The Urgency Of Making Disciples
Can I get all the kids to come forward please?
Are you going to sit beside me? Awesome? All right. How are you this morning guys there by having a good day. Yes, you are. Everybody's having a fantastic. They were here in the house of the Lord. We get to worship God and spend time together. That's always a great way to start our day out where it talk about something today last week. We kind of kept with the spirit of Christmas and we talked about how the wise men were shaking Jesus. Well this year We're going to talk. A little bit about starting over for the New Year everybody, you know did it did anybody stay up on New Year stay up till midnight and stayed up. It's barely ice barely stayed up. Sometimes only if we stay up and we welcome in the new year and lots of times on New Year's people make resolutions you guys knows what resolutions are. It's where you decide that you're going to do something different or something better throughout the new year, like maybe you're going to eat healthier or drink less sodas, or maybe you're going to work out or maybe you're going to read your Bible more or spend time praying. It's been more time praying. That's what we do. We set things for us to do for the new year. And that's a good time to do it. Even though we don't have to wait until the new year to do that. That's that's that's the time of the year when people experience try to experience new things in her life. We're going to talk about today. We're going to move on past the past the manger past past Bethlehem where Jesus was born and we're going to move on to a time in his life when he began a new beginning to And one of these times when Jesus was baptized and I was hoping Kayden was going to be here today. I was going to use them as an example because Kayton he just came up a few weeks ago and he accepted the Lord into his heart and he wants to be baptized and that's when we come up and we come in front of the congregation and where dumped in the water as a symbol of Christ washing our washing us clean of our sins. Now that water do you think that's Magic Water and we put up there. There's nothing special about that water. It's just a symbol your save the moment. You asked Jesus Christ to come into your heart your Christian. If you accept Jesus into your heart, you don't have to wait till the day you get baptized to become a Christian but it's a way that we show others and the very first one of the very first people not the very first person but one of the first people who did that was Jesus, he was baptized John John the Baptist Baptizing people and a Jesus came and said I want you to baptize me will first thing first Jesus. I mean John was like Jesus. I don't know. Where is it? A baptized you you should be baptized in me and Jesus insisted that he needed to be baptized and what this was. This was a brand new start in his life. This was when Mark the beginning
this marked the beginning of his ministry and he walked the earth and ministered the others. For about three years before he was crucified on the cross and that's what we're going to talk about over the next three over the next three and a half months or so. We are going to talk we're going to fit 3 years of Jesus ministry into the next three and a half months. That's what we're going to work on in here and children shirts and other times I'm with you. We're going to be talking about the things that Jesus did the people we saw the Miracles he did. So look forward to that but our own baptism who's been baptized the tears and you guys been baptized. Okay ISM marks A New Beginning for us as well. When were baptized. It shows the world that just as Jesus rose from the dead the glory of the glory of our God the Father. We also live a new life and him it is showing to everybody else that you want your life to be different that you wanted serve God in your life. God may not always be well pleased with us. He may not always like what we do because who's made me who makes mistakes. I make mistakes everybody in here makes mistake, but I think that he does have an approved and smile when he sees us trying our very best to walk the way Jesus walk and that is the that is When we become Christmas when we accept Jesus in her heart, that's our job is to tell others about Christ. And the best way to do that is through your actions to the way you carry yourself to the way carry other people should see you if you're a Christian people should see you and think there's something different about that kid. I don't know what it is and it gives them the opportunity and gives you an opportunity to tell a person about Christ New Beginnings. God gives us opportunities for New Beginnings. Let us make most of them as we live life through Christ of the power of His. Holy spirit. I want to challenge to you guys if you've been baptized and you know Christ in your heart and you have Christ in your heart to walk in a way through this new year the others look at you and they say there's something different about you. And I know we're young and if we don't have that relationship with Christ, or maybe you you want to talk to somebody about it. Just remember that there's always somebody around that can talk to your parents meet preacher Rd. You know, we've loved Miss Ginger. We would love to talk to you about Christ. Okay, but just remember that so let's try to walk the way that Christ would have us walk. It is next year. Let's bow our heads and go to the Lord in prayer. Do you have my father? Thank you so much for this day over for all these boys and girls in here Lord as we journey through this new the new year. Will it be a time of new beginnings for us as we take? The past that you would have us walk and we walk like you would have us walk so we can make a difference in other people's life. Just thank you again for each one of these boys and girls and keep us safe as we travel out today. And as we study about your were also asking your name, amen.
Nothing most discouraging words a pastor a youth Minister a worship leader can ever here are the words. I just didn't get anything out of that worship service. I just didn't feel the presence of the Lord there today. Where you got one person to blame? And it's not already. She's not Chad and snuff me. It's yourself. The Bible tells us over and over and over to praise the Lord to worship him to raise our hands to him to lift him up. And when we do that, then he will be enthroned and then he will fill us with the Holy Spirit. So no matter how boring the message might be. Thank you already. Never boring that no matter how small the choir might be. It's up to us to be worshipping during this hour for God's presence to be known. So as we sing arised what we're doing is asking his present to being thrown and to fill us so worship with us as we sing.
