Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

turn in your Bibles to

What comes to your mind what I say the word Christian

What comes to mind whaen I say

What comes to you mind when I say politition

What comes to you mind when I say politition

What about a cross fitter?

What about a milinial

What about vegetarian

What comes comes to mind whaen you say Christinan?

for some unfortinetly

Christians are Judgemental

homophobic

that thry think they are the only ones going to Heaven and relish the fact that everyone else is going to hell

but What does it relly mean to be a Christian?

the verry first followers of Jesues did not call themselves Christian the word was accully a deroginory word

this was a diroginory term

they refered to themselves as diciples

The word Christian is only used three times in the entire Bible.

The word disciple by contrast is used 281 times in the New Testament alone.

three times in the entire Bible.

The word disciple by contrast is used 281 times in the New Testament alone.

You say, “Well, so what?” why does this matter

You say, “Well, so what?” why does this matter

Here’s why “I want to suggest to you that in changing the primary word that we use to describe ourselves, we lost the clarity that the word disciple conveyed about what a follower of Jesus actually is.”

Now, in case you’re wondering where all this is headed, and you’re starting to feel yourself tense up a little bit because you’re like, “Okay, he’s going to at the end of this message say after and tell us we’re no longer going to call ourselves Christians, and from now I want you to tell people you’re not a Christian, that you’re a disciple.”

You’re like, “I just feel like that’s weird, and I’m not going to do that.”

That’s not where this is all headed, but what I want to show you is that our use of the term Christian today obscures the fact that a lot of people who call themselves Christians are not actually disciples.

You see, disciple, the term is much clearer.

Terrifyingly clear in fact about what you actually become when you choose to believe in Jesus.

I want to go back and try to get into what a disciple actually was, and in Matthew chapter four we have the calling of the first disciples, and in that you’ll get a glimpse of what a disciple was and how Christians saw themselves.

You’re like, “I just feel like that’s weird, and I’m not going to do that.”

That’s not where this is all headed, but what I want to show you is that our use of the term Christian today obscures the fact that a lot of people who call themselves Christians are not actually disciples.

You see, disciple, the term is much clearer.

Terrifyingly clear in fact about what you actually become when you choose to believe in Jesus.

I want to go back and try to get into what a disciple actually was, and in Matthew chapter four we have the calling of the first disciples, and in that you’ll get a glimpse of what a disciple was and how Christians saw themselves.

Okay.

Matt 4:18-

Historical Background

All Hebrew boys went to Torah school starting at age 5.

All Hebrew boys went to Torah school starting at age 5.

Matt 4:

By age 10, all young boys knew the Torah and the best students went on to study the remainder of the Old Testament.

The rest returned home to work in their families’ businesses.

• By age 10, all young boys knew the Torah and the best students went on to study the remainder of the Old Testament.

The rest returned home to work in their families’ businesses.

At about age 17, if you wanted to go on and make a career out of religious studies, your next step was to find a rabbi you admired and apply to become one of his disciples (talmidim).

• At about age 17, if you wanted to go on and make a career out of religious studies, your next step was to find a rabbi you admired and apply to become one of his disciples (talmidim).

When you found one, you would go and sit at his feet.

That was your request to learn.

And the rabbi would examine you with questions and put you through a series of tests to see if you were worthy to be his disciple.

• When you found one, you would go and sit at his feet.

That was your request to learn.

And the rabbi would examine you with questions and put you through a series of tests to see if you were worthy to be his disciple.

The rabbis could choose the smartest, most talented boys to be their disciples.

• The rabbis could choose the smartest, most talented boys to be their disciples.

Another reason the rabbis were so picky is that when they chose a disciple, they were choosing someone whom they believed could become just like them—to not just know what they knew, but to do what they did.

• Another reason the rabbis were so picky is that when they chose a disciple, they were choosing someone whom they believed could become just like them—to not just know what they knew, but to do what they did.

For several years, these young disciples (talmidim) would follow their rabbis, imitating them in every way.

The goal of a disciple was to be like the rabbi.

• For several years, these young disciples (talmidim) would follow their rabbis, imitating them in every way.

The goal of a disciple was to be like the rabbi.

but Jesues did not go to the smartest most learned ones he went to the fishmen

but Jesues did not go to the smartest most learned ones he went to the fishmen

Matt 4:18-22

I. Jesus did’t choose the best he chose the willing (V.18)

Why was it importent to point out that they were fisherman?

This fact that seems incredibly minor and unimportent to us at this time would have been a big deal this showes they were low on the rung of class systems Christ didn’t go to the temple for diciples he went to the seashore.

John MacArthur: “God skipped all the wise of the day!

The great scholars were in Egypt; the great library was in Alexandria; the great philosophers were in Athens; the powerful were in Rome.

He passed over Herodotus the historian and Socrates the great thinker and Julius Caesar.

He chose men so ordinary it was comical.

No Rabbis, no teachers, no religious experts...”

Why did he chose fishermen?

because His work in the world wouldn’t come from their abilities for Him, but from what He would do through them.

because His work in the world wouldn’t come from their abilities for Him, but from what He would do through them.

People with a lot of talent and ability would only get in the way because they would never learn to lean on His power.

Jesus taught that His power in the weakest vessel was infinitely greater than the greatest talent without Him.

God wants to use you in your family, at your workplace.

It is time that Christians stop making excuses that you are not able.

He doesn’t need your ability; He requires only your availability.

As we often say, He doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called.

Have you made yourself available?

II.

He chose us not we Him (V19)

As we saw the normal way this all went down is that if you were among the best of your class, you applied to a rabbi, and if he liked what he saw, he’d choose you back.

Now, his selection gave them a great deal of confidence.

If they were struggling, they could say, “Ah, but my rabbi believed in me!

He chose me.”

But Jesus started the process back even further.

They didn’t even come to sit at His feet.

He came seeking them when they weren’t even looking for Him.

If you are a believer this morning He chose you!

He chose you!

III.

Our primary calling is to be with Him V. 19

He didn’t tell them where they were going or what assignment He had for them.

His primary call is not to do something; it is to become like Him.

And to become like Him, you have to know Him.

Just as with the first diciples our job is to simply trust Him!