TOWARD GENUINE DISCIPLESHIP: "Hearing and Obeying" - Part 1

TOWARD GENUINE DISCIPLESHIP: "Hearing and Obeying" - Part 1 2 Timothy 2:2, Colossians 1:28-29 October 1,  2000 Given by: Pastor Rich Bersett [Index of Past Messages] The movie, "City Slickers" stars Billy Crystal as a tenderfoot from Los Angeles who pays for a two-week dude ranch vacation. He gets more than he bargained for, especially after he meets up with Palance who is a wily, crusty old cowpoke. The movie, like most is unfortunately spiced with enough distasteful language and gratuitous sexual innuendo as to render it unrecommendable. But there is a redeeming thing or two in it. At one point Billy Crystal starts to learn something about himself. The two are out on a cattle drive and they find themselves riding side by side. The conversation goes something like this: PALANCE: A cowboy leads a different kind of life. When there were cowboys. They're a dying breed. Still means something to me, though. In a couple of days, we'll move this herd across the river, drive them through the valley. Ahhh, there's nothing like bringing in the herd. CRYSTAL: You see, now, that's great. Your life makes sense to you. (Palance laughs) What? What's so funny? PALANCE: You city folk. You worry about a lot of stuff, don't you? CRYSTAL: Stuff? My wife basically told me she doesn't want me around. PALANCE: How old are you? Thirty-eight? CRYSTAL: Thirty-nine. PALANCE: Yeah, you all come out here about the same age. Same problems. Spend fifty weeks a year getting knots in your rope the-then you think two weeks up here will untie them for you. None of you get it. . . . Do you know what the secret of life is? CRYSTAL: No, what? PALANCE: This (holds up his index finger) CRYSTAL: Your finger? PALANCE: One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and everything else don't mean nothing. CRYSTAL: That's great, but what's the one thing? PALANCE: That's what you've got to figure out. When I first saw that scene, something stirred in me and said, "That'll preach!" Which is just my way of saying, "There's something important in there." Something parabolic about that exchange rings with an authenticity and wisdom. Jack Palance, the weather-beaten wizened old leathery philosopher with the Stetson pulled down on his forehead and a cigarette dangling from his lips, speaks some sage words. Not elegant, not uniquely Christian, but they contain a powerful message. It's similar to Eric Hoffer, the longshoreman philosopher who shrewdly observed the "the feeling of being hurried is not usually the result of living a full life and having no time. It is, on the contrary, born of a vague fear that we are wasting our life. When we do not do the one thing we ought to do, we have no time for anything else-we are the busiest people in the world." The key to a truly successful life, as Curly said, is to find the "one thing" and do it. We know its out there. Like Billy Crystal's character, we are desperate to find it, but we look in all the wrong places and we settle too often for trying to fill the void with things that offer only temporary relief: making and spending money, projects and competition, alcohol and drugs, and pseudo relationships. In his book, Inside out, author and psychologist Larry Crabb refers to this longing as a desire to fill a "hollow place centrally within us.the core desire of our soul." Instead we become "hunter-gatherers" and we are frustrated. The proof of how long you've been a hunter-gatherer is in your attic, your garage and your closets. Think about how much time you devote to recreation, leisure and social activities. Think of how much "stuff" you've collected. But the nagging issue is the "one thing." There are two answers to the "one thing." One is uniquely personal to each individual. It has to do with his/her personal predilections and abilities. Paul said in Ephesians 2:10 - "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." God has   tailored certain gifts & abilities, and dreams & aspirations in you, and you are never really happy until you locate that particular thing you are uniquely designed to do for God. But there is another, more general sense in which this question is answered for the Christian. For every believer in Jesus Christ there is one absolutely fulfilling thing they are called to be involved in that brings ultimate satisfaction. The believer who carries out this role and function is much happier and more fulfilled than the one who never bothers to find it out and do it. It is DISCIPLESHIP. The term "discipleship" has been used in a wide variety of ways in recent years. It has been used as the equivalent of evangelism, learning, following a course of study, being submissive to authority, and so on. The truth is, biblically speaking, discipleship is a little bit of all of those things, but it is not adequately defined by any of them. Discipleship is, very simply, FOLLOWING JESUS AND HELPING OTHERS FOLLOW HIM. Following Jesus means just what