The time is now…to become the apprentice

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The Time is Now: To Become Like Jesus – Apprenticeship in a Cracked Mirror World

🎤 INTRO –

Show the cracked mirror.

“You ever looked in a mirror that’s cracked? No matter how good your lighting is—your reflection still looks distorted.”

Then pause.

Tonight I want to teach you something about what it means to be an apprentice of Jesus. Tonight It’s my hope and prayer that you will consider the time to be now, in becoming an apprentice of Jesus.

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MOVEMENT 1: God Uses a Cracked Mirror (the Bible)

Teaching Segment:

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How Did Judas Die?

Matthew 27:5 NRSVue

Throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.

Acts 1:18 NRSVue

(Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle, and all his bowels gushed out.

So which is it?

Did he hang himself? Or did he fall and burst open?

👩🏽‍🦱 

Who Went to the Tomb?

Matthew 28:1 NRSVue

After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

Mark 16:1 NRSVue

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.

Luke 24:10 NRSVue

Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles.

So which is it?

Two women? Three? A whole group?

⏰ 

What Time Was Jesus Crucified?

Mark 15:25 NRSVue

It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him.

John 19:14–16 NRSVue

Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover, and it was about noon. He said to the Jews, “Here is your King!” They cried out, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!” Pilate asked them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus,

So which is it?

Was He crucified at 9am—or not even sentenced until noon?

🐃 

How Many Animals on the Ark?

Genesis 6:19–20 NRSVue

And of every living thing, of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds according to their kinds and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground according to its kind, two of every kind shall come in to you, to keep them alive.

Genesis 7:2–3 NRSVue

Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and its mate; and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and its mate; and seven pairs of the birds of the air also, male and female, to keep their kind alive on the face of all the earth.

So which is it?

Two of each? Or seven pairs of the clean ones?

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What’s Jesus’ Family Line?

Matthew 1:16 NRSVue

and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, who bore Jesus, who is called the Messiah.

Luke 3:23 NRSVue

Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his work. He was the son (as was thought) of Joseph son of Heli,

So which is it?

Was Joseph’s dad Jacob—or Heli?

Teaching Part:

Verbal Inspiration (word-for-word dictated)

Thought Inspiration (ideas given, expressed in human words)

“God didn’t write this book. He inspired it. But He trusted it to cracked mirrors—prophets with trauma, leaders with agendas, writers with biases.”

🗣️Discussion:

What are the pros and cons of believing in verbal inspiration?

What are the pros and cons of believing in thought inspiration?

📖 Example:

Four Gospels = four different lenses on Jesus

“This isn’t a flaw in the Bible. It’s the method of God. The Word became flesh—and that flesh includes the imperfections of human memory, emotion, and culture.”

🧠 Table Discussion (5 min):

How does your perspective on the bible change when you realise the Bible reflects God’s truth through imperfect people?

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MOVEMENT 2: You Are a Cracked Mirror Too

“I know some other cracked mirrors… “

😅 

Meet the First-Year Apprentice Class: The 12 Disciples

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Peter

Big heart, bigger mouth.

One minute walking on water—next minute cutting ears and denying Jesus to a teenage girl.

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Judas Iscariot

Handled the money. Also handled betrayal.

Proof that even someone in leadership can completely miss the plot.

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Thomas

Wouldn’t believe unless he saw the receipts.

The original “pics or it didn’t happen” disciple.

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James & John

Called the “Sons of Thunder”—tried to call down fire on people they didn’t like.

Also asked Jesus if they could sit in the VIP section of heaven.

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Matthew

A tax collector—basically worked for the oppressor.

Invited Jesus to dinner with sinners… mostly his coworkers.

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Simon the Zealot

Freedom fighter. Anti-government. Probably had a sword in his sandal.

Put him next to Matthew, the tax collector—Jesus really said “let’s make small group awkward.”

😐 

Philip

Had one job: feed the crowd. Immediately panicked about the budget.

Still, Jesus used him to bring Greeks into the fold.

