Raising Disciples of Christ

Welcome/Opening Prayer of Dedication

Children's Song - God's Not Dead

Baptism - Sunni

Music ministry

The Solid Rock (1,2,3)

Only Trust Him

Good, Good Father

Message - “Raising Disciples of Christ”

What a blessing to have a service where

Some of our kids have come forward to proclaim “God is Not Dead”

We dedicated ourselves to providing Sunni Rae every opportunity to grow up and proclaim Jesus as Lord

And now get to see what God says about “Raising Disciples of Christ”

Baptism and Discipleship are so very often misunderstood,

Both in the culture and in the church

When we think of baptism in the Bible, it’s hard not to think of John the Baptist

John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness of Judea

“Repent for the Kingdom of the Heaven is at hand”

Just as Isaiah had prophesied

People from all over Jerusalem and all of Judea came out to see him at the Jordan river

They confessed their sins

and John baptized them

Even the Pharisees and Sadduccees

Two groups who didn’t even like each other

They came out to see the commotion

This is how it is recorded in Matthew 3:7

Matthew 3:7 ESV

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

I mentioned earlier that the Pharisees and Sadducees opposed each other

Except that they would oppose both John and Jesus in time

Note that verse 7 implies that the Sadducees and Pharisees were coming to be baptized

This was likely because they felt righteous enough to be baptized just because of WHO they were

Not sinners like the rest,

That is why John called them a “Brood of vipers”

For those who believe they are “good enough” on their own

For those who do not understand they are sinners in need of forgiveness and a Savior

Those join the ranks of the “brood”, or offspring, “of vipers”

Matthew 3:8

Matthew 3:8 ESV

8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.

In other words, all of us need to do the things necessary to show we are turning from our sinful past

None of us are saved because of our heritage

We can’t get into Heaven because our parents or grandparents sailed on the Mayflower or brought us to church

or any other human contrivance

That’s basically what Matthew 3:9-10 says

Matthew 3:9–10 ESV

9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Our genetics have nothing to do with how God sees us in our ‘New Testament’ reality

We are all children of God and Abraham’s family IF we accept Jesus

All of us need to bear good fruit for God

We all need to turn from sin and become more godly as we let God work through us

For there is judgment coming for all of us, which is the reference to the axe against the root

The Old Testament often uses the metaphor of a tree as a person and fruit as deeds or actions

Like in Psalm 1:3

Psalm 1:3 ESV

3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

To which I ask, “Are you?”

In the baptism in the form of infant dedication we just participated in

We all promised God we would provide an environment where Sunni would see the love of God

That we would encourage her to accept Jesus

How can we do that if our leaves are withered?

If we are angry, fearful or spiritually exhausted?

If we allow the culture to dictate what we believe or do?

Put simply, only if we root ourselves in the knowledge of God

Only if we allow God to keep us nourished

Only then, can we provide the right environment for Sunni or others to see Christ in us

There is a great need for humility, something that seems lost in the culture today

It seems we have a natural desire to project ourselves to be greater than we truly are

We spend so much energy trying to SHOW we are somethings we are not

Think how often people live beyond their means

Some spend more than they make

Some promise what they know they can’t do

Think how often parents push their kids too far

As if anyone believes that parents NEVER made a mistake before

Think how often parents fail to show their kids that they messed up, are sorry and will take steps to do better

Wouldn’t it be great if kids saw their parents accept responsibility for their mistakes?

“I shouldn’t have lost my temper with you”

“What you did was not right, but I was wrong to yell at you or embarrass you”

It’s sad that so many stay away from church because they say there are nothing but hypocrites in church

By that logic, no one should tell their kids ‘not to lie’, because they have all lied at one time or another

John the Baptist was a bright light teaching that ALL have sinned and ALL need to repent

Matthew 3:11 ESV

11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

When I baptized Sunni just now, I was not doing so because I believe I am somehow a perfect man, sinless

If John the baptist was not worthy of carrying the sandals Jesus wore, then what of me?

I, like John the baptist can baptize in water

I can sprinkle, pour or dunk you with the best of them

As always with children, the baptism is really an infant dedication

It is a promise of the family, biological, family of choice and faith family

A promise to give her every encouragement to know and accept Jesus as Lord

Truly , until you are baptized (submersed) in the Holy Spirit, you are really not better off

Jesus is the one who baptizes you in the Holy Spirit John 1:33

John 1:33 ESV

33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’

It is only when we accept Jesus that we have true baptism that matters eternally

To be baptized is to be immersed or totally covered

Jesus is the One who brings this power

Jesus is the One who sent the Holy Spirit to cover us

We must understand the reference to “fire” in Matthew 3:11.

This is a symbol of purification

To remove impurities by burning off that which is less than gold

Just like we use to separate trash from Gold

The trash burns off, while the pure gold liquefies

This represents God’s goodness that remains in us once we go through the pain of acknowledging our sin and repenting

Stopping our sinful actions is not easy or painless, just necessary for us to be pure

All the “bad” stuff is sent you know where (from Matthew 3:12)

Matthew 3:12 ESV

12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

The lost culture is filled with chaff (trash) that will get thrown into the fire

Our job is to stand firm and let God purify us

Make us better than we used to be

But not just so WE are better

God’s purpose for each of us is this in Matthew 28:16-20

Matthew 28:16–20 ESV

16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

We finally come to the title of today’s message

Our job is to Raise Disciples of Christ”

Yes, we need to GO outside the walls of this church

We need to GO outside the walls of our homes

We need to GO outside our town and county

We also need to GO across our living room

We need to “Make Disciples” of our own families

Showing the goodness of God

Showing the mercy of God

Showing the forgiveness of God

Showing the love of God

Quite literally, being a godly presence to our brothers, sisters, parents, spouses and children

Teaching our children the way of God in and from the Bible is REQUIRED for all of us

We cannot let the culture, school, work or friends be a greater influence

We must TEACH the Word of God within our families

We must “observe”, which means to obey, the Word of God

Here are the simple steps to follow

Study & Know God’s Word

Obey God’s Word (as best you can)

Admit when you sin

Repent from your sin

Profess God’s goodness to all

When we follow these 5-steps

Then we SHOW the fullness of Christian living

We have then “walked the walk”

The “Great Commission” tells us to “make Disciples”

A disciple is “one who seeks to become like his or her teacher”

Many people who identify as Christians, but are really “Christian-lite”

They are not disciples

God wants us to raise our children so they will want to become more like Jesus

Loving, kind, caring for others

Full of grace and mercy

Not following the culture, but following the example of Jesus

Here is the final simple truth

In order to RAISE disciples, we need to BE Disciples

Then those around us, especially our kids

will truly be given a chance at eternal life with God

instead of life in the chaos and destruction of the culture

Amen

Closing Hymn/Invitation:

“Jesus Paid It All” (1,2)

Pastoral prayer/Benediction

Bless food