Get In The Game - Making Disciples For Jesus (Part 9)

Pastor Rocklyn Clarke - Sunday August 3, 2008

© 2008 Life Church Ministries, Inc.

http://www.LifeChurchMinistries.org/

Introduction

Bible Reading 7/27 - 8/2: 2Chron 9:1 - 33:13; Rom 10:14 - 16:7; Psalm 21 - 25; Prov 20:4-18

Review

Get In The Game: Discipleship Determines Destiny

Preparation

Select The Passage: Elijah and Elisha - 2Kings 2:1-18

Background - 1Kings 19:1-21

Elijah and Elisha

Gilgal - covenant of circumcision renewed - Josh 4:19

Bethel - covenant of Canaan renewed - Gen 28:10-22

Jericho - where Israel began to experience it's inheritance.

Jordan -

Discover the Exegetical Idea

Elisha received his spiritual inheritance by keeping his eyes on Elijah.

Analyze the Exegetical Idea

Explain It: What does this mean?

Elisha was intentional about sticking with Elijah.

Elisha had to stick close in order to see Elijah when God took him.

Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?

It fits into a larger pattern found in Scripture

The way up is down

Be faithful with someone else's property to get property of your own

Work for the honor of the one who sent you - John 7:14-18

This has worked in my own experience

My knowledge of the Word and ministry came from sticking close to Bishop.

Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?

Many people are seeking success and greatness. The Bible reveals God's formula for achieving these things.

Most people pursue success and greatness the wrong way.

Formulate the Homiletical Idea

Discipleship Determines Destiny

Determine the Purpose of the Sermon

Make it plain

Use accessible language and modern parables

Make sure people do something with God's message.

See discipleship (being discipled and discipling) as the key to achieving your destiny.

Find someone to disciple you.

Prepare to start sharing the gospel.

Prepare to disciple someone else.

Decide How to Accomplish This Purpose

Outline the Sermon

The Right Perspective

It's not about your "credentials" - Jesus recruited "ordinary" men.

Discipleship - The Key To Your Destiny

Elijah and Elisha - 2Kings 2:1-18

Background

Elijah flees from Jezebel in despair - 1Kings 19:1-18

Elijah to appoints Elisha - 1Kings 19:19-21

Locations:

Gilgal - covenant of circumcision renewed - Josh 4:19

Bethel - covenant of Canaan renewed - Gen 28:10-22

Jericho - where Israel began to experience it's inheritance.

Jordan -

Elisha stayed close to Elijah.

Elisha was intentional about this from the beginning.

This becomes Elisha's only guarantee of seeing God take Elijah.

Elisha receives his inheritance by keeping his eyes on Elijah.

Related Patterns in Scripture

The way up is down - Luke 22:14-27

Be faithful with someone else's property first - Luke 16:1-13

Work for the honor of the one who sent you - John 7:14-18

Sticking close to Bishop

Reading books from his study.

Traveling with him.

Assisting him with menial tasks.

What difference does it make? So What?

Many people are seeking success and greatness. The Bible reveals God's formula for achieving these things.

Most people pursue success and greatness the wrong way.

Put God's Kingdom first - Hag 1:1-15; Mat 6:24-34

Discipleship is God's method for building his Kingdom.

We learn to set aside our personal agenda in favor of another's.

Ultimately this helps us put God's agenda first.

Identify Some Potential People To Disciple You

Someone of the same gender.

Someone who is doing something for God that you'd like to do.

Someone who is living a life of integrity and transparency.

Someone who is submitted to the people who pastor you.

Ask your life group leaders

They're looking for disciples (they can't disciple everyone).

They're looking for the best candidates they can find.

They can also suggest some potential people to disciple you.

Ask God to show you the right person.

Prepare To Be A Good Disciple

Be faithful, available, and teachable.

Be ready to serve rather than profile. - Acts 8:5-24 (Simon the Sorcerer)

Be ready to adapt yourself to his/her schedule.

Be ready to assist him/her.

Be ready to share the gospel.

Be ready to disciple someone else. - 2Tim 2:2

Ask Someone To Disciple You.

Becoming A Discipling Church

Normal Mode - Following up and discipling new believers

Transition Mode - Discipling existing believers

Adoption and Orphanage analogy

Using the "standard" package in a "non-standard" situation

Making the Transition

We must evangelize

Evangelism

The Harvest is Plentiful

Mat 9:35 - 10:4

Luke 10:1-4

Seek the Right People

Worthy Person - Mat 10:5-13

One Network at a Time - Mark 6:6b-13

Man of Peace - Luke 10:5-12

Arouse Curiosity

Jesus and the Woman at the Well - John 4:1-42

Violate expectations

Be willing to discuss things that people don't expect you to discuss.

Sexuality (apply to both married and single)

Popular music

Behave as more of a "tour guide" for life's experiences rather than as a lecturer on what people should or shouldn't do.

Discover where they are with respect to the 4 principles

God exists.

God loves you and wants to have a relationship with you.

A relationship with God must be on his terms.

God's terms are: follow Jesus!

Ask key questions

What do you mean by that?

How did you come to believe that?

Have you ever considered . . . ?

Example: Consider a conversation about whether or not God exists.

"It's turtles all the way down!"

Use the 3 key questions.

Share only as much as they can handle.

Invite them to follow Jesus

Much more than a "sinner's prayer"

Give them something to commit to:

Public identification with Jesus

Baptism

Fellowship

Training

What are you going to do?

Open (lift up) your eyes!

The fields are ripe (white) for harvest.

Even now the reaper draws his wages.

"Cultural Christians"

Probably won't go beyond inviting friends to church.

They stagnate spiritually.

"Insurance Christians"

Might start passing out tracts or knocking on doors out of fear that God might punish them if they don't evangelize.

They're not terribly effective.

"Consumer Christians"

Will wait around for evangelism training.

They stagnate spiritually.

"Disciples"

Use scripture passages to present the gospel.

Read the passages several times to understand them better.

Naaman washed in the Jordan 7 times - 2Kings 5:1-14

Help their teachers with their own evangelism.

Help their disciples to evangelize their own networks.

By evangelizing and disciple others they grow spiritually.

Transition: Transitioning From Evangelism To Discipleship

You can only disciple people who are committed to following Jesus.

They walk the walk rather than just talk the talk.

They are more focused on following a teacher than on negotiating the terms of their discipleship.

Don't compromise on this principle.

If you can't tell the difference between the committed and the uncommitted get someone to help you.

Analogies:

Following the Celtics

Following the Red Sox

Following the Patriots

Following Oprah

Draw your disciples close to you

Jesus with Peter, James, and John

Healing Jairus' daughter - Mark 5:35-43

At the mountain of transfiguration - Mat 17:1-13;

At the temple - Mark 13:1-7

At Gethsemane - Mark 14:32-42

Barnabas and Paul - Acts 9:1-31; Acts 11:19-26

Paul and Timothy - Acts 15:36 - 16:5; Philip 2:19-24

Choose A Good Candidate

Someone of the same gender!

Hungry

They must be hungry, not just mildly interested

Warning to teachers - don't be "promiscuous" with your teaching!

Elijah and Elisha - 1 Kings 19:19-21; 2Kings 2:1-18

Background - 1Kings 19:1-21

Elijah appoints Elisha

Elisha gives up his old way of life

Elijah and Elisha

Gilgal - covenant of circumcision renewed - Josh 4:19

Bethel - covenant of Canaan renewed - Gen 28:10-22

Jericho - where Israel began to experience it's inheritance.

Jordan -

Elisha sticks to Elijah and keeps his eyes on him. - 2Kings 2:1-18

Elisha was intentional about this from the beginning.

This becomes Elisha's only guarantee of seeing God take Elijah.

Elisha receives his inheritance by keeping his eyes on Elijah.

Faithful

Be ready to assist him/her.

Be ready to serve rather than profile. - Acts 8:5-24 (Simon the Sorcerer)

Faithful attendance on Sunday.

Faithful attendance at life group.

Available - Mark 3:13-19; Mat 8:18-23

Be ready to adapt yourself to his/her schedule. - Mat 8:18-23

Teachable

Everyone when fully trained will be like his teacher - Luke 6:40

Be ready to share the gospel.

Be ready to disciple someone else. - 2Tim 2:2

Teaching Others Solidifies Your Own Understanding

Warning to teachers - don't be "promiscuous" with your teaching!

Discipleship Details

Four stages in Elijah's final journey with Elisha

Gilgal (covenant of circumcision renewed - Josh 4:19) to Bethel

Bethel (covenant of Canaan renewed - Gen 28:10-22) to Jericho

Jericho (Israel's first victory in Canaan) to the Jordan

The other side of the Jordan

Four stages of discipleship

Establish godly habits.

Turn godly habits into skills.

Turn skills into ministries.

Release Your Disciple.

New Material

Preparation

Expository Preaching

Expository preaching is the communication of a biblical concept, derived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical, and literary study of a passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality and experience of the preacher, then through the preacher, applies to the hearers.

Select the Passage

Study the Passage

NIV

Hebrew Study Bible

KJV

The Message

NASB

RSV

Discover the Exegetical Idea

Subject

Tools: How, Who, What, When, Where, Why

Complement

Analyze the Exegetical Idea

Explain It: What does this mean?

Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?

Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?

Formulate the Homiletical Idea

Determine the Purpose of the Sermon

Make it plain

Use accessible language and modern parables.

Make sure people do something with God's message.

Decide How to Accomplish This Purpose

Outline the Sermon

Get In The Game: Godly Habits and Skills

Preparation

Select The Passage:

A passage dealing with prayer, God's Word, baptism with Holy Spiiriit

Discover the Exegetical Idea

Analyze the Exegetical Idea

Explain It: What does this mean?

Elisha was intentional about sticking with Elijah.

Elisha had to stick close in order to see Elijah when God took him.

Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?

Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?

Formulate the Homiletical Idea

Discipleship Determines Destiny

Determine the Purpose of the Sermon

Make it plain

Use accessible language and modern parables

Make sure people do something with God's message.

Decide How to Accomplish This Purpose

Outline the Sermon

Follow Jesus With Your Whole Body

Head - Eyes, Ears, Mouth, Brain

Eyes - Read God's Word

Ears - Hear God's Word

Mouth

Publicly acknowledge Jesus

Speak God's Word

Pray

Worship

Brain - Meditate on God's Word and apply it to your own life.

Hands

Serve others

Give generously

Heart - Believe God's Word

Legs and Feet - Go where God sends you

Private Parts - Practice purity

Discipleship is training:

Association

Imitation

Feedback

Repetition

Your Disciple Needs To Know the Lord

Let him who boasts - Jer 9:23-24; 1Cor

New Covenant - Jer 31:31-34; Heb 8:1-13

Key ways of knowing the Lord: Prayer, God's Word, Worship

Know God's supernatural power - Baptism with the Holy Spirit

Christians Only - "lexical" buckets

Prayer

Scripture

Jesus Prays - Mark 1:35; Luke 5:12-16; Luke 6:12-16; Luke 9:18-21; Luke 9:28-36; Luke 22:39-46; John 17

The Disciples' Prayer - Mat 6:5-15; Luke 11:1-13

Jesus' teaches prayer - Luke 18:1-8

Habits

Consistent daily prayer time with notebook and pen

Praying with a partner

Skills

Public prayer

Systematic prayer

Covering turf: family, friends, ministry connections, ministry targets

Intercessory Prayer. "Praying through" - Col 4:12

God's Word

Josiah and the Book of the Law - 2Kings 22; 2Chron 34

Habits

Hear it

Read it

Skills

Memorize it

Study it

Meditate on it

Speak it

Worship

Get In The Game: Turn Habits and Skills Into Ministries

Release Your Disciple - 2Tim 2:2

Discussion Questions / Topics (based on the indicated scriptures)

Scripture References: Jer 9:23-24; Jer 31:31-34

How well do you know God? Is knowing and understanding God something that you're able to boast about? Explain.

Describe your daily and weekly prayer habits.

What has God said to you through prayer this week? What changes to your prayer life might enable you to know him better?

Describe your daily and weekly Bible reading habits.

What has God said to you through the Bible this week? What changes to your Bible reading might enable you to know him better?

Have you ever taught someone else how to pray or how to read and understand the Bible? Do you expect to? Why or why not?

Witnessing Activities (pick one or two)

Divide into groups of 2 or 3 and spend a minute or two worshipping God. Then take another minute or two to ask God to speak to you about your partner(s) and wait quietly for him to speak to you. Share what God tells you with your partner.

Divide into groups of 2 or 3 and take turns sharing a personal belief that you have. It doesn't have to be related to God or the Bible and it doesn't even have to be an important belief - just something you personally believe. You partner or partners should then probe your belief by asking the following questions (in the order that they appear):

Question 1: What do you mean by that?

Question 2: How did you come to believe that?

Question 3: Have you ever considered . . . ?

Divide into groups of 2 or 3 and use one of the following passages to explain salvation to your partner.

Parable Of The Sower - Luke 8:4-15

Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, Lost Son - Luke 15

Zacchaeus - Luke 19:1-10

"For God so loved the world . . ." - John 2:23 - 3:21

Jesus heals a man born blind - John 9:1 - 10:42

Cornelius' Household - Acts 10:1 - 11:18

Day Of Pentecost - Acts 2:1-47

Paul in Pamphylia - Acts 13:13-52

Paul's gospel - 1Cor 15:1-11

Paul in Athens - Acts 17:16-34

Rom 10