The Disciples Are Called
Notes
Transcript
Jesus Begins to Preach & Disciples are Called
Jesus Begins to Preach & Disciples are Called
Preaching is as much about listening as it is about speaking. I learn as much about the Gospel in silence as I do by talking and preaching the word.
I do speaking.
That’s hard to believe since I really love to talk!
The Gospel is ours actively when speak to others, when we listen to each other, when we care for each other.
We are going to look at this different passages today. Here is the first one
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.
44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.
45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
-48
The fertile ground of salvation and discipleship is found
In teaching
In fellowship
In breaking bread together. Let’s eat, I knew Potlucks were biblical!
In sharing everything…all of our possessions for anyone and everyone in need.
Hold on to your time, your talent and treasure… LOOSELY.
As hard as you’ve planned, saved, scrimped is as quickly as it can be gone.!
In meeting together… We meet together in our churches, businesses, restaurants, homes, at our vineyards, at our breweries,
Praising God…in worship
As a result the Lord will add to the number GREATLY who where being saved.
A little more about my story
So, I guess I said “the prayer.” So I “guess” I was “saved?” Saved from what or to what I really didn’t have any idea.
Jill bought me a bible…an NIV Study Bible. This was in 1988, I think. Many Sundays Jill would sit beside my and help me find bible passages. This was hard!
We were hanging out with people, who were our age, and had similar interests…and had been followers of Jesus since they were 4. This was hard! I did not know the stories, I knew little to nothing about Jesus.
I committed myself to the teaching of my church. This is where learning happened for me.
We were in regular, authentic fellowship, in our small group.
We broke lots of bread… We ate and had a blast!
We all held loosely to our possessions… They are all God’s anyways. We shared what we had!
In that group I began to answer the question… “What does it mean to be a disciple?” Because it as much about learning as it experiencing with our head, heart and hands. I’m still not there. I want to be a lifetime disciple.
To be a disciple you have to understand the nuts & bolts of the Gospel
Jesus is KIng
The Gospel is costly…the cost was paid on the shoulders of Jesus at the Cross at Calvary.
Jesus died…but he rose again on the 3rd day.
That is the hope, the future, the eternity that awaits for those who believe.
These are the type of people that Jesus wanted for his disciples.
Let’s look at our one of our passages for today.
From the Gospel of John, Chapter 1 Vs. 35
35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.
36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
Note these were followers of John, disciples of John. John was preparing the way for the Lord. He also understood that he must decrease so that Jesus could increase.
John 1
This was the very next day after Jesus’ baptism… “Look, the Lamb of God.” In Greek… ho Amnos, ho Theos. This was the promised Christ, the Messiah, the one that they had waited for.
They turned and followed the Jesus...
John 1
37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
They left as much as we would leave when we turn and follow Jesus
They left as much as we would leave when we turn and follow Jesus
They lost family connections… we may
They lost employment… I did
Story… I’d
Their whole life was rewired by turning and following. It’s not recorded but it seems this was quick.
They saw, they turned, they became.
They had much to lose but eternity to gain! They also needed training…discipling.
They needed to know how to do this thing. They got to serve under Jesus…wouldn’t that be something.
One the two disciples that day was Andrew.
One the two disciples that day was Andrew. THE VERY FIRST
41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).
42 And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).
jOHN 1.
THE FIRST THING...
The first thing that Andrew did is find his brother. The very first thing.
As a result of this, Andrew shared and made a disciple.
Until you ask the answer is ALWAYS, NO!!!!
Sorry sometimes my old salesman ways creep-in. We must ask for the opportunity for people to follow. If you don’t you will never know.
Go back to 4-47
44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.
45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.
45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.
44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.
45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Acts
Now what a minute, Jeff, I can’t do this… this is too much.
I can’t…its to risky for me. (Family, business associates, embarrassment)
Here’s how you can do it
This is my story… (personal testimony)
I can’t…its to risky for me. (Family, business associates, embarrassment)
I’d like to get to know you… come to my house for a meal
I don’t know what to say… begin to have conversations, about life. The Spirit will lead and guide.
What do I say next??? Don’t say anything, let your ACTIONS speak for themselves.
In rest of this chapter, Jesus calls Philip, Philip called Nathanael, who questioned...
Expect questions… we don’t know how long, probably a short time
49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”
Jesus called them “disciples”… you see disciples never stop being disciples… until we are face-to-face with the Lord. We should always be asking, discovering, teaching.
I want to look at one other passage beginning in
Mathew at his core was interested first in reaching out to his brother and sister Jews. To do that he drew out Old Testament scripture so the Jew would understand.
Matthew used a passage from to form this thought
15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”
1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—
Mat 4.12
Jesus began to preach with his disciples in tow. They were listening to every word… writing every word and becoming more and more like Jesus everyday!
His message was ABSOLUTELY clear
17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Mathew, hearing the same conversation that gave us John’s Gospel adds some great detail
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 send you out to fish for people.”
20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
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 send you out to fish for people.”
Mt. 4.18-
Jesus said, STOP what your doing, drop your life and follow me… They did!
Mt
Jesus and his ragtag bunch just kept walking around
Jesus said, STOP what your doing, drop your life and follow me… They did!
21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them,
22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Mt. 4.
Good bye family, good bye livelihood, good bye life!
Jesus says… I’m calling you, each one of you to be my core. To be a witness to what you will see, they don’t probably get this yet, but Jesus is asking them to be willing to die for the Gospel, and they do die for the Gospel.
So your going to ask??? It was so much easier back then, Jesus was right there with them
Answer… When Jesus left the earth he told His disciples, I’m going away but I’m going to send someone to give you power, wisdom and discernment. He was talking about the Holy Spirit.
He will give ALL disciples fruit as a seal of their salvation.
We find that universal fruit in .
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Gal 5.
God also gives an individual gift… one that is useful for the body. This gift is called your Spiritual Gift. We will explore these in the coming weeks.
The church today as we know it looks a lot like these passages.
Some have been followers, disciples for 50,60,70,80 years.
Others are mid-careerists 20,30,40 years
Still others are just getting started.
We are ALL in process and that what God’s asks of us, that we continue being like Christ.
THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE BELIEVERS
We must...
We must be committed to the breaking of bread… Yes we love a good potluck.
be committed to the Apostles teaching
We must be committed to the Apostles teaching
We must be committed to the breaking of bread… Yes we love a good potluck AND the fellowship that goes along with it
We must be committed to prayer. ALL of us. Not as act of throwing one every now and again but as act of continual communication with the Father through the Son.
We must be committed to the sacrificial life that we have been called to. Sacrifice to God, to each other and sacrifice to the Body of Christ.
We must be committed to remembering the Last Supper each time we celebrate communion. I hope when you take the elements of communion that you focus on Jesus
death,
burial and
REMEMBER His Resurrection on the first Easter Morning!
Prayer
As me move into our time of communion… I’d like to have the servers come forward. Pastor Roberto Ibarra will be serving communion with me today. He in Spanish
and me in English.
I’d to you take a couple of minutes and prepare your hearts and minds for this communion time. If you have an offense against a brother or sister this is the time to go to them and ask forgiveness.
It’s also the time to come with a clean heart before God. Confess you sin and he will be faithful to forgive. Don’t come to this table with known sin in your life and in your heart.
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On the night...