Last time we looked at “The Root of Discipleship” – Jesus commanded His followers to make disciples of all nations. Discipleship happens when Christians obey the Word of God and pass on their godly heritage to the next generation of Christians.
We’ve discussed “The Resources of Discipleship” – Our resource for discipleship is the Word of God. The Scriptures are given by inspiration of God, and are profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
The “Routine of Discipleship” is how discipleship gets done. Discipleship includes the responsibility that Christians have for taking other Christians “under their wing” and mentoring them in the things of God.
Last time we were introduced to the concept in 2 Timothy chapter two where the older women and the older men are given the responsibility for teaching the younger women and the younger men the things of God.
I will be saying a little more on the Routine of Discipleship next time but for today I want to talk briefly on some of the barriers or distractions to discipleship.
Jesus commands His followers…
Mat 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Mat 28:20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
The main verb is “make disciples.” There are three supporting participles which instruct us in how we are to make disciples: “go,” “baptize” and teach.
Discipleship occurs when Christians go forth with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:1-3 that the Gospel is the truth of God’s Word that says, “Christ died for our sins, was buried and raised from the dead three days later.”
Jesus tells His church to go forth and preach the Gospel—to tell every man, woman, boy and girl the “good news” of God’s gift of forgiveness in Christ.
As we go forth with the “good news” someone will inevitably get saved. When someone comes to Christ they are commanded to be “water baptized.” When a person is baptized they are identifying with Christ in His death burial and resurrection. They are also communicating to the world that they are dead to their own ways and alive in obedience to Christ and His Word.
Water baptism (which does not save) is the way that a new believer is brought into the fellowship with other Christians. When you are baptized you are saying along with other believers that Jesus is my Lord and Savior.
The problem with the church today is not that we remain unconvinced of Jesus’ command to “make disciples”…our problem is that we just have a hard time doing it.
Not does Jesus in His Great Commission tell us to “make disciples” by going and baptizing, He tells us that we make disciples by “teaching…believers to obey His commands.”
This is why we preach the Word on Sundays. This is why we meet during the week in our LIFE Groups.
This is what the church is to be doing until the Lord’s return. We are supposed to be “making disciples.”
Today the church is distracted from obey the commands of Christ. Of all the things in our lives that divert or sidetrack us from fulfilling the Great Commission, we can narrow them down to four categories. These categories of distractions or preoccupations are not unique to GraceWay Church. The Body of Christ at large is challenged in these areas as well:
Marriage, Children, Job, Personal Pursuits.
Marriage – It takes great commitment to maintain a healthy marriage. This is the very reason that Paul encouraged his readers in 1 Corinthians 7 to remain single as he was. If you are single, you will have more time to spend serving the Lord.
I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs--how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world--how he can please his wife--and his interests are divided.
An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world--how she can please her husband. (1 Cor. 7:32 –34)
Children – Raising your children is demanding. There are challenges and difficulties for parents who are committed to meeting their child’s spiritual, emotional and physical needs.
* Adults living in households with children under 6 spent an average of 2.0 hours per day providing “primary childcare” to household children. Primary childcare is childcare that is done as a main activity, such as physical care of children and reading to or talking with children.
* On an average day, among adults living in households with children under 6, women spent 1.1 hours providing physical care (such as bathing or feeding a child) to household children; by contrast, men spent 26 minutes providing physical care.
* Adults living in households with at least one child under 6 spent an average of 5.6 hours per day providing secondary childcare—I interpreted this as performing the leisure activities or household activities that related to the child (cleaning his room, cleaning up after his mess, entertaining his friends.
Job/Occupation – Most employees spend on the average between 40-60 hours each week working. When you factor in getting ready for work and traveling to work you can add another 10 hours for men and 20 hours for women (picking out clothes, makeup, hairstyling).
Personal pursuits/hobbies – Depending on what you like to do in your “spare” time you can spend at lot of time and money pursuing it.
* On an average day, nearly everyone age 15 and over engaged in some sort of leisure activity, such as watching TV, socializing, or exercising. Of those who engaged in leisure activities, men spent more time in these activities (5.8 hours) than did women (5.1 hours).
* Watching TV was the leisure activity that occupied the most time (2.7 hours per day).
* Socializing, such as visiting with friends or attending or hosting social events, was the next most common leisure activity, accounting for nearly 45 minutes each day.
Time spent reading for personal interest and playing games or using a computer for leisure varied greatly by age. Individuals age 75 and over averaged 1.1 hours of reading per weekend day and 18 minutes playing games or using a computer for leisure. Conversely, individuals ages 15 to 19 read for an average of 6 minutes per weekend day while spending 1.1 hours playing games or using a computer for leisure.
If we were to sum it all up using the statistics from 2009, persons ages 25 to 54 with children, on days they worked:
* slept an average of 7.7 hours,
* worked and participated in other activities related to work, 8.7 hours,
* leisure and sports 2.6 hours,
* household activities, 1.1 hours,
* eating and drinking, 1.1 hours,
* caring for others, 1.1 hours,
* and a catch all category we will call “other” 1.5 hours.
