Discipleship 101 (PART 1) (Biblestudy)
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We are in the process of building our church. The pandemic has shifted the way that we have done things and it is time to shift and consider new ways to approach ministry.
Ministry is engaging in servanthood. I want to say that again, ministry is engaging in servanthood or serving in some capacity. That means that you have to do something, you cannot sit by and be idle and not do something.
Consider this parable in which Jesus taught his disciples:
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Okay let’s break down what Jesus is trying to teach:
Jesus says that a man is going on a long trip, evidently Jesus is talking about himself.
He calls his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was going. Who is his servants? His disciples. Now let me ask you this, is the disciples only his 12 disciples or is he referring to all his disciples as a whole? And who are Jesus’ disciples?
The man gives his servants talents, Jesus is not talking about abilities such as the ability to draw, the ability to sing, the ability to play instruments. Talents is translated money or what is called silver. He gave one servant how many bags? ANS: Five. He gave another how many? Ans: Two bags. He gave the last servant how many bags? Ans: One bags.
So what do the servants do with the bags? They began to invest. The one that received 5 bags earned five more bags. The one who received two, invested and received two more bags. The one who invested 1 bag, took his bag, dug a hole and buried the bag in the ground.
Let’s stop there, what does all of this mean? What spiritual truth is Jesus trying to portray here? Let’s understand, first of all what is the subject matter? What is Jesus main subject in this text? Read verse 14.
The main idea is about the Kingdom of Heaven, so what Jesus is trying to articulate to his disciples is the fact that he has entrusted his servants with something valuable and that the thing in which he has entrusted his disciples with OUGHT TO GROW!!! THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SHOULD BE GROWING!!! WE AS SERVANTS, WE AS DISCIPLES SHOULD BE INVESTING IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN WHILE THE MASTER IS AWAY!!!
There are some who are multiplying the kingdom greatly, they are winning souls, they are serving in the kingdom. There are some who may not be doing as much as others, but they are multiplying the kingdom, remember one servant was giving 2 talents, it isn’t as much as the 5 talents, but he did double what was committed to him. We need to understand that back then when it came to investing, they did not do things digitally. To invest, you have to physically go, you have to make connections with people and talk to people, you have to take what you have and invest it into something that you will get a return in. You cannot invest sitting there and doing nothing, you cannot invest without making connections with the people. I told Bishop when we installed the new camera, audio, and streaming system that we were doing a good thing. But no souls have been saved through YouTube that I am aware of. Elders we can preach baptism in Jesus’ name, but the truth of the matter is that people aren’t being saved by our streaming ministry because we are preaching to the choir. It is us going out and making connections with people and doing what the scripture says “going into the highways and the hedges and compelling men to come.”
But then there are those who God commits 1 talent to, and they take what God is given them and they don’t invest in the kingdom AT ALL!!! These are the people that sit around and do nothing, these are the ones that God pours his word into and they never share it with others, they do not add to the kingdom of God…..hear me tonight. God did not save you for you to keep salvation to yourself. Salvation is valuable….being saved is valuable.
Let me quote scripture: 2 Cor 4:7
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
Paul say we have this treasure. What treasure? We have this light, Jesus is the light, the Holy Ghost is the light, Paul said in the previous verse;
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
So we have this light, we have salvation, we have Jesus the one that said let there be light in darkness and we once was darkness but he called us out of darkness, and made this light shine in our hearts, so that we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
Saints we have something valuable that those who are in darkness need to see and hear. And if we can invest what God has given us into the kingdom of God, more and more people will come to the light.
***BUT HERE IS THE PROBLEM AND THE CHALLENGE…..THERE ARE SOME IN THE KINGDOM WHO ARE DOING JUST LIKE THE MAN THAT RECEIVED THE ONE TALENT…..HE TOOK IT AND BURIED IT…….HE DID NOTHING WITH WHAT HIS MASTER COMMITTED TO HIM!!!***
Lets go back to the text:
10. Jesus tells the man who received 5 bags of silver and made a return investment of five bags “You have been faithful”…..the question tonight that we all have to ask ourselves is have we been faithful in handling what God has given us, or are we taking what God gives us Sunday after Sunday, Wednesday after Wednesday, Friday after Friday, and burying it. Our we taking our light, that Paul talked about in 2 Cor 4:6-7 and hiding it under a bushel.