Guadalupe
What would you think? but if I sit here and told you that for years and I'm talkin decades upon decades.
We have gotten it wrong.
That I for my entire Ministry have gotten it wrong. What would you think?
Well, there's a problem right you think there was a problem with church. I'm telling you. There's a problem because we have gotten it wrong.
Sunday after Sunday preachers stand in pulpits a Baptist Churches across the world and they preached about the Gospel of Jesus Christ last week. I preached about the urgency of the Gospel but Bennett we stopped at that point. We get it wrong because that is not what the Great Commission tells us to do. And we're going to look at that and we're going to look at not only last week. We talked about the urgency of the gospel and that's where it starts. But today we're going to look at the urgency of making disciples. So if you take your Bibles and turn to Matthew chapter 4, that's where we're going to start and I've got to scriptures that we're going to look at today. The first being the Matthew chapter 4 it's going to be on the screen as well as in the back of your bulletin, but if you got your Bible turn there and stand as we read the scriptures first is going to be a Matthew Chapter 4 verses 18 through 20. The second is going to be a Matthew chapter 28 same book just different parts of the book Matthew chapter 4 and look it at verse 20 and this is what it says.
It says in Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee. He saw two brothers Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting and net in the lake for they were fishermen. Come follow me. Jesus said and I will make you Fishers of Men or Fishers of people at once. They left their Nets and followed him. 30 best Jesus calling the first disciples not look over at Matthew chapter 28 adverse is 19 and 20. It says this therefore go and make disciples of all Nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything. I have commanded you and surely I Am With You Always to the very end of the age. the spray Again, dear Lord, we come before you praising you for being the god of Salvation dear Lord. Help us to see what you say in your word help us to see the urgency of making disciples. Bless the reading of your word and it's in the holy and precious name of Jesus Christ. We pray amen.
The first thing that we tend to do is in Baptist Churches we tend to focus on the very beginning we focus on sharing the gospel and getting somebody to the point that they accept Christ. But then we stopped. look one thing we know for sure. Is that the Great Commission it gives us a command and we are commanded to make disciples, correct? It says that in verse 19 go and make disciples. Go and make disciples of all Nations baptizing them in the name of the father Son and the Holy Spirit, but here is my question to you is leading a person to accept Jesus Christ is the what does it mean to make disciples? Is it leading? Someone just accept price at that point. Is that making a disciple?
Well, yes, and no.
That's where it starts leaving somebody to Jesus Christ. That's where it starts but to understand exactly what it means to make a disciple. You have to understand what make what a disciple is.
Play we have to understand what that actually means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. The first thing is a disciple or skis me. skip that verse idisciple is A follower of Jesus Christ, it is someone that is Place their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, okay.
Husky go back to that first verse try. Sorry.
Matthew 16:24, it says this then Jesus said to his disciples whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. It is a follower of Jesus Christ. Someone that has placed their faith in Jesus Christ.
But that's not all it is.
Look at this next verse.
Romans chapter 12 verse 2. It says be not conformed to this pet the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, then you will be able to test and approve. What God's will is his good pleasing and perfect will I disciple not only as a follower of Christ, but it is someone that is being transformed by Christ. So becoming a disciple starts at the moment of salvation, but it does not in there.
There is more to it than just being saved. Do you know across the world the name Christian is being looked down upon that missionaries in foreign countries can't tell people that they are a Christian because of what that word has become to me and it's our fault. Because so many Christians take it that they are saved they have put their faith in Jesus Christ. And therefore they are a Christian but they stop there and they do not allow the Holy Spirit to transform their lives to make them a Christian the word Christian means christ-like. But so many Christians are saved on Sunday, but leave like the Dead live like the devil all six other days of the week. And that is not being a good Christian that is not being a disciple of Jesus Christ because you are not being christ-like. Jesus was the same 24/7 7 days a week 365 days a year. Jesus was the son of God and as a Christian we are to be just like that. When we accept Jesus Christ, we are adopted into the family of God and we are made Sons and Daughters of God.
Play the blood of Jesus Christ, but we act like it on Sunday and then we act like we're a child of the devil all the rest of the time.
Why would anybody want to be like that?
How can we say that we go to somebody and say we are Christian but then and one breath we talked about being a Christian and other best we talked about going and getting drunk with our friends.
Can we say we're Christian we coming to church and we talked about what we did on the weekends or the night before knowing that it goes directly in conflict with what God standards are why would the world want to be like that?
