Welcome to The Journey Church. I'm Pastor Paris Pasch.

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I am compelled by the Holy Spirit to cover a topic for several weeks that is always a truth needing to be heard ever since the first teachings of Christ were spoken, DISCPLESHIP.  Still today over two thousand years later one of the major topics for the worldwide church today is the fact that Discipleship is Critical to Christianity.  I’ve covered this six ways to Sunday, as they say, over the last 42 years with only modest results.  Some of you have reenergized your decision to follow Christ after this Easter season and so God wants me to give you some “next steps” to a fulfilled Christian life.  If you’ve heard this before then you’re welcome for the reminder.

 

To get started, let’s take another look at Jesus’ final instructions to the early body of believers, called His disciples, even before they were known as the church.  The Christian church calls this the Great Commission, yet doesn’t always apply it as an order, but often rather as an optional suggestion.  We see it more often as the task of the professional believers.  Please keep in mind that the church didn’t even exist when this command was given by Jesus.

 

Matthew 28:19-20 NIV  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. 

 

So, what does it mean to “go and make disciples of all nations”? Are we all supposed to leave home and head for the evangelism trail?  Should we all buy a tent and begin setting up our crusade?  What if I’m afraid of large crowds? The answer is NO tents needed.  You can make disciples right at home.

 

Before you feel guilty or before you try to buy a TV slot let’s ask another simple question.  Can you make someone accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior? The answer is NO.  People have to choose salvation willfully. That’s a decision that each person must make on their own. In fact, I promise I won’t try to force you to live eternally with God, I’ll only offer it.  But know this, Christ is the only one who can save. So again, back to our topic, how do we make disciples? Obviously, in the scripture we read earlier, Jesus knows it is critical to make disciples and says we can make disciples, He then gave us a command to go and do it, but what does it look like, what does it really mean? 

 

A key difference to what Jesus actually said and what we often call discipleship is the unique aspect of mentorship or passing what you know on to a few other human beings.  It’s more, each one reach one as I’ve taught my whole life as a pastor.  It’s less classroom and schoolhouse and more walk together.  I’ve done this numerous times in my life as a pastor, leader and Christian.  People whom I have discipled know my real life and my leadership life.  They have seen inside my world, my family, my marriage and understand that I live the same way I speak.  I’ve long taught that discipleship is not being perfect, but rather being willing to be seen as imperfect yet repentant, and continuoing to follow Jesus.

 

Biblical discipleship must contain the single most important reality of God’s word.  It’s when followers of Jesus obey what Jesus says and then live as Jesus lived. You can’t do that just being friends or acquaintances with God or your neighbor.  Discipleship can be time consuming and demanding like raising up children.  It can be full of hills and valleys, success and even some failures.  Discipleship is not often from the nursery to the university.  You may only play a small role, but if you don’t play your part, then who?

 

Discipleship includes all of Gods varied church players, it’s loving the outcasts like Jesus did, serving the poor and glorifying God like Jesus did. It also includes teaching others about God’s Word like Paul did in a very passionate and concerted effort. Discipleship cost an enormous amount of our time and energy and even our substance, but if you want to call yourself a disciple then let’s get started.

 

Discipleship also has simple, practical steps for application. A simple definition of discipleship is: People who are Christ followers who then teach what they have learned to someone else. After you become a born-again follower of Jesus, it’s time to go and share what you have learned so far. Nobody is asking you to teach beyond what you know. You don’t have to be perfect before you share the good news of Jesus.  In fact just start small.

 

1 Corinthians 13:11–12 (NIV) When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

 

Everyone starts out as a child in life and in faith.  Don’t allow others to minimize your discipleship development, just keep growing.  Don’t fake it till you make it, just be honest and stay out of the ditches when you share.  Stop letting the Devil convince you that you are either unqualified or that you know everything.  What does Satan know anyway about what God has revealed to you.  Stop thinking you have to be spiritually profound and just plagiarize everything you’ve read so far in the scriptures.  Repeat was Jesus already said and live accordingly, that’s the Great Commission in a nutshell. 

 

Years ago, a well-known pastor created a path of discipleship I truly enjoyed.  Here it is described in 4 steps.  See if you can place yourself somewhere along this path

 

Exploring Christ:  "I believe in God, but I am not sure about Christ. My faith is not yet a significant part of my life."

 

Growing in Christ: "I believe in Jesus and am working on what it means to get to know him."

 

Close to Christ: "My relationship with Jesus is the most important relationship in my life. It guides everything I say and do."

 

Christ-Centered: "I feel really close to Christ and depend on him for daily guidance."

 

Disciples can be serious church goers, but it’s more than that.  It’s seeking to know the God in your life whom you say is LORD. 

 

In the past, many times I’ve spoken of the “Discipleship Sandwich”.

 

Being discipled – YOU - Discipleing someone else

 

A disciple is more closely identified as a protégé or student.  But we are also called to be a teacher and trainer in someone’s life.

 

I’m going to assume this morning that I’m in a room of primarily people who would identify as disciples, not a multitude’s gathering.  But I’m trying to shift us onto the topic of making disciples, so let’s consider how we as a disciple make a disciple. 

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      First, we must GO!  Leave the holy huddle and enter into the dark world.  (Coast Guard image) 

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      We must help people on their journey toward a spiritual encounter with God, through the power of the            Holy Spirit by inviting them into our life at some level. 

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      We must introduce people to our master, Jesus Christ, not our denomination or organization. 

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      We must demonstrate that we willfully follow the teacher Jesus and that it has enormous benefit to our            eternity. 

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      We must model what our love looks like, so that they might one day love like we do. 

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      We must train and equip people with Jesus’ commands, that we personally adhere to in order to be                  disciples ourselves. 

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      As disciples, we do what disciples do, they make disciples, or they are not yet fully discipled. 

 

Can you put a name to someone you are discipling according to today’s message?  If you are not discipling someone then why not?  It’s essential to be discipleing someone in order to call yourself a disciple.  Listen to the emphatic intensity of the next two scripture texts.

 

Luke 14:33–35 (NIV) In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. 34 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

 

Luke 14:25–27 (NIV) Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

 

The contrast to Christianity’s Discipleship is Religion’s Indoctrination.  Religion indoctrinates its members into a system and structure of beliefs.  It focuses on form and ritual instead of Christianity’s growing personal connection to God through dialogue and engagement in His present work.

 

I hope you are truly persuaded by the Holy Spirit that Discipleship is Critical to Christianity.  Without it we simply build buildings and house a few folks who believe the same things while doing benevolence.  That sounds like joining a country club. 

 

So, let’s grow into what God has commanded noy simply suggested us to grow into.  Let me read to you my pastoral assignment.

 

Ephesians 4:12–13 (NIV) to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

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Next week Pastor Ben Tims is on deck and ready to preach.

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      Message Questions

1. Can you put the great commission into your own words?

2. Is discipleship simply a class you take at church?

3. What is discipleship?

4. Who is exempt from making disciples?

5. Describe Pastor’s discipleship sandwich.

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https://www.navigators.org/resource/basics-of-discipleship/