Courageous Discipleship

Introduction/Scripture

Joshua 1:7–9 NIV

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Pray.

I often refer to my life with a clear demarkation. Before Jesus and after Jesus. I often avoid ties to that time period before Jesus.

20 year reunion coming up…

I was a terrible student before Jesus and completely different after.

Before, it was survival mode at best. Bare minimum. Classes were an obstacle to navigate through whatever means.

This is how we are as disciples in general. We show up when it’s convenient. We dont like to admit it but we do seek out the bare minimum when it comes to following Jesus.

In Joshua, the bare minimum wont do. They wont survive.

God’s Call to Obedience (Joshua 1:7)

God’s words to Joshua are clear: “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you.”

The foundation of Joshua’s success as a leader was his adherence to God’s commands.

This obedience wasn’t optional or selective; it required diligence and intentionality.

For us, discipleship begins with the same call to obedience. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15).

Following Christ isn’t just about belief; it’s about aligning our lives with His Word.

Allegiance instead of intellectual belief.

The Importance of Meditating on God’s Word (Joshua 1:8)

God instructs Joshua to “keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night.”

Meditation here means deeply pondering and internalizing God’s Word.

It’s not a one-time event but a continuous practice that shapes our decisions and actions.

As disciples, we must develop a rhythm of regularly engaging with Scripture.

The psalmist writes, “Blessed is the one...whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2).

Immersing ourselves in Scripture equips us to navigate life’s challenges and stay grounded in truth.

What is so important about remembering the covenant for them. Some stories of their history. Genesis, Exodus, Levitivus, Numbers, Deuteronomy….

David Watson:

Or to put it in yet another way, God speaks to us through the Bible and leads us into salvation. God loves us and wishes us to return that love. When we do, we enter more fully into the divine life. The Bible is a “book of meeting.” It draws us ever more deeply into a relationship with the God who came to us in Jesus Christ. In light of this, our first posture toward the Bible should be one of gratitude, not criticism. -David Watson

It is a book of meeting.

Let me give you an example from this week with me. Reading the bible in a year… Genesis is a trainwreck. I forget how bad it is until I read it through again. I distance myself because of how bad it really is. But the emotional reaction of fear and hate is a sin condition.

How do we get there?

Before devotion comes attention

“Because what you give your attention to is the person you become. Put another way: the mind is the portal to the soul, and what you fill your mind with will shape the trajectory of your character. In the end, your life is no more than the sum of what you gave your attention to. That bodes well for those apprentices of Jesus who give the bulk of their attention to him and to all that is good, beautiful, and true in his world. But not for those who give their attention to the 24-7 news cycle of outrage and anxiety and emotion-charged drama or the nonstop feed of celebrity gossip, titillation, and cultural drivel. (As if we “give” it in the first place; much of it is stolen by a clever algorithm out to monetize our precious attention.) But again: we become what we give our attention to, for better or worse.” ― John Mark Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to stay emotionally healthy and spiritually alive in the chaos of the modern world

There is joint promise here from God…

The Promise of God’s Presence (Joshua 1:9)

God reassures Joshua: “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

This promise of God’s presence was vital for Joshua’s confidence and courage.

In discipleship, we’re not alone. Jesus’ parting words to His disciples were, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

The assurance of God’s presence empowers us to persevere in our faith.

Knowing God is with us gives us the courage to obey, even when it’s challenging or countercultural.

The difference in studying John Wesley and Jesus

Courageous Discipleship in Community

Joshua’s call to obedience wasn’t just for his benefit but for the entire nation of Israel.

His commitment to God’s Word set an example for others to follow.

Discipleship is not a solitary journey; it’s a communal one.

In the New Testament, Jesus calls His followers to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20).

This involves teaching others to obey His commands and walking alongside them in their faith journey.

How can we, as a church, model this communal discipleship?

By mentoring new believers, encouraging one another, and holding each other accountable.

Courageous Discipleship at FMC:

Continuing to develop our LIFE (VIDA) discipleship pathway

Expansion of small groups (Living in community)

Spirit and Truth Conference (Encountering God)

Inviting more into active service (Focused outward)

Catechism rolling out during lent. It is called rooted in the faith. Teaches historic Christianity, Wesleyan faith

Individual discipleship:

Scripture

Prayer

Fasting

Sabbath

The Rewards of Discipleship

God’s promise to Joshua was success and prosperity if he obeyed the law (Joshua 1:8).

This wasn’t a guarantee of material wealth but of a life aligned with God’s purposes.

Individually….

Collectively….

Success, promise land,

What does that mean? It’s not an absence of conflict or difficulty but it is good. It is good in a way that few of us know. Statistically in the church, less than 1% of Christians surrender their lives and walk towards holiness, towards Christ-centerdness.

Here is the thing… Discipleship is costly. Comfort, time, effort, even relationships. The road of discipleship is countercultural, counterintuitive to the world around us. You will be different and depending on geography and time, you could even face hardship or persecution.

I could preach about the reward. I could preach about eternal life. Salvation. A future promise and hope that defeats death itself. A current reality of life. Resurrection life, freedom from sin, addiction, victory over evil. I could preach about restored marriages, mended relationships. I could preach about hope, joy, peace, love… abundant love. A love so deep that you start to like yourself and begin to love your neighbor even your enemy. I could preach about the kingdom of God that brings justice through you to set the captive free. I could preach on all of that…but the truth is, you have heard it before. So let me close with a question…

Is it working?

Is the intermittent, convenient check-in with Jesus with life circumstances allow for it, is that working?