The third thing that a Christian or being a disciple is is look at Acts chapter 1 verse 8. It says but you will receive power when the Holy Ghost comes on you and you will be my Witnesses in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the Earth.
A disciple is on mission for Christ. They know they have a job to do and they do it.
Someone that is telling others about Christ. That's a disciple a disciple is a follower of Christ a disciple is being transformed by Christ and a disciple is on mission for Christ. Those three things is what makes up a disciple. So then we go back. And we say we are commanded to make disciples. So we're commanded to make people that are just like that. It is not just getting somebody saved, but there is more to it and to be able to make disciples. We have to follow the example of Jesus Christ and how he met disciples. And we're going to look at that. The first thing that we have to look at is this is that Jesus was intentionally Invitational.
It was not by accident. He was intentional and what he did no luck at verses Matthew Chapter 4 Verse 18. It says as Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee. He saw two brothers Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were testing their net until like 4, they were fishermen.
He was intentional he saw them.
He made it a point to go talk to them.
He was intentional. Church, are we intentional? We saw the video at the beginning of the service of the of the young lady that works for FedEx?
And she said that she prayed every day that God would use her but she did not even she didn't recognize the opportunity that got it placed in for her in front of her to be used.
That was not by accident that that particular driver was given those two boxes to take to that particular lady because God need had something but he needed her let her know about that. Someone was there and someone cares. Until that young lady left as she recognized the fact that God had divinely appointed her to be there at that time with that lady at that very time and she went and delivered 20 more delivery before she realized it was breaking her and God will not let go of her that she went back and she asked to pray with that lady. And it changed both of their lives because she took the time to do what I had placed in front of her to do. Jesus was was was intentional. People to walk with him.
Are you intentional each and everyone of you have friends each and one of you have families you have people that you work with people that you know that, you know need to know Jesus Christ.
God has placed you in their lives for a reason. Are you being intentional about going to them?
The second thing that Jesus Christ did and making disciples. Is that he was intentionally relational?
Jesus did not do anything superficially. He was intentional and building relationships so he could change lives.
When I was in seminary there was a group of guys that they took pride and going and doing what we called cold witnessing. They would just go knock on doors and basically witness to people without have any type of relationship. They didn't know these people. There is a time and place for that button you if you follow Jesus example, he was relational. He spent time getting to know people. Look at this purse back again and Matthew chapter 4 look at 19 and 20 says what does he tell Peter and Andrew? Jesus you believe in me and you'll be saved by does he do that? No, what does he do? He says this he says follow me. And I will send you out to fish for people or I will make you Fishers of Men.
Don't think about what Jesus did hear? What were they doing when Jesus saw them out on the lake? They were fishing because they were what fisherman. So Jesus related to what they were already already doing and he found a common things that you come with me. I'll show you how to catch bigger things in this fish.
Now everybody knows that fishermen tell what? They tell fish stories but a little man of this big was a well this big. So Jesus relates to them he got he knows that he says hey, I'll tell you how to catch something bigger than that.
And he relates to him. He has something in common and he starts relating to them and he says hey come talk with me come follow me and I'll teach you how to catch a bigger catch than this bunch of fish. And what is the Bible said they did? Did they talk about in the Bible said they had to talk about it and go home and talk to people no. They work for their daddy or do they work for their family? That's the way it was back. Then he called a couple other brothers to that work for their daddy James and John. I guess what they were. fisherman
But they didn't have to think about it. They didn't have to go talk about in the Bible says that they dropped their Nets and followed him.
So what was one now became three and their three of them walking together. And he's talking to him the whole time and he's building that relationship. guys
We are not talking about a short-term thing. We're not talking about leaving somebody to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and then giving them a book to read and letting them go out on their own. No, we're talkin about a investment of time. That's walking beside somebody building that relationship helping to strengthen them.
It is a time commitment. Jesus invested time and these people Gabe the third thing
Is Jesus was intentionally educational? Wickedness verse in Luke 21 37 to 38. It says this Jesus or each day. Jesus was teaching at the temple. NH evening he went out to spend the night on the on the Mount of Olives and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple. Because he was teaching.
Do you guys realize Chad even talked about how they are going to take the three years of Ministry for that Christ had on Earth and they're going to study for the next three and a half months. You heard him. Tell the children that Jesus spent three years
with these 12 men that he called to be his disciples.
It was not a short-term commitments, but he took every opportunity that he had in those three years. Yes, there were times that they sit and listen to him preach, but there was also times that it was just he and them walking down the road. Conversation and he took every convert every opportunity to real reveal more and more about himself to them. TM festive himself in them to teach them Making the disciple is a Time investment teaching them more and more about God and what it means to follow God. Now. Here's the thing. Did they fully understand? Why Jesus was tell me. Did they understand what Jesus was saying for those three years not all of it. How do we know what one reason we knows? Cuz the Bible says they didn't understand it. Another way we know is because of how they acted. They didn't fully get it because what happened when Christ was was buried in sand and was rose again, and they didn't know where he was. What did they do? They went hit in the house until Peter says guys I'm going back to my old life. I'm going back fishing.
