Take Your Next Step: Discipleship

Introduction (Sermon Title Slide) • Today we pick up where we left off last week... Last week we talked about stepping together as a tribe... there are 5 stages, each with some common language that helps us identify the stage ◦ Stage 1 - Life stinks, Stage 2 - My life stinks, Stage 3 - I’m great (and you’re not), Stage 4 - We’re great, Stage 5 - Life is great ◦ Every organization we are a part of including our church – is in one of these 5 stages... we may move from one to the other at times but we are in one • In your bulletin was a “Self-Assessment” for you to complete... Did you do it? ◦ What are you going to do to help us - as a called out body of God’s people here at 325 Ledbetter Road to move to the next stage? ◦ I would say that however you answer that question, the answer is going to be in the area of discipleship... some sort of following Jesus a bit closer ◦ In order for us to move as a community to the next stage, we may need to take a step up as individual members of this body Focus Verse: Proverbs 3:5-6, 5Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. 6In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. NASB • These two verses are packed with a lot of truth... ◦ We don’t follow our own understanding... we don’t see the entire picture and we have feelings and emotions that cloud our better judgment (all our heart... all our ways) ◦ We acknowledge God... that is, we follow him and his plans and when we do that, our path is straight... it’s not rocky and bumpy, it’s straight and smooth Testimony • A little over 30 years ago, I began my journey with Jesus ◦ I was a young Airman stationed at Offutt AFB, Nebraska and there were two catalysts that occurred in my life that the Holy Spirit used to bring me to Jesus • The first event... nearly 33 years ago, I was given the privilege of becoming a Father to the most amazing, beautiful little girl I had ever laid my eyes on • About that time the second event occurred... two of my buddies in the service got saved... radically saved ◦ One evening, as I was reading in this little office that I had, I knelt down and prayed and repented and asked Jesus to forgive me... that was the day I started to follow Jesus ▪ I took the next step up • Why do I tell you all of this? We’re talking about discipleship this morning but I am talking about it in practical... perhaps pragmatic sort of way... I’ve followed Jesus at varying levels in my life ◦ Sometimes we talk about discipleship in a theoretical way... today we’re getting to the nuts and bolts of discipleship... and what it looks like in our individual lives • Our text for this morning is just one passage of scripture: John 12:26 • John Mark Comer, pastor and author, teaches about what he calls “the Way of Jesus.” It is a simple, three step process: (1) Be with Jesus, (2) Become like Jesus, and (3) Do what Jesus did. • So here is the question of the day: How are you following Jesus? ◦ He says here if you serve Him, then you must follow Him... that we will be where He is • Today we are going to look at 5 levels of discipleship ◦ The idea is to first, identify where are you right now and then recognize what the next step is to move you closer to the ideal Levels of Discipleship • Step One: CURIOUS... Seeker but not a believer ◦ You know about Jesus but you don’t really know him ◦ You come to church for the fellowship or the music, or it makes you feel good, or you know you need to be here, or you are being drawn closer... you just haven’t taken the step ▪ Jesus: “Where I am, my servant must be...” ▪ You: “where He is, is a faraway place for me” ◦ I am glad you are here... this is the place where you need to be... • Step Two: CASUAL... Believer but not fully developed ◦ You have made a decision... you say that you are a follower of Jesus and you’re trying ◦ You come to church to get refueled... this service gives you just enough “umpf” to get through the week until the next Sunday and it sure is nice to be here ◦ You’re living at the border of grace and truth but you are just casually following Jesus ▪ Jesus: “Where I am, my servant must be...” ▪ You: “where He is, I’m there some of the time” ◦ You’re there, you’re a believer, but it mostly feels like you’re barely hanging in there • Step Three COMMITTED... Growing in grace and truth ◦ You are a follower of Jesus and others know it... you are committed to serving Jesus and because you are committed you are growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus ▪ You are beginning to build upon the relationship you have with Jesus ◦ You come to church on Sunday and it is just an extension of what you’ve been doing throughout the week... it’s not to refuel for the coming week ▪ Jesus: “Where I am, my servant must be...” ▪ You: “where He is, I’m there most of the time” ◦ Many people think this is where life is good... but there are still two more steps • Step Four: CONSECRATED... Established in grace and truth; sanctified ◦ This is a level of discipleship that does not get as much attention as is needed in the church today... in part because the words associated with it seem to be an unrealistic standard ▪ Consecration... sanctification... holiness... perfection... or perfect love ◦ What does it mean to be sanctified? ▪ It simply means to be “set apart” for God’s purposes... to be filled with the Spirit ▪ It means emptying myself of self in order that God can fill me with his Spirit ◦ John 15:15-17, Romans 12:1-2 ◦ You come to church on Sunday to worship, but you are engaged and looking for who you can encourage, who needs you to pray for them, to be challenged to go even deeper ▪ Your life is Spirt-led and Spirit-filled... all that you are, all that you have, all that you ever hope to be is surrendered to Jesus and under his Lordship... you are “all in!” ▪ Jesus: “Where I am, my servant must be...” ▪ You: “where He is, that’s where I want to be and I am there” ◦ This is where God wants us to be... • Step Five: CONTAGIOUS... Sharing grace and truth ◦ This fifth stage is more a result than a level to reach... it is one where your relationship with Jesus is contagious to others... ▪ You are living so close to the Lord that you want others to know about Jesus; others see the fingerprints of God on your life and they want to know about God ◦ Others are drawn closer to the Lord because of your example... they are challenged to know the Word more, to have a deeper prayer life, because you model it for them ▪ Jesus: “Where I am, my servant must be...” ▪ You: “where He is, that’s where I am there and I want others to be there with me” ◦ Life is sweet, life is good... because we’re living in Jesus’ neighborhood... and we want others to be there with us Closing: SELF-ASSESSMENT • (1) Be with Jesus, (2) Become like Jesus, and (3) Do what Jesus did. – The life of a disciple 1. PRAYERFULLY consider the following.... ◦ Where am I? My current level: ____________ • If you are at Level 1 CURIOUS... simply take the next step up... stop fighting what you know God wants for you and come to Jesus... take the next step and begin following Him • If you are Level 2, CASUAL... you’re there but you know you’re not where you need to be... ◦ Maybe you need to be baptized, maybe you need to be more engaged in the Word, or with the community... take the next step up • Level 3, COMMITTED? Things are going well... you’re headed in the right direction but you know there is something more... take your next step. ◦ Maybe you need to come to this altar and lay everything down and ask God to fill you • Level 4, CONSECRATED... you are sold out for Jesus and you are seeing fruit... but you want more... Take your next step up... ◦ What is holding me back from taking the next step up? 2. Read these SCRIPTURES: Matt. 18:18-20; Mk. 8:37-28; Lk. 6:46-49; 9:23-27; Jn. 8:31-32; 12:26; 13:34-3; 15:1-11; 1 Jn. 3:4-24 ◦ How do these inform where I am and where I need to be? 3. Discuss your answers with someone else in the COMMUNITY. • What’s your next step? Proverbs 3:5-6