it meant when Jesus said to Peter and James, "Leave your fishing nets and COME FOLLOW ME." If you watch those guys as they followed Jesus, you get a living picture of what discipleship meant. They listened to Jesus and they obeyed what they heard (not perfectly, especially Peter, but that didn't matter) They grew and changed as men. That is, they allowed Jesus to make a difference in their lives. They were teachable. They voluntarily moved toward the goals Jesus had for them. As they did, they found increasing levels of joy, freedom, love, peace and fulfillment in their lives. Eventually, they died for Him, and entered eternal joy with Him in heaven This morning I'd like to look at a couple of biblical texts that will serve as reference points for the next couple of weeks as we look at other dimensions of discipleship. Turn to Colossians 1:28-29. Here at the end of chapter 2 of this great epistle, Paul has been sharing in the loftiest terms what the gospel is and his role in preaching it among the Gentiles. Then he declares in these two verses his personal mission statement. "We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me." Here is a man who was a disciple himself and was absolutely committed to the discipling of others. It was his life's goal, his vision, his mission. Now let's look at a second text to which we will be referring. It is 2 Timothy 2:2. This text ought to be familiar to you. It was included in the Cell group studies last month. In what most people believe was Paul's last days on earth, he writes from prison to the young pastor he had sent to oversee the church in Ephesus, and in this one verse sums up the process of discipleship that he wanted to see continued after he was gone. In a sense it becomes part of his mission. "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others." Here the great apostle builds into his mission work longevity. You see, he is not interested in the ministry of Jesus Christ being only his, and no one else's. He gladly hands off the baton to others like Timothy to carry on. What is most important to Paul is that discipleship in Jesus continue, not that he be the most important person in the process. He wants Timothy to succeed, and he wants everyone whom Timothy reaches to succeed. Let's look at the "stuff" of discipleship as it applies to us. I make no secret about my intent in this teaching series. My purpose is to stir you up in your Christian walk, reminding you of your calling in Jesus. I want to encourage those who are in hot pursuit of the goals of discipleship and get you hotter. And for those whose flames are dying out, I want to rekindle you in the things of God, to call you back to your first love, and to entice you into a more fulfilling life in Christ. And for those who have never committed their lives to Jesus Christ, I want to help you clearly understand what He has to offer you, so you will be challenged to commit your life to Him. The great thing about these goals is, I don't have to determine which category you're in. That'll be up to you and the Lord to decide. So if I happen to describe the wimpy Christian life that is going nowhere and is not accomplishing the will of God, and you suddenly think, "Hey, he's talking about me," know this: I am not singling you out-the Holy Spirit is. And He wants you to know how foolish it is to stay on safe ground and never launch out into a deeper, more meaningful walk of faith. Discipleship involves hearing and obeying From the moment Christ calls you to follow Him, He has a plan for your life. That plan is to build you, one step at a time into someone who is conformed to the likeness of Jesus. Romans 8:29 actually says to believers, "You are predestined to this very thing!" In Colossians 3:10, Paul says that those who have chosen by faith to follow Jesus have "put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." 2 Corinthians 3:18 says that we who are Christians "all reflect the Lord's glory, and are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." So it is that the Lord's plan for you and me is this-that we grow to be like Jesus, and we do that one step at a time. Aren't you glad it's one step at a time? Aren't you glad the Lord didn't expect you to come up out of the waters of baptism and instantly look and act like Jesus? I know I am! So, how does this process of reclaiming the image of God happen? First, God changes you when you accept Christ by faith. That change is designed to enable you to grow in Christlikeness. As you become a Christian you are given two incredibly important things through the grace of God. First you are granted forgiveness of your sins. God says to you, "I know you've been a sinner, and I know everything you've done as a rebel against me, but don't worry about that anymore. I've sent my one and only Son to die and pay your debt of sin. You are forgiven." That first gift from God is so important-it takes away our guilt! It sets us free from our past! How I pray that people