They understand but Jesus invested all that time, and then he came and spent more time with them and that's when it started to click. That's when it started to click. the four thing that Jesus did and making the disciples. He was intentionally. Let me see if I can say this word, right? experiential Macy gave them even tension we gave them the opportunity to experience it experience Ministry. Look at what it says here in verse in in Matthew 28 18 and 19 the Great Commission.
He tells them how to experience Ministry for themselves. He had taught them. He spent three years teaching them about Ministry and hear. What does he tell him? Okay, take what you learn to go back to your house cuz he tell him that no, he says therefore go and make disciples of all Nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit and then he even tells them to be intentional and education. He says teaching them to obey everything. I have commanded you and surely I Am With You Always to the ends of the age.
Jesus and God does not. Yes. He he uses Edition. but Jesus uses multiplication
cuz you think about it. How does you think about he's sitting out 12 people? to make disciples and they have the same commands as the original disciples. Then those 12 make 12 more disciples in those 12 make 12 more disciples and it's exponential and how it multiplies. Church what I'm saying is this is that each one of us if we went out and got one person LED them to Lord invested our time and energy in them to to build that relationship what it means to be a Christian and what God tells us how to live and if we did that and then in turn sent them out to do the same thing with one other what in the world what happened to our community? Oh my Lord. what was once a hundred then becomes 200 and there's 200 go out and doing it becomes 400 and that's 400 go out and do it and it becomes 800 you see how quickly God can change a community if we totally sell out and just do what he's told us to do in the first place and being intentional and making disciples. We as Baptists. Yes, we're gung-ho about going out and sharing the gospel and we have to do that. We're told to do that.
But once we do it. We get them baptized. And then we told him to the wolves.
Yes, there is a time to sit and listen to a sermon being preached.
But there's also time for a small group to get together because that is when life meets life and that is where change really happens.
I started this by telling you that we've got it wrong that I've had it wrong.
I'm telling you personally. But I am no longer going to be focused on leading people to Jesus Christ as their savior, but I'm going to be focused on making disciples. I'm not going to leave them there at that altar accepted price and I'll leave them. Go whichever way I want to invest time in on the bill disciples till that we have strong disciples so that we will have a strong church that goes out outside of these walls and we change this world for our savior. We cannot just sit back. There is an urgency that we have to feel.
And I won't leave you with this last thing we cannot. Be effective and making disciples without first being an effective disciple. We cannot teach what we already don't know or what we don't know ourselves. We have to spend time with Jesus Christ. We have to spend time learning what it means to be his disciple. We have to know so that we can then turn go out and teach others to be a disciple.
Now here is my challenge for you Church.
I know I'm not the only one that is felt this way.
I also know that I'm not the only one that has been scared to death to talk to somebody. And I know I'm not the only one that has felt God leading me to talk to somebody and not done it. Know that I am not the only one.
I also know that we have a heart for lost in this church. And I also know that we want to see our church grow. I also know that we want to do what God is leading us to do.
Am I challenge to you churches to do is just do what he's telling us to do.
The Good the FedEx girl said when you pray Bass God to use you. You better be ready to move. You can't just sit still you got to get up and go and I'm asking you to get up and go. Who are you going to invite? Who are you going to invest time in?
There are people that sit next to you and something in church every week. They need somebody to invest in now. I need somebody to invest in their lives.
There are people that need you. To teach them what it means to be a Christian. At the Pastors conference with our association this this past week one of the pastors what show was sharing that? They were going through something similar to this and they had an 87 year old lady that had been in church or whole life. And she came up and said preacher. She she said I was saved when I was 10 years old. She says but I have never heard. That we need to be making disciples.
She says I'd always knew that you needed to share the gospel, but I didn't know anything about making disciples and what that actually meant Church. It is a Time investment, but we are commanded to do that. We have failed so many years and just getting them to the point of Salvation and then we leave them. We've got to keep pushing. We've got to keep going to build them up and strong because if you look around this our walk world is falling apart.
We need to take a stand for Jesus Christ, and we need to invest time to strengthen people around us. So I challenge you. Are you ready to start making disciples?
If you want to make disciples, but you don't know if your disciple yourself. Today is the day to get that taken care of. Jesus will change your life if you let him.
Today is the day to do that. If you want to be a part of a church that is intent on making disciples and going out and doing more to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I invite you to consider joining our church today.
But today right now is the time don't leave without taking care of business with God today. I asked you to stand as Sandra plays to stand and if there is something that God is calling you today to do today. Don't leave without getting that done.