WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.240 I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but I will be preaching yet again in Matthew. 00:00:05.400 --> 00:00:08.419 ! We're just trying to squeeze all the juice out of this thing, you know? 00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:14.560 But if we preached on the last passage already, then what am I going to be preaching on? 00:00:15.700 --> 00:00:21.780 Today's sermon will be out of the norm as I'll be preaching on the same exact text as last week, 00:00:21.780 --> 00:00:30.679 but really just focusing in on two words, two key words that we want to lead the church in. 00:00:31.179 --> 00:00:35.539 And those two key words are make disciples. 00:00:38.840 --> 00:00:42.579 To make disciples is what we want to lead the church in. 00:00:42.680 --> 00:00:48.540 So I'll be preaching more of a topical, applicational sermon this morning, 00:00:48.539 --> 00:00:52.640 really building off of Sean's expositional sermon from last week. 00:00:53.460 --> 00:00:56.299 And we don't want to just fly over this quickly, 00:00:56.479 --> 00:00:59.879 but we want this command to shape us as a church, 00:01:00.100 --> 00:01:02.879 to infiltrate the culture of our church, 00:01:03.079 --> 00:01:04.939 so that when people think of Trinity Cambridge, 00:01:05.960 --> 00:01:08.759 they don't just say, oh, the music's really good, 00:01:08.840 --> 00:01:10.920 or the people are really friendly. 00:01:11.579 --> 00:01:13.640 But when they describe us, they would say, 00:01:13.640 --> 00:01:18.379 man, that church is a disciple-making machine. 00:01:18.540 --> 00:01:24.240 But regardless of whether we preach a topical or expositional sermon, 00:01:24.620 --> 00:01:28.040 the best of what I have to say, of what any preacher has to say, 00:01:28.120 --> 00:01:30.340 it really just comes from God's word. 00:01:31.140 --> 00:01:35.320 So today, even today, it is right and appropriate for us to open up our Bibles 00:01:35.320 --> 00:01:36.860 and to hear from him. 00:01:37.380 --> 00:01:40.719 Let's open up our Bibles to Matthew 28, 00:01:42.260 --> 00:01:43.920 verses 16 to 20. 00:01:44.040 --> 00:01:47.080 If you are in need of a Bible, a physical copy, 00:01:47.079 --> 00:01:48.060 feel free to raise your hand, 00:01:48.099 --> 00:01:51.259 and we'll be happy to get you a Bible that you could take home with you, 00:01:51.340 --> 00:01:51.900 use for now. 00:01:53.980 --> 00:01:56.560 Let me pray for the reading and preaching of God's word. 00:02:00.140 --> 00:02:00.859 Heavenly Father, 00:02:01.439 --> 00:02:05.659 this is your church. 00:02:05.659 --> 00:02:09.859 these are your people. 00:02:15.859 --> 00:02:19.060 I pray that you would speak to us 00:02:19.060 --> 00:02:21.319 and address us from your word today 00:02:21.319 --> 00:02:25.560 so that we feel the call 00:02:25.560 --> 00:02:28.199 to be faithful to our ministries, 00:02:28.359 --> 00:02:29.280 to your church, 00:02:29.400 --> 00:02:30.199 to your people. 00:02:30.199 --> 00:02:34.780 that as you've commanded us to make disciples, 00:02:34.939 --> 00:02:37.659 that you would stir up a fire, 00:02:37.839 --> 00:02:38.500 a passion, 00:02:38.599 --> 00:02:39.259 a desire 00:02:39.259 --> 00:02:41.119 to do that, 00:02:41.159 --> 00:02:42.239 to do that very thing, 00:02:42.319 --> 00:02:45.060 to make disciples of Jesus Christ. 00:02:47.539 --> 00:02:48.000 Father, 00:02:48.099 --> 00:02:49.419 I pray that you would 00:02:49.419 --> 00:02:51.019 help us 00:02:51.019 --> 00:02:52.199 to see rightly 00:02:52.199 --> 00:02:53.419 that we are small, 00:02:53.539 --> 00:02:55.379 we are insufficient for this task, 00:02:55.379 --> 00:02:57.199 but that in this time 00:02:57.199 --> 00:02:58.560 that you would expand 00:02:58.560 --> 00:02:59.979 our vision of you 00:02:59.979 --> 00:03:01.659 so that you would not be a small God 00:03:01.659 --> 00:03:02.960 but a big God 00:03:02.960 --> 00:03:04.039 and a God 00:03:04.039 --> 00:03:05.859 who has promised to use us, 00:03:06.219 --> 00:03:06.900 broken vessels, 00:03:07.079 --> 00:03:07.659 weak vessels, 00:03:08.379 --> 00:03:08.879 but nonetheless, 00:03:09.120 --> 00:03:10.359 you have assured us 00:03:10.359 --> 00:03:11.259 that you will be with us 00:03:11.259 --> 00:03:12.379 until the end of the age 00:03:12.379 --> 00:03:13.719 and from that, 00:03:13.800 --> 00:03:14.740 we feel the confidence 00:03:14.740 --> 00:03:16.259 to be able to go forth 00:03:16.259 --> 00:03:17.379 and be faithful 00:03:17.379 --> 00:03:18.039 to the call 00:03:18.039 --> 00:03:18.579 that you have, 00:03:19.659 --> 00:03:19.960 you have, 00:03:20.139 --> 00:03:21.079 you've called on us, 00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:21.819 you've placed on us, 00:03:21.939 --> 00:03:22.039 Lord. 00:03:22.039 --> 00:03:27.439 We pray that you would 00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:28.560 help us to be faithful 00:03:28.560 --> 00:03:29.680 disciples to the, 00:03:29.759 --> 00:03:30.959 to the little sprouts 00:03:30.959 --> 00:03:32.259 that you have put in our midst. 00:03:33.519 --> 00:03:34.500 In Jesus' name, 00:03:34.699 --> 00:03:35.139 we pray. 00:03:35.439 --> 00:03:35.659 Amen. 00:03:36.959 --> 00:03:37.939 To honor God's word, 00:03:38.060 --> 00:03:38.780 let us rise, 00:03:39.019 --> 00:03:39.639 if you are able. 00:03:42.180 --> 00:03:44.519 Starting off in Matthew 28, 00:03:45.180 --> 00:03:46.180 verse 16. 00:03:47.139 --> 00:03:47.539 Now the, 00:03:47.620 --> 00:03:48.979 the eleven disciples 00:03:48.979 --> 00:03:50.459 went to Galilee, 00:03:50.919 --> 00:03:51.500 to the mountain 00:03:51.500 --> 00:03:52.259 to which Jesus 00:03:52.259 --> 00:03:53.180 had directed them. 00:03:54.180 --> 00:03:56.000 And when they saw him, 00:03:56.080 --> 00:03:57.099 they worshiped him, 00:03:57.659 --> 00:03:59.219 but some doubted. 00:04:00.680 --> 00:04:01.759 And Jesus came 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:02.819 and said to them, 00:04:02.979 --> 00:04:04.060 all authority 00:04:04.060 --> 00:04:05.240 in heaven and on earth 00:04:05.240 --> 00:04:06.280 has been given to me. 00:04:06.939 --> 00:04:08.139 Go, therefore, 00:04:08.439 --> 00:04:09.620 and make disciples 00:04:09.620 --> 00:04:11.159 of all nations, 00:04:11.860 --> 00:04:12.900 baptizing them 00:04:12.900 --> 00:04:14.039 in the name of the Father 00:04:14.039 --> 00:04:15.120 and of the Son 00:04:15.120 --> 00:04:16.279 and of the Holy Spirit, 00:04:17.319 --> 00:04:18.480 teaching them 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:20.360 to observe all 00:04:20.360 --> 00:04:22.660 that I have commanded you. 00:04:23.700 --> 00:04:24.319 And behold, 00:04:24.640 --> 00:04:26.200 I am with you always 00:04:26.200 --> 00:04:27.720 to the end of the age. 00:04:27.939 --> 00:04:29.100 This is God's holy 00:04:29.100 --> 00:04:30.100 and authoritative word. 00:04:30.439 --> 00:04:31.020 Please be seated. 00:04:35.640 --> 00:04:36.480 I don't think 00:04:36.480 --> 00:04:37.500 what I'm about to say 00:04:37.500 --> 00:04:38.700 is overstated 00:04:38.700 --> 00:04:40.080 or sensational. 00:04:40.079 --> 00:04:44.240 We have a discipleship 00:04:44.240 --> 00:04:44.859 crisis 00:04:44.859 --> 00:04:47.240 in American Christianity. 00:04:48.240 --> 00:04:49.919 We have a discipleship 00:04:49.919 --> 00:04:50.519 crisis 00:04:50.519 --> 00:04:53.159 in American Christianity. 00:04:54.759 --> 00:04:56.819 For the past couple of years, 00:04:56.819 --> 00:04:57.779 Ligonier Ministries 00:04:57.779 --> 00:04:59.619 and LifeWay Research 00:04:59.619 --> 00:05:00.599 has teamed up 00:05:00.599 --> 00:05:01.459 to conduct 00:05:01.459 --> 00:05:02.699 a survey 00:05:02.699 --> 00:05:03.899 to figure out 00:05:03.899 --> 00:05:05.539 what do Americans 00:05:05.539 --> 00:05:06.619 really believe 00:05:06.619 --> 00:05:07.319 about God. 00:05:08.419 --> 00:05:08.939 Specifically, 00:05:09.299 --> 00:05:10.259 they targeted 00:05:10.259 --> 00:05:10.979 and focused 00:05:10.979 --> 00:05:12.159 on a group 00:05:12.159 --> 00:05:13.739 who have self-identified 00:05:13.739 --> 00:05:14.439 as 00:05:14.439 --> 00:05:16.139 evangelicals. 00:05:17.139 --> 00:05:17.419 And so, 00:05:18.139 --> 00:05:19.159 this is our camp. 00:05:20.019 --> 00:05:21.199 These are our people. 00:05:22.639 --> 00:05:23.000 But yet, 00:05:23.159 --> 00:05:24.519 hear what the state 00:05:24.519 --> 00:05:26.079 of their beliefs are 00:05:26.079 --> 00:05:27.000 from a survey 00:05:27.000 --> 00:05:27.879 from last year. 00:05:29.459 --> 00:05:30.560 To this statement, 00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:31.939 God accepts 00:05:31.939 --> 00:05:32.979 the worship 00:05:32.979 --> 00:05:34.240 of all religions, 00:05:35.159 --> 00:05:36.399 including Christianity, 00:05:37.560 --> 00:05:37.919 Islam, 00:05:38.279 --> 00:05:38.719 Judaism. 00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:42.319 47% 00:05:42.319 --> 00:05:43.560 of evangelicals 00:05:43.560 --> 00:05:43.959 agree 00:05:43.959 --> 00:05:44.680 to that statement. 00:05:45.919 --> 00:05:46.459 Half 00:05:46.459 --> 00:05:47.079 of evangelicals 00:05:47.899 --> 00:05:48.419 believe 00:05:48.419 --> 00:05:49.120 that you could be 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:49.740 a Muslim, 00:05:50.500 --> 00:05:51.360 you could be a Jew, 00:05:52.060 --> 00:05:52.959 and believe 00:05:52.959 --> 00:05:53.399 that Jesus 00:05:53.399 --> 00:05:54.279 was not God, 00:05:54.939 --> 00:05:55.659 believe that Jesus 00:05:55.660 --> 00:05:56.740 did not die 00:05:56.740 --> 00:05:57.600 for our sins, 00:05:58.060 --> 00:05:59.600 to the acceptance, 00:06:00.540 --> 00:06:01.320 to the glory 00:06:01.320 --> 00:06:01.860 of God. 00:06:04.740 --> 00:06:05.680 Everyone sins 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:06.020 a little, 00:06:06.680 --> 00:06:07.920 but most people 00:06:07.920 --> 00:06:08.860 are good by nature. 00:06:09.060 --> 00:06:09.840 It's another statement. 00:06:10.600 --> 00:06:11.960 More than half 00:06:11.960 --> 00:06:13.520 of the Christians 00:06:13.520 --> 00:06:14.040 surveyed, 00:06:14.100 --> 00:06:15.460 53%, 00:06:15.460 --> 00:06:17.040 don't think 00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:18.300 that you need 00:06:18.300 --> 00:06:19.080 the atoning 00:06:19.080 --> 00:06:20.379 sacrifice of Jesus 00:06:20.379 --> 00:06:22.020 because you yourself 00:06:22.020 --> 00:06:22.640 are good enough. 00:06:23.400 --> 00:06:24.600 53% would agree 00:06:24.600 --> 00:06:25.220 to that statement. 00:06:27.240 --> 00:06:28.620 Or every Christian 00:06:28.620 --> 00:06:29.780 has an obligation 00:06:29.780 --> 00:06:31.220 to join a local church. 00:06:32.360 --> 00:06:33.600 One third, 00:06:33.760 --> 00:06:34.379 one third 00:06:34.379 --> 00:06:35.340 of confessing 00:06:35.340 --> 00:06:36.160 evangelicals 00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:37.020 would disagree 00:06:37.020 --> 00:06:37.640 with that. 00:06:38.480 --> 00:06:39.060 One in three 00:06:39.060 --> 00:06:39.700 think that church 00:06:39.700 --> 00:06:40.480 is just completely 00:06:40.480 --> 00:06:41.000 unnecessary. 00:06:43.080 --> 00:06:44.160 And it's not just 00:06:44.160 --> 00:06:45.700 basic theology 00:06:45.700 --> 00:06:47.020 that we are lacking in. 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:48.600 We also lack 00:06:48.600 --> 00:06:49.820 faithful obedience. 00:06:51.820 --> 00:06:52.720 Scripture teaches us 00:06:52.720 --> 00:06:53.400 that it is more 00:06:53.400 --> 00:06:54.500 blessed to give 00:06:54.500 --> 00:06:55.580 than to receive 00:06:55.580 --> 00:06:56.580 and to live a life 00:06:56.580 --> 00:06:57.980 of radical generosity. 00:06:59.280 --> 00:06:59.640 And yet, 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:00.700 it's surveyed 00:07:00.700 --> 00:07:02.220 that less than 00:07:02.220 --> 00:07:03.260 or more than half 00:07:03.260 --> 00:07:04.600 of evangelicals 00:07:04.600 --> 00:07:05.680 give less than 00:07:05.680 --> 00:07:06.760 1% of their 00:07:06.760 --> 00:07:07.900 annual income away. 00:07:09.500 --> 00:07:10.480 And it's no secret 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:11.320 that the church 00:07:11.320 --> 00:07:13.060 has a pervasive 00:07:13.060 --> 00:07:14.420 problem with 00:07:14.420 --> 00:07:15.140 poor news. 00:07:16.540 --> 00:07:17.240 In other surveys, 00:07:17.240 --> 00:07:20.379 64% of born-again 00:07:20.379 --> 00:07:21.840 Christian men 00:07:21.840 --> 00:07:22.879 and even 00:07:22.879 --> 00:07:24.240 44% 00:07:24.240 --> 00:07:25.079 of women 00:07:25.079 --> 00:07:26.180 admit to 00:07:26.180 --> 00:07:26.939 struggling with 00:07:26.939 --> 00:07:27.439 pornography 00:07:27.439 --> 00:07:29.100 regularly. 00:07:30.740 --> 00:07:31.540 Or take 00:07:31.540 --> 00:07:32.519 divorce and 00:07:32.519 --> 00:07:33.120 remarriage. 00:07:34.340 --> 00:07:35.100 A Barna study 00:07:35.100 --> 00:07:35.639 found that 00:07:35.639 --> 00:07:36.079 born-again 00:07:36.079 --> 00:07:36.579 Christians 00:07:36.579 --> 00:07:37.800 divorce at 00:07:37.800 --> 00:07:38.500 the exact 00:07:38.500 --> 00:07:40.300 same rate 00:07:40.300 --> 00:07:40.900 as the 00:07:40.900 --> 00:07:41.340 national 00:07:41.340 --> 00:07:42.040 average. 00:07:43.180 --> 00:07:43.980 It's virtually 00:07:43.980 --> 00:07:45.180 indistinguishable. 