Matt 4:18-20

18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. (NIV)

Ø  Come follow me!

o   Come = movement on the part of the follower

o   Follow = stay with wherever I go

o   Me = a personal attachment, not an organizational one.

Ø  I will make you…of men!

Ø  Discipleship begins with a relationship. There will be no making till there is a following.

Discipleship will have to start with a relationship. Too many are wanting to have pure discipleship relations. I.e.. I will contact “The World” so that I can win them. I will have discipleship meetings so that I can train them. I will invite them to church so that the Pastor can care for them.

Ø  We have made something that is supposed to be normal something new and technical. Discipleship, Mentoring.

Ø  We have created a highly Educational Gospel. One that is joined like a club, trained in like a classroom, maintained by methods, seen as a military mission.

o   The only problem with this is we desensitize ourselves and forget who the enemy is. We see people as numbers, cattle, objects, quotas, etc.

Ø  Why? Because we no longer know what a Family is. Because we don’t know the purpose of Relationships.

We have an individualistic society. The God of self. Self gratification,…

Ø  But Jerry that is not in the Body of Christ! NO?

o   My calling, my gifts, my church, my vision, my blessing, my prophecy, prosperity for me, I am the center of the Universe and everything exists for me!

Ø  Discipleship begins when I lay down MY, and pick up HIS!

Ø  Lets get to the Foundation. Love.

DO I LOVE PEOPLE?

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV)

John 17:3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (NIV)

1097  ginosko-

1) to learn to know, to come to know, to get a knowledge by perception, to feel, to become known

2) to know, to understand, to perceive, to have knowledge of

a) to understand  b) to know

3) a Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse between a man and a woman (compare Gen. 4:1)

4) to become acquainted with, to know

To know God! To come into a relationship with him. You are Baptized into a Family. That is what it means to be baptized into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Matt.28:19, Eph 3:14-15.

o   Love is the Bait. All Men are hungry for it.

o   We catch Men to build a relationship with them, not to throw them in the boat and count them.

o   God so love the world that he gave of himself/His son. He gave so that we could have eternal life and Eternal life is a relationship, a knowing, a family tie with God. John 17:3

Eph 4:15-16

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Phil 2:1-5

1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having *the same love, being *one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your (attempt?) attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: (NIV)

The perfection is to Love like God loves!

·      The same Love

·      one in spirit and purpose

·      Do nothing out of selfish ambition

·      Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus

·      consider others better

·      others interests before your own

·      How can God expect something like this? To be perfect as the Father and, be the same as Christ?

John 17:21-23

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory (everything Good about God is his Glory) which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (KJV)

Whatever you get from God give to others!

Who can I bless today?

Maybe I can get to the church early so that I can build someone up?

I don’t want to be late for church, that would distract everyone from the presence of God, when I come in!

I’ll pray today and see if God wants me to bring some extra money for someone else!

God give me a Word for someone else!

How can I help someone else fulfil their vision?

I wonder if the Pastor needs help at the Church? How can I serve others?

I love to come to prayer meetings and intercede for others!

I need this money, but that person could need it more than me!

Etc….

2 Tim 3:1-5

1 You may as well know this too, Timothy, that in the last days it is going to be very difficult to be a Christian. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money; they will be proud and boastful, sneering at God, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful to them, and thoroughly bad.

3 They will be hardheaded and never give in to others; they will be constant liars and troublemakers and will think nothing of immorality. They will be rough and cruel, and sneer at those who try to be good. 4 They will betray their friends; they will be hotheaded, puffed up with pride, and prefer good times to worshiping God. 5 They will go to church, yes, but they won't really believe anything they hear. Don't be taken in by people like that. (TLB)