For the purpose of our message I’ve narrowed all of our activities down to four categories: Marriage, Children, Job, Personal Pursuits and found that we are a busy people.
Did you know that each of the four areas we just looked at is in some way connected with God’s will for us to make disciples?
Marriage - When you get married you now have a partner, a team player to assist each other with doing the will of God. Your spouse (according to the Word) is supposed to “complete you.”
Gen 2:18 And Jehovah God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.
Gen 2:19 And out of the ground Jehovah God formed every beast of the field, and every bird of the heavens; and brought them unto the man to see what he would call them: and whatsoever the man called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
Gen 2:20 And the man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the heavens, and to every beast of the field; but for man there was not found a help meet for him.
Gen 2:21 And Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof:
Gen 2:22 and the rib, which Jehovah God had taken from the man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
Earlier in Genesis, God told man that one of his responsibilities would be to “be fruitful and multiply. Another command that God gave man was to “subdue” and have dominion over the earth. (Gen 1:28)
When God brings a man and woman together as husband and wife He does so with purpose. They are to team together to bring forth a godly seed that will bring glory to God—for the Christian, this is to spread the Gospel.
Children - Though your children require your time and attention, the Bible teaches that they are given to you by God as “arrows” in your quiver to be launched into the world to accomplish God’s kingdom work.
Psa 127:3 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.
Psa 127:4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth.
Psa 127:5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.
Sadly, parents are launching their arrows with careers as the target and not ministry. They want their children to be rich and famous with no regard whatsoever to what God wants to do with that child to fulfill the Great Commission and build His kingdom.
Job - Your job is not just the place where you go to earn a paycheck to pay your bills. Your job is the place where God has given you the ability to financially support the work of the kingdom. It is also by the money you earn and give toward the kingdom work that returns many thanksgivings to God.
In Deuteronomy God says to Israel, “But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.”
In fact, the Scripture goes as far as to say that God will prosper you on your job for the purpose of returning dividends on His investment into your life.
2 Cor 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
2 Cor 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Cor 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
2 Cor 9:9 As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."
2 Cor 9:10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
2 Cor 9:11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
2 Cor 9:12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
2 Cor 9:13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.
Personal pursuits - When it comes to personal hobbies or pursuits we have to be careful that they do not encroach on our responsibility to “make disciples.”
1 Timothy 6:17 - Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
An Evangelistic Urgency and Fervency
When reading the Bible and studying the lives of the Apostles you have no choice but to walk away with the idea that their one passion was to preach Christ.
* In Romans 1:15 Paul tells his readers that he was “so eager to preach the gospel…” In chapter 15 he says, “It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known…
* Peter was also concerned about the ministry of bringing people to Christ. He tells his readers in 1 Peter 2 to conduct themselves in such a way that the Gentiles would glorify God.
* The Apostle James writes, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27-28)
It is crystal clear that in the first century church there was a fervency and urgency to get the Gospel out and make disciples—the Bible makes it clear that there was no time to waste.
* While Jesus was on the earth He would make statements like, "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.” (John 9:4)
* Paul would tell the church, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Eph 5:15-16)
* Paul told Timothy to “endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. (2 Tim 2:4-5)
When Paul reached the end of his life He encouraged Timothy to spend his life for God.
But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. (2 Tim 4:5-8)
Spending your life making disciples will not give you much applause in this life but the Bible promises you will get a heavenly reward that will not perish. We run the Christian race not for the perishable tributes this world can offer us but for an imperishable crown from the Lord Himself!
1 Cor 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
1 Cor 9:25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
Putting in the time and effort to make disciples may require you to set aside your own personal dreams and ambitions, but God will more than make up for your sacrifice.
Mat 10:38-39 "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
But how does one juggle both being a spouse and parent and fulfilling their ministry?” The key is integration.
What many normally do is segregate these roles—Spouse | Parent | Ministry | Job |…all are segmented into departments. But as we read through the Bible you get a sense that the roles of marriage, family and ministry were all woven together in the fabric of one’s life and relationship with Christ.
A reading from the book of Acts would seem to convey this truth:
Acts 2:44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,
Acts 2:45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
Acts 2:46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
Acts 2:47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
However, a rewriting of this passage more suited to our day would be…
“They devoted themselves to gathering once a week on Sunday mornings for no more than two hours to sing a few songs, listen to a sermon and some announcements. Everyone was filled with the struggle to stay awake and longed for something more. All believers sat appropriately spaced in their pews and maybe knew a few of each others’ names. While hovering around the coffee fellowship table, conversations about the weather reigned supreme. After struggling to keep up with the Jones’, they offered whatever was left over to help pay ministry expenses. Everyday they continued to watch television in their homes and mumble brief prayers over fast food combo meals. They remained in seclusion until the next Sunday and the Lord desired to add to the church daily any who would be saved.”
What’s the difference?
