Men's Breakfast

Good Morning

Good morning everyone. Thanks for being here. It is so good to see men of God come together in fellowship. This breakfast was so great.

Thank Mike and Susan Dunn for food prep.

Introduction

As a parent and as a Youth Pastor I’m always talking about what young people are experiencing. My kids are young, so a lot of the conflicts at home are sibling struggles you know? Not being able to be on the trampoline because too many kids are on it or accidently throwing a baseball at someone’s face. That kind of thing.

My 3 older kids are in public elementary school. Two of them have had arguments about LGBT issues with other classmates, but have stood their ground. That’s not the only issue in elementary schools though. It seems that their main issues with their peers stem from morality and behavior inside and outside of the classroom.

The youth group gives me some insight into their world of school or homeschool too. Social anxiety is on the rise, morality is questioned, homes and relationships with parents are unstable, and kids and teens are living untethered from biblical truth.

I read an article recently from a theologian that talked about how whenever he visited college campuses he used to get more philosophical questions or apologetic questions. Stuff like:

How can you prove the existence of God?

Did God use evolution in creation?

How can a good God allow suffering?

He still goes to college campuses but he is receiving new questions that can basically be lumped into three overarching questions:

How do I read my bible?

How do I pray?

How do I know God?

There is a longing for biblical truth in a world that denies truth and a longing for relationship with God when relationships in the family and society are so undervalued.

Purpose Statement

Our purpose in getting together isn’t just about parenting though. Some of us have kids in different seasons of life and some of us don’t have children. Or we are kids. Maybe big kids.

Briefly share my Testimony regarding discipleship

Talk about my dad leaving us and the statistic of being a gay man.

Emphasize Aaron Everitt, Don Donahoo, Craig Kirkpatrick, and the guys at On the Rock

The ways that we disciple others Really matters and affects people.

It’s easy to talk about discipleship when our lives are put together though. What about when times are hard? Like, really hard.

I have a really specific question that I want for us to consider this morning.

If you, being a believer, were falsely accused of a crime and sent to prison, would you be equipped to disciple others or would you backslide in your discipleship?

repeat this

Stephen Intro

I want to read out of Acts 6 starting at verse 8 where we’ll examine a scene in the New Testament with very similar circumstances.

The office of deacon was just established prior to this. One of the men appointed to that office was Stephen in Acts 6:5

Acts 6:5 ESV

5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.

Stephen is full of faith and the Holy Spirit. Along with these other men, the deacons allowed the apostles to the “ministry of the Word and preaching.” The cooperation they had led to Acts 6:7

Acts 6:7 ESV

7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

Disciples are being made. Even to the point that the religious leaders are converting.

Stephen Arrested

Stephen performs works that are full of grace and power. Acts 6:8

Acts 6:8 ESV

8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.

Many priests from the synagogues would argue with him and became annoyed with him. They didn’t understand the wisdom and the Spirit that he was speaking in. So, they plotted against him. They provided false witnesses and accusations accusing Stephen of speaking against Moses and God. They stirred up a crowd, and seized him to be tried before the council. When he was accused of his wrongdoings before the council Stephen begins sharing all he knows.

Stephen’s Gospel

In Acts chapter 7, Steven shares this amazing history and testimony of God’s relationship to Abraham, Joseph and Moses. All of the promises given and how they were fulfilled. The account of David and Solomon and the building of the temple. He finishes his account by reciting Isaiah.

He is doing this to justify himself and show how he hasn’t preached against Moses’ commands. He knows the history. He knows God’s law. He’s not an ignorant servant, but rather he is aligning himself with the prophets of old who pointed to a coming Messiah, the “Righteous One.”

He turns the tables on his accusers

Acts 7:51–53 ESV

51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”

The council drives him out and stones him. Even during their stoning, we read

Acts 7:60 ESV

60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

How did Stephen know?

Stephen isn’t ignorant of the things of God. Jacob and I have been talking about the office of deacons. We usually think of them only as servants, but I think they’re really unifiers of the church. I want you guys to read Acts 7 and see that Stephen knows his history, theology, and redemption of God. He doesn’t have a bible or commentary. He doesn’t go to his pastor to intercede for him. His answer is the outpouring of years of discipleship.

Philip, another one of the deacons here, also knows the Scriptures.

Acts 8:30–31 ESV

30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Philip interprets the reading for this man and shows its fulfilment is in Christ. He then baptizes the Eunuch.

They were Taught

How can we shape our home to live this way? We set the pattern for our home by Loving God above all others, prizing the Scriptures, and living out God’s law.

How did these men know their scriptures? They were taught them. They were likely taught them in their homes. Just as their parents, and grandparents were taught.

Deuteronomy 6

Turn with me to Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Deuteronomy 6:4–9 ESV

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

This is written to Israel, but look how it carries on through the ages. Stephen had these words written on his heart. They were used in discipling others and sharing the testimony of Christ to the church and the world.

Philip also had these words written on his heart. When asked about a scriptures’s interpretation, Philip was prepared.

Application

Are you prepared? If you, being a believer, were falsely accused of a crime and sent to prison, would you be equipped to disciple others or would you backslide in your discipleship?

Stephen knew exactly what to say when he was on trial. Could you give a response like this?

If the answer is yes, how are you sharpening your knowledge by the discipling of others? Are you active in the discipleship of your home? Your family? Your church?

If the answer is no, then what is holding you back? Is it knowledge? Confidence? Poor habits?

Jacob and I want to be available for you. (TEETH)

Next time we meet for breakfast will be on June 24th. We’re going to have a man named Shane come and share a testimony that I think you guys need to hear. It’s about persevering in discipleship in the face of hard adversity.

Shane’s testimony is powerful. Jacob and I have had the privilege of hearing it and think this would be a real benefit to you.

Also, we want to equip you to disciple others starting in your homes. Starting on June 14th, Jacob is going to be meeting whoever wants to learn how to disciple others at Barracuda coffee at 6:30am. I think this is really important. It’s hard to disciple others if we don’t have the tools to do so.

Guys, we all know this stuff, it’s the doing of it that is so hard. At my ordination council, when I’m put on the spot, it was way harder to recall the things that I’ve known over the years. It takes practice. It takes effort. Thinking about all of what is in the Scripture is one thing, but embodying it is another. Jacob and I want to train up some men who can help know the gospel, live the gospel and disciple others to do the same. There is a signup sheet out front that I’d like you guys to put your name and number on for meeting on these Wednesdays. Let’s grow in our understanding of God’s Word together as we press on.

Ask Jacob to add anything and pray for us.