"JESUS' DISCIPLING RELATIONSHIP "

>>>This is a very personal message for me.

>>>A few weeks ago was a message on Jesus’ method-selecting disciples, equipping them, and sending them out.

>>>This message focuses on the details of the relationship.

MARK 8:27-30 “And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.”

>>>Jesus asked about who people said He was.

>>>Peter answered correctly! It “clicked” with him.

>>>In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus responded to Peter’s answer.

*The Father was Who worked in Peter’s life and gave him understanding.

*This also “earned” the name “Peter” for him and his commissioning to lay the foundation of the church.

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>>>Focus of the message

MARK 8:31 “And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.”

>>>After the revelation of Jesus being the Christ, Jesus “began” to teach the disciples about His coming death, burial, and resurrection.

*He “plainly” (boldly) told them this. Up until now, it has been a bit vague.

*He “began” meaning he started the process.

*However long the disciples have been with Jesus and what they’ve seen, NOW is when they start being told Jesus mission on earth.

DISCIPLESHIP IS A PROCESS.

>>>All of us are in the process of being discipled/becoming more like Jesus-from young to old.

>>>The process of discipleship is a process both for the one being discipled and the one discipling.

>>>This sets the groundwork for rest of passage.

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PETER’S REBUKE

>>>Mark’s account simply says Peter rebuked Jesus. Matthew’s account records the rebuke. (SLIDE DOES NOT HAVE V.23)

MATTHEW 16:22-23 “And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.””

>>>Peter, who just was walking in the Spirit of God, now walked under the influence of the spirit of the devil.

*Peter rebuked Jesus in an effort to prevent Him from fulfilling what the Father wanted Him to do.

>>>Nothing is said about how the devil got involved-thoughts, taking advantage of Peter’s confusion/flesh, etc. All that is said is that the devil influenced Peter right as he was on “spiritual high ground.”

THE DEVIL ATTACKED ON HIS SPIRITUAL HIGH GROUND.

>>>In our spiritual growth process, we seem to be more vulnerable to the devil’s attacks right after we had a “God moment” or a victory in our walks.

>>>(Illust.) No one more evil then Jezebel

>>>Elijah wins “Battle of Gods” against prophets of Baal. Then rain came. Elijah ran before chariots. He was on “spiritual high”. But then Jezebel sought to kill him.

>>>Elijah was discouraged, depressed, though he was only prophet.

>>>The enemy attacked on his spiritual high ground.

>>>Though in our growing process we stumble, we must be careful to keep guarding hearts/renewing minds to keep from falling into flesh/temptation.

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JESUS’ REBUKE

MARK 8:33 “But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.””

>>>Jesus answered a rebuke with a rebuke.

>>>Jesus in His “turning” was abruptly resisting the temptation the devil made through Peter.

*While Peter fell into temptation, Jesus resisted it.

*Jesus maintained His obedience to the Father and modeled living by the Spirit to His believers.

HE RESISTED TEMPTATION-FOR THE SAKE OF HIS OBEDIENCE AND HIS FOLLOWERS.

>>>All of us are ultimately called to be followers of Jesus and submissive to what God wants us to do and how He wants us to live.

>>>Our desire to be obedient to call is why we must resist temptation.

>>>But we also resist temptation for the sake of those who follow us (family, friends, teenagers, kids, younger Christians, etc.).

>>>Continuing to look at Jesus’ rebuke, He obviously loved Peter and had a great plan for him, yet this did not stop Him from correcting Peter.

HE WAS BOLD IN OFFERING CORRECTION.

MARK 8:33 “But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.””

>>>Jesus saw where Peter needed to grow and corrected it-even when it warranted the manner in which He did it.

>>>Jesus was very direct in His rebuke to Peter, but look at what Jesus doesn’t say.

*He does not take away His calling for Peter’s life-to build the church.

*He was not dismissed from being in Jesus’ inner circle or from his obvious leadership among the other apostles. In fact, after this, Peter witnesses Jesus in all His glory in the transfiguration.

*He wasn’t kicked off “the team”.

*And this was not going to be the only time Peter messes up-or even the worst thing he does! (cutting off servant’s ear; denying Jesus)

>>>See the grace of Jesus woven through His relationship with Peter.

>>>We often struggle in our confronting other believers/those we disciple when they mess up. We either are too blunt/too passive/aggravated/apathetic/or do nothing at all. But Jesus models the need to help those who stumble.

>>>Obviously, this does not give us the right to call people “Satan”.

*Times of confrontation (this situation)

*Times of encouragement and patience (John 21-Peter restoration)

*All done in gentleness.

UNLIKE JESUS, WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE OUR OWN IMPERFECTIONS.

GALATIANS 6:1-3 “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.”

>>>These verses encourage (gently) restoring/correcting believers who fall but warns to not correct from a place of thinking he has no faults of his own.

>>>Jesus never sinned. He’s perfect! We are not and should remember our own faults when helping/discipling others.

>>>We always get mad at the disciples/other believers for not always “getting it”. Yet do we always get it?

*Discipleship is a process. People are in the process of being discipled by other people in the process of being discipled.

*Peter messes up-Pentecost/gospel to Gentiles/mentors Mark-associates w/Jews/confronted by Paul.

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TO LIVE AND LOVE LIKE JESUS IS TO ENGAGE IN DISCIPLING RELATIONSHIPS.

>>>Told youth team the greatest act of support to me is to build relationships w/students.

>>>The call of the message/Great Commission is investing.

*The goal of the gifts is to invest in each other.

*Grow and overflow

>>>Growth is not numbers-it’s engaging as the church in discipling relationships, reaching the next generation without forgetting the previous one.

>>>What do you need to do?

*Stumbling all the time?

*Needing to start a discipling relationship?

*Salvation?