Make Disciples! (Part 4) The Carrying out of Discipleship (Jn. 4:1-4)
Theme: If we are to make disciples of this world, we must go to where others are different than us.
Introduction: Discipleship is that ongoing process in our life of growing to be like Jesus as we learn to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Jesus, giving Him complete control over our lives. A disciple of Christ is one who is like his master. Once we come to know Christ, we (not some, but all of us) are called to follow Christ even as Christ followed the will of His Father (that is to be our example). In this sermon series, We have defined discipleship as (Let’s say it together…) “Discipleship is a lifelong relationship with Jesus that makes us like Jesus as we do what He tells us to do as we share our lives with others.”
If we are to make disciples in this community and world, and really have an impact for Christ, like Jesus had on His disciples, and His disciples had on us… we must go to where others are different than us. In our text. John tells of how Jesus did this… Here, Jesus would reach just one, – but that one coming to know Jesus, would then bring an entire village to Jesus! The Lord Himself established the biblical precedent of making disciples. (Mt. 28:18-20; Ac. 14:20-21; 2 Tim. 2:2) We as believers are called to be faithful followers of Christ and carry the gospel message forward to the lost and make other disciples. But how?
Conclusion: Our mission and ministry is to help people come to saving faith in Jesus and then give themselves to practices that will help them become more like Jesus in this season of life. We want to Show people how to live differently as they come into a personal believing relationship with Jesus and then learn to obey the Lord in response to His grace. If we walk in the Spirit, and commit ourselves to be true disciples of Christ, then the world should know us by our walk. They should see Jesus in us, through us and be drawn to Jesus because of us! That is how we should be carrying out discipleship!
Listening Guide Make Disciples Part 4 The Carrying out of Discipleship
March 26, 2023 Listening Guide and Service with Sermon The Carrying out of Discipleship Part 1 Part 2
Make Disciples (Part 3) The Christ of Discipleship Selected Passages
Theme: Revealing how Jesus made disciples by pouring His life into others.
Introduction: In this sermon series we are talking about discipleship: This is the means by which we become more like Christ. We have defined discipleship as (Let’s say it together…) “Discipleship is a lifelong relationship with Jesus that makes us like Jesus as we do what He tells us to do as we share our lives with others.” A disciple is someone who has a desire ”to know Christ and to make Him known.” A Christian disciple is one who follows Christ, one who submits to His authority, one who hungers to learn His truths and follow Him through obedience. This is an opportunity every believer has, but not every believer takes. My goal today is to show you how Jesus (who is the Christ of discipleship) approached discipleship and took mere believers to a deeper level of discipleship, and then sent them out to make disciples. There are some tenets of Christianity upon which true discipleship rests. To see these, we have to turn to the founder of our faith, the resurrected Lord, Jesus Christ. Two things that must be understood here.
Conclusion: Most of us remember playing a game when we were kids called “Follow the Leader.” For the believer – who desires to become a true disciple of Christ, there can only be one leader – Jesus Christ, our Lord. Let him follow Him.
Listening Guide Make Disciples Part 3 The Christ of Discipleship
March 19, 2023 Service and Sermon The Christ of Discipleship
Please note that the sound quaility is as good as we would like so to help, turn the volumne down. Sound to be corrected next Sunday.
Make Disciples (Part 2) The Commitment to Discipleship Luke 9:1-2
Theme: The commitment to discipleship is a determined commitment to follow Jesus where He leads.
Introduction: In this sermon series, we are talking about what it means to be and to make true disciples of Christ. We have defined discipleship as…“Discipleship is a lifelong relationship with Jesus that makes us like Jesus as we do what He tells us to do as we share our lives with others.”
In His ministry, Jesus seems to make a distinction between salvation and discipleship. Salvation is open to all who will come by faith, while discipleship is only for believers willing to pay a price. As we have said (and will repeat many times in this series) Discipleship is not something we do once or twice. It is a lifestyle that must be lived out each and every day. We will spend our entire lives becoming more like Jesus, spending time with Him in prayer, the study of His Word and ministering to others and one another. Discipleship in the Christian’s life means following after Jesus, and patterning our life after His so much so, that we look, act, sound, and love, like Jesus as we share our lives with others. The commitment to discipleship is a determined commitment to follow Jesus where He leads us. When Peter and his friends agreed to become Christ’s disciples, they knew they were committing themselves to following Christ, but they didn’t know where He would take them. But they soon found out!
Conclusion: While discipleship should be at the center of the Christian life and every Christian’s life – it’s not because there is a real cost to be a committed disciple of Christ. Anyone who desires to, can commit to following Jesus, no matter how hard the path gets. (The question is will you?)
Listening Guide Make Disciples Part 2 The Commitment to Discipleship
March 12, 2023 Service and Sermon The Commitment to Discipleship Part 1 Part 2
Make Disciples! (Part 1) The Call to Discipleship (Luke 5:1-11)
Theme: We have all been called to a life of discipleship “follow Jesus”
Introduction: As followers and disciples of Christ, it’s not just a few of us, or even just some of us, but rather it is “all of us” who are called to the mission of “Making Disciples.” (Mt. 28:18-20) Jesus gave us this great commission and it is recorded in all four gospels and in Acts. (MK. 16:15-16; Lk. 2447-48; Jn. 20:21; Acts 1:8)
So, over the next several weeks I want us to think about what it means and what it looks like to be about the business of “Making Disciples.”
Discipleship is not just a churchy word or concept; it is a lifestyle! In the Bible the word is used most often to refer to a follower of Jesus. We are called to both, be disciples (i.e.) followers of Christ and to make disciples, (i.e.) other followers of Christ.
“Discipleship is a lifelong relationship with Jesus that makes us like Jesus as we do what He tells us to do as we share our lives with others.”
The apostles are great illustrations of this. They followed Jesus as their master and teacher of the Christian faith, learning from His words and deeds and growing through practical hands-on training He gave them and then they spread this faith to others teaching them to do the same. Jesus is seeking people who are serious about coming after Him notice in our text…
Listening Guide Make Disciples Part 1 The Call to Discipleship
March 5, 2023 Service and Sermon The Call to Discipleship Part 1 Part 2