Grow Deeper pt. 1: Making What?
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Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.
And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Introduction
We are walking around the Pathway of Hope...
** SHOW GRAPHIC **
There is so much that I could say about discipleship because we find so much in scripture. I had to be judicious in my approach. So I’m going today cover what a disciple is and next week we will talk about what it looks like to do discipling. So today we cover growing deeper ourselves and next week what it looks like to help others grow deeper.
Many of the main points I’m going to cover today are taken from some basic principles outlined in the works of Mark Dever and Capital Hill Baptist Church. Their ministry has been incredibly helpful in my understanding of what these Biblical principles look like when applied in the local church.
I remember reading about a pastor who discovered something that concerned him greatly. He would visit all of these local churches and guest preach there or simply attend on an off Sunday and he discovered that for some reason, it seemed to be rare or at least not the norm to find someone attending a church who was a growing Christian. It was definitely not the majority of people. This should concern us too. Why is it that so many people go to church every Sunday and yet show no growth in their spiritual lives. Why is it that we feel like it's okay for someone to continually attend a church and remain motionless in the process of sanctification. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not advocating that we toss people out of church for not growing. Actually, kind of the opposite. I'm placing before you that we as a church must be active in the area of discipleship in our own lives and the lives of those around us in this room. I'd say the same for many churches.
The author I mentioned moments ago says:
"A healthy church has a pervasive concern with church growth--not simply growing in numbers but growing members. A church full of growing Christians is the kind of church growth I want as a pastor. Some today seem to think that one can be a "baby Christian" for a whole lifetime. Growth is seen to be an optional extra for particularly zealous disciples. But be very careful about taking that line of thought. Growth is a sign of life. Growing trees are living trees, and growing animals are living animals. When something stops growing it dies."
In his foundational book, Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, Mark Dever wrote,
"Growth may not mean that you negotiate this rapid in half the time you negotiated the last; it may simply mean that you are able to continue in the right direction as a Christian, regardless of the adverse circumstances. Remember, it is only the things that are alive that swim upstream; the dead things all float along with the current." - Mark Dever
As of a Barna study in May of 2018 - 51% of church goers claim they have not heard of the Great Commission. These are people who attend church. 76% have either not heard or don't know what it means. 6 percent don't know what you're talking about. WE seem to have a problem with not knowing what we are supposed to be about.
Two parts - What is a disciple and what is discipling in relation to being a growing Christian. Next week we will cover Biblical reason for us to be disciple makers. IN other words - how a growing Christian disciples others.
A lot of churches would say that they make disciples. But here is the question to ask: Have you been intentionally, systematically, and regularly been invested in by another man or another woman... more than just hanging out and talking about life.
I. What is a disciple?
I. What is a disciple?
If this is what we are trying to make, we had better make sure we know what it is. So what is a disciple?
Word Christian - in the NT used 3 times
Word Disciple - used 269 times in NT, 238 in the Gospels
There are not two classes of Christians: basic and disciple or advanced and beginner… Discipling is for all believers.
A disciple is:
A learner - meaning of disciple. It is a dynamic term. Mode of action to it.
**Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible**
Someone who follows another person or another way of life and who submits himself to the discipline (teaching) of that leader or way. - Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible
Disciple Making is an overarching banner for both discipleship evangelism. Inviting to Christ and then investing in them.
I shouldn't be the only evangelist or the only disciple maker in the church - pastor should not be the only one.
A. Indicators of a disciple
A. Indicators of a disciple
As we walk though these 7 markers or indicators in the life of a true disciple, I’m going to rifle through some scriptures. There are going to be a lot so if you miss one just ask me afterward and I can get you a list of them.
The first indicator of a disciple is:
1. They have responded to the initial call of God.
1. They have responded to the initial call of God.
**Mark 1:16-20
Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”
And immediately they left their nets and followed him.
And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets.
And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.
2. They desire to do what God has said.
2. They desire to do what God has said.
Obedience.
**Job 23:12
I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.
**Jeremiah 15:16
Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.
**Deuteronomy 6:5-7
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.
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.
**Romans 10:17
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
**1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—
3. Different standards than the world.
3. Different standards than the world.
An identifiable break from the former standards.
**1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
**2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
4. Self-discipline exhibited in their life.
4. Self-discipline exhibited in their life.
**Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
**Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
**Luke 3:11
And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”
**1 Corinthians 9:25-27
Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.
But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
5. They have a desire to be with and encourage other disciples.
5. They have a desire to be with and encourage other disciples.
**Romans 15:5-6
May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,
that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
**Acts 2:42
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
**Ephesians 3:17-19
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
**Hebrews 10:25
not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
**1 Peter 1:22
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,
**1 John 1:2
the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—
**1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
6. They want others to know Jesus.
6. They want others to know Jesus.
**1 John 3:16-24
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?
Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him;
for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.
Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;
and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.
Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
**1 Peter 2:21
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
**John 14:12
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.
7. True disciples persevere in faith.
7. True disciples persevere in faith.
**Philippians 3:13-14
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
**Psalm 37:23-24
The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way;
though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.
**Romans 6:1-14
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?
By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
For one who has died has been set free from sin.
Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.
For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.
So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.
Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.
For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
**2 Peter 1:1-10
Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,
and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,
and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.
For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.
Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
II. Where does discipling take place? Within the context of the local church.
II. Where does discipling take place? Within the context of the local church.
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
As of a Barna study in May of 2018 - 51% of church goers claim they have not heard of the Great Commission. These are people who attend church. 76% have either not heard or don't know what it means. 6 percent don't know what you're talking about. WE seem to have a problem with not knowing what we are supposed to be about.
This is what we are going to confront next week. But today’s question is:
Are you a disciple?
Have you seen these indicators in your life?
Are you actively pursuing a deepening of your relationship with Jesus?
Are you growing in your faith?