MAKING DISCIPLES
15 NOVEMBER 2009
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to 1 Samuel 17
1. Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Socoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah.
2. Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines.
3. The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.
4. A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall.
5. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels ;
6. on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back.
7. His spear shaft was like a weaver's rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.
8. Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me.
9. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us."
10. Then the Philistine said, "This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other."
11. On hearing the Philistine's words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
-- on October 21st, the passengers on Northwest Airlines Flight 188 were expecting a routine flight from San Diego to Minneapolis -- the weather was good -- they had a tail wind -- and right after takeoff, the pilot assured them that they would reach their destination on time, if not a little early
-- so, you can imagine their surprise when their estimated time of arrival came and went with no word from the cockpit -- as time continued to slip by, the flight attendants tried to calm the passengers, who were getting increasingly irate about missed connections
-- finally, one attendant called the pilots on the intercom to find out why the landing had been delayed and to see if there were any emergencies that she should be aware of -- it turns out that the pilots were supposedly in a heated argument and failed to pay attention to their flight indicators and to start making landing preparations1
-- the plane passed over its destination at 9 pm and continued on its path for another 15 minutes, missing the Minneapolis airport by over 100 miles until the attendant finally got the attention of the pilots
-- once the pilots discovered what had happened, they turned around and got the plane safely landed -- although it was almost an hour behind schedule
-- “Andrea Allmon, who had been traveling from San Diego to Minneapolis on business, said no one on the plane knew anything was amiss until the end of the flight when police boarded. She was "horrified" when she discovered what had happened.
-- she said, and I quote, "When I do my job I do my job -- These guys are supposed to be paying attention to the flight -- the safety of the passengers should be first and foremost -- [It's] unbelievable to me that they weren't paying attention -- just not paying attention."” 2
-- this morning, we are going to be continuing our discussion on the call to discipleship -- as I pointed out last time, the church in America is failing in its mission to make disciples and to be the body of Christ in this world
-- somewhere along the way, we did exactly what the pilots on Northwest Airlines Flight 188 did -- we got distracted from our calling -- we lost sight of why we are here -- we quit paying attention
-- instead of focusing on making disciples, we started focusing on increasing the size of our churches -- we started focusing on making members and filling our time with programs and committee meetings -- and, in doing so, we drifted away from our real calling
-- and just like those pilots, our churches are missing the mark -- we are missing our destination -- we’re missing our purpose -- and we have turned into a church that is weak and ineffectual in influencing our country and our culture in any tangible way
-- Christ never called us to be members of a church -- He never said, “Go and fill the church rolls” -- No, Jesus said, “Go, and make disciples” -- anything else is a distraction from our mission as Christ’s body in this world -- anything else is failure, plain and simple
II. Scripture Lesson -- The Failed Disciple
-- I opened this morning with a story that most of us have heard from childhood -- the story of David and Goliath -- but in spite of all the times that we have heard this story, most of us have missed the real importance of what’s happening here
-- it’s not just the story of God using a shepherd boy to slay a giant -- to do what was physically impossible for a boy of David’s stature -- it’s not just the story of the making of a king -- the exaltation of a man after God’s own heart
-- it’s also the story of a failed king -- of a failed nation -- of a chosen people who quit paying attention to God and who got distracted from their calling to be God’s voice in their world
-- as we read this story, we tend to forget who Saul was -- Saul was Israel’s first king -- the man chosen and anointed by God to lead His people -- the man uniquely empowered to build up the kingdom of Israel and to lead them down God’s path and to fulfill God’s calling
-- Saul started well -- the Bible says that he literally stood head and shoulders above the rest of the men -- physically and spiritually -- he knew God -- and he took up the mantle of leadership and began to do great things in God’s name
-- he immediately rallied the men of Israel and conquered the Ammonites who had terrified the city of Jabesh Gilead -- he began to fight against the Philistines and won battle after battle -- but, he began to get distracted -- he forgot Who was behind his success - he quit paying attention to God and to the commands of God and started doing things his own way
-- he eventually went so far as to offer up burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to God in the place of Samuel the priest -- what he was doing seemed good -- it seemed right -- his men were beginning to scatter in the face of the enemy, and so he sought to do church in his own strength to rally the troops
-- but, by failing to wait on Samuel, Saul failed to do what God called him to do -- and, as a result, lost the kingdom of Israel -- the kingdom of God -- and we see the result of his disobedience painfully displayed for us here in this passage
-- look back at verse 1
1. Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Socoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah.
2. Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines.
3. The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.
-- this was the pivotal battle of the war -- the battle that would determine the future of Israel -- the entire Philistine army has taken battle lines against Israel -- and if they were to win, the nation of Israel -- God’s chosen people would be no more
-- verse 4
4. A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall.
5. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels ;
6. on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back.
7. His spear shaft was like a weaver's rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.
8. Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me.
9. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us."
10. Then the Philistine said, "This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other."
11. On hearing the Philistine's words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
-- in the past, Saul would not have blinked at the imposing figure of Goliath, much less the Philistine army arrayed against him -- but things have changed
-- in disobeying God, Saul and the nation of Israel had taken matters into their own hands -- they were relying on their own strength and not that of God
-- look back at verse 8 at see what Goliath shouted to the Israelites -- “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul?”
-- did you catch what Goliath said? -- no longer were the people of Israel the servants of God -- they were the servants of Saul -- although they claimed to be the people of God -- although they still had His name on their churches -- they were no longer serving God but were serving their own interests
-- when we, as the people called Christian -- as His Church in this world -- turn from His commands and start to do church by focusing on what we think is important -- members -- programs -- activities -- we, too, fail to serve God and start serving man
-- and look what happened to Saul -- verse 11 says that Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified -- this is what happens when you fail to be an obedient church -- when you fail to make disciples --- when you fail to rely on God’s power and Spirit
-- this is why our churches are floundering in our society today -- this is why we are not influencing any major policy decisions in this country -- because we have turned from our purpose and our calling, we no longer have a voice in the important issues of today
-- if we want to stand up against all the giants that threaten our families and our homes and our country today, then we need to get back to the basics -- we need someone to knock on the cockpit door and get our attention so that we will start focusing once again on our calling and our purpose as the body of Christ -- and quit wasting time on matters that have not eternal value whatsoever
III. Discipleship
-- with that said, please turn over to Matthew 28:16 and we’ll finish up there
16. Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
17. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
18. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20. and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
-- here we see the antithesis of Saul and the Israelites -- here we see the promise of a church engaged in the culture -- active in the fight -- making a difference in the lives of those around them -- because they are empowered and strengthened through the very presence of God in their lives
-- the key to becoming an obedient church is there in verse 19 -- we are called to be disciples and to go and make more disciples
-- so, what is a disciple? -- well, before we try to answer this question, we need to recognize that there is a major difference between a disciple and a member that comes down to the issues of commitment and calling -- for example:
-- a member warms a pew -- a disciple warms the heart of another
-- a member fills a spot on the roll -- a disciple leads others in following Christ
-- a member comes to receive -- a disciple goes to serve
-- a member knows about God -- a disciple knows God and lives for Him
-- a member serves the church -- a disciple serves God
-- our goal is to be disciples and not merely members playing church and pretending to follow Christ
-- so, if a disciple is not a member, then what is a disciple? -- well, we see that answer right here in these verses
-- first, a disciple is a believer of Christ -- someone who has received Jesus as Lord and Savior and who worships Him as God -- someone who has repented of their sins and asked Jesus to forgive them and to save them -- you cannot be a disciple without first believing in Christ
-- second, a disciple is someone who has been baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit -- the Greek word here that we translate as “baptism” is baptizo -- it literally means to immerse -- to submerge
-- so, in other words, Jesus is saying that a disciple is immersed into the presence of the Trinity -- their lives are filled with the presence of God -- it is the air that they breathe -- it is the food that they eat -- it is what defines them as a person -- it is who they are
-- we see this same concept in the gospel of John where the Apostle John never identified himself by name but always referred to himself as the one whom Jesus loved -- he was so immersed in the person and the presence of Christ that this was the only way he could describe himself
-- that is what it means to be baptized into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit -- it’s not about water -- it’s about the presence of God
-- third, a disciple is someone who is constantly learning about God and sharing what they know with others -- I don’t care how old you are or how long you have been a Christian -- there’s always something new to learn about God -- there’s always a new experience with Him
-- as His word says, God’s blessings and mercies are new everyday -- that means that God is constantly revealing new things about Himself and His ways to us
-- did you know that Bishop King is actually being discipled one on one by someone else right now? -- if a man as learned as Bishop King is aware that he has a need to learn more about God, then surely we should be aware of that ourselves
-- the flip-side of this, though, is that we should also be passing on what we know about God to others -- that means that we should be actively discipling others in the faith at the same time we are being discipled -- I’ll talk more about that in a moment
-- finally, a disciple is someone who obeys God -- who knows the commands of God and fulfills them in their life -- someone who does not allow themselves to be distracted from their destination and their calling, but who go forth in God’s name to do great things -- to finish the race -- to fulfill the purpose and calling of their lives
-- this is where the Northwestern pilots failed -- this is where Saul failed -- and this is where our churches are treading -- just because an activity is religious doesn’t make it a command of God -- just because a church is busy doesn’t mean it’s fulfilling its mission -- we need to take time to evaluate our activities and our programs in light of this calling of God to go and make disciples
-- which brings me to my final point -- Jesus has just told us what a disciple looks like -- but, how do we get there? -- and how do we go and make more disciples?