In Acts chapter two there are several “acts” of the early church clearly listed. The majority of those required the believers to be in close personal contact with each other:
* they devoted themselves to fellowship
* they took communion
* they met for praise and worship
* they had meals together
* they cared for each other's needs, etc.
A further examination of the book of Acts yields other examples of this kind of community:
In Acts 6 the Hebrew Christians and Greek Christians were disputing with one another because the Greeks alleged their widows were being discriminated against when food was being distributed. As a solution, the Apostles tell the church members to select among themselves seven men who would oversee this task.
What is often overlooked when dealing with this passage is the community that is occurring among the believers—they were working together to take care of one another. In this case, the church was providing for the needs of the elderly widows of the church.
Throughout the book of Acts you find Christians lodging with other Christians. Yes there were hotels/inns in those days but Christians were to be hospitable to other believers. In obedience to the Scripture, they opened their homes to missionaries and others who needed a place to stay (Acts 16:15; 1 Peter 4:9).
Christian employers hired other Christians who needed work.
Acts 18:2-3 - And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them. So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers.
Priscilla and Aquila were a husband and wife who worked together in the ministry.
Acts 18:24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus.
Acts 18:25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John.
Acts 18:26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
If you are already married, you and your spouse need to be working together in the church to advance God’s kingdom.
If you are not yet married but considering it, pray that God will hook you up with someone that you can work with to advance His kingdom—that is a prayer that He might answer a lot faster than the one you may be sending up to Him about finding a mate.
What are your children doing to build the kingdom of God? In Acts 21, Deacon Philip (Acts 6) had four daughters who ministered the Word.
(Acts 21:9 NKJV) Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
I don’t believe that they just got up and said one day that they would minister the Word of God. This desire to minister had to be bred and instilled in Philip’s children. So it wasn’t surprising that they, living under the parenting of this committed deacon, would come to be ministers of the Word of God.
Are you instilling a desire in your children to grow up and do something that will advance the kingdom of God—something that will have an eternal significance? Or, are they constantly being prodded and nudged and poked into pursuing something that makes them famous or rich?
I read this week that when our kids are choosing careers we should try to help them figure out what purpose God has for them. If money is their driving factor, the career seeker is headed down a path that won’t bring true satisfaction.
They need to know that nothing satisfies like being in God's will. We need to do the same for them concerning their place within the local body. How does God want to use them in the local congregation or in the community?
Here is a clue - their purpose is not raising money so they can go to Six Flags. When we do give the kids a job in the church it is almost always some menial job we don't want to do ourselves and it is almost never related to their actual giftedness and desires. We need to listen better. We need to encourage more. We need to accept that what we think they should be doing may not be what God wants to do with them.
The early church was a dynamic community fulfilling the plan for God’s church.
For the Christian, there are no lines of demarcation between the home, the church and your place of occupation—all have been given to you by God for the advancement of His kingdom.
If you are married, God has given to you that spouse in order for you to work together to make disciples—this is why you shouldn’t be unequally yoked with an unbeliever who will certainly have other priorities (2 Cor. 6:14).
If you have children, they are your assignment from the Lord (Psalm 127:3). You are to train them in “the fear and admonition of the Lord” so that one day you might launch them as arrows to subdue the earth for the Kingdom’s sake. (Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4)
If your children are not involved in some kind of ministry at church you need to get them involved as soon as possible. As soon as they can handle it, get them in a ministry, even if it is only picking up the trash on the floor after church.
Have you ever noticed how we treat young people in church? We are always telling them to shut-up and pay attention. Yes, their behavior sometimes shows a lack of maturity, manners, and proper respect. We need to look past that for a moment. Why aren't they paying attention? They are bored. More often than not, they are probably just being more honest than the adults.
So what is the cure for boredom? The simple answer is purpose.
Encourage them to hand out bulletins or sing special music, or help clean the church on Saturdays…just get them involved in ministry!
Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Jesus says it this way in Matthew 5:16: “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
This is what all ministry and our service in the church is about, “bringing glory to God.”
If there is no ministry available to get your children involved, ask God to give you an idea and when you believe He has, let’s talk and pray about it.
If you are employed, Deut. 8:18 says, "And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant…”
Your job is the means by which you provide for the needs of yourself and family. But that is not all. God has blessed you with that job so that He can establish His New Covenant in the hearts and lives of people that do not know Him.
Let’s bring the church back to being like the community of believers profiled in Acts chapter two:
Acts 2:44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,
Acts 2:45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
Acts 2:46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
Acts 2:47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
The community of believers is to be a testimony to those outside who are struggling and alone and destitute.
It is through the community of believers that people will bear witness to the peace that we have with God because our sins are forgiven.
It is through the community of believers that people will take notice of the peace we have in God even in the midst of trials and tribulations.
The community of believers is to be the means by which people see the love of God at work in the midst of His children.
It is through the community of believers that people will both hear the Word of God being taught and practiced.
It is through the community of believers that people will observe Christians fellowshipping and ministering to one another in love.
This is how people get saved.
