Groups. Remember back to the story I told about my student in Student Ministry, where because of the way that he was living, he was able to teach me or show me how to love God…and that is just one of many stories of how being in a Small Group give disciples to chance to teach…learn and grow...

Remember back to my example of a commissioned officer…their number one goal…is to teach those around them how to excel in their positions and function as a cohesive group…that is Small Group...

Teaching someone to obey Jesus is the deliberate process of helping them learn how to see/hear/and discern what God is revealing to them while guiding them towards obedience to it...

That is how we teach them to obey…thats how we teach them…and show them how to love God and love our neighbors…

It is when they see us serving in Church throughout the week…and in how we serve those in our communities…it is in how they see us share the gospel with someone that we meet in the checkout line at Walmart…it is in how they see us worship in church…it is how they see us lean into Christ during those times when things dont make sense and life is crashing down around us…it is in how they see us read our Bibles and praise God for who he is before we request from him anything that we need…it is in how they see us show up for people that need it the most…it is in how they see us use self-control when it comes to things that we may be tempted in…it is in how we give thanks in the good times in the bad…it is in how we live…that we are able to teach them to love God and love their neighbors...

So what does that mean for us today?

What do we do with this?

I think the first is this…find a place to serve…in humility…value others above yourself…where can God use you here at Lakeshore and out in the community. We have a lot of amazing areas here in Lakeshore the a person can serve…specifically the Student Ministry team…a little shameless plug! If you want to find out more about where you can possibly serve and the steps to do so, you can get more information out at the next steps table