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Saints we are the light of the world. This world is full of darkness and it doesn’t make since of you to complain about how dark it is. If you got a problem with it, then you need to start doing something about it! What do I do, Jesus is telling you right here what you need to do!!! Jesus said no one takes their lamp, Jesus isn’t talking about your electrical lamp you have in your house. Back then they had torches, they had the old lamps that had an oil canister in the bottom and the cloth thing in which soaked up the oil and you lit it, and placed the glass over it, and that was your lamp. They were poor, they may not have had enough money to buy several lamps. And usually back then the family had one room that the lived in.
If you put the lamp on the floor, you can’t see nothing in the house at night time. You have to take the light and LIFT IT UP!!!! I SAID YOU GOTTA LIFT THE LIGHT UP and place it on a stand so that everyone in the house can see the light and they know where to go, and they can see where they are walking, and they can function in the light!!!!
Jesus said in the same manner, LET YOUR GOOD DEEDS SHINE OUT FOR ALL TO SEE……GOD ISN’T CALLING FOR QUIET, CLOSET CHRISTIANS, HE WANTS YOUR LIGHT TO SHINE FOR ALL THE WORLD TO SEE.
WATCH THIS, SO THAT EVERYONE WILL PRAISE YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER. LISTEN VERY CLOSELY, NOT MANY PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY UNSAVED PEOPLE WILL PRAISE GOD BECAUSE YOU DID A GOOD DEED FOR THEM. YOU HAND THEM A COUPLE OF DOLLARS AND YOU THINK THAT IS A GOOD DEED, YOU PAY FOR THEIR GROCERIES AND YOU THINK THAT’S A GOOD DEED. NO!!! THOSE ARE GOOD DEEDS BUT THOSE AREN’T THE DEEDS THAT JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT!
WHAT GOOD DEEDS WILL CAUSE PEOPLE TO PRAISE GOD? WHEN GOD SAVES THEM, WHEN YOU CAUSE YOUR LIGHT TO SHINE AND IT CAUSES THEM TO COME OUT OF DARKNESS, WHEN YOU SHARE WITH THEM THE LIGHT THAT YOU HAVE WITHIN YOU, WHEN YOU DO AS PAUL WROTE IN 2 COR 4:6-7 WHEN YOU SHARE WITH THEM THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD!! WHAT IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD? ANS: JESUS CHRIST!!!
CLOSE:
The parable of the three servants, doesn’t just deal with evangelism and the investment in the kingdom of Heaven. It also deals with personal growth.
The servants received an silver, they invested it, THEY PUT IT TO USE….TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR “THEY PUT IT TO USE, THEY APPLIED IT. AND WHEN THEY APPLIED IT….IT PRODUCED GROWTH!!!”
For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
When God has invested in you, when God has saved you and given you the earnest of the Spirit, when God seals you with the Holy Ghost, and the word of God is preached and taught to you, and WHEN YOU APPLY THE WORD OF GOD……THERE SHOULD BE GROWTH!!!
First the growth should begin in you and as you grow, then you should be able to reach others. There should not be a single saint of God that says well “I don’t know what to say” The word of God has been preached to you, you have Jesus, you received the Holy Ghost!!!
But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
Just open your mouth AND LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE!!!
As you grow, as you reach others for Christ (good work) others will come to Christ and they will grow.
***IMPORTANT POINT*** When you bring someone to Christ, you have an important role to play. That is to nurture them and to assist in bringing them to maturity. One of the reasons why many churches fail at retention is because we are so self-driven and self-motivated. It took hard work to witness and get someone to believe and be baptized.
Once the person is baptized we think the work is over and we can rest. And then the next thing you know we don’t see them anymore. You brought them in the church, but you did not nurture them and then you will fault the preacher and everyone else but yourself. And God will hold you accountable, I said that because I preach what God tells me to preach and I do what God tells me to do, but I cannot build this church by myself…..everyone of us has a part to play.
Everyone in here should be reaching souls. It would be a shame if you died and you never reached a soul for the kingdom of God. You might not be able to reach a lot of souls like others. The servants were given various amounts according to their abilities. If you can reach one soul and get them saved…..I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT GETTING THEM BAPTIZED, I’M TALKING ABOUT BEING BORN AGAIN, BAPTIZED, FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST, AND THEIR LIFE CHANGED TOWARDS GOD. It is not enough to get people in the water…..they need TRUE REPENTANCE AND HOLY GHOST INFILLING. IF THEY REPENTED AND WENT DOWN IN THE WATER AND RETURNED BACK TO WHAT THEY WERE DOING BEFORE…..HAVE THEY TRULY REPENTED?