who've not accepted Christ yet would understand that powerful truth-that God is willing and able to set them free from their pasts and give them a clean slate and a whole new future! But, you know what scares us about a clean slate? We're afraid we'll mess it up again! I know unbelievers who have no problem with understanding God is willing to forgive them of their past; they're just afraid they won't be able to live up to being a Christian after they've been forgiven! They need to understand that this thing is a process, not an instant perfection. They need to know that Christians continue to need God's forgiveness in Christ, and that it is available. They also need to know about the second great gift given to the person who receives Christ by faith: The Holy Spirit. God knows we are unable to live for Him, even though we have been forgiven, so He gives us a new Spirit-His own Spirit, His presence in our lives. Part of the job of the Holy Spirit is to lead us in the process of their growth into the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. The Spirit is the source of our strength and ability to grow into the image of Jesus. Of course we can't do it on our own. But He says He can. So we have a clean slate and we have the promise that if we mess up He goes on forgiving us, and we have the power to overcome our sinful natures and grow into the likeness of Christ one step at a time. What else does it take? We must listen and obey. This is what I like to call COOPERATING with the Lord's plan in our lives. But even in the listening and obeying the Holy Spirit is empowering us. Philippians 2:13 - "for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." Your responsibility as a disciple of Jesus is to hear and obey. This translates into getting exposed to the Word and will of God. If I want to be a disciple of Jesus, I need His instructions. This means I've got to turn to the Book regularly and often. When I hear from someone who is having difficulty in his Christian walk, one of the very first diagnostic questions I ask is, "Are you in the Word?" Why? Well, where else are you going to hear from God-you're not going to get anything from Him in the Horoscopes, or in the stock report; you're certainly not going to get divine direction from the news or the world of entertainment; God is not going to give you direction by osmosis in your sleep! If you are a disciple of Christ, you need Christ's Word, so you will know His will. And you must never think you know the Word well enough and you don't need to read, study and hear it anymore. Get the Word into you every way you can. Sermons, teachings Personal reading and meditation, memorization Study (corporate and personal) Discussion (cell group, testimony, insight; practicality) Special study opportunities: Precepts, "Experiencing God" Colossians 3:17 gives you a picture of the ideal state of the disciple: "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom." We need the Word worked deeply into our lives, so that we will be equipped for growth, and so we can help one another grow. Of course, just knowing the Word of God will never be enough for the disciple. You know, the devil knows scripture. There are a lot of people in the Lord's church who are laboring under the delusion that knowing biblical information is all they need. But James 1:22-25 says: "Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." Obedience to the Word of God is LIFE to the disciple. You don't really know anything until you do it. "One must learn by doing the thing, for though you think you know it, you have no certainty until you try." -Sophocles, 400 BC Robert Kupferschmid was an 81-year old with no flying experience. However, due to a tragic emergency, he was forced to fly an airplane. On June 17, 1998, he and his 52-year-old pilot friend, Wesley Sickle, were flying from Indianapolis to Muncie, Indiana. During the flight, the pilot slumped over and died at the controls. The Cessna 172 single-engine plane began to nose-dive and Kupferschmid grabbed the controls. He got on the radio and pleaded for help. Nearby were two pilots who heard the call. Mount Comfort was the closest airport, and the two pilots gave Kupferschmid a steady stream of instructions of climbing, steering-and the scariest part-landing. The two experienced pilots circled the runway three times before this somewhat frantic and totally inexperienced pilot was ready to attempt the landing.Emergency vehicles were called out and ready for what seemed like an approaching disaster. Witnesses said the plane's nose nudged the center line and bounced a few times before the tail hit the ground. The Cessna ended up in a patch of soggy grass next to the runway. Amazingly, Kupferschmid was not injured. This pilot listened and followed those instructions as if his life depended on it-and it did. Imagine what would take place in the lives of believers if we listened to and obeyed the Word of God with the same earnestness.     [Back to Top]