🙃 

Bartholomew (a.k.a. Nathanael)

First words in Scripture: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”

The man had opinions—and still got chosen.

🤷🏽‍♂️ 

James (son of Alphaeus)

Nicknamed “James the Less.”

Imagine being called “the less” in the Bible for eternity.

😶 

Thaddaeus (a.k.a. Judas son of James)

Most people forget he exists.

Said one line in the whole New Testament—and it was a question.

😬 

Andrew

Peter’s brother. Always in the background.

He brings people to Jesus quietly while Peter’s out there starting revivals… and drama.

😳 

All of Them

Ran away when Jesus was arrested.

Spent three years with the Messiah… and still failed the final exam.

“These were Jesus’ first apprentices. If Jesus had HR, He would’ve fired them all. But instead, He commissioned them.”

🗣️Discussion

Why would a christian sometimes try to prove how unqualified they are to be an apprentice of Jesus?

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MOVEMENT 3: God Reflects Through Cracked Mirrors

Main Teaching:

God wants to use cracked mirrors for his glory. He doesn't choose cracked mirrors to weaken the divine message, he chooses cracked mirrors to showcase that there is no flaw, limitation or pressure that can deaden the flame of God. 

I want to encourage you tonight, that although we believe in Jesus coming again, and how our bodies and minds will be completely transformed into perfection. That is not the case for the here and now. 

Becoming like Jesus doesn't actually fix your broken mirror. At least not before the 2nd coming. It's not that Jesus cannot fix it. It's more like Jesus chooses not to. 

The profound evidence of this is found in the beauty and power of the ressurection of Jesus Christ. When Jesus rose on the third day and stepped out of the tomb, He did not rise with a completely transformed body. Jesus has the holes in his hands to prove to you that God can use ressurected broken bodies for his Glory. 

So following Jesus as an apprentice isn't about the fact that our mirrors will change, from broken to fixed. But rather, that the power of God is so unmatched that your messed up life is not a worthy enough contender to his grace and mercy and love. 

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Closing Movement – The Book That Wouldn’t Burn

Let me tell you something wild.

For centuries, empires have tried to silence this book. Kings have banned it. Dictators have burned it. Religious leaders have restricted it. And yet… it’s still here. Not just surviving—thriving.

🔥 Historical Attempts to Eradicate the Bible:

Diocletian (303 AD) – Roman emperor issued an edict to destroy all Christian scriptures, churches, and believers.

🔹 Years later, Emperor Constantine commissioned 50 Bibles at state expense.

Middle Ages – Ordinary people were forbidden from reading the Bible in their own language.

🔹 Translators like John Wycliffe and William Tyndale were branded heretics.

🔹 Tyndale was strangled and burned at the stake in 1536—for putting the Bible in the hands of the people.

Nazi Germany (1933–45) – The regime attempted to create a Nazi-aligned “German Christian Bible,” removing the Old Testament and any “Jewish” influence.

🔹 Meanwhile, underground believers clung to the full Scriptures in secret.

Modern Day – In some countries today, owning or distributing a Bible is illegal.

🔹 Yet underground churches in places like North Korea, China, and Iran risk their lives to access even one page.

✨ And yet—here we are.

Despite everything, the Bible remains:

The most translated book in the world (over 3,600 languages).

The most printed book in history.

The most smuggled book in oppressive regimes.

And the most quoted book… even by people who don’t believe in it.

Why?

Because you can burn the paper—but you can’t extinguish the power.

You can lock away the pages—but the Word is already living in people.

You can silence preachers—but you can’t shut down the Kingdom.

🌍 LANDING STATEMENT:

The Bible has cracked grammar, raw emotion, and ancient contradictions—but it also carries the breath of God. And somehow, through it all, the power of God still breaks out.

The Kingdom of God is here. Expanding.

Not through empires or megaphones—but through cracked mirrors and faithful apprentices.

So here’s the question:

Will you sign up to be one of them?

Because the time is now.