00:07:45.180 --> 00:07:48.840 And those 00:07:48.840 --> 00:07:49.600 statistics can 00:07:49.600 --> 00:07:50.139 paint 00:07:50.139 --> 00:07:51.139 Christians 00:07:51.139 --> 00:07:51.840 in a bad 00:07:51.840 --> 00:07:52.199 light, 00:07:52.459 --> 00:07:53.699 but it doesn't 00:07:53.699 --> 00:07:54.199 tell you the 00:07:54.199 --> 00:07:54.819 whole picture. 00:07:56.079 --> 00:07:56.939 Because what 00:07:56.939 --> 00:07:57.460 the data 00:07:57.460 --> 00:07:58.259 does not 00:07:58.259 --> 00:07:58.780 tell you 00:07:58.780 --> 00:07:59.180 is that 00:07:59.180 --> 00:07:59.900 those 00:07:59.900 --> 00:08:00.600 in the 00:08:00.600 --> 00:08:00.920 church 00:08:00.920 --> 00:08:01.680 who are 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:02.259 spiritually 00:08:02.259 --> 00:08:02.780 engaged, 00:08:04.019 --> 00:08:04.300 who are 00:08:04.300 --> 00:08:04.800 active in 00:08:04.800 --> 00:08:05.139 the church, 00:08:05.280 --> 00:08:05.819 consistent 00:08:05.819 --> 00:08:06.360 in Bible 00:08:06.360 --> 00:08:06.699 reading, 00:08:07.100 --> 00:08:08.019 they have 00:08:08.019 --> 00:08:08.699 radically 00:08:08.699 --> 00:08:09.439 different 00:08:09.439 --> 00:08:09.939 numbers. 00:08:11.160 --> 00:08:11.699 As an 00:08:11.699 --> 00:08:11.980 example, 00:08:12.100 --> 00:08:12.759 the generosity 00:08:12.759 --> 00:08:13.879 levels among 00:08:13.879 --> 00:08:14.639 evangelicals 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:15.139 who read 00:08:15.139 --> 00:08:15.699 their Bibles 00:08:15.699 --> 00:08:17.680 daily are 00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:20.300 582% higher 00:08:20.300 --> 00:08:20.800 than those 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:21.339 who never 00:08:21.339 --> 00:08:21.779 read their 00:08:21.779 --> 00:08:22.300 Bible ever. 00:08:24.219 --> 00:08:25.259 One national 00:08:25.259 --> 00:08:25.800 study found 00:08:25.800 --> 00:08:26.259 that young 00:08:26.259 --> 00:08:27.060 people who 00:08:27.060 --> 00:08:27.839 rarely or 00:08:27.839 --> 00:08:28.819 never attend 00:08:28.819 --> 00:08:29.699 religious services 00:08:29.699 --> 00:08:30.899 saw their 00:08:30.899 --> 00:08:31.860 pornography use 00:08:31.860 --> 00:08:33.080 increase nearly 00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:34.399 twice as fast 00:08:34.399 --> 00:08:34.860 as those who 00:08:34.860 --> 00:08:35.679 attended frequently. 00:08:37.399 --> 00:08:38.360 Or sociologist 00:08:38.360 --> 00:08:39.319 Bradley White 00:08:39.319 --> 00:08:39.700 writes, 00:08:39.980 --> 00:08:41.000 analysis shows 00:08:41.000 --> 00:08:41.700 that the number 00:08:41.700 --> 00:08:42.679 of divorces 00:08:42.679 --> 00:08:43.580 is nearly 00:08:43.580 --> 00:08:44.360 double for 00:08:44.360 --> 00:08:44.700 those who 00:08:44.700 --> 00:08:45.639 are disengaged 00:08:45.639 --> 00:08:45.980 in the 00:08:45.980 --> 00:08:46.980 church versus 00:08:46.980 --> 00:08:47.440 those who 00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:48.240 are actively 00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:49.000 engaged. 00:08:49.379 --> 00:08:50.360 So what 00:08:50.360 --> 00:08:50.659 do those 00:08:50.659 --> 00:08:51.419 numbers tell 00:08:51.419 --> 00:08:51.860 us? 00:08:53.080 --> 00:08:53.539 It's the 00:08:53.539 --> 00:08:55.039 same population, 00:08:55.220 --> 00:08:55.539 those who 00:08:55.539 --> 00:08:56.840 are self-identifying 00:08:56.840 --> 00:08:57.460 as Christians, 00:08:57.600 --> 00:08:58.779 as evangelicals, 00:08:58.779 --> 00:09:00.039 and yet their 00:09:00.039 --> 00:09:01.200 differences could 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:02.320 not be more 00:09:02.320 --> 00:09:02.860 pronounced. 00:09:04.440 --> 00:09:05.480 One group is 00:09:05.480 --> 00:09:06.300 not actively 00:09:06.300 --> 00:09:07.399 being discipled 00:09:07.399 --> 00:09:08.580 while the 00:09:08.580 --> 00:09:09.080 other is 00:09:09.080 --> 00:09:10.519 being actively 00:09:10.519 --> 00:09:11.399 discipled by 00:09:11.399 --> 00:09:12.019 the church, 00:09:12.220 --> 00:09:12.840 by scripture, 00:09:12.840 --> 00:09:13.240 by the 00:09:13.240 --> 00:09:14.139 ordinary means 00:09:14.139 --> 00:09:14.620 of grace 00:09:14.620 --> 00:09:15.160 that God 00:09:15.160 --> 00:09:16.360 has established. 00:09:17.300 --> 00:09:18.019 And their 00:09:18.019 --> 00:09:19.060 differences cannot 00:09:19.060 --> 00:09:19.980 be more pronounced. 00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:21.399 The investment 00:09:21.399 --> 00:09:23.139 shows these 00:09:23.139 --> 00:09:23.780 two groups 00:09:23.780 --> 00:09:24.960 produce wildly 00:09:24.960 --> 00:09:26.259 different fruit. 00:09:27.960 --> 00:09:29.080 So I think 00:09:29.080 --> 00:09:29.680 that tells us 00:09:29.680 --> 00:09:30.920 that we have 00:09:30.920 --> 00:09:31.660 an incredible 00:09:31.660 --> 00:09:32.800 dearth of 00:09:32.800 --> 00:09:34.580 deep discipleship 00:09:34.580 --> 00:09:35.600 in the American 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:35.960 church. 00:09:35.960 --> 00:09:36.000 church. 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:38.980 The solution 00:09:38.980 --> 00:09:39.900 then to 00:09:39.900 --> 00:09:41.460 reverse this 00:09:41.460 --> 00:09:42.460 crisis is 00:09:42.460 --> 00:09:43.139 rather simple. 00:09:44.680 --> 00:09:45.720 We are to 00:09:45.720 --> 00:09:47.340 make disciples 00:09:47.340 --> 00:09:49.540 and we are 00:09:49.540 --> 00:09:50.259 to do it in 00:09:50.259 --> 00:09:50.580 Jesus' 00:09:50.840 --> 00:09:51.139 way. 00:09:52.200 --> 00:09:52.900 By the 00:09:52.900 --> 00:09:53.700 grace, 00:09:54.340 --> 00:09:54.800 by the 00:09:54.800 --> 00:09:55.759 power of 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:56.620 Jesus Christ, 00:09:56.920 --> 00:09:57.680 our chief, 00:09:57.820 --> 00:09:58.500 our great 00:09:58.500 --> 00:09:59.200 discipler, 00:09:59.660 --> 00:10:00.460 we are to 00:10:00.460 --> 00:10:01.500 make mature 00:10:01.500 --> 00:10:02.360 disciples of 00:10:02.360 --> 00:10:03.200 Jesus Christ 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:04.340 by teaching 00:10:04.340 --> 00:10:04.860 them to 00:10:04.860 --> 00:10:05.240 follow 00:10:05.240 --> 00:10:06.280 everything 00:10:06.280 --> 00:10:06.800 that he 00:10:06.800 --> 00:10:07.360 has commanded 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:07.580 us. 00:10:07.620 --> 00:10:08.140 That's the 00:10:08.140 --> 00:10:09.200 main goal 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:09.840 of my 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:10.100 sermon, 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:11.340 to help us 00:10:11.340 --> 00:10:12.020 do that, 00:10:12.120 --> 00:10:12.780 to be faithful 00:10:12.780 --> 00:10:13.180 to that 00:10:13.180 --> 00:10:13.460 call. 00:10:14.800 --> 00:10:15.360 So to help 00:10:15.360 --> 00:10:16.080 us understand 00:10:16.080 --> 00:10:16.920 how to 00:10:16.920 --> 00:10:17.400 make 00:10:17.400 --> 00:10:18.040 disciples, 00:10:18.600 --> 00:10:18.940 we are going 00:10:18.940 --> 00:10:19.420 to survey 00:10:19.420 --> 00:10:20.160 scripture to 00:10:20.160 --> 00:10:20.720 answer these 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:21.860 three simple 00:10:21.860 --> 00:10:22.700 questions about 00:10:22.700 --> 00:10:23.560 disciple making. 00:10:24.400 --> 00:10:24.980 What does it 00:10:24.980 --> 00:10:25.780 mean to 00:10:25.780 --> 00:10:26.320 make disciples? 00:10:26.920 --> 00:10:27.280 What do we 00:10:27.280 --> 00:10:27.720 mean when we 00:10:27.720 --> 00:10:28.280 say that? 00:10:29.100 --> 00:10:29.700 Why? 00:10:29.860 --> 00:10:30.640 Why do we 00:10:30.640 --> 00:10:31.200 have to make 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:31.560 disciples? 00:10:31.559 --> 00:10:32.779 disciples and 00:10:32.779 --> 00:10:33.639 how? 00:10:34.059 --> 00:10:34.619 How can we 00:10:34.619 --> 00:10:35.179 practically, 00:10:35.399 --> 00:10:36.119 even this 00:10:36.119 --> 00:10:36.759 very week, 00:10:37.159 --> 00:10:37.979 make disciples? 00:10:40.379 --> 00:10:41.159 The Great 00:10:41.159 --> 00:10:42.019 Commission is 00:10:42.019 --> 00:10:43.319 the foundational 00:10:43.319 --> 00:10:44.539 text that 00:10:44.539 --> 00:10:45.039 has fueled 00:10:45.039 --> 00:10:46.119 mission efforts 00:10:46.119 --> 00:10:47.259 all across 00:10:47.259 --> 00:10:47.699 the world. 00:10:48.239 --> 00:10:49.419 And rightfully 00:10:49.419 --> 00:10:49.879 so. 00:10:50.859 --> 00:10:51.559 To make 00:10:51.559 --> 00:10:52.979 disciples means 00:10:52.979 --> 00:10:54.019 that we must 00:10:54.019 --> 00:10:54.459 share the 00:10:54.459 --> 00:10:55.739 gospel and 00:10:55.739 --> 00:10:56.639 by the power 00:10:56.639 --> 00:10:57.219 of the Spirit 00:10:57.219 --> 00:10:58.339 lead them to 00:10:58.339 --> 00:10:58.959 make public 00:10:58.959 --> 00:10:59.599 profession of 00:10:59.599 --> 00:11:00.159 their faith by 00:11:00.159 --> 00:11:00.859 getting baptized. 00:11:01.559 --> 00:11:02.899 Acts 14, 00:11:03.019 --> 00:11:03.979 21 also uses 00:11:03.979 --> 00:11:04.579 the same 00:11:04.579 --> 00:11:05.099 verb to 00:11:05.099 --> 00:11:05.919 make disciples 00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:07.139 to describe 00:11:07.139 --> 00:11:08.000 Paul and 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:08.679 Barnabas as 00:11:08.679 --> 00:11:09.399 they travel to 00:11:09.399 --> 00:11:10.139 the city called 00:11:10.139 --> 00:11:10.559 Derbe. 00:11:11.179 --> 00:11:11.559 And they 00:11:11.559 --> 00:11:12.079 preach the 00:11:12.079 --> 00:11:12.599 gospel there 00:11:12.599 --> 00:11:13.139 for the very 00:11:13.139 --> 00:11:14.139 first time. 00:11:15.599 --> 00:11:16.559 So integral 00:11:16.559 --> 00:11:17.899 to disciple 00:11:17.899 --> 00:11:19.000 making is 00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:20.539 evangelism, 00:11:20.939 --> 00:11:21.019 right? 00:11:21.159 --> 00:11:21.679 Outward 00:11:21.679 --> 00:11:22.399 discipleship. 00:11:23.479 --> 00:11:24.679 And time 00:11:24.679 --> 00:11:25.500 and time 00:11:25.500 --> 00:11:26.539 again you 00:11:26.539 --> 00:11:27.000 have heard 00:11:27.000 --> 00:11:27.659 from this 00:11:27.659 --> 00:11:28.639 very pulpit 00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:29.619 the application, 00:11:29.620 --> 00:11:30.679 the call 00:11:30.679 --> 00:11:31.779 to be bold, 00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:32.879 to overcome 00:11:32.879 --> 00:11:33.440 our fear 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:34.000 of man 00:11:34.000 --> 00:11:34.419 and to 00:11:34.419 --> 00:11:35.080 share the 00:11:35.080 --> 00:11:35.879 good news 00:11:35.879 --> 00:11:36.480 to our 00:11:36.480 --> 00:11:36.960 unbelieving 00:11:36.960 --> 00:11:37.440 friends, 00:11:37.600 --> 00:11:37.860 neighbors, 00:11:38.039 --> 00:11:38.639 our families. 00:11:39.860 --> 00:11:40.620 We talk 00:11:40.620 --> 00:11:41.360 about evangelism, 00:11:41.659 --> 00:11:42.320 we pray 00:11:42.320 --> 00:11:43.120 for evangelism, 00:11:43.240 --> 00:11:43.840 we teach 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:44.560 about evangelism, 00:11:44.679 --> 00:11:45.340 we allocate 00:11:45.340 --> 00:11:46.320 church budget 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:47.480 towards evangelism. 00:11:48.919 --> 00:11:49.860 Evangelism is 00:11:49.860 --> 00:11:51.320 an indispensable 00:11:51.320 --> 00:11:52.560 part to 00:11:52.560 --> 00:11:53.700 fulfill the 00:11:53.700 --> 00:11:54.360 Great Commission. 00:11:54.360 --> 00:11:58.500 but evangelism 00:11:58.500 --> 00:12:00.500 alone cannot 00:12:00.500 --> 00:12:01.600 capture the 00:12:01.600 --> 00:12:03.360 totality of 00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:04.060 what it means 00:12:04.060 --> 00:12:04.800 to make 00:12:04.800 --> 00:12:05.519 disciples. 00:12:06.360 --> 00:12:07.100 For the work 00:12:07.100 --> 00:12:08.060 of discipling 00:12:08.060 --> 00:12:09.159 does not stop 00:12:09.159 --> 00:12:09.720 when someone 00:12:09.720 --> 00:12:10.200 gets a little 00:12:10.200 --> 00:12:10.980 wet when they 00:12:10.980 --> 00:12:11.460 get baptized. 00:12:13.700 --> 00:12:14.700 If you remember 00:12:14.700 --> 00:12:15.639 last week, 00:12:15.960 --> 00:12:16.899 Sean helpfully 00:12:16.899 --> 00:12:17.700 observed how 00:12:17.700 --> 00:12:18.340 the main 00:12:18.340 --> 00:12:18.920 verb in the 00:12:18.920 --> 00:12:19.460 Great Commission 00:12:19.460 --> 00:12:21.420 is to make 00:12:21.420 --> 00:12:22.240 disciples, 00:12:22.500 --> 00:12:22.720 right? 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:24.259 That's the 00:12:24.259 --> 00:12:25.200 main command, 00:12:25.360 --> 00:12:25.639 the main 00:12:25.639 --> 00:12:26.120 imperative, 00:12:26.840 --> 00:12:27.840 but it also 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:29.139 has all these 00:12:29.139 --> 00:12:30.060 other words 00:12:30.060 --> 00:12:30.860 around it 00:12:30.860 --> 00:12:32.820 to explain 00:12:32.820 --> 00:12:34.060 what it means 00:12:34.060 --> 00:12:34.779 to make 00:12:34.779 --> 00:12:35.420 disciples. 00:12:36.399 --> 00:12:36.960 You have all 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:37.660 these verbal 00:12:37.660 --> 00:12:38.259 adjectives, 00:12:38.379 --> 00:12:38.500 right? 00:12:38.620 --> 00:12:38.960 Going, 00:12:40.060 --> 00:12:40.759 baptizing, 00:12:40.980 --> 00:12:42.139 and the third 00:12:42.139 --> 00:12:42.700 and final one 00:12:42.700 --> 00:12:43.940 is teaching, 00:12:44.460 --> 00:12:45.180 to teach. 