-- the process of making disciples is called discipleship -- the “intensely personal activity of two or more persons helping each other experience a growing relationship with God” 3
-- as Neil Anderson puts it, “Discipleship is being before doing, maturity before ministry, character before career.”3
-- it is being who Jesus called us to be -- it is allowing someone to lead us down the paths of righteousness and holiness and it is us carrying others with us on the journey
-- discipleship is personal and relational -- it can be experienced in a one-on-one relationship or in a small group setting -- Jesus showed us the 1-3-12 model as a way of making disciples
-- there were times when He discipled others one-on-one, such as He did with Nicodemus in John Chapter 3
-- Jesus also discipled a group of three men -- Peter, James, and John -- He chose them out of the crowd to receive discipleship and teaching about leadership and following Him in all their ways
-- and, finally, Jesus discipled a group of 12 -- “the” disciples -- the men He called from various walks of life to live with Him and learn what it meant to serve Him in ministry -- it was these men though whom Jesus established His church -- it was to these men that He gave this command to go and make other disciples
-- currently, there is an exciting movement here is south Georgia where men and women are discipling each other and leading each other into deeper relationships with God -- this started in Valdosta, and has spread now to the southwest corner of Georgia to
the center part of the state
-- in fact, this group that started here, called “Fishermen,” is the same group that is discipling Bishop King and the Bishop was so impressed that he has requested that the group start discipling six members of his staff up in Macon
-- if you are interested in learning more about this group, let me know and I can put you in contact with the person who schedules these appointments -- this group ministers to men and women -- and, in fact, I’m starting next week
-- the point is not to necessarily go to this group -- there are many others -- and you can certainly start by just finding someone to start meeting with in your own circle of friends -- the point is to start doing what Jesus called us to do in this passage
-- this is the only way to revitalize our churches -- this is the only way to revitalize our personal walks with Christ -- if you are tired of doing the same old-same old -- then it’s time to step out and start obeying Christ by becoming a disciple and making a disciple of others
IV. Closing
-- I want to close by leaving you this thought from Randy Carlson -- he said, “Successful people are intentional, not merely well intentioned” -- for too long, we have been doing church with good intentions -- and you remember what the old saying is about the road to hell being paved with good intentions
-- we’ve been trying to do good things in our churches, but we don’t need any more good intentions --we need God intentions -- we need to start doing what He told us to do rather than what we feel like doing or what we feel is important
-- Carlson went on to say, “The key is commitment plus action -- we can have great ideas about what we want to do next, but if we are not committed to actually changing what we do and how we think, nothing much will change.”
-- we have been doing church the same way over and over again for years and expecting different results -- if we are going to see any change in our churches, we're going to have to do something different -- something revolutionary -- we're going to quit doing church in our own power and our own strength and start trusting God to fulfill the Great Commission through us with His power and authority
-- let us begin by committing ourselves today to become a true disciple of Christ by following His command and experiencing Him more in our lives -- and, as we begin that process, let’s find someone else that we can disciple and lead down the road of righteousness
-- let’s pray
1. http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20091023/UPDATES01/91023010/Pilots-miss-Minneapolis-runway-by-150-miles-during-%5C-heated-discussion%5C-
2. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/23/northwest-pilots-argument-miss-runway
3. http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/8349.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment