The Way Of Jesus #6 - Being And Making Disciples

February 12 Sermon - The Way of Jesus # 6

‘I am helping someone and someone is helping me to be a reproducing follower of Jesus.

We’ve been walking through the markers of the Way of Jesus as a general introduction to some of the concepts within the Way of Jesus.

This past Wednesday many of us gathered along with guests from elsewhere to share a meal and to experience an introductory session of the actual Way of Jesus platform.

It took what we have been looking at over these past weeks and introduced us to the Way of Jesus Sessions which begin one Saturday a month starting on April 8.

At those Saturday sessions we will look at the Way of Jesus platform at a much deeper level, bringing these concepts into a sense of community to work them out.

We were never called to work the Christian life out on our own, but rather within the body of Christ. The Way of Jesus is an amazing opportunity for spiritual growth. I need it. I hope you will join us.

Here are the markers we have looked at over the past number of weeks:

1. I have begun following Jesus and I am depending on the Spirit of Jesus for my journey”

2. I Am Being Sent by Jesus to Bless Others and Invite Them to Follow Him”.

3. I am Becoming Like Jesus in My Attitudes, Behaviour and Character”

4. I am learning to love God and love others

5. I am learning the teachings of Jesus

Today, the Way of Jesus marker we will look at is: “I am helping someone and someone is helping me to be a reproducing follower of Jesus”.

You might ask, how is this, why is this a part of the Way of Jesus. And you may wonder about the word “reproducing”.

Well, let me explain. Jesus gave the church, which is all believers, the Great Commission:

In Matthew 28, after His crucifixion and His resurrection, Jesus is talking to his disciples and he says: 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.”

We’re called to “go”. We’re called to “make disciples”. What’s a disciple? A student of Jesus, a follower of Jesus.

The New Testament uses the word disciple not only of Jesus’ followers but also those who followed Moses (John 9:28), the Pharisees (Mark 2:18), John the Baptist (Mark 11:2) and of Paul (Acts 9:25).

A Disciple is one who has a desire to learn from His Master.

A Disciple is a learner - One that attaches himself to a given teacher. The original word was used first of those that learned a trade under a master teacher.

If you wanted to become a craftsman in a certain trade in biblical times you would apprentice yourself under the discipline and instruction of a master craftsman of that trade.

There can be a difference between being a student and being a disciple.

A student may learn things from his teacher, but not fully believe those teachings. Whereas a disciple fully believes and acts upon those teachings.

The teacher and writer Soren Kierkegaard once said “To become an ‘admirer of Jesus’ is much easier than to become a follower.”

A Christian leader told the story of what happened while he was driving in a rural area in Russia. He saw on the road ahead of him two shepherds who came together in the middle of the road with their herds of sheep.

They had 300 sheep between them that all became one group. He had to wait as the shepherds talked.

Finally, he wondered how would they ever separate all those sheep? But as the one shepherd was leaving, in a low voice he bade his sheep come. The two groups separated instantly and went their ways.

There’s an ancient saying: “The dust of your rabbi is all over you”.

And Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27)

In the movie Karate Kid, young Daniel asks Mister Miagi (Mee-A-GEE) to teach him karate.

Miagi agrees under one condition: Daniel must submit totally to his instruction and never question his methods. Daniel shows up the next day eager to learn.

To Daniel’s chagrin, Mister Miagi has him paint a fence. Miagi demonstrates the precise motion for the job: up and down, up and down. Daniel takes days to finish the job.

Next, Miagi has him scrub the deck using a prescribed stroke. Again the job takes days. Daniel wonders, What does this have to do with karate? but he says nothing.