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:47.580 At its very 00:12:47.580 --> 00:12:48.100 core, 00:12:48.279 --> 00:12:49.279 what discipling 00:12:49.279 --> 00:12:50.300 means is to 00:12:50.300 --> 00:12:51.040 teach, 00:12:51.560 --> 00:12:52.420 to teach 00:12:52.419 --> 00:12:53.500 our disciples 00:12:53.500 --> 00:12:54.139 to obey 00:12:54.139 --> 00:12:54.559 what? 00:12:54.839 --> 00:12:55.839 All that 00:12:55.839 --> 00:12:56.459 Jesus has 00:12:56.459 --> 00:12:57.439 commanded us. 00:12:58.399 --> 00:12:59.120 We are to 00:12:59.120 --> 00:12:59.740 obey, 00:12:59.860 --> 00:13:00.120 we are to 00:13:00.120 --> 00:13:00.539 teach them 00:13:00.539 --> 00:13:00.939 to obey 00:13:00.939 --> 00:13:02.099 every single 00:13:02.099 --> 00:13:02.860 one of 00:13:02.860 --> 00:13:03.120 Jesus' 00:13:03.379 --> 00:13:03.860 commands. 00:13:05.459 --> 00:13:07.199 But how 00:13:07.199 --> 00:13:07.719 can they 00:13:07.719 --> 00:13:08.779 obey his 00:13:08.779 --> 00:13:09.379 commands if 00:13:09.379 --> 00:13:09.659 they don't 00:13:09.659 --> 00:13:10.319 even know 00:13:10.319 --> 00:13:10.579 them? 00:13:11.099 --> 00:13:11.519 And how 00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:11.839 are they 00:13:11.839 --> 00:13:12.959 to know 00:13:12.959 --> 00:13:13.740 them if 00:13:13.740 --> 00:13:15.059 we don't 00:13:15.059 --> 00:13:15.500 teach them 00:13:15.500 --> 00:13:16.120 from his 00:13:16.120 --> 00:13:16.659 word? 00:13:17.779 --> 00:13:18.240 So we 00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:18.719 ought to 00:13:18.719 --> 00:13:19.620 teach people 00:13:19.620 --> 00:13:20.620 what 00:13:20.620 --> 00:13:21.960 and how 00:13:21.960 --> 00:13:22.620 to obey 00:13:22.620 --> 00:13:23.080 Jesus 00:13:23.080 --> 00:13:23.860 in accordance 00:13:23.860 --> 00:13:24.700 to God's 00:13:24.700 --> 00:13:25.379 word. 00:13:26.700 --> 00:13:27.299 But the 00:13:27.299 --> 00:13:28.460 word provides 00:13:28.460 --> 00:13:29.120 more than just 00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:29.860 the what's 00:13:29.860 --> 00:13:31.419 and the how's 00:13:31.419 --> 00:13:31.980 to obey 00:13:31.980 --> 00:13:32.600 Jesus in 00:13:32.600 --> 00:13:33.159 everything. 00:13:33.960 --> 00:13:35.179 But arguably 00:13:35.179 --> 00:13:36.200 more importantly, 00:13:36.340 --> 00:13:37.179 it teaches us 00:13:37.179 --> 00:13:38.779 the why's. 00:13:40.279 --> 00:13:41.000 Our disciples 00:13:41.000 --> 00:13:41.960 need to have 00:13:41.960 --> 00:13:43.139 a robust 00:13:43.139 --> 00:13:43.919 theology 00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:45.019 and an 00:13:45.019 --> 00:13:45.820 understanding 00:13:45.820 --> 00:13:46.960 of who 00:13:46.960 --> 00:13:47.580 God is, 00:13:47.879 --> 00:13:48.420 who we 00:13:48.420 --> 00:13:48.660 are, 00:13:48.800 --> 00:13:49.280 what sin 00:13:49.280 --> 00:13:49.460 is, 00:13:49.540 --> 00:13:50.160 what righteousness 00:13:50.160 --> 00:13:50.940 looks like. 00:13:51.640 --> 00:13:52.200 They need 00:13:52.200 --> 00:13:52.660 to be able 00:13:52.660 --> 00:13:53.340 to see 00:13:53.340 --> 00:13:54.280 and understand 00:13:54.280 --> 00:13:55.060 the world 00:13:55.060 --> 00:13:56.180 in the same 00:13:56.180 --> 00:13:56.920 way that God 00:13:56.920 --> 00:13:57.580 sees and 00:13:57.580 --> 00:13:58.360 understands 00:13:58.360 --> 00:13:59.180 the world. 00:14:00.520 --> 00:14:01.000 In other 00:14:01.000 --> 00:14:01.180 words, 00:14:01.260 --> 00:14:01.520 they need 00:14:01.520 --> 00:14:01.780 to be 00:14:01.780 --> 00:14:02.560 discipled 00:14:02.560 --> 00:14:03.020 to have 00:14:03.020 --> 00:14:03.620 a biblical 00:14:03.620 --> 00:14:04.680 worldview 00:14:04.680 --> 00:14:05.540 and a value 00:14:05.540 --> 00:14:05.960 system, 00:14:06.020 --> 00:14:06.360 not just 00:14:06.360 --> 00:14:07.100 one that's 00:14:07.100 --> 00:14:08.060 imported in 00:14:08.060 --> 00:14:08.600 from the rest 00:14:08.600 --> 00:14:08.900 of this 00:14:08.900 --> 00:14:09.260 world. 00:14:11.500 --> 00:14:11.960 And that's 00:14:11.960 --> 00:14:13.180 precisely why 00:14:13.180 --> 00:14:13.760 Paul says 00:14:13.760 --> 00:14:14.180 in Romans 00:14:14.180 --> 00:14:14.920 12 too, 00:14:14.919 --> 00:14:15.599 Paul teaches 00:14:15.599 --> 00:14:15.879 us, 00:14:16.319 --> 00:14:17.360 not to be 00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:18.019 conformed to 00:14:18.019 --> 00:14:18.519 this world 00:14:18.519 --> 00:14:19.259 but be 00:14:19.259 --> 00:14:19.779 transformed 00:14:19.779 --> 00:14:20.439 by the 00:14:20.439 --> 00:14:21.079 renewal of 00:14:21.079 --> 00:14:21.500 your mind 00:14:21.500 --> 00:14:22.219 that by 00:14:22.219 --> 00:14:22.879 testing you 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:23.360 may discern 00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:23.719 what is 00:14:23.719 --> 00:14:24.219 the will 00:14:24.219 --> 00:14:24.659 of God, 00:14:24.759 --> 00:14:25.079 what is 00:14:25.079 --> 00:14:25.639 good and 00:14:25.639 --> 00:14:26.219 acceptable 00:14:26.219 --> 00:14:27.319 and perfect. 00:14:28.120 --> 00:14:28.740 The Bible, 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:29.819 you guys know, 00:14:29.899 --> 00:14:30.459 isn't a 00:14:30.459 --> 00:14:31.079 rule book, 00:14:31.639 --> 00:14:32.159 a handbook 00:14:32.159 --> 00:14:32.799 that tells us 00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:33.699 exactly what 00:14:33.699 --> 00:14:34.139 to do in 00:14:34.139 --> 00:14:35.179 every single 00:14:35.179 --> 00:14:35.779 situation. 00:14:36.839 --> 00:14:37.519 But if we 00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:38.740 are steeped 00:14:38.740 --> 00:14:39.579 in the word 00:14:39.579 --> 00:14:39.860 of God, 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:40.219 if our 00:14:40.219 --> 00:14:40.779 disciples 00:14:40.779 --> 00:14:41.939 have the 00:14:41.939 --> 00:14:42.259 word of 00:14:42.259 --> 00:14:43.139 God part 00:14:43.139 --> 00:14:43.539 of them, 00:14:43.980 --> 00:14:44.319 if it's 00:14:44.319 --> 00:14:44.639 part of 00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:45.159 their natural 00:14:45.159 --> 00:14:45.759 reasoning 00:14:45.759 --> 00:14:46.620 and thinking, 00:14:47.220 --> 00:14:48.039 then they're 00:14:48.039 --> 00:14:48.399 going to be 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:48.799 able to 00:14:48.799 --> 00:14:49.539 discern the 00:14:49.539 --> 00:14:50.080 will of 00:14:50.080 --> 00:14:50.960 God and 00:14:50.960 --> 00:14:51.340 obey him 00:14:51.340 --> 00:14:51.779 in all 00:14:51.779 --> 00:14:52.340 scenarios. 00:14:53.899 --> 00:14:54.179 And so 00:14:54.179 --> 00:14:54.720 the word 00:14:54.720 --> 00:14:55.139 of God 00:14:55.139 --> 00:14:56.299 not only 00:14:56.299 --> 00:14:57.220 informs, 00:14:57.559 --> 00:14:57.899 but it 00:14:57.899 --> 00:14:58.580 actually 00:14:58.580 --> 00:15:00.039 forms us 00:15:00.039 --> 00:15:01.460 into mature 00:15:01.460 --> 00:15:02.299 disciples of 00:15:02.299 --> 00:15:02.980 Jesus Christ. 00:15:05.179 --> 00:15:05.919 But it's 00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:06.319 not just 00:15:06.319 --> 00:15:06.980 teaching them 00:15:06.980 --> 00:15:07.860 to know 00:15:07.860 --> 00:15:08.399 rightly, 00:15:09.100 --> 00:15:09.700 but they 00:15:09.700 --> 00:15:10.120 have to 00:15:10.120 --> 00:15:11.240 love 00:15:11.240 --> 00:15:11.879 rightly. 00:15:11.879 --> 00:15:13.700 Jesus 00:15:13.700 --> 00:15:14.299 claimed that 00:15:14.299 --> 00:15:15.039 all of 00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:15.439 the law 00:15:15.439 --> 00:15:15.860 can be 00:15:15.860 --> 00:15:16.259 summed 00:15:16.259 --> 00:15:16.539 up 00:15:16.539 --> 00:15:16.799 into 00:15:16.799 --> 00:15:17.100 two 00:15:17.100 --> 00:15:17.439 simple 00:15:17.439 --> 00:15:17.939 commands. 00:15:18.500 --> 00:15:19.600 To love 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:19.919 the Lord 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:20.320 your God 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:20.700 with all 00:15:20.700 --> 00:15:21.100 your heart, 00:15:21.179 --> 00:15:21.279 soul, 00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:21.600 mind, 00:15:21.639 --> 00:15:22.220 and strength, 00:15:22.279 --> 00:15:22.580 and to 00:15:22.580 --> 00:15:22.939 love your 00:15:22.939 --> 00:15:23.480 neighbor as 00:15:23.480 --> 00:15:24.200 yourself. 00:15:24.779 --> 00:15:25.379 That's the 00:15:25.379 --> 00:15:25.840 whole of 00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:26.139 the law, 00:15:26.220 --> 00:15:27.220 to love, 00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:28.139 to cherish, 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:29.059 to treasure, 00:15:29.220 --> 00:15:30.019 to adore 00:15:30.019 --> 00:15:31.419 Jesus with 00:15:31.419 --> 00:15:32.460 every fiber 00:15:32.460 --> 00:15:32.960 of your 00:15:32.960 --> 00:15:33.299 being. 00:15:34.019 --> 00:15:34.639 That's the 00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:34.939 whole of 00:15:34.939 --> 00:15:35.379 the law. 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:36.879 And so 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:37.179 if our 00:15:37.179 --> 00:15:37.940 disciples, 00:15:38.200 --> 00:15:39.000 if we are 00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:39.379 to teach 00:15:39.379 --> 00:15:39.500 our 00:15:39.500 --> 00:15:39.860 disciples 00:15:39.860 --> 00:15:40.439 to obey 00:15:40.439 --> 00:15:41.039 everything 00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:41.799 that Jesus 00:15:41.799 --> 00:15:42.460 has commanded, 00:15:43.159 --> 00:15:44.159 it must 00:15:44.159 --> 00:15:45.100 entail 00:15:45.100 --> 00:15:46.240 passing on 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:46.899 to others 00:15:46.899 --> 00:15:49.379 an adoration, 00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:50.620 a treasuring 00:15:50.620 --> 00:15:51.259 of Christ. 00:15:53.320 --> 00:15:53.740 Well, 00:15:54.559 --> 00:15:55.200 I could 00:15:55.200 --> 00:15:56.340 teach theology, 00:15:56.679 --> 00:15:57.379 I can teach 00:15:57.379 --> 00:15:57.860 doctrine, 00:15:58.120 --> 00:15:59.639 but how do 00:15:59.639 --> 00:16:00.000 you teach 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:00.500 someone to 00:16:00.500 --> 00:16:01.460 love something? 00:16:03.259 --> 00:16:03.799 We do it 00:16:03.799 --> 00:16:04.340 all the time. 00:16:05.860 --> 00:16:06.500 Why do 00:16:06.500 --> 00:16:06.759 you like 00:16:06.759 --> 00:16:07.360 that band 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:08.480 or that 00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:09.080 sport? 00:16:10.100 --> 00:16:10.460 Or that 00:16:10.460 --> 00:16:10.820 hobby? 00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:12.779 Perhaps you 00:16:12.779 --> 00:16:13.240 really got 00:16:13.240 --> 00:16:13.600 into it 00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:13.939 yourself, 00:16:14.120 --> 00:16:15.120 but I'd 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:15.500 bet for 00:16:15.500 --> 00:16:16.039 a lot of 00:16:16.039 --> 00:16:16.220 us, 00:16:16.580 --> 00:16:17.019 a lot of 00:16:17.019 --> 00:16:18.720 what we 00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:19.840 love is 00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:20.320 because we 00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:21.059 saw someone 00:16:21.059 --> 00:16:21.639 else love 00:16:21.639 --> 00:16:22.120 that thing 00:16:22.120 --> 00:16:22.620 first. 00:16:23.620 --> 00:16:24.120 They walked 00:16:24.120 --> 00:16:24.500 us through 00:16:24.500 --> 00:16:25.139 why baseball 00:16:25.139 --> 00:16:25.539 is a 00:16:25.539 --> 00:16:26.259 beautiful game 00:16:26.259 --> 00:16:26.759 and why 00:16:26.759 --> 00:16:27.519 violin is 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:28.340 just a 00:16:28.340 --> 00:16:28.659 beautiful 00:16:28.659 --> 00:16:29.139 instrument. 00:16:31.139 --> 00:16:31.519 Sometimes 00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:32.080 you need 00:16:32.080 --> 00:16:32.600 to watch 00:16:32.600 --> 00:16:33.500 someone love 00:16:33.500 --> 00:16:34.519 something so 00:16:34.519 --> 00:16:34.899 that you 00:16:34.899 --> 00:16:35.259 can love 00:16:35.259 --> 00:16:35.740 it yourself. 00:16:37.100 --> 00:16:37.740 And that's 00:16:37.740 --> 00:16:38.399 the effect 00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:38.819 that we 00:16:38.819 --> 00:16:39.159 ought to 00:16:39.159 --> 00:16:39.480 have 00:16:39.480 --> 00:16:39.959 in our 00:16:39.959 --> 00:16:40.480 disciples. 00:16:42.039 --> 00:16:42.720 Because 00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:43.500 really without 00:16:43.500 --> 00:16:43.980 it we 00:16:43.980 --> 00:16:45.459 lose all 00:16:45.459 --> 00:16:47.139 power for 00:16:47.139 --> 00:16:47.720 obeying. 00:16:49.720 --> 00:16:50.519 I love 00:16:50.519 --> 00:16:51.059 this analogy 00:16:51.059 --> 00:16:52.199 from this 00:16:52.199 --> 00:16:52.620 author, 00:16:52.919 --> 00:16:53.559 Barry Cooper, 00:16:54.340 --> 00:16:55.579 who imagines 00:16:55.579 --> 00:16:56.379 a dancer. 00:16:57.799 --> 00:16:58.360 She's 00:16:58.360 --> 00:16:59.399 dancing 00:16:59.399 --> 00:17:00.159 beautifully 00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:01.279 with poise 00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:02.139 and style 00:17:02.139 --> 00:17:02.839 and grace. 00:17:04.079 --> 00:17:04.440 More 00:17:04.440 --> 00:17:04.680 importantly, 00:17:04.839 --> 00:17:05.359 she's 00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:05.859 dancing 00:17:05.859 --> 00:17:06.279 with so 00:17:06.279 --> 00:17:06.460 much 00:17:06.460 --> 00:17:07.119 joy. 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:09.059 You can 00:17:09.059 --> 00:17:09.339 just see 00:17:09.339 --> 00:17:09.660 it right 00:17:09.660 --> 00:17:09.899 on her 00:17:09.899 --> 00:17:10.059 face. 00:17:10.139 --> 00:17:10.339 She's 00:17:10.339 --> 00:17:10.960 just lost 00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:11.200 in the 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:11.460 moment. 00:17:12.799 --> 00:17:13.240 And you 00:17:13.240 --> 00:17:13.539 look a 00:17:13.539 --> 00:17:14.099 little closer 00:17:14.099 --> 00:17:15.460 and you 00:17:15.460 --> 00:17:15.960 figure out 00:17:15.960 --> 00:17:16.619 why. 00:17:17.660 --> 00:17:18.119 She's got 00:17:18.119 --> 00:17:18.740 some earbuds 00:17:18.740 --> 00:17:19.099 in. 00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:20.759 And she's 00:17:20.759 --> 00:17:21.579 listening to 00:17:21.579 --> 00:17:21.980 the music 00:17:21.980 --> 00:17:22.399 that she 00:17:22.399 --> 00:17:23.220 loves the 00:17:23.220 --> 00:17:24.000 most in 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:24.460 this world. 00:17:24.460 --> 00:17:27.059 she's 00:17:27.059 --> 00:17:27.500 totally 00:17:27.500 --> 00:17:28.000 captured 00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:29.000 by what 00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:29.539 she is 00:17:29.539 --> 00:17:29.900 hearing. 00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:32.360 Now a 00:17:32.360 --> 00:17:32.860 second person 00:17:32.860 --> 00:17:33.400 comes in 00:17:33.400 --> 00:17:34.579 and she 00:17:34.579 --> 00:17:35.100 watches the 00:17:35.100 --> 00:17:35.559 first person 00:17:35.559 --> 00:17:36.759 dance and 00:17:36.759 --> 00:17:37.440 she's so 00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:38.019 compelled 00:17:38.019 --> 00:17:40.700 that she 00:17:40.700 --> 00:17:41.039 thinks to 00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:41.299 herself, 00:17:41.559 --> 00:17:42.200 gee, I'd 00:17:42.200 --> 00:17:42.680 love to 00:17:42.680 --> 00:17:43.140 dance like 00:17:43.140 --> 00:17:43.519 that. 00:17:45.620 --> 00:17:46.299 So watching 00:17:46.299 --> 00:17:46.680 her, she 00:17:46.680 --> 00:17:47.539 tries to 00:17:47.539 --> 00:17:48.120 mimic her 00:17:48.120 --> 00:17:48.500 moves, 00:17:49.900 --> 00:17:50.759 her style, 00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:51.400 her grace. 00:17:51.920 --> 00:17:53.220 And maybe 00:17:53.220 --> 00:17:53.759 it works a 00:17:53.759 --> 00:17:54.180 little bit at 00:17:54.180 --> 00:17:55.120 first, but 00:17:55.120 --> 00:17:56.299 there's a 00:17:56.299 --> 00:17:56.960 clear difference 00:17:56.960 --> 00:17:57.240 and a 00:17:57.240 --> 00:17:57.920 clear problem. 00:17:59.100 --> 00:17:59.580 She doesn't 00:17:59.580 --> 00:17:59.920 hear the 00:17:59.920 --> 00:18:00.240 music. 00:18:01.960 --> 00:18:02.740 The music 00:18:02.740 --> 00:18:03.580 isn't driving 00:18:03.580 --> 00:18:04.279 her dancing. 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:05.640 And so the 00:18:05.640 --> 00:18:06.299 movement is 00:18:06.299 --> 00:18:07.220 clunky, 00:18:08.340 --> 00:18:08.700 hesitant, 00:18:09.160 --> 00:18:09.799 self-conscious. 00:18:11.120 --> 00:18:12.039 It doesn't 00:18:12.039 --> 00:18:12.620 really seem 00:18:12.620 --> 00:18:13.080 like she's 00:18:13.080 --> 00:18:13.400 enjoying 00:18:13.400 --> 00:18:13.920 herself. 00:18:14.539 --> 00:18:14.860 And so 00:18:14.860 --> 00:18:16.180 all in all 00:18:16.180 --> 00:18:16.700 she just 00:18:16.700 --> 00:18:17.660 quits. 00:18:18.420 --> 00:18:18.860 She packs 00:18:18.860 --> 00:18:19.080 up her 00:18:19.080 --> 00:18:19.519 bags and 00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:20.019 goes home 00:18:20.019 --> 00:18:20.400 while the 00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:20.960 first one 00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:21.960 is still 00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:22.680 going strong. 00:18:22.680 --> 00:18:24.759 Cooper 00:18:24.759 --> 00:18:25.360 continues, 00:18:25.560 --> 00:18:25.820 making 00:18:25.820 --> 00:18:26.539 disciples 00:18:26.539 --> 00:18:28.060 of Jesus 00:18:28.060 --> 00:18:29.240 Christ falls 00:18:29.240 --> 00:18:30.220 short of 00:18:30.220 --> 00:18:30.740 its goal. 00:18:31.740 --> 00:18:32.200 If all 00:18:32.200 --> 00:18:32.500 that we're 00:18:32.500 --> 00:18:33.080 telling people 00:18:33.080 --> 00:18:34.060 to do is 00:18:34.060 --> 00:18:34.640 to copy 00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:35.160 our moves, 00:18:35.840 --> 00:18:36.299 study the 00:18:36.299 --> 00:18:36.560 Bible, 00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:38.360 go evangelize, 00:18:39.019 --> 00:18:39.680 fight sin, 00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:40.360 go to church, 00:18:40.519 --> 00:18:41.080 pray more, 00:18:42.320 --> 00:18:43.039 while we do 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:43.779 relatively 00:18:43.779 --> 00:18:45.060 little to 00:18:45.060 --> 00:18:45.580 help them 00:18:45.580 --> 00:18:46.759 hear the 00:18:46.759 --> 00:18:47.120 music, 00:18:48.220 --> 00:18:49.200 the beautiful 00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:49.740 music that 00:18:49.740 --> 00:18:50.580 must drive it 00:18:50.579 --> 00:18:50.839 all. 00:18:50.960 --> 00:18:51.659 It's the 00:18:51.659 --> 00:18:52.240 song of 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:52.659 Christ, 00:18:52.799 --> 00:18:53.379 a love 00:18:53.379 --> 00:18:53.759 and an 00:18:53.759 --> 00:18:54.419 adoration 00:18:54.419 --> 00:18:55.159 of Christ. 00:18:56.659 --> 00:18:57.399 If we 00:18:57.399 --> 00:18:58.079 are teaching 00:18:58.079 --> 00:18:59.960 disciples to 00:18:59.960 --> 00:19:01.039 obey everything 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:01.500 that Jesus 00:19:01.500 --> 00:19:02.299 has commanded, 00:19:02.740 --> 00:19:03.679 it must 00:19:03.679 --> 00:19:04.619 entail 00:19:04.619 --> 00:19:05.879 teaching others, 00:19:06.059 --> 00:19:06.699 helping others 00:19:06.699 --> 00:19:07.679 to love, 00:19:08.259 --> 00:19:09.099 adore Christ 00:19:09.099 --> 00:19:09.639 for who he 00:19:09.639 --> 00:19:10.099 really is. 00:19:10.159 --> 00:19:10.699 For without 00:19:10.699 --> 00:19:11.399 hearing that 00:19:11.399 --> 00:19:11.659 music, 00:19:11.779 --> 00:19:12.259 they're never 00:19:12.259 --> 00:19:12.699 going to 00:19:12.699 --> 00:19:13.099 last. 00:19:15.619 --> 00:19:16.099 And so we 00:19:16.099 --> 00:19:17.119 have knowledge, 00:19:17.639 --> 00:19:17.919 right? 00:19:17.960 --> 00:19:18.199 We have 00:19:18.199 --> 00:19:18.899 knowledge that 00:19:18.900 --> 00:19:19.560 blooms into 00:19:19.560 --> 00:19:20.100 love, 00:19:20.740 --> 00:19:21.400 that finally 00:19:21.400 --> 00:19:22.060 ought to 00:19:22.060 --> 00:19:22.660 produce the 00:19:22.660 --> 00:19:23.160 fruit of 00:19:23.160 --> 00:19:23.640 obedience. 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:25.780 We don't 00:19:25.780 --> 00:19:26.180 just make 00:19:26.180 --> 00:19:26.820 hearers of 00:19:26.820 --> 00:19:27.140 the law, 00:19:27.240 --> 00:19:27.500 but we 00:19:27.500 --> 00:19:28.759 make doers 00:19:28.759 --> 00:19:29.340 of the law, 00:19:29.420 --> 00:19:30.000 the whole 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:30.400 law, 00:19:31.140 --> 00:19:31.720 not just 00:19:31.720 --> 00:19:32.759 the easy 00:19:32.759 --> 00:19:33.500 commands or 00:19:33.500 --> 00:19:34.120 our preferred 00:19:34.120 --> 00:19:34.680 commands, 00:19:35.180 --> 00:19:36.820 but all of 00:19:36.820 --> 00:19:37.100 Jesus' 00:19:37.400 --> 00:19:37.780 commands. 00:19:38.800 --> 00:19:39.259 We teach 00:19:39.259 --> 00:19:39.660 them to 00:19:39.660 --> 00:19:40.000 obey. 00:19:42.300 --> 00:19:42.660 And there's 00:19:42.660 --> 00:19:43.600 a really 00:19:43.600 --> 00:19:44.220 part of 00:19:44.220 --> 00:19:44.740 your life 00:19:44.740 --> 00:19:46.400 where you 00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:46.900 can hang 00:19:46.900 --> 00:19:47.400 up a sign 00:19:47.400 --> 00:19:47.740 that says 00:19:47.740 --> 00:19:48.180 does not 00:19:48.180 --> 00:19:48.640 apply. 00:19:49.420 --> 00:19:49.680 Jesus' 00:19:49.920 --> 00:19:50.220 commands 00:19:50.220 --> 00:19:50.700 does not 00:19:50.700 --> 00:19:51.519 apply here. 00:19:52.900 --> 00:19:53.380 How we 00:19:53.380 --> 00:19:53.960 should parent, 00:19:55.160 --> 00:19:55.480 how we 00:19:55.480 --> 00:19:55.820 should spend 00:19:55.820 --> 00:19:56.340 our money, 00:19:56.740 --> 00:19:57.019 how we 00:19:57.019 --> 00:19:57.420 should relate 00:19:57.420 --> 00:19:57.759 to our 00:19:57.759 --> 00:19:58.320 boss at 00:19:58.320 --> 00:19:58.640 work, 00:19:59.160 --> 00:19:59.960 Jesus has 00:19:59.960 --> 00:20:00.640 given us 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:01.480 commands to 00:20:01.480 --> 00:20:01.920 obey, 00:20:02.460 --> 00:20:02.860 and so we 00:20:02.860 --> 00:20:03.680 teach others 00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:04.420 to do it 00:20:04.420 --> 00:20:05.660 all faithfully. 00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:07.500 So in all 00:20:07.500 --> 00:20:08.019 things, 00:20:08.160 --> 00:20:09.259 we seek to 00:20:09.259 --> 00:20:11.120 make well-rounded 00:20:11.120 --> 00:20:11.779 disciples. 00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:12.840 By what? 00:20:12.900 --> 00:20:13.539 By addressing 00:20:13.539 --> 00:20:14.560 a disciple's 00:20:14.560 --> 00:20:14.900 head, 00:20:15.440 --> 00:20:15.720 heart, 00:20:15.840 --> 00:20:16.420 and hands. 00:20:16.840 --> 00:20:17.120 Head, 00:20:17.220 --> 00:20:17.400 heart, 00:20:17.480 --> 00:20:17.900 and hands. 00:20:18.820 --> 00:20:19.299 Without 00:20:19.299 --> 00:20:20.000 neglecting 00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:20.519 any, 00:20:21.160 --> 00:20:21.860 you have 00:20:21.860 --> 00:20:22.420 to address 00:20:22.420 --> 00:20:23.340 all three. 00:20:24.740 --> 00:20:25.220 If you 00:20:25.220 --> 00:20:25.900 only address 00:20:25.900 --> 00:20:26.400 the head, 00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:27.980 making sure 00:20:27.980 --> 00:20:28.259 that your 00:20:28.259 --> 00:20:28.820 disciple 00:20:28.820 --> 00:20:30.060 thinks all 00:20:30.060 --> 00:20:30.340 the right 00:20:30.340 --> 00:20:30.740 things, 00:20:31.460 --> 00:20:31.840 then you 00:20:31.840 --> 00:20:32.200 end up 00:20:32.200 --> 00:20:32.620 with a 00:20:32.620 --> 00:20:33.440 malformed, 00:20:33.740 --> 00:20:34.360 bobble-headed 00:20:34.360 --> 00:20:35.240 disciple. 00:20:36.180 --> 00:20:36.920 One that's 00:20:36.920 --> 00:20:37.240 good at 00:20:37.240 --> 00:20:38.000 Bible trivia 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:38.980 or theology 00:20:38.980 --> 00:20:39.360 quizzes, 00:20:39.560 --> 00:20:40.519 but has 00:20:40.519 --> 00:20:41.080 no love 00:20:41.080 --> 00:20:41.340 in his 00:20:41.340 --> 00:20:41.820 heart or 00:20:41.820 --> 00:20:42.740 service towards 00:20:42.740 --> 00:20:43.140 others. 00:20:44.299 --> 00:20:44.799 If you 00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:45.380 address only 00:20:45.380 --> 00:20:46.039 the heart, 00:20:46.039 --> 00:20:47.440 making sure 00:20:47.440 --> 00:20:47.740 that your 00:20:47.740 --> 00:20:48.940 disciple feels 00:20:48.940 --> 00:20:49.399 all the 00:20:49.399 --> 00:20:49.940 right things, 00:20:50.200 --> 00:20:50.599 then you 00:20:50.599 --> 00:20:50.879 end up 00:20:50.879 --> 00:20:51.180 with a 00:20:51.180 --> 00:20:51.940 malformed, 00:20:52.139 --> 00:20:52.799 big-hearted 00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:53.480 disciple, 00:20:54.359 --> 00:20:54.940 full of 00:20:54.940 --> 00:20:55.440 feelings, 00:20:56.319 --> 00:20:57.799 but easily 00:20:57.799 --> 00:20:58.579 carried about 00:20:58.579 --> 00:20:59.119 by every 00:20:59.119 --> 00:20:59.579 wind of 00:20:59.579 --> 00:21:00.000 doctrine, 00:21:00.180 --> 00:21:00.579 easily 00:21:00.579 --> 00:21:01.279 discouraged, 00:21:01.720 --> 00:21:02.099 easily 00:21:02.099 --> 00:21:02.639 deceived, 00:21:03.220 --> 00:21:03.899 or only 00:21:03.899 --> 00:21:04.579 really acting, 00:21:04.680 --> 00:21:04.940 one that 00:21:04.940 --> 00:21:05.700 acts only 00:21:05.700 --> 00:21:06.180 when he or 00:21:06.180 --> 00:21:06.920 she feels 00:21:06.920 --> 00:21:07.420 like it. 00:21:07.420 --> 00:21:09.700 if you 00:21:09.700 --> 00:21:10.680 address the 00:21:10.680 --> 00:21:11.580 hands only, 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:12.539 only making 00:21:12.539 --> 00:21:12.980 sure that 00:21:12.980 --> 00:21:13.440 your disciple 00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:14.259 does all 00:21:14.259 --> 00:21:14.600 the right 00:21:14.600 --> 00:21:14.920 things, 00:21:14.980 --> 00:21:15.700 then you 00:21:15.700 --> 00:21:15.980 have a 00:21:15.980 --> 00:21:16.660 malformed, 00:21:16.920 --> 00:21:17.620 busy-handed 00:21:17.620 --> 00:21:18.200 disciple, 00:21:18.779 --> 00:21:19.140 one who 00:21:19.140 --> 00:21:19.779 just does 00:21:19.779 --> 00:21:20.100 a bunch 00:21:20.100 --> 00:21:20.539 of stuff 00:21:20.539 --> 00:21:20.759 without 00:21:20.759 --> 00:21:21.039 really 00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:21.320 knowing 00:21:21.320 --> 00:21:21.860 why, 00:21:22.340 --> 00:21:22.720 or without 00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:23.500 any love. 00:21:25.080 --> 00:21:25.820 Like a 00:21:25.820 --> 00:21:26.640 three-legged 00:21:26.640 --> 00:21:27.300 stool, 00:21:27.620 --> 00:21:28.200 we cannot 00:21:28.200 --> 00:21:28.960 take one 00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:29.500 leg without 00:21:29.500 --> 00:21:30.019 the whole 00:21:30.019 --> 00:21:30.759 thing toppling 00:21:30.759 --> 00:21:31.060 over. 00:21:32.480 --> 00:21:32.759 And so 00:21:32.759 --> 00:21:33.400 this is 00:21:33.400 --> 00:21:34.440 our goal, 00:21:35.160 --> 00:21:35.820 to do 00:21:35.820 --> 00:21:36.480 what Paul 00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:37.279 writes, 00:21:37.460 --> 00:21:37.759 when he 00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:38.160 writes in 00:21:38.160 --> 00:21:38.680 1 Corinthians 00:21:38.680 --> 00:21:39.819 1.28, 00:21:40.259 --> 00:21:40.799 him we 00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:41.319 proclaim, 00:21:41.860 --> 00:21:42.180 warning 00:21:42.180 --> 00:21:43.099 everyone 00:21:43.099 --> 00:21:44.099 and teaching 00:21:44.099 --> 00:21:44.720 everyone 00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:45.140 with all 00:21:45.140 --> 00:21:45.440 wisdom 00:21:45.440 --> 00:21:46.519 that we 00:21:46.519 --> 00:21:47.279 may present 00:21:47.279 --> 00:21:47.960 everyone 00:21:47.960 --> 00:21:48.700 mature 00:21:48.700 --> 00:21:49.640 in Christ. 00:21:50.079 --> 00:21:50.819 To present 00:21:50.819 --> 00:21:51.640 our disciples, 00:21:51.819 --> 00:21:52.380 to help each 00:21:52.380 --> 00:21:53.220 other be 00:21:53.220 --> 00:21:54.079 mature in 00:21:54.079 --> 00:21:54.599 Christ, 00:21:54.779 --> 00:21:55.620 is the 00:21:55.620 --> 00:21:56.079 goal that 00:21:56.079 --> 00:21:56.720 we strive 00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:57.279 for with 00:21:57.279 --> 00:21:57.839 all our 00:21:57.839 --> 00:21:58.660 energy and 00:21:58.660 --> 00:21:59.039 effort. 00:22:01.460 --> 00:22:02.180 That might 00:22:02.180 --> 00:22:02.680 sound like a 00:22:02.680 --> 00:22:03.240 lot to hold 00:22:03.240 --> 00:22:03.519 together, 00:22:03.799 --> 00:22:05.019 but don't 00:22:05.019 --> 00:22:05.700 let that scare 00:22:05.700 --> 00:22:06.259 you off from 00:22:06.259 --> 00:22:07.559 this desire 00:22:07.559 --> 00:22:08.119 to make 00:22:08.119 --> 00:22:08.539 disciples. 00:22:09.220 --> 00:22:09.539 And I love 00:22:09.539 --> 00:22:10.160 how Pastor 00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:10.720 Mark Dever 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:11.200 puts it 00:22:11.200 --> 00:22:11.720 simply. 00:22:12.279 --> 00:22:12.980 It's simply, 00:22:13.140 --> 00:22:13.700 disciple making 00:22:13.700 --> 00:22:14.420 is simply 00:22:14.420 --> 00:22:15.879 helping others 00:22:15.879 --> 00:22:16.960 follow Jesus 00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:18.059 by doing 00:22:18.059 --> 00:22:18.640 deliberate 00:22:18.640 --> 00:22:19.740 spiritual good 00:22:19.740 --> 00:22:20.220 to them. 00:22:21.879 --> 00:22:22.319 And with 00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:23.859 that broad 00:22:23.859 --> 00:22:24.759 kind of 00:22:24.759 --> 00:22:25.740 definition, 00:22:26.599 --> 00:22:27.640 there really 00:22:27.640 --> 00:22:28.079 is no 00:22:28.079 --> 00:22:29.500 single strategy 00:22:29.500 --> 00:22:30.759 in making 00:22:30.759 --> 00:22:31.379 disciples. 00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:33.680 From taking 00:22:33.680 --> 00:22:34.539 an unbeliever 00:22:34.539 --> 00:22:34.879 believer to 00:22:34.879 --> 00:22:35.740 a mature 00:22:35.740 --> 00:22:36.259 believer. 00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:38.000 And so 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:38.440 much of 00:22:38.440 --> 00:22:38.980 what goes 00:22:38.980 --> 00:22:39.440 on in 00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:39.779 the life 00:22:39.779 --> 00:22:40.099 of our 00:22:40.099 --> 00:22:40.460 own 00:22:40.460 --> 00:22:40.839 church, 00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:41.399 of many 00:22:41.399 --> 00:22:41.779 local 00:22:41.779 --> 00:22:42.279 churches, 00:22:42.920 --> 00:22:43.980 is fitting 00:22:43.980 --> 00:22:44.299 in that 00:22:44.299 --> 00:22:44.639 definition, 00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:45.539 is making 00:22:45.539 --> 00:22:46.019 disciples. 00:22:47.240 --> 00:22:48.039 You are 00:22:48.039 --> 00:22:48.680 discipling 00:22:48.680 --> 00:22:50.039 others at 00:22:50.039 --> 00:22:50.859 community group 00:22:50.859 --> 00:22:51.559 when you share 00:22:51.559 --> 00:22:51.960 a helpful 00:22:51.960 --> 00:22:52.460 insight, 00:22:52.920 --> 00:22:53.619 or when you 00:22:53.619 --> 00:22:54.700 model vulnerability. 00:22:56.220 --> 00:22:57.339 You disciple 00:22:57.339 --> 00:22:58.240 others in the 00:22:58.240 --> 00:22:58.960 church when you 00:22:58.960 --> 00:22:59.599 model how to 00:22:59.599 --> 00:23:00.299 pray, when you 00:23:00.299 --> 00:23:01.079 go to prayer 00:23:01.079 --> 00:23:01.559 meetings, when you 00:23:01.559 --> 00:23:01.799 go to the 00:23:01.799 --> 00:23:02.299 Wednesday prayer 00:23:02.299 --> 00:23:02.680 meeting, or 00:23:02.680 --> 00:23:03.119 pre-service 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:03.500 prayer. 00:23:04.619 --> 00:23:05.399 You even 00:23:05.399 --> 00:23:06.339 disciple others 00:23:06.339 --> 00:23:06.599 when you 00:23:06.599 --> 00:23:07.299 simply show up 00:23:07.299 --> 00:23:08.000 to church and 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:09.099 sing as 00:23:09.099 --> 00:23:10.019 passionately as 00:23:10.019 --> 00:23:11.519 you can to 00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:12.039 the worship of 00:23:12.039 --> 00:23:12.599 God and other 00:23:12.599 --> 00:23:13.379 people can hear 00:23:13.379 --> 00:23:13.699 that. 00:23:15.439 --> 00:23:15.799 And so I 00:23:15.799 --> 00:23:16.939 believe all, 00:23:17.819 --> 00:23:18.739 most if not 00:23:18.739 --> 00:23:19.519 all of you 00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:20.639 already engage 00:23:20.639 --> 00:23:21.659 in some form 00:23:21.659 --> 00:23:22.619 of discipleship, 00:23:23.059 --> 00:23:24.019 and you do it 00:23:24.019 --> 00:23:25.279 so well. 00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:27.459 But this 00:23:27.459 --> 00:23:27.919 morning I 00:23:27.919 --> 00:23:29.039 really want to 00:23:29.039 --> 00:23:30.000 highlight a 00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:31.279 particular form 00:23:31.279 --> 00:23:32.940 of discipleship. 00:23:33.700 --> 00:23:34.079 And it's 00:23:34.079 --> 00:23:36.119 the one-on-one, 00:23:36.839 --> 00:23:37.960 one-on-a-few, 00:23:38.579 --> 00:23:39.579 life-on-life 00:23:39.579 --> 00:23:40.680 discipleship. 00:23:42.440 --> 00:23:43.119 When you 00:23:43.119 --> 00:23:43.559 think of an 00:23:43.559 --> 00:23:44.579 example of 00:23:44.579 --> 00:23:45.420 a disciple 00:23:45.420 --> 00:23:47.599 in Scripture, 00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:48.319 who do you 00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:48.639 think of? 00:23:49.700 --> 00:23:50.460 I guess that 00:23:50.460 --> 00:23:51.019 many of us 00:23:51.019 --> 00:23:51.539 would first 00:23:51.539 --> 00:23:51.899 think of 00:23:51.899 --> 00:23:52.160 Jesus' 00:23:52.420 --> 00:23:52.859 twelve 00:23:52.859 --> 00:23:53.359 disciples. 00:23:54.460 --> 00:23:55.160 When Jesus, 00:23:55.399 --> 00:23:56.259 the eternal 00:23:56.259 --> 00:23:57.480 word of God, 00:23:57.779 --> 00:23:58.500 God in the 00:23:58.500 --> 00:23:58.879 flesh, 00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:00.040 he decided 00:24:00.040 --> 00:24:00.800 to begin 00:24:00.800 --> 00:24:01.940 a new 00:24:01.940 --> 00:24:02.380 religious 00:24:02.380 --> 00:24:03.180 movement that 00:24:03.180 --> 00:24:03.700 would spread 00:24:03.700 --> 00:24:04.540 to billions 00:24:04.540 --> 00:24:05.600 and billions 00:24:05.600 --> 00:24:06.180 of people, 00:24:06.300 --> 00:24:06.960 changing the 00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:07.440 course of 00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:08.020 world history 00:24:08.020 --> 00:24:08.560 as we know 00:24:08.560 --> 00:24:08.740 it, 00:24:10.340 --> 00:24:11.020 how many 00:24:11.020 --> 00:24:11.520 people did 00:24:11.520 --> 00:24:12.680 he think 00:24:12.680 --> 00:24:13.320 to call 00:24:13.320 --> 00:24:14.140 first to 00:24:14.140 --> 00:24:14.520 disciple? 00:24:16.760 --> 00:24:17.000 It was 00:24:17.000 --> 00:24:17.420 twelve. 00:24:17.680 --> 00:24:18.700 It was just 00:24:18.700 --> 00:24:19.380 twelve people 00:24:19.380 --> 00:24:20.680 over three 00:24:20.680 --> 00:24:21.220 years. 00:24:22.460 --> 00:24:22.920 Not only 00:24:22.920 --> 00:24:23.440 that, but 00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:24.380 even within 00:24:24.380 --> 00:24:24.960 the twelve, 00:24:25.100 --> 00:24:25.620 he had an 00:24:25.620 --> 00:24:26.420 even more 00:24:26.420 --> 00:24:27.520 select group 00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:28.099 with the 00:24:28.099 --> 00:24:28.720 inner three, 00:24:28.879 --> 00:24:29.079 Peter, 00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:29.379 James, 00:24:29.440 --> 00:24:29.839 and John. 00:24:31.079 --> 00:24:31.420 Then you 00:24:31.420 --> 00:24:31.900 have examples 00:24:31.900 --> 00:24:32.539 like Paul 00:24:32.539 --> 00:24:33.180 and Timothy. 00:24:33.879 --> 00:24:34.339 Spiritual 00:24:34.339 --> 00:24:35.259 father Paul 00:24:35.259 --> 00:24:36.420 invested in 00:24:36.420 --> 00:24:37.119 Timothy from 00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:37.960 a young age, 00:24:38.099 --> 00:24:39.059 really as a 00:24:39.059 --> 00:24:39.720 father figure, 00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:40.299 calling him 00:24:40.299 --> 00:24:40.759 my true 00:24:40.759 --> 00:24:41.339 child in 00:24:41.339 --> 00:24:41.779 the faith. 00:24:43.119 --> 00:24:43.700 He brings 00:24:43.700 --> 00:24:44.079 Timothy 00:24:44.079 --> 00:24:45.220 alongside him 00:24:45.220 --> 00:24:46.220 on missionary 00:24:46.220 --> 00:24:46.720 journeys. 00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:47.539 He gives 00:24:47.539 --> 00:24:48.160 him direct 00:24:48.160 --> 00:24:48.960 and personal 00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:49.819 counsel on 00:24:49.819 --> 00:24:50.500 doctrine and 00:24:50.500 --> 00:24:50.920 character. 00:24:51.500 --> 00:24:51.900 He gives 00:24:51.900 --> 00:24:52.960 him a lot 00:24:52.960 --> 00:24:53.440 of leeway 00:24:53.440 --> 00:24:53.879 and a lot 00:24:53.879 --> 00:24:54.359 of room 00:24:54.359 --> 00:24:55.180 to just 00:24:55.180 --> 00:24:56.240 explore ministry. 00:24:56.240 --> 00:24:56.359 tree. 00:24:57.160 --> 00:24:57.480 He gives 00:24:57.480 --> 00:24:58.019 him real 00:24:58.019 --> 00:24:58.880 responsibility. 00:25:00.740 --> 00:25:01.039 Moses 00:25:01.039 --> 00:25:02.359 and Joshua, 00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:03.680 Elijah 00:25:03.680 --> 00:25:04.980 and Elisha, 00:25:05.599 --> 00:25:06.000 Priscilla 00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:06.519 and Aquila 00:25:06.519 --> 00:25:07.380 and Apollos, 00:25:08.019 --> 00:25:09.099 examples of 00:25:09.099 --> 00:25:09.980 this kind 00:25:09.980 --> 00:25:10.700 of intimate, 00:25:11.240 --> 00:25:11.599 highly 00:25:11.599 --> 00:25:12.180 relational, 00:25:12.420 --> 00:25:13.000 intentional, 00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:14.059 life-on-life 00:25:14.059 --> 00:25:15.579 discipleship is 00:25:15.579 --> 00:25:16.660 woven throughout 00:25:16.660 --> 00:25:17.259 scripture. 00:25:18.680 --> 00:25:18.980 And really 00:25:18.980 --> 00:25:20.000 that kind 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:20.799 of apprenticeship, 00:25:21.799 --> 00:25:22.579 highly relational 00:25:22.579 --> 00:25:23.359 model of 00:25:23.359 --> 00:25:24.240 discipleship is 00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:24.819 the exact 00:25:24.819 --> 00:25:25.599 kind of 00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:25.980 practice, 00:25:25.980 --> 00:25:26.819 the early 00:25:26.819 --> 00:25:27.860 church adopted 00:25:27.860 --> 00:25:28.799 and implemented, 00:25:29.019 --> 00:25:29.779 integrated into 00:25:29.779 --> 00:25:30.440 the culture of 00:25:30.440 --> 00:25:30.940 their church. 00:25:33.099 --> 00:25:33.400 And so 00:25:33.400 --> 00:25:34.500 making disciples 00:25:34.500 --> 00:25:36.279 requires this 00:25:36.279 --> 00:25:36.880 level of 00:25:36.880 --> 00:25:38.500 focused investment 00:25:38.500 --> 00:25:40.240 in just a few 00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:40.579 people. 00:25:40.700 --> 00:25:41.140 That's all you're 00:25:41.140 --> 00:25:41.620 called to do, 00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:42.460 just invest in a 00:25:42.460 --> 00:25:42.980 few people. 00:25:44.720 --> 00:25:45.220 Why? 00:25:45.380 --> 00:25:46.259 And why does it 00:25:46.259 --> 00:25:47.099 require only a 00:25:47.099 --> 00:25:47.480 few people? 00:25:47.559 --> 00:25:48.660 Because they 00:25:48.660 --> 00:25:49.140 know, 00:25:49.360 --> 00:25:50.039 we know, 00:25:50.539 --> 00:25:51.420 that making a 00:25:51.420 --> 00:25:52.360 disciple is not 00:25:52.360 --> 00:25:53.400 like manufacturing 00:25:53.400 --> 00:25:54.200 a rushed, 00:25:54.860 --> 00:25:55.800 mass-produced 00:25:55.800 --> 00:25:56.800 item sold on 00:25:56.800 --> 00:25:57.460 Timu for a 00:25:57.460 --> 00:25:57.700 buck. 00:25:58.740 --> 00:25:59.900 But making a 00:25:59.900 --> 00:26:01.220 disciple is 00:26:01.220 --> 00:26:02.560 more akin to 00:26:02.560 --> 00:26:03.340 the work of a 00:26:03.340 --> 00:26:04.860 master craftsman 00:26:04.860 --> 00:26:07.060 who is painstakingly 00:26:07.060 --> 00:26:07.580 slow, 00:26:09.920 --> 00:26:10.500 intense, 00:26:10.900 --> 00:26:11.400 careful. 00:26:12.400 --> 00:26:13.200 He pours his 00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:14.300 heart into 00:26:14.300 --> 00:26:15.019 this labor. 00:26:15.019 --> 00:26:20.000 If it's that 00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:20.539 much work, 00:26:20.599 --> 00:26:20.720 though, 00:26:20.740 --> 00:26:21.379 to make a 00:26:21.379 --> 00:26:22.379 single disciple, 00:26:23.180 --> 00:26:24.259 then why 00:26:24.259 --> 00:26:25.039 would we ever 00:26:25.039 --> 00:26:25.500 want to do 00:26:25.500 --> 00:26:25.859 this? 00:26:28.799 --> 00:26:29.279 First, 00:26:29.379 --> 00:26:29.980 making disciples 00:26:29.980 --> 00:26:32.339 is required 00:26:32.339 --> 00:26:33.000 for all. 00:26:35.000 --> 00:26:36.220 When I first 00:26:36.220 --> 00:26:37.000 joined staff 00:26:37.000 --> 00:26:37.539 here at 00:26:37.539 --> 00:26:37.859 Trinity, 00:26:38.299 --> 00:26:39.299 one of my 00:26:39.299 --> 00:26:40.960 first personal 00:26:40.960 --> 00:26:41.400 projects, 00:26:41.480 --> 00:26:41.819 I guess, 00:26:41.819 --> 00:26:43.019 was to 00:26:43.019 --> 00:26:43.460 come up 00:26:43.460 --> 00:26:44.319 with a 00:26:44.319 --> 00:26:45.159 discipleship 00:26:45.159 --> 00:26:45.819 program. 00:26:47.179 --> 00:26:47.939 The gist 00:26:47.939 --> 00:26:48.599 essentially would 00:26:48.599 --> 00:26:49.779 be to come 00:26:49.779 --> 00:26:52.339 up with a 00:26:52.339 --> 00:26:53.359 training program 00:26:53.359 --> 00:26:54.119 where we 00:26:54.119 --> 00:26:54.879 would hand 00:26:54.879 --> 00:26:55.659 select and 00:26:55.659 --> 00:26:57.859 train a 00:26:57.859 --> 00:26:58.539 specific group 00:26:58.539 --> 00:26:59.500 of guys and 00:26:59.500 --> 00:27:00.779 girls that we 00:27:00.779 --> 00:27:01.359 present to the 00:27:01.359 --> 00:27:01.919 church as 00:27:01.919 --> 00:27:02.319 quote-unquote 00:27:02.319 --> 00:27:03.059 the disciples. 00:27:04.460 --> 00:27:05.200 If you wanted 00:27:05.200 --> 00:27:06.099 to be discipled, 00:27:06.179 --> 00:27:06.740 then great. 00:27:07.299 --> 00:27:07.799 We have this 00:27:07.799 --> 00:27:08.059 list. 00:27:08.159 --> 00:27:09.200 Go and ask any 00:27:09.200 --> 00:27:09.799 of these girls, 00:27:10.099 --> 00:27:10.500 any of these 00:27:10.500 --> 00:27:10.799 guys. 00:27:11.819 --> 00:27:12.939 And as the 00:27:12.939 --> 00:27:13.819 pastoral team 00:27:13.819 --> 00:27:14.279 and I, we were 00:27:14.279 --> 00:27:14.859 just wrestling 00:27:14.859 --> 00:27:15.759 over that plan, 00:27:16.139 --> 00:27:16.740 we believe that 00:27:16.740 --> 00:27:17.720 the Lord led 00:27:17.720 --> 00:27:19.240 us not to 00:27:19.240 --> 00:27:19.839 implement that. 00:27:20.220 --> 00:27:21.200 And I'm so 00:27:21.200 --> 00:27:21.960 glad that he 00:27:21.960 --> 00:27:22.279 did. 00:27:23.399 --> 00:27:24.799 Because looking 00:27:24.799 --> 00:27:25.619 back, I think 00:27:25.619 --> 00:27:26.099 it might have 00:27:26.099 --> 00:27:27.480 just reinforced 00:27:27.480 --> 00:27:28.460 this false 00:27:28.460 --> 00:27:29.339 belief that 00:27:29.339 --> 00:27:30.240 disciple-making 00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:31.200 is just 00:27:31.200 --> 00:27:32.099 reserved for 00:27:32.099 --> 00:27:33.119 the elite, 00:27:33.899 --> 00:27:34.659 for the all 00:27:34.659 --> 00:27:35.259 mature, the 00:27:35.259 --> 00:27:35.919 all wise, 00:27:36.039 --> 00:27:36.559 the Christian 00:27:36.559 --> 00:27:37.179 superheroes. 00:27:39.139 --> 00:27:39.859 Rather, 00:27:39.859 --> 00:27:41.240 making disciples 00:27:41.240 --> 00:27:42.259 disciples is a 00:27:42.259 --> 00:27:43.880 non-negotiable, 00:27:44.359 --> 00:27:45.380 non-optional 00:27:45.380 --> 00:27:46.960 task for every 00:27:46.960 --> 00:27:48.859 single one of 00:27:48.859 --> 00:27:49.240 us. 00:27:50.059 --> 00:27:50.759 Put simply, 00:27:50.920 --> 00:27:52.099 disciples make 00:27:52.099 --> 00:27:52.740 disciples. 00:27:52.960 --> 00:27:53.620 To be a 00:27:53.620 --> 00:27:54.579 disciple of Jesus 00:27:54.579 --> 00:27:55.799 Christ, you have 00:27:55.799 --> 00:27:56.460 to be making 00:27:56.460 --> 00:27:56.980 disciples. 00:27:59.059 --> 00:27:59.660 Don't just take 00:27:59.660 --> 00:28:00.299 it from me, but 00:28:00.299 --> 00:28:02.019 hear scripture from 00:28:02.019 --> 00:28:02.859 Ephesians 4. 00:28:03.599 --> 00:28:04.359 Paul writes that 00:28:04.359 --> 00:28:04.900 he gave the 00:28:04.900 --> 00:28:05.859 apostles, the 00:28:05.859 --> 00:28:06.519 prophets, the 00:28:06.519 --> 00:28:07.620 evangelists, the 00:28:07.620 --> 00:28:08.259 shepherds, and 00:28:08.259 --> 00:28:09.740 teachers to equip 00:28:09.740 --> 00:28:10.380 the saints for 00:28:10.380 --> 00:28:11.120 the work of 00:28:11.120 --> 00:28:12.539 ministry, for 00:28:12.539 --> 00:28:13.620 building up the 00:28:13.620 --> 00:28:14.480 body of Christ 00:28:14.480 --> 00:28:15.500 until we all 00:28:15.500 --> 00:28:16.160 attain to the 00:28:16.160 --> 00:28:16.680 unity of the 00:28:16.680 --> 00:28:17.259 faith and of the 00:28:17.259 --> 00:28:17.839 knowledge of the 00:28:17.839 --> 00:28:19.359 Son of God, to 00:28:19.359 --> 00:28:20.420 mature manhood, to 00:28:20.420 --> 00:28:21.220 the measure of the 00:28:21.220 --> 00:28:21.859 stature of the 00:28:21.859 --> 00:28:22.680 fullness of Christ, 00:28:23.039 --> 00:28:24.299 so that we may no 00:28:24.299 --> 00:28:25.400 longer be children 00:28:25.400 --> 00:28:26.579 tossed to and fro 00:28:26.579 --> 00:28:27.980 by the waves and 00:28:27.980 --> 00:28:28.900 carried about by 00:28:28.900 --> 00:28:29.759 every wind of 00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:30.880 doctrine, by human 00:28:30.880 --> 00:28:32.559 cunning, by craftiness 00:28:32.559 --> 00:28:33.960 in deceitful schemes. 00:28:33.960 --> 00:28:35.660 Christians, what is 00:28:35.660 --> 00:28:36.920 the ministry of the 00:28:36.920 --> 00:28:38.519 apostles, prophets, 00:28:38.779 --> 00:28:39.940 evangelists, shepherds, 00:28:39.980 --> 00:28:40.319 and teachers? 00:28:41.880 --> 00:28:44.640 It's not that they 00:28:44.640 --> 00:28:45.799 are to do all the 00:28:45.799 --> 00:28:46.799 ministry themselves. 00:28:48.400 --> 00:28:49.279 Rather, their 00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:50.779 ministry, Sean and 00:28:50.779 --> 00:28:52.720 my ministry, is to 00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:54.240 equip you for 00:28:54.240 --> 00:28:54.740 ministry. 00:28:55.819 --> 00:28:56.740 Do you know that 00:28:56.740 --> 00:28:58.920 you, Christian, yes 00:28:58.920 --> 00:29:00.340 you, you have a 00:29:00.340 --> 00:29:01.360 ministry that you 00:29:01.360 --> 00:29:02.720 are responsible for? 00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:04.339 Do you speak like 00:29:04.339 --> 00:29:04.539 that? 00:29:04.640 --> 00:29:05.559 Do you use that 00:29:05.559 --> 00:29:06.279 kind of vocabulary? 00:29:07.180 --> 00:29:07.720 Do you feel 00:29:07.720 --> 00:29:08.960 responsible for and 00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:09.920 pray for your 00:29:09.920 --> 00:29:11.400 personal ministry? 00:29:14.220 --> 00:29:15.759 Today, we stand on 00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:16.700 the shoulders of 00:29:16.700 --> 00:29:17.920 faithful men called 00:29:17.920 --> 00:29:19.799 the reformers from 00:29:19.799 --> 00:29:21.319 over 500 years ago 00:29:21.319 --> 00:29:22.440 who saw very 00:29:22.440 --> 00:29:25.600 clearly ministry is 00:29:25.600 --> 00:29:27.220 not limited to just 00:29:27.220 --> 00:29:28.039 the priesthood. 00:29:29.299 --> 00:29:30.380 And Bible reading 00:29:30.380 --> 00:29:32.039 and Bible teaching 00:29:32.039 --> 00:29:34.200 should not and 00:29:34.200 --> 00:29:35.539 cannot be limited to 00:29:35.539 --> 00:29:36.799 just the priesthood. 00:29:37.940 --> 00:29:38.559 No, no, no. 00:29:38.559 --> 00:29:39.519 They saw that if a 00:29:39.519 --> 00:29:41.159 church operates under 00:29:41.159 --> 00:29:42.299 that belief that it's 00:29:42.299 --> 00:29:43.240 only the priesthood who 00:29:43.240 --> 00:29:43.859 is to do all the 00:29:43.859 --> 00:29:46.000 work, really, then 00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:46.879 that church is an 00:29:46.879 --> 00:29:48.759 anemic shell of what 00:29:48.759 --> 00:29:49.779 it could be. 00:29:50.619 --> 00:29:51.879 It is an atrophied, 00:29:52.619 --> 00:29:54.559 disjointed, unhealthy 00:29:54.559 --> 00:29:55.200 body. 00:29:56.899 --> 00:29:58.139 But this is what a 00:29:58.139 --> 00:29:59.079 healthy body is 00:29:59.079 --> 00:29:59.940 supposed to look like. 00:29:59.940 --> 00:30:01.059 Paul continues in 00:30:01.059 --> 00:30:01.759 Ephesians 4. 00:30:02.460 --> 00:30:03.440 Rather, we are to 00:30:03.440 --> 00:30:04.759 grow up in every way 00:30:04.759 --> 00:30:06.100 into him who is the 00:30:06.100 --> 00:30:07.820 head, into Christ. 00:30:08.460 --> 00:30:11.240 When each part, when 00:30:11.240 --> 00:30:12.380 each part is working 00:30:12.380 --> 00:30:14.320 properly, makes the 00:30:14.320 --> 00:30:16.420 body grow, so it 00:30:16.420 --> 00:30:17.539 builds itself up in 00:30:17.539 --> 00:30:17.920 love. 00:30:19.180 --> 00:30:21.980 When each part, each 00:30:21.980 --> 00:30:22.960 part is growing 00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:24.000 properly, then the 00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:25.360 church flourishes. 00:30:26.259 --> 00:30:27.500 When each joint comes 00:30:27.500 --> 00:30:28.519 together held together 00:30:28.519 --> 00:30:30.400 by love and a mutual 00:30:30.400 --> 00:30:31.700 desire to help each 00:30:31.700 --> 00:30:34.559 other follow Jesus, then 00:30:34.559 --> 00:30:36.019 we will grow to a full 00:30:36.019 --> 00:30:37.559 stature in Christ. 00:30:38.160 --> 00:30:39.380 That's really what a 00:30:39.380 --> 00:30:40.519 culture of discipleship 00:30:40.519 --> 00:30:42.759 can do in the life of a 00:30:42.759 --> 00:30:43.400 local church. 00:30:46.000 --> 00:30:47.319 Secondly, why should we 00:30:47.319 --> 00:30:47.819 make disciples? 00:30:48.279 --> 00:30:49.519 Discipleship can change 00:30:49.519 --> 00:30:50.880 someone's life. 00:30:50.880 --> 00:30:53.200 Why? 00:30:53.320 --> 00:30:55.140 Because we are far more 00:30:55.140 --> 00:30:57.100 impressionable than you 00:30:57.100 --> 00:30:57.620 might think. 00:30:57.940 --> 00:30:58.840 You might even consider 00:30:58.840 --> 00:30:59.620 yourself to be. 00:31:01.640 --> 00:31:03.260 Every conversation that 00:31:03.260 --> 00:31:04.380 you have with somebody, 00:31:05.860 --> 00:31:06.900 every time you model 00:31:06.900 --> 00:31:08.220 behavior for someone, 00:31:08.780 --> 00:31:11.260 they are, even just a 00:31:11.260 --> 00:31:12.300 little bit, shaped by 00:31:12.300 --> 00:31:12.580 it. 00:31:14.920 --> 00:31:16.060 Daily, we are 00:31:16.060 --> 00:31:18.420 discipled by the people 00:31:18.420 --> 00:31:19.080 around us. 00:31:19.079 --> 00:31:20.299 the messages that we 00:31:20.299 --> 00:31:21.599 hear and the screens 00:31:21.599 --> 00:31:22.319 that we watch. 00:31:23.240 --> 00:31:24.500 We pick up thought 00:31:24.500 --> 00:31:26.980 patterns and ideas and 00:31:26.980 --> 00:31:28.599 passions and loves and 00:31:28.599 --> 00:31:29.759 patterns of speech and 00:31:29.759 --> 00:31:31.379 even little habits from 00:31:31.379 --> 00:31:32.199 the people that are 00:31:32.199 --> 00:31:32.960 around us. 00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:36.319 But the reality is that 00:31:36.319 --> 00:31:38.379 as Christians, we don't 00:31:38.379 --> 00:31:40.159 live in a neutral world. 00:31:41.179 --> 00:31:42.559 We live in a world that 00:31:42.559 --> 00:31:44.699 is ruled by the power, by 00:31:44.699 --> 00:31:45.619 the prince of the power 00:31:45.619 --> 00:31:46.079 of the air. 00:31:47.259 --> 00:31:48.279 An enemy that he is 00:31:48.279 --> 00:31:49.960 doing all that he can to 00:31:49.960 --> 00:31:52.039 disciple us away from 00:31:52.039 --> 00:31:52.559 Christ. 00:31:53.779 --> 00:31:56.700 What are you discipled by? 00:31:57.579 --> 00:31:59.079 What are you discipled by, 00:31:59.220 --> 00:31:59.500 friends? 00:32:02.759 --> 00:32:04.220 I can guarantee you that 00:32:04.220 --> 00:32:06.259 the American church lacks 00:32:06.259 --> 00:32:07.500 maturity and they gave the 00:32:07.500 --> 00:32:08.579 answers that they did in 00:32:08.579 --> 00:32:10.299 that earlier survey because 00:32:10.299 --> 00:32:12.220 they are more discipled by 00:32:12.220 --> 00:32:14.500 TikTok influencers, novels 00:32:14.500 --> 00:32:16.119 like The Shack, and their 00:32:16.119 --> 00:32:18.179 Enneagram numbers than by 00:32:18.179 --> 00:32:19.319 their pastors and 00:32:19.319 --> 00:32:20.559 scripture and their church 00:32:20.559 --> 00:32:20.899 members. 00:32:23.119 --> 00:32:24.659 But what is then the 00:32:24.659 --> 00:32:26.799 lifeline that we have as 00:32:26.799 --> 00:32:28.519 Christians in a world that 00:32:28.519 --> 00:32:30.019 is doing all that it can to 00:32:30.019 --> 00:32:31.259 destroy our faith? 00:32:32.219 --> 00:32:33.439 It is simply the 00:32:33.439 --> 00:32:35.379 discipleship of the church 00:32:35.379 --> 00:32:36.639 through the word. 00:32:38.399 --> 00:32:40.500 You can have that kind of 00:32:40.500 --> 00:32:42.559 life-changing impact on 00:32:42.559 --> 00:32:42.980 somebody. 00:32:44.259 --> 00:32:45.920 Helping them follow Jesus 00:32:45.920 --> 00:32:46.359 better. 00:32:47.160 --> 00:32:48.460 And it's a myth. 00:32:48.640 --> 00:32:50.099 You don't have to be an 00:32:50.099 --> 00:32:50.519 expert. 00:32:51.099 --> 00:32:52.039 You don't have to have a 00:32:52.039 --> 00:32:53.579 seminary degree to have this 00:32:53.579 --> 00:32:54.279 kind of impact. 00:32:55.119 --> 00:32:56.599 Pastor Tim Challies, he makes 00:32:56.599 --> 00:32:57.940 this helpful observation. 00:32:58.720 --> 00:33:00.519 The reality is that the great 00:33:00.519 --> 00:33:02.000 majority of the help people 00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:03.660 need or the counsel they 00:33:03.660 --> 00:33:06.880 seek do not require the input 00:33:06.880 --> 00:33:09.700 of experts, but merely of 00:33:09.700 --> 00:33:11.260 someone who loves God and 00:33:11.260 --> 00:33:12.600 has their Bible open. 00:33:14.360 --> 00:33:17.820 Does it not astound you that 00:33:17.820 --> 00:33:20.100 God is so kind to use weak 00:33:20.100 --> 00:33:22.280 vessels like us that you 00:33:22.280 --> 00:33:23.620 could have that kind of 00:33:23.620 --> 00:33:25.580 outsized impact on someone's 00:33:25.580 --> 00:33:25.940 life? 00:33:28.400 --> 00:33:30.920 And honestly, I am a great 00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:31.680 example of that. 00:33:32.520 --> 00:33:34.420 I am exhibit A of the benefits 00:33:34.420 --> 00:33:35.420 of discipleship. 00:33:37.039 --> 00:33:38.120 I'm not much. 00:33:39.000 --> 00:33:40.940 But what I am today is by 00:33:40.940 --> 00:33:42.620 the grace of God through the 00:33:42.620 --> 00:33:45.060 ministry of specific men who 00:33:45.060 --> 00:33:46.539 have invested in me. 00:33:47.620 --> 00:33:49.360 In me, if there are any right 00:33:49.360 --> 00:33:51.100 thoughts, any right loves, 00:33:51.240 --> 00:33:53.039 any right actions, it's simply 00:33:53.039 --> 00:33:54.480 because I caught that. 00:33:55.120 --> 00:33:56.120 I saw it modeled. 00:33:56.259 --> 00:33:57.500 I had it taught to me. 00:33:59.220 --> 00:34:00.860 I owe my life to the numerous 00:34:00.860 --> 00:34:03.100 men who have discipled me. 00:34:03.099 --> 00:34:05.319 Maybe one off, two off, 00:34:05.419 --> 00:34:07.119 reaching out to me, buying a 00:34:07.119 --> 00:34:08.579 meal, asking me how my walk 00:34:08.579 --> 00:34:09.559 with God is going. 00:34:10.940 --> 00:34:13.019 And I owe my life especially 00:34:13.019 --> 00:34:16.319 to the few specific men, both 00:34:16.319 --> 00:34:18.259 pastors and non-pastors, who 00:34:18.259 --> 00:34:20.639 have deeply, intentionally 00:34:20.639 --> 00:34:22.839 invested, poured into my life, 00:34:23.599 --> 00:34:25.380 talked with me for hours on end, 00:34:25.980 --> 00:34:27.460 who've dealt with my stupidity, 00:34:27.819 --> 00:34:29.079 who've answered my questions, 00:34:29.239 --> 00:34:30.480 who have laughed with me and 00:34:30.480 --> 00:34:31.559 cried with me. 00:34:33.320 --> 00:34:35.059 The reality is I hardly knew 00:34:35.059 --> 00:34:36.579 anything when I first came to 00:34:36.579 --> 00:34:36.860 Trinity. 00:34:39.300 --> 00:34:41.360 Sean and I reflected a little 00:34:41.360 --> 00:34:44.000 while back on a conversation we 00:34:44.000 --> 00:34:46.099 had when I was first beginning to 00:34:46.099 --> 00:34:47.199 be discipled by Sean. 00:34:48.139 --> 00:34:52.240 And I told him how I felt like I 00:34:52.240 --> 00:34:53.599 know so little of scripture. 00:34:53.599 --> 00:34:56.219 I don't know anything. 00:34:57.619 --> 00:34:59.159 I don't think I could be a 00:34:59.159 --> 00:34:59.519 pastor. 00:34:59.739 --> 00:35:01.559 I don't think I could pass these 00:35:01.559 --> 00:35:02.319 ordination exams. 00:35:02.519 --> 00:35:04.039 I think you got the wrong man, 00:35:04.179 --> 00:35:04.360 Sean. 00:35:06.599 --> 00:35:08.599 But I passed them. 00:35:09.759 --> 00:35:11.920 And I was ordained predominantly, 00:35:12.179 --> 00:35:15.059 I want to say, because of my bi-weekly 00:35:15.059 --> 00:35:16.799 Saturday morning meetings with 00:35:16.799 --> 00:35:17.039 Sean. 00:35:17.039 --> 00:35:20.380 Honestly, I have been shaped 00:35:20.380 --> 00:35:24.039 more, formed more as a 00:35:24.039 --> 00:35:26.159 disciple and as a husband and 00:35:26.159 --> 00:35:27.739 as a father by those morning 00:35:27.739 --> 00:35:30.239 meetings more than just the 00:35:30.239 --> 00:35:31.619 seminary classes that I'm taking. 00:35:33.219 --> 00:35:35.059 Looking back, it's astonishing to 00:35:35.059 --> 00:35:37.239 me how much that I could answer 00:35:37.239 --> 00:35:39.019 on my final oral exam at 00:35:39.019 --> 00:35:41.199 ordination simply on the basis of 00:35:41.199 --> 00:35:42.940 just remembering what Sean said that 00:35:42.940 --> 00:35:43.420 one time. 00:35:43.420 --> 00:35:47.659 My own life has been transformed 00:35:47.659 --> 00:35:48.980 by discipleship. 00:35:50.000 --> 00:35:52.000 And God in his kindness could use 00:35:52.000 --> 00:35:54.440 you in the same exact way for 00:35:54.440 --> 00:35:54.720 another. 00:35:57.019 --> 00:35:58.780 Speaking of church leadership, 00:35:59.960 --> 00:36:02.139 making disciples is the leadership 00:36:02.139 --> 00:36:02.900 pipeline. 00:36:04.000 --> 00:36:04.920 That's why we do it. 00:36:05.519 --> 00:36:06.960 Where else are we going to find our 00:36:06.960 --> 00:36:07.519 next pastor? 00:36:08.559 --> 00:36:09.800 Where else are we going to find our 00:36:09.800 --> 00:36:10.380 next missionary? 00:36:11.119 --> 00:36:12.760 Our next deacon or deaconess? 00:36:12.760 --> 00:36:14.220 Our ministry leaders. 00:36:15.680 --> 00:36:17.520 Establishing the culture of 00:36:17.520 --> 00:36:20.000 discipleship in our local church 00:36:20.000 --> 00:36:22.180 is setting up the necessary 00:36:22.180 --> 00:36:24.680 pipeline to be able to call 00:36:24.680 --> 00:36:26.880 faithful men and women to the 00:36:26.880 --> 00:36:27.900 work of ministry. 00:36:29.700 --> 00:36:30.840 Unless you feel like this 00:36:30.840 --> 00:36:33.020 application of making disciples 00:36:33.020 --> 00:36:35.860 internally pulls us away from 00:36:35.860 --> 00:36:39.440 making disciples externally, I'd 00:36:39.440 --> 00:36:40.880 really just argue that it does the 00:36:40.880 --> 00:36:41.599 very opposite. 00:36:43.000 --> 00:36:45.539 The church cannot make progress 00:36:45.539 --> 00:36:47.860 externally to the ends of the 00:36:47.860 --> 00:36:50.820 earth unless internally we are not 00:36:50.820 --> 00:36:52.640 making disciples mature enough to 00:36:52.640 --> 00:36:52.980 go. 00:36:54.640 --> 00:36:57.800 Outward mission and outward church 00:36:57.800 --> 00:36:59.640 planting, we have big dreams for 00:36:59.640 --> 00:37:01.420 that as a church, but that all 00:37:01.420 --> 00:37:04.019 depends on inward discipleship. 00:37:04.019 --> 00:37:10.099 So maybe you are convinced that as a 00:37:10.099 --> 00:37:12.159 disciple of Jesus, you need to make 00:37:12.159 --> 00:37:12.719 disciples. 00:37:13.000 --> 00:37:14.639 I hope you even want to. 00:37:16.259 --> 00:37:18.639 But you still nonetheless have this 00:37:18.639 --> 00:37:20.500 nagging feeling. 00:37:20.500 --> 00:37:23.920 This is way over my head. 00:37:25.780 --> 00:37:28.059 The excuses fly too easily off the 00:37:28.059 --> 00:37:28.300 tongue. 00:37:29.159 --> 00:37:31.000 I'm way too young for this. 00:37:31.760 --> 00:37:32.719 I don't know much. 00:37:33.719 --> 00:37:35.659 I'm not a good speaker and I'm not 00:37:35.659 --> 00:37:36.840 even a good enough Christian. 00:37:37.500 --> 00:37:38.920 I'm not impressive. 00:37:39.659 --> 00:37:41.219 Why would anyone listen to me? 00:37:41.219 --> 00:37:46.119 That position of humility is 00:37:46.119 --> 00:37:46.679 appropriate. 00:37:48.279 --> 00:37:51.739 Who is adequate to make even a 00:37:51.739 --> 00:37:54.039 single disciple of Jesus Christ 00:37:54.039 --> 00:37:56.159 teaching them to obey all that he 00:37:56.159 --> 00:37:58.399 has commanded when we can't even do 00:37:58.399 --> 00:37:59.059 it ourselves? 00:38:00.619 --> 00:38:03.139 What qualifies a sinner like you and 00:38:03.139 --> 00:38:04.659 me to be able to do a work like 00:38:04.659 --> 00:38:05.000 this? 00:38:05.500 --> 00:38:07.379 What qualifications do you have? 00:38:07.380 --> 00:38:11.980 What qualifies us is not our skill, 00:38:12.720 --> 00:38:15.000 our righteousness, our knowledge, 00:38:15.140 --> 00:38:16.940 our personality, our wit, our 00:38:16.940 --> 00:38:17.599 education. 00:38:18.079 --> 00:38:20.059 But what qualifies us is not what we 00:38:20.059 --> 00:38:22.340 have done, but what Christ has done 00:38:22.340 --> 00:38:24.260 for us, brothers and sisters. 00:38:25.099 --> 00:38:28.160 Because Christ has died for our sins. 00:38:28.680 --> 00:38:31.860 We are no longer the old sinful man or 00:38:31.860 --> 00:38:33.260 woman, but you. 00:38:33.640 --> 00:38:35.460 You are a new creation. 00:38:35.460 --> 00:38:39.920 You were once enslaved to sin and 00:38:39.920 --> 00:38:41.460 trapped in the patterns of this 00:38:41.460 --> 00:38:44.519 world, but in place of what was old, 00:38:44.940 --> 00:38:46.559 Christ brought something new. 00:38:47.760 --> 00:38:49.500 And gospel transformation has 00:38:49.500 --> 00:38:51.199 overtaken your life, flipped your 00:38:51.199 --> 00:38:52.519 life upside down. 00:38:53.480 --> 00:38:56.000 He has taken the heart of stone that 00:38:56.000 --> 00:38:57.519 was in your heart for, what, 00:38:57.679 --> 00:38:59.539 decades, and he's replaced it with a 00:38:59.539 --> 00:39:02.199 heart of flesh so that it's soft 00:39:02.199 --> 00:39:02.880 towards him. 00:39:02.880 --> 00:39:05.440 That you love him and obey him. 00:39:05.640 --> 00:39:07.559 That's what qualifies you. 00:39:08.900 --> 00:39:10.840 What qualifies you is not that you are 00:39:10.840 --> 00:39:12.619 an impressive, put-together Christian 00:39:12.619 --> 00:39:14.920 that has all their ducks in order. 00:39:16.260 --> 00:39:18.460 But that qualifies you is that when you 00:39:18.460 --> 00:39:21.420 approach Jesus, you do so rightly. 00:39:23.180 --> 00:39:25.900 Prostrate before him, grabbing not even 00:39:25.900 --> 00:39:30.860 his torso or his legs, his feet humbly, 00:39:30.860 --> 00:39:32.880 desperately, you approach in the right 00:39:32.880 --> 00:39:33.300 way. 00:39:33.840 --> 00:39:35.720 That's what people need to copy. 00:39:36.200 --> 00:39:37.720 That's what people need to model after. 00:39:38.280 --> 00:39:40.460 We want them to capture that vision and 00:39:40.460 --> 00:39:43.140 see Christ as the glorious God. 00:39:44.440 --> 00:39:47.400 What qualifies you is that Emmanuel, 00:39:48.099 --> 00:39:50.760 God with us, that he's promised to be with 00:39:50.760 --> 00:39:52.820 us to the end of the age in verse 20, 00:39:53.460 --> 00:39:56.260 that he is in the business of making 00:39:56.260 --> 00:39:59.340 disciples, that he is the one who does the 00:39:59.340 --> 00:40:01.920 magic of disciple making, that he is the 00:40:01.920 --> 00:40:03.920 one who does the heavy lifting. 00:40:05.360 --> 00:40:09.160 1 Corinthians 3, I planted a Paulus water, 00:40:09.580 --> 00:40:12.400 but God gave the growth. 00:40:13.260 --> 00:40:15.820 So neither he who plants nor he who waters 00:40:15.820 --> 00:40:18.920 is anything, but only God who gives the 00:40:18.920 --> 00:40:19.420 growth. 00:40:19.420 --> 00:40:23.380 So knowing that discipleship is not about 00:40:23.380 --> 00:40:24.519 you, it's not about you. 00:40:25.119 --> 00:40:27.619 It's not, you're entirely replaceable. 00:40:27.720 --> 00:40:29.000 And that's something that I need to get 00:40:29.000 --> 00:40:30.800 more into my own thick skull. 00:40:32.180 --> 00:40:34.200 But yet still knowing that God in his 00:40:34.200 --> 00:40:36.639 kindness chooses to work in and through 00:40:36.639 --> 00:40:39.599 you, that he wants to work in and through 00:40:39.599 --> 00:40:42.260 broken vessels, jars of clay like us, 00:40:42.820 --> 00:40:45.800 then we ought to put less stock, less and 00:40:45.800 --> 00:40:48.700 less stock on what we can do and what God can 00:40:48.699 --> 00:40:50.099 do in and through us. 00:40:51.619 --> 00:40:55.579 So we go forth in faith to make disciples 00:40:55.579 --> 00:40:57.059 of Jesus Christ. 00:40:59.199 --> 00:41:02.919 It's okay, you want to be faithful, but how? 00:41:03.259 --> 00:41:03.739 How? 00:41:04.019 --> 00:41:04.639 What do I do? 00:41:06.199 --> 00:41:07.819 A few things I just want to recommend you 00:41:07.819 --> 00:41:08.159 quickly. 00:41:08.619 --> 00:41:10.980 If you've never been discipled, the 00:41:10.980 --> 00:41:13.419 recommended first step is to find somebody 00:41:13.419 --> 00:41:16.159 of the same sex to disciple you. 00:41:16.899 --> 00:41:18.539 And it's fine if you don't really know 00:41:18.539 --> 00:41:19.440 them all that well. 00:41:20.259 --> 00:41:22.340 If there's somebody out there in this very 00:41:22.340 --> 00:41:24.920 church whom you see that, if you just 00:41:24.920 --> 00:41:26.699 talked with them and read the Bible with 00:41:26.699 --> 00:41:30.079 them, that you learn a lot, ask them. 00:41:30.159 --> 00:41:31.380 Ask them to disciple you. 00:41:32.420 --> 00:41:35.900 And trust me, you all have a lot to learn. 00:41:36.739 --> 00:41:38.159 We all have a lot to learn. 00:41:38.219 --> 00:41:39.840 It comes with the territory of being 00:41:39.840 --> 00:41:40.259 sinners. 00:41:40.260 --> 00:41:45.640 And while you're being discipled, resist, if 00:41:45.640 --> 00:41:48.100 you feel that, if you resist the urge to just 00:41:48.100 --> 00:41:50.420 settle into being discipled. 00:41:52.480 --> 00:41:53.620 As if that's it. 00:41:55.120 --> 00:41:59.020 But use your being discipled to then fuel you to 00:41:59.020 --> 00:42:00.100 make disciples. 00:42:01.560 --> 00:42:04.920 So then take the next step to find somebody of the 00:42:04.920 --> 00:42:07.220 same sex to disciple. 00:42:08.340 --> 00:42:10.019 In his commentary in Matthew, D.A. 00:42:10.079 --> 00:42:12.360 Carson, he notes that, this is like the third time 00:42:12.360 --> 00:42:14.340 you've probably heard this, that the main emphasis is 00:42:14.340 --> 00:42:16.300 clearly on the verb make disciples, right? 00:42:17.760 --> 00:42:21.960 But we also should not neglect the participle going. 00:42:23.300 --> 00:42:27.280 We are the ones to take the initiative in going to the 00:42:27.280 --> 00:42:30.900 nations and going to others in disciple making. 00:42:30.900 --> 00:42:34.639 Not just expecting things to just fall in our lap. 00:42:36.260 --> 00:42:39.240 So when you're looking and praying for someone to 00:42:39.240 --> 00:42:42.920 disciple, then find somebody that you're just a little 00:42:42.920 --> 00:42:44.700 bit ahead of, at least a little bit ahead of. 00:42:45.639 --> 00:42:49.200 You don't have to be light years ahead, but just a little 00:42:49.200 --> 00:42:49.619 bit ahead. 00:42:50.680 --> 00:42:54.160 If you're a young believer, then you're a little bit ahead 00:42:54.160 --> 00:42:55.680 of your unbelieving friend. 00:42:56.900 --> 00:43:00.260 If you're five years out of college, then you're a little 00:43:00.260 --> 00:43:01.880 bit ahead of the recent grad. 00:43:02.760 --> 00:43:04.800 If you're a parent of a teenager, you're a little bit 00:43:04.800 --> 00:43:06.360 ahead of the parent with a toddler. 00:43:08.140 --> 00:43:09.840 It's not just about age, though. 00:43:10.440 --> 00:43:12.600 Don't let them despise you for your youth. 00:43:13.520 --> 00:43:16.560 If you've been faithfully walking with the Lord and have 00:43:16.560 --> 00:43:21.920 faithfully studied the Bible for 10 years at age 30, you have 00:43:21.920 --> 00:43:26.260 a lot to teach the recent 60-year-old convert. 00:43:27.660 --> 00:43:29.480 If they're humble enough to receive it. 00:43:30.260 --> 00:43:32.260 All right, speaking of which, evaluate. 00:43:32.780 --> 00:43:36.520 Evaluate whether that person you want to disciple is this 00:43:36.520 --> 00:43:38.320 acronym FAT, right? 00:43:38.900 --> 00:43:41.580 Faithful, available, and teachable, right? 00:43:42.200 --> 00:43:43.120 It's an acronym. 00:43:44.520 --> 00:43:46.600 Pray about it and then simply ask. 00:43:47.500 --> 00:43:47.920 Hey, brother. 00:43:48.600 --> 00:43:49.100 Hey, sister. 00:43:49.880 --> 00:43:54.620 Would you want to just get together regularly with me and open up 00:43:54.620 --> 00:43:55.800 scripture and study it with me? 00:43:56.680 --> 00:43:57.800 It's not rocket science. 00:43:59.480 --> 00:44:00.800 Dive together into scripture. 00:44:01.019 --> 00:44:02.900 Go slowly through a book of the Bible. 00:44:04.060 --> 00:44:06.160 Read a helpful Christian book if that's necessary. 00:44:06.780 --> 00:44:07.519 Pray together. 00:44:08.200 --> 00:44:12.420 And most importantly, enjoy and behold Jesus together. 00:44:13.200 --> 00:44:18.320 Share an earbud with them so that they too can hear the music, that they 00:44:18.320 --> 00:44:20.780 would be compelled to love and cherish Christ. 00:44:22.240 --> 00:44:25.000 Next, disciple in the context of the local church. 00:44:25.740 --> 00:44:25.860 Right? 00:44:25.900 --> 00:44:29.019 There are too many benefits of discipling within the local church. 00:44:29.640 --> 00:44:33.400 But really quickly, first, these are the people that you've already 00:44:33.400 --> 00:44:34.680 covenanted with. 00:44:35.440 --> 00:44:39.120 We haven't made a covenant promise with every Christian in this world. 00:44:39.119 --> 00:44:44.619 But you have made a specific promise to these very people that you will help 00:44:44.619 --> 00:44:45.599 them follow Jesus. 00:44:47.239 --> 00:44:51.500 Secondly, it builds off of the discipleship structure that we have in the 00:44:51.500 --> 00:44:52.500 life of the church, right? 00:44:52.839 --> 00:44:57.440 The regular life of a church, which includes preaching and community groups, 00:44:57.579 --> 00:45:02.559 Sunday classes, prayer meetings, utilize it in your discipling. 00:45:03.440 --> 00:45:08.000 How much easier does the work of discipling become when you can just build off of that 00:45:08.000 --> 00:45:09.440 instead of reinventing the wheel? 00:45:10.179 --> 00:45:13.559 You could say, hey, you know, let's go to this Christian formation class together. 00:45:14.579 --> 00:45:18.599 Oh, if you don't know how to pray and you want to learn, just come to a prayer 00:45:18.599 --> 00:45:19.280 meeting with me. 00:45:20.119 --> 00:45:21.619 Oh, what did you think about that sermon? 00:45:21.719 --> 00:45:23.360 What did you agree with or disagree with? 00:45:24.880 --> 00:45:29.840 And thirdly and importantly, discipling in the local church provides much-needed 00:45:29.840 --> 00:45:30.559 accountability. 00:45:32.219 --> 00:45:33.880 Discipleship is a great responsibility. 00:45:33.880 --> 00:45:35.320 You're right to feel it. 00:45:35.320 --> 00:45:38.600 And you will be held accountable for the things that you do teach. 00:45:40.420 --> 00:45:45.420 Discipleship outside of a local church, it can drift into whatever the 00:45:45.420 --> 00:45:46.519 discipler prefers. 00:45:47.380 --> 00:45:54.039 But discipling in the context of a local body where disciplers and disciples are 00:45:54.039 --> 00:45:58.260 accountable to the eldership, the shared common faith, and to the whole church 00:45:58.260 --> 00:46:02.220 body, that acts as a reliable safety net. 00:46:02.219 --> 00:46:07.519 So if you want accountability in discipling somebody, which I assure you, you want that, 00:46:08.480 --> 00:46:09.899 disciple them into the church. 00:46:11.219 --> 00:46:15.059 But also disciple them by opening up your life to them. 00:46:15.539 --> 00:46:15.599 Right? 00:46:15.679 --> 00:46:18.699 Discipleship is best caught, not taught. 00:46:20.559 --> 00:46:24.859 And a cardinal rule of all writing is to show, not tell. 00:46:24.860 --> 00:46:33.980 Don't just explain what it means to be a faithful husband or a faithful wife, but show them. 00:46:35.039 --> 00:46:35.180 Right? 00:46:35.180 --> 00:46:41.820 What better way to teach younger women to love their husband and children, to be self-controlled, 00:46:42.039 --> 00:46:47.740 pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their husbands, as Titus 2 says, than to be 00:46:47.740 --> 00:46:49.280 invited into our homes. 00:46:49.280 --> 00:46:54.920 What better way to teach a young man how to lead his family than just to invite him over 00:46:54.920 --> 00:46:56.540 and show him how you lead family worship? 00:46:58.280 --> 00:47:02.240 Maybe you feel like you're too busy to disciple someone right now. 00:47:03.180 --> 00:47:07.640 But very easily, you can just invite him into what you've got going on in your life. 00:47:08.660 --> 00:47:10.100 Do you have to hit the grocery store? 00:47:10.780 --> 00:47:11.700 Do some yard work? 00:47:11.960 --> 00:47:13.100 Make your next year's budget? 00:47:13.099 --> 00:47:43.099 Do some yard work? 00:47:43.099 --> 00:47:45.159 Do some yard work about discipleship? 00:47:45.159 --> 00:47:50.900 Do you get all fired up about it until you get slammed with four projects at work? 00:47:52.500 --> 00:47:56.719 Or the person that you're discipling cancels on you for the fifth time? 00:47:58.179 --> 00:48:01.579 Or you feel like your discipling just doesn't have that much impact? 00:48:03.299 --> 00:48:09.299 Or even the person that you're discipling is continually pushing back on you, disagreeing 00:48:09.300 --> 00:48:18.280 with you, then I encourage you to disciple with perseverance. So much fruit can occur if you just 00:48:18.280 --> 00:48:25.260 persevere. Pastor David Mathis shares his experience about disciple making, and this is 00:48:25.260 --> 00:48:30.820 true of myself. A common denominator of my disciple making experience over the years 00:48:30.820 --> 00:48:38.080 has been that in the end, the investment proves manifestly more fruitful than it typically feels 00:48:38.079 --> 00:48:46.460 in the process. Of course, it can be wise to stop a discipling relationship. You need not needlessly 00:48:46.460 --> 00:48:52.779 push through. Know that you are not solely responsible for this person's salvation, right? 00:48:52.819 --> 00:48:59.799 It takes a village. Someone else can come in and disciple that person, and if a relationship 00:48:59.799 --> 00:49:04.940 doesn't work out, a discipleship relationship doesn't work out, learn from it, and then simply 00:49:04.940 --> 00:49:12.440 move on to the next person. Don't stop making disciples after a few bumps in the road. And 00:49:12.440 --> 00:49:22.079 finally, don't stop making disciples even when you are not here. The pastoral team, we're under 00:49:22.079 --> 00:49:28.780 no illusion that many, if not most of you guys, will not be members at Trinity Cambridge for the 00:49:28.780 --> 00:49:38.620 next 10, 20, 30 years. We know that we are a church in a transient area. Many of you guys will go to 00:49:38.620 --> 00:49:46.920 different cities, different churches, even in different countries. Recently, again, we were 00:49:46.920 --> 00:49:55.860 lamenting together just how hard it is. And it is really hard to lose the people, to see them move away, 00:49:55.860 --> 00:50:06.260 and to lose them to other churches in other places. And yet we take solace that when you do go to these 00:50:06.260 --> 00:50:13.260 other churches, these other cities, in these other countries, you will carry the message of the gospel 00:50:13.260 --> 00:50:20.500 with you, and that you will be faithful to the task of making disciples. You will meet up with folks to 00:50:20.500 --> 00:50:27.539 study scripture, to pray, to disciple them, teaching them to obey all that Jesus has commanded. You will 00:50:27.539 --> 00:50:34.000 work to reverse this discipleship crisis that we have here in America for the glory of God by making 00:50:34.000 --> 00:50:42.539 mature disciples who obey everything. You will make disciples not to prove your worth, not to have God to 00:50:42.539 --> 00:50:48.019 finally accept you, but because you already have that assurance. You already have the assurance that God 00:50:48.019 --> 00:50:55.380 will walk with you until the end of the age, but you make disciples simply because you love Jesus. 00:50:56.579 --> 00:51:01.659 And he, you know, he's just the best thing. And you want others to see that too. 00:51:03.940 --> 00:51:11.019 And so when I remember in heaven that I'll get to speak with all the people that you have discipled, 00:51:11.019 --> 00:51:19.599 the people that you have encouraged and loved, poured your life into, and they share the testimony of your 00:51:19.599 --> 00:51:28.699 faithfulness, my heart fills with joy. So whether we are here in Cambridge, in San Diego, Tokyo, or 00:51:28.699 --> 00:51:36.980 Ankara, Turkey, right, we make it our lifelong aim to make disciples and to love him. Let's pray. 00:51:36.980 --> 00:51:45.719 Our heavenly Father, we do ask for your strength and power and grace to help us to be faithful to the 00:51:45.719 --> 00:51:50.599 task you have called us, that we would not look to the left, we would not look to the right, but that 00:51:50.599 --> 00:51:57.400 we would keep our eyes on the prize, that we would keep our eyes focused on the goal to be faithful to 00:51:57.400 --> 00:52:08.920 make disciples, to be your hands and feet here on earth. Lord, we are small and weak and foolish, and we 00:52:08.920 --> 00:52:17.039 make a mess of it so often. So Lord, please forgive us when we do. Please forgive us when we do. We've 00:52:17.039 --> 00:52:26.320 messed it up too often. But thank you, Lord, that you use, you invite us into the work of ministry. 00:52:28.960 --> 00:52:35.179 You're not just the frustrated dad who pulls away the tool from his son, saying, you're too slow, 00:52:35.320 --> 00:52:43.759 you're too incompetent, you're not good enough. But as a loving father, you invite us into the work, 00:52:43.760 --> 00:52:50.740 and you change us, transform us along the way. Thank you, Lord, for who you are and what you're 00:52:50.740 --> 00:52:53.340 doing. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.