Today I want to talk about doing what were told?
• From the time we are children we are constantly being told what to do.
• We’re told to make our beds, clean our rooms, feed the dog, cut the grass, and so on and so on.
But how do we determine who we are suppose to listen to?
Well One good way would be to start with authority.
• From a very young age I learned quickly that it would be in my best interest to listen to my parents.
• Those were still the days when kids still did what they were told or they got spanked.
• We knew that if we didn’t do what we were told that we were going to be in trouble.
Then as we get older we learn that there are other authority figures that we need to listen to.
• Who hear remembers the first time they were pulled over in their car?
• It’s not a whole bunch of fun
• I can think of a lot better ways of spending my time and my money.
When it comes to the work place the situation doesn’t change.
• We have a very simple choice,
• Do what the boss says or go find another job.
We spend the majority of our lives listening and taking direction from other people.
• My question is if we have spent so much of our time listening to others
• And doing what they tell us to do
• Why do we constantly refuse to do what God tells us to do.
The first thing we have to understand is that God is our Father
• So He should be the first one that we listen to.
• We fear Him (and if you don’t you should)
• The word fear is used a lot in Theology
• It conjours up images of being frightened by God
• But the best way we can understand it
• Is that it is the ultimate respect
• That there is no other options, that when God tells us to do something we do it
• There is no talking back We need to mind Him.
God is the Ultimate Authority
• The policeman that pulled you over has the authority to write you a ticket or even take you to jail.
• But only Christ has the authority and the power to take you to Heaven.
God is the ultimate Boss.
• I’m not the only one here that works for God.
• When you were saved, you received a title and a job.
• Through the love of Christ
• You were brought into Discipleship.
• Which means every one of us got the job position of Disciple.
God is the greatest employer that you will ever work for
• He has the best retirement plan.
• He loves and cares about each one of His employees.
• He takes time each day to listen to your problems.
• And We never have to book an appointment to talk with Him
• But The best part about our job is that once you have accepted is it
• It comes with a complete job description so that we never get confused about what we’re suppose to do.
In the first chapter of the handbook, I’ll read to you our job descriptions.
The Great Commission
Mt 28:16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
Mt 28:17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
Mt 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Mt 28:19 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,
Mt 28:20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
This is our job description
• It’s a 4 part job description
• Go-Baptize-Teach and Make Disciples.
It’s easy if we just look at what He is telling us
• Jesus said make disciples.
• Then He tells us how,
• First We have to go,
• Because we aren’t going to accomplish anything by just sitting around
• Then we baptize and teach.
• Look what it says in the first part of vs. 20
Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.
• Didn’t Jesus just command them to go make disciples in verse 19?
• So this being the case
• His disciples went out and made new disciples
• And the disciples they made are supposed to obey every command that Christ said,
• And one of those commands is to make new disciples.
• How else can you explain how the Good News of Christ made it for 2000 years?
• One of those disciples made another disciple and so on and so on and so on
• Till we get to the point that someone made a disciple out of the person that brought you into discipleship.
Welcome To The Job You Now Have. Glad to have you in the company.
The true definition of a disciple is a learner-follower of Jesus.
• It doesn’t sound that tough when we break it down
• A lot of the time theology uses big words that scare us.
• Here is another word that tends to scare people.
Evangelism
• It just sounds biblical and theological all at the same time - doesn’t it?
• It brings mental pictures of preachers on TV screaming Fire and Brimstone.
• People knocking on our doors asking us questions about
• Do we know were we are going to go when we die?
This isn’t Evangelism and its not how we evangelize.
Evangelism is
1 Being a part of God’s great work of redeeming the world through Christ.
2 It’s about reaching out and allowing God’s power and presence
To extend into the lives of people through our daily lives.
Doesn’t sound so scary any more does it.
• There has never been a greater opportunity for us to spread the Word than now.
• We are blessed with Internet, phones, cell phones, satellite, all of these things allow us to reach out to others and spread the news.
You want some easy to remember definitions on evangelism?
1 Its one friend telling another friend about THE FRIEND
2 Its one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread
3 Its one sinner telling another sinner where to find forgiveness
The word Gospel simply means the GOOD NEWS.
So to spread the gospel is to spread the Good News of Christ.
• Evangelism is proclamation. Evangelism is demonstration.
• Evangelism is not something that we do; it is something that we are.
• It is not an option, it’s a command.
There are 5 Great myths of Evangelism
1 You must have all the answers
• If someone asks you a question that you don’t have the answer to just tell them “I’m going to have to get back to you on that let me check.
• They will be happier that you showed just how much you care by taking the time to find out the right answer.
2 You must change your personality.
• God chose you as you are.
• Use yourself and your abilities to spread the message.
3 You must have THE GIFT of evangelism.
• There is no gift, everyone can and should evangelize.
4 Nobody is interested in spiritual things.
• This couldn’t be farther from the truth.
• We are living in an age were the general public is starving for answers.
5 You must get rid of all questions and doubts.
• I still have questions, and I will always have questions until the day I die and all is reveled to me.
Jesus never asked us to go into the world and make church members He said make disciples.
The sad thing is today Christians determine how successful a church is by 2 factors.
1 How many people they have.
2 How much money they have.
Neither of these things has anything to do with a successful church.
• A successful church is the church that is willing to get out there and make disciples. To Go, To Teach, To Baptize
Col 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
• When we speak to unbelievers about the Good News of Christ
• We have to give them the opportunity to want to come back for more.
• We want them to come back again and again.
• We need to season our conversations with salt and Grace.
• Nobody wants to be hit over the head with a bible when they just want an answer to a simple question.
• We need to Answer the question
• And then tell them if they want to know more
• I’ll be glad to tell you anything you want to know.
• It’s kind of like the telemarketer that calls asking if you want windows and siding while you are trying to eat dinner.
• No matter how bad you may want or need windows or siding,
• You want to do it on your time.
• Unbelievers are the same way,
• They may want to hear about Jesus,
• But don’t want to get hit between the eyes with a sermon.
• What I am saying is that we need to get out there and start working for God.
• We need to start concentrating on what He wants instead of what we want.
• Church growth is wonderful if we do it for the right reasons.
• We have to get out there and start spreading the Good News.
• And When we do this God will bless our churches
• And it will grow for the right reasons.
• It will grow into a strong group of disciples,
• Doing what they have been told to do.
• And that is To Make Disciples.
