Get In The Game - Making Disciples For Jesus (Part 11)

Pastor Rocklyn Clarke - Sunday August 17, 2008

© 2008 Life Church Ministries, Inc.

http://www.LifeChurchMinistries.org/

Introduction

Bible Reading 8/10 - 8/16: Ezra 10:1 - Neh 12:26; 1Cor 6:1 - 11:2; Psalm 31:9 - 34; Prov 21:3-16

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 of discipleship

Establish godly habits.

Turn godly habits into skills.

Turn skills into ministries.

Release Your Disciple.

Get In The Game: Godly Habits and Skills

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

Salvation Details - Luke 19:1-10

Jesus is passing through Jericho.

Jesus visits our lives at key times.

Zacchaeus

Chief tax collector

Roman tax collection in Palestine is a "franchise" operation.

Jews viewed tax collectors as traitors

Zacchaeus is curious about Jesus

He wants to see who he is.

Being short, he climbs a tree in order to be able to do so.

Jesus responds to Zacchaeus' curiosity

Asks to stay at Zacchaeus' house

Zacchaeus welcomes him

Zacchaeus repents

Public reacts to Jesus intention to become Zacchaeus' guest.

Zacchaeus makes restitution

Salvation

Jesus pronounces Zacchaeus' salvation.

Repentance is a necessary condition for salvation.

Lessons

Jesus responds to genuine curiosity.

Conversing with Jesus and inviting him to your home doesn't save you. You must repent!

Following Jesus means following someone who is "on the move". You have to be "on the move" yourself to follow him.

Knowing God Through Godly Habits

Jesus Is The Way To The Father - John 14:1-31

To see Jesus is to see the Father - John 14:9

Love Jesus by obeying his commands - John 14:21-24

The Holy Spirit reminds us of Jesus' words - John 14:26

Following Jesus means wanting to find out what Jesus said and did so that you can follow it.

Jesus' high priestly prayer - John 17:1-26

We glorify God by finishing our assignments.

Eternal life is knowing God and Jesus Christ

Jesus revealed the Father through his Word - John 17:6-8

We are sanctified by God's Word - John 17:17

Our unity comes from Jesus and his revelation of the Father

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: Stay In the Vine and Bear Fruit!

Preparation

Select The Passage: John 15:1-8

Others

Remain in Christ's love - John 15:8-17

Practices of the early church - Acts 2:36-47; Acts 4:29-37; Acts 5:1-16

Discover the Exegetical Idea

Christians are connected to Jesus and to one another like the branches of a vine.

Analyze the Exegetical Idea

Explain It: What does this mean?

A vine is a network of branches. Jesus is the true vine and we are his branches.

Branches draw nourishment from the vine and can only produce fruit when part of the vine.

Pruning is part of the process of managing a vine.

We remain in the vine by remaining in Jesus' love. - John 15:9-17

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

This is obviously true for vines.

This is consistent with the other biblical metaphors for the church:

Body of Christ

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

We must remain consciously connected to Jesus.

We must remain consciously connected to each other.

We must bear fruit.

We should expect to be pruned.

Formulate the Homiletical Idea

Stay in the vine!

Determine the Purpose of the Sermon

Make it plain

Use accessible language and modern parables

Make sure people do something with God's message.

Stay in the vine and bear fruit.

Decide How to Accomplish This Purpose

Recognize the reality of the vine.

Understand how to stay in the vine.

Understand the role of godly habits in staying in the vine.

Stay in the vine.

Bear fruit.

Outline the Sermon

The Passage - John 15:1-8

Introduction

We connect to Jesus and to one another like the branches of a vine.

This is one of various biblical metaphors for the church:

A vine is a network of branches.

The Body of Christ has many members.

Purpose

Stay in the vine and bear fruit! (accessible language and take action)

Why

Branches draw nourishment from the vine.

Branches can only produce fruit when they are in the vine.

How

We remain in the vine by remaining in Jesus' love. - John 15:9-17

Obey Jesus' commands

Love one another

Early Church Practices - Acts 2:36-47

Baptism

Apostle's Teaching

Fellowship

Daily, in large and small groups

Sharing resources

Breaking of Bread

Prayer

Worship (implied)

Serving and Giving - Acts 4:29-37

Holiness - Acts 5:1-16

Outcomes

Stay in the vine and bear fruit.

Impart Godly Habits

Prayer, God's Word, Worship, Fellowship, Evangelism and Discipleship, Serving, Holiness

Turn Habits Into Skills

Turn Habits and Skills Into Ministries

We should expect to be pruned.

Release Your Disciple - 2Tim 2:2

Discussion Questions / Topics (based on the indicated scriptures)

Scripture References: John 15:1-17

Are you remaining in the vine? How do you know?

Are you remaining in Jesus' love by obeying his commands? Explain.

Do you love your brothers and sisters in Christ? How do you show it?

According to Jesus, friends, unlike servants, understand their master's business. How well do you understand the Lord's business? Explain.

Are you bearing fruit that will last? In what way?

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