Sermon Notes January 25, 2015 FBCam
Jesus Christ: Disciple-Maker
Today we begin a series titled “Jesus Christ: Disciple-Maker.” This title is taken from a book on discipleship written by Bill Hull. The sermons in this series are:
How Jesus Made Disciples (Today’s sermon)
What is a Disciple?
How Can I Make Disciples?
How Can the Church Make Disciples?
The Components of a Disciple-Making Small Group
What do you think of when we talk about discipleship?
There are three figures that we consider.
JESUS His DISCIPLES And ME
We are prone to think, “I am like the disciples and need someone to help me be like Jesus”
However, we need to think, “Jesus wants me to be like him and help others to be more like him”
PETER reminds us “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21, ESV)
PAUL reminds us “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1, ESV)
JOHN reminds us “By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is - so also are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17, ESV)
JESUS “For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” (John 13:15, ESV)
JESUS “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29, ESV)
So instead of thinking of ourselves of the disciples looking for a “Jesus” in our lives to disciple us, we ought also to think of ourselves as Jesus, looking for others who will also become disciples.
This concept is exactly what Jesus meant when he gave his disciples (and us) the Great Commission:
“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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”” (Matthew 28:19–20, ESV)
What did the disciples think Jesus meant when he said, “Go and make disciples?”
When he spoke this command, Jesus had just spent 3 ½ years with them! Their only filter to which interpret his command was the extended example that he provided through his relationship with them. This is how they understood his command to “make disciples.” Basically, Jesus was telling them to go out and to do for others the very same thing that he had done for them.
If we want to understand how to make disciples, we must examine the EXAMPLE of Jesus in the way that he made disciples!
One way to do this is to START at the BEGINNING and look at Christ’s relationship with his disciples chronologically.
This was foundation of a monumental work on the discipleship methods of Jesus written in the 1800's by A.B. Bruce in “The Training of the Twelve”
I decided to look at the things that way that Christ taught his disciples.
I followed A.T. Robertson’s “Harmony of the Gospels”
I discovered 41 separate events where Jesus taught his disciples or where they observed his earthly ministry.
Within those 41 events, I discovered 25 principles of discipleship that we apply to the way that we make disciples. I’ve put an asterisk next to the ones that are most significant for disciple making today.
1. *Disciples are identified by looking for those who are searching for spiritual truth (John 1:35-51). This take place at Bethany by the Jordan. The first statement that Jesus speaks to his disciples is a question ("what do you want?" John 1:38). The first command that Jesus gives them is "follow me."
2. Teachers should use questions to engage and stimulate their disciples (John 1:35-51).
3. *Discipleship requires extensive periods of time in natural (familiar and/or outdoor) surroundings (John 3:22-26). Jesus "stayed few days" with his mother, brothers and disciples in Capernaum following the miracle at Cana
4. *Times of great intensity should be followed by times for rest and reflection. New concepts must be allowed to take hold in the life of the disciple before other key ideas are introduced (John 3:22-26, see also Matt. 16:13-20). This occurred after an INTENSE ministry in Jerusalem. This was the first Passover where Jesus turned over the tables or the money changers. It was also after the wedding in Cana. People were clamoring to see Jesus. This was quite a system shock for these humble fishermen from Galilee. They needed time to process what they had seen, and Jesus provided that time.
5. Discipleship requires that the teacher spend lengthy periods of time with his or her disciples (John 3:22-26).
6. *Disciples must be presented with a clear, compelling and challenging invitation to follow Jesus (John 4:43-45). This was the “second call” by the Sea of Galilee where Jesus asked them to become “fishers of men.” This is about ONE YEAR after John’s Baptism at Bethany. A. B. BRUCE in the classic book “The Training of the Twelve” writes about THREE STAGES of ministry that Jesus provided for his disciples. 1) simply believers in Jesus. 2) Uninterrupted following of Jesus. 3) Chosen by Jesus from the masses as leaders (future Apostles)
7. The spiritual disciplines of prayer, meditation, rest and worship must be both taught and modeled (Luke 4:38-41). Mark writes that Jesus went alone to pray, causing his disciples to come and look for him. Jesus modeled prayer, fasting, and worship for his disciples to see.