Each time the master came to a servant and they reported that they doubled the profit that they received, the master said “Well done thy good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful (dependable, working, trustworthy) over a few things.
But when he got to the servant that took the one silver bag and buried it, HE DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. He did nothing out of fear. Some of us won’t share the light of God’s word with others because we are afraid we going to offend someone. YOU KNOW WHAT, I AM OFFENDED BY THE STUFF I SAY ON A DAILY BASIS. THE WORLD IS BOLD IN PROCLAIMING THEIR SINS AND SHOWING THEIR SINS WHILE THE CHURCH IS SILENT AND SITTING IN THE SHADOWS TREMBLING AND AFRAID!!! WE NEED TO BE BOLD, UNAPOLOGETIC, AND UNAFRAID TO WITNESS AND PROCLAIM JESUS IN THE EARTH!
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT SOME OF US ARE ASHAMED TO SHARE OUR FAITH AND JESUS SAID IF YOU BE ASHAMED OF ME BEFORE THIS ADULTEROUS AND CROOKED GENERATION I’LL BE ASHAMED OF YOU BEFORE MY HEAVENLY FATHER!!! The servant he did nothing because he didn’t feel like it was important. There was no growth, there was stagnation there, and he was lazy. He started making excuses for why he didn’t do the work…….hmmmm….sounds like what people are going to try to say to the LORD. “I didn’t know” “I didn’t know what to say” “I was too busy” “I didn’t feel like it”.
And I’m afraid that what I’m teaching tonight, it will have no affect on some people, because some are going to go back to what they been doing even after here this message tonight. But HEAR what the master said “His lord answered and said unto him, YOU WICKED AND LAZY SERVANT, IF YOU KNEW I HARVESTED CROPS ID DIDN’T PLANT AND GATHERED CROPS I DIDN’T CULTIVATE, WHY DIDN’T YOU DEPOSIT MY MONEY IN THE BANK? AT LEAST I COULD HAVE GOTTEN SOME INTEREST ON IT. THEN HE ORDERED, TAKE THE MONEY FROM THIS SERVANT, AND GIVE IT TO THE ONE WITH THE TEN BAGS OF SILVER!
WHEN YOU DON’T USE WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU, WHEN YOU DON’T DO WHAT GOD TELLS YOU TO DO….YOU’VE GOT TO GET OUT OF SELF AND STOP DOING WHAT YOU THINK IS BEST, GET OUT OF YOUR MIND AND STOP DOING WHAT YOU THINK IS THE RIGHT THING AND DO WHAT GOD SAYS. IF YOU DON’T HE WILL TAKE YOUR TALENT, HE WILL TAKE YOUR ANOINTING, HE WILL TAKE YOUR MONEY, AND WILL GIVE IT TO SOMEONE THAT WILL USE IT FOR HIS GLORY AND HONOR!!!
TO THOSE WHO USE WELL WHAT THEY ARE GIVEN, EVEN MORE WILL BE GIVEN….(WHAT YOU SOW YOU GONNA REAP) AND THEY WILL HAVE ABUNDANCE. BUT FROM THOSE WHO DO NOTHING…..FROM THOSE WHO DO NOTHING, EVEN WHAT LITTLE THEY HAVE WILL BE TAKEN AWAY.
NOW THROW THIS USELESS SERVANT INTO OUTER DARKNESS, WHERE THERE WILL BE WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH!
SAINTS OF GOD, I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT THE LORD HAS BEEN WARNING US. I SAID SUNDAY THAT SOME OF US THINK THAT WE ARE OKAY JUST BECAUSE WE COME TO CHURCH, WE THINK WE ARE ALRIGHT BECAUSE WE PARTICIPATE IN CHURCH ACTIVITIES….BUT GOD IS REQUIRING MORE FROM US THAN JUST A FORM AND FASHION! HE WANTS GROWTH IN US, HE WANTS THE LIGHT TO SHINE IN US TO LEAD PEOPLE OUT OF DARKNESS, HOW CAN YOU LEAD ANYONE OUT OF DARKNESS IF YOU WHO ARE SUPPOSE TO BE LIGHT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE DARKNESS YOURSELF!!! JUST TELL SOMEONE GOD WANTS MORE FROM US!!!!
END:
“The easy road produces nothing, the hard road produces great glory. Jesus took the hard road. We have to take the hard road.”