An Invitation to Follow

Good Morning Central College….

My name is Terry Turner Lead Pastor at Freedom Chapel

It is an honor to speak to you this morning.

Thank you Sarah for the invitation.

I today I want to speak to you about a journey I have been on for the last three years….. The Jewishness of the Bible………

I practice a form of preaching called Expository Preaching…….

Since I have to keep it short let me just dive into one aspect….

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus…..Who did he call?

I am a simplistic guy so I am sorry that my slides don’t have an eye catching background… I also have extreme ADHD so I try to avoid distractions as much as possible.

If you have your Bibles please turn with me to Matthew chapter 4

Matthew 4:18–22 CSB

18 As he was walking along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter), and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 19 “Follow me,” he told them, “and I will make you fish for people.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with Zebedee their father, preparing their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Matthew 10:1–4 CSB

1 Summoning his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

Notice two words are used here

Disciple which according to the Tyndale Bible Dictionary means:

Tyndale Bible Dictionary Disciple

Someone who follows another person or another way of life and who submits himself to the discipline (teaching) of that leader or way.

and Apostle

Tyndale Bible Dictionary Apostle, Apostleship

The Greek word for “apostle” is not used outside the NT in the same sense as it is in the NT. It is derived from the verb “to send” and is at home in the language of the sea meaning a particular “ship” or “group of ships,” a “marine expedition” or “the leader” of such.

So Matthew calls these twelve Disciples and Apostles

Followers who have been sent………

We are all followers of something or someone

So what does it mean to be a follower of Jesus.

I want to look at this word Disciple with you a little bit deeper this morning from the Jewish since of the word.

The Hebrew word for a disciple is Talmid

Therefore the 12 would have been referred to as a Talmidim

In the ancient world, it was not a disciple who signed up for a particular rabbi, but the other way around. When a rabbi could see a promising student as a possible talmid, only then would the rabbi himself issue the call. Those who accepted the call would enter into a time of concerted apprenticeship with their rabbi. This was not modeled after the Greek structure of learning, which was primarily concerned with transmitting information. The Jewish model of learning was not just transferring of information but more of a transformation of life. That is why the talmid would also live closely with his rabbi—so that spiritual lessons would be observed in daily action, not just written on a school blackboard.

There is a beauty here to How Rabbi’s are developed……..I was an internship initiated by an elder Rabbi…..

In His Book Practicing the Way John Mark Comer describes the Three Step program of a Talmid….

Be with your Rabbi

Be with Jesus

2. Become like your Rabbi

Become like Jesus

3. Do what your Rabbi does.

Do what Jesus did.

In our modern world we tend to like what Jesus offers…..

Salvation

Eternal Life

Forgiveness

Yet so many of us don’t want to do What Jesus Did because His ways don’t fit or Self Ambitious World View.

Jesus never told his Disciples to go out and get people to say the Sinners Prayer.

He told them

Matthew 28:19–20 CSB

19 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, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

He told them to go invite people to become part of His Talmidim…

So the question I have for your is are you a Convert to Christianity or are you a Follower of Christ?

We have an entire country of people who call themselves Christians…..Little Christs

but they never.

Spend time with Jesus

They don’t look like Jesus

and

They definitely are not acting like Jesus

You have been and are being invited to become Practicers of the Way.

I recommend reading

Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer.

but more than that I invite you to start

Spending Time with Jesus by………..

Which will lead you to

Become more Like Jesus

Which will compel you to

Start Doing what Jesus Did…..

Pray

invite to church…