8. A good teacher will take every day illustrations and activities and use them to teach spiritual lessons (Mark 2:23-28, see also Matt. 16:5-12). Jesus teaches them while walking through the grainfields, picking grain and eating it on the Sabbath.
9. *Not everyone will remain faithful as a disciple. Like Jesus, we must not be afraid to dismiss those who are not fully committed to Jesus. This admonition directs disciple-makers not to make discipleship a simple or cost-free endeavor (Matt. 7:7-12, see also Luke 14:25-35). After the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus confounds the multitudes with the cost of discipleship. This is when he teaches that a disciple mus “leave father and mother”. He knew that some of them were seeking a Messiah of their own making.
10. *Disciples mature at various levels and speed (Matt. 13:36-43). Here Jesus explains the parable of the soils to his twelve. Jesus often teaches the large crowd and later explains deeper truths to his disciples.
11. Teachers should seek those most committed and faithful disciples and equip and encourage them to be the next “leaders of leaders” (Luke 8:40-46) Only Peter, James and John accompany Jesus in to Jairus’ house. First example of the “inner circle.”
12. *Teachers should utilize “on the job training” pushing the disciples into service as part of their training (Matthew 9:35-11:1). This event described in Matthew 9 is the Sending of the Twelve throughout Galilee. Even though their training is not complete, they proclaimed what they heard.
13. Stretching and growing are vital for disciples to mature (Mark 6:47-52). After the busy feeding of the 5,000, Jesus sends the 12 alone while he goes up on the mountain to pray. He is aware of their struggle but wants them to trust him.
14. It is better for false followers to be exposed and turn away, then for them to follow Christ for the wrong reasons (John 6:22-71). Christ’s most public miracle is followed by his greatest loss of followers. John 6:66.
15. *There is a progression of truth necessary in the process of discipleship. Difficult or complex truths must be introduced only after essential truths are understood (Matt. 16:21). "From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised." Jesus reveals truth progressively to his disciples. At the beginning, he simply said "follow me." Now, three years after the initial encounter with Jesus, the disciples are learning some of the more difficult truths that they needed to know.
16. Discipleship requires complete surrender (Matt. 18:15-35) This follows the rebuke to James and John and the lesson on servant leadership, Jesus emphasizes the true cost of discipleship - the disciple must surrender everything in his service to the Master.
17. Teachers must teach their disciples how to love and win the lost by word and example (Luke 9:51-56).Jesus rebukes James and John for their anger over the unrepentant Samaritans. Jesus teaches them to regard the lost as people needing salvation, not judgment.
18. Disciples must be encouraged to testify of what Jesus has done in their life (John 12:16-22). "His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him" (John 12:16).John provides commentary on the status of the disciples at this time. At the beginning of the passion week, John reflects that the disciples did not understand that Christ fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament and that they were eyewitnesses to these things.
19. The cost of discipleship grows the longer we follow Jesus (Luke 14:25-35). Ministry in Perea, before the cross. "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:25-26). "So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:33).
20. *Teachers must be patient and compassionate when disciples fail (Luke 22:31-38). Peter says, “I will never deny you.”
21. *Maturity as a disciple is brought about through the ministry of the Holy Spirit (John 14). Jesus comforts his disciples by telling them that their power would come from the Holy Spirit. EVEN AFTER 3 ½ years with JESUS, they still needed the HOLY SPIRIT in order to serve him.
22. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is applied to the disciple as he or she abides in Christ (John 15).
23. *Maturity as a disciple can be measured by demonstrable Bearing fruit (15:5, 16), answered prayer (15:7; 16:24-27), joy (15:11), love for one another (15:17), bearing witness (15:27), and not falling away (16:1)
24. Disciples must confidently believe in the resurrection of Jesus (Luke 24:33-35). Jesus appeared to his disciples (Emmaus, Jerusalem, Galilee). Even Thomas believes.
25. *Disciples must become disciple makers (Matt 28:15-35). Christ’s final instruction.
Have you every reflected on the manner in which Jesus trained his disciples?
Are you making disciples that way?
Will you commit to see yourself as Jesus, a disciple-maker, and not just a disciple who needs constant training?
