Sermon Tone Analysis

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Characteristics of Life

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In biology there is this idea of the characteristics of life.

In other words how do we know if something is living?

Life is Ordered

There is an order to life.

Living things have enormously complex organization.

Life Can “Work”

Life takes in energy from the environment and transforms that energy to survive.

Life Grows and Develops

This goes beyond replication and getting larger.

It involves rebuilding and repairing.

Life Can Reproduce

Life can only come from other living creatures

Life Can Respond

Life responds to stimuli

Life Can Adapt and Respond

Life responds and adapts to its environment

Characteristics of Life in Scripture

This natural and organic process of life is witnessed every day in our lives and was put in place by our Lord and Creator.

Throughout scripture we can see these characteristics playing themselves out.

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A seed that is planted in the ground responds to its environment, gathers energy from the soil, responds to the sun shining on the soil, and grows and develops into a plant that reproduces itself in more seeds that can be planted, and so the process continues.

This process of development and growth is also true for the church and specifically for human disciples.

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As much as scientist today have tried, there are no shortcuts in the life process.

As much as they have attempted to create life, they have failed.

Creating life is complex.

There are no shortcuts.

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Making Disciples

In the same way, there are no shortcuts in making disciples.

Disciples must be developed naturally and intentionally just as Jesus did when we was here.

In the same way, there are no shortcuts in making disciples.

Disciples must be developed naturally and intentionally just as Jesus did when we was here.

Jesus showed us a pattern to follow, something I am sure the scientists wish God would share with them for creating life.

Jesus left us an instruction manual for how to make disciples.

But we need to examine it closely because it was His life that instructs us.

The easiest way to identify the pattern Jesus wants us to follow is to look at the major challenges He issued to His followers.

But before we look at these challenges there are a couple of things we must keep in mind.

Keep In Mind

First, we are commanded to make disciples of all nations.

This means that we are to make disciples who can make disciples.

We are not to spend our lives in discipleship, which is what we usually do with other Christians and involves deeper Bible studies, but our mandate it disciple-making, which is the whole process from unbeliever to fully-trained, reproducing disciple-maker.

Second, Jesus recognized that people are at different stages in the disciple-making journey.

Jesus started where people were and intentionally moved them to deeper levels of growth and maturity.

Jesus started with seekers, moved them to believers, in time challenged them to become workers in the harvest field, and finally fully trained reproducing disciple-makers.

An Overview

We are going to use 4 chairs to represent the 4 challenges that Jesus gave.

Challenge 1: Come and See

The first challenge is given in

Jesus invites John and Andrew to “come and see” when they ask were He is staying.

The Greek word for “come” literally means to just show up.

This is a n important first step for seekers to take.

They must be willing to show up in order to learn more.

Andrew and John were obviously spiritual seekers.

When John the Baptist told them that Jesus was the Lamb of God, it peaked their interest.

They follow Jesus and He spends at least 2 hours talking to them and at the end Andrew declares

Spending time with seekers and inviting them to “come and see” is the first step in making disciples.

It is a step that is easy to duplicate.

After spending time with Jesus Philip invites Nathaneal to come and see.

The Samaritan woman at the well returned to her village and invited everyone to come and meet Jesus.

In the book of Acts, the apostles took the Gospel first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles.

They focused their attention on those who were curious and were investigating spiritual things.

Paul sought out Gentiles who were responsive to the Good News of Jesus Christ.

This simple challenge of “come and see” is based upon the premise that God is drawing people to Himself through the Holy Spirit in

It is not a difficult first step, it simply requires us to be willing to be used by God to give the gift of time and show the love of Christ to those who are seeking God.

Challenge 2 - Follow Me

The second challenge was given to many people in various ways.

We first see it in

This is what moves the seeker from chair 1 to a believer in chair 2.

This move implies that the person has made a decision about Jesus.

An inner transformation has taken place.

A seeker has been moved by the Holy Spirit to “repent and believe” and trust Jesus for their salvation.

This is a big step for the seeker.

There is a lot at stake.

The word “follow” in Greek is akoloutheo, which means to come behind, follow in my foot steps, to learn from me, and to join me in the journey as a disciple.

“Come and see” was curiosity, but “follow me” means commitment.

This is a challenge to go deeper.

Due to a change of heart and turning to Christ, the disciple has a desire to know Christ more and become a disciple.

“Follow me” is a practical and simple step we can take as we invite people into our lives and spend time with them, which allows them to get to know us and for us to get to know them.

It requires living people as we love God.

Challenge 3 - Follow Me and I Will Make You Fishers of Men

The third challenge is the most misunderstood and least lived-out of the teachings of Jesus.

There are two passages that help us understand this challenge.

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In both of these passages, Jesus is walking along the Sea of Galilee and presents this challenge to both Simon Peter and Andrew.

This is not the first time Jesus asked them to follow Him.

They had been following Him for several months and He was now challenging them to go even deeper.

This challenge is strategic and relational.

Previously Jesus had challenged them to follow Him, but now He was going to invest even more time in these men, who would later become part of the twelve apostles.

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This challenge is very intentional.

Jesus say, “I will make you.”

There is a clear goal and a clear plan for developing these men into disciple-makers.

Jesus shortly takes them on “fishing trips” to teach them how to reproduce their lives in others.

On each “trip” the disciples are learning how to share their faith as they watch Jesus.

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