Disciples Making Disciples

WEBVTT
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I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but I will be preaching yet again in Matthew.
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! We're just trying to squeeze all the juice out of this thing, you know?
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But if we preached on the last passage already, then what am I going to be preaching on?
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Today's sermon will be out of the norm as I'll be preaching on the same exact text as last week,
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but really just focusing in on two words, two key words that we want to lead the church in.
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And those two key words are make disciples.
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To make disciples is what we want to lead the church in.
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So I'll be preaching more of a topical, applicational sermon this morning,
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really building off of Sean's expositional sermon from last week.
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And we don't want to just fly over this quickly,
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but we want this command to shape us as a church,
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to infiltrate the culture of our church,
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so that when people think of Trinity Cambridge,
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they don't just say, oh, the music's really good,
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or the people are really friendly.
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But when they describe us, they would say,
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man, that church is a disciple-making machine.
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But regardless of whether we preach a topical or expositional sermon,
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the best of what I have to say, of what any preacher has to say,
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it really just comes from God's word.
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So today, even today, it is right and appropriate for us to open up our Bibles
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and to hear from him.
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Let's open up our Bibles to Matthew 28,
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verses 16 to 20.
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If you are in need of a Bible, a physical copy,
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feel free to raise your hand,
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and we'll be happy to get you a Bible that you could take home with you,
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use for now.
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Let me pray for the reading and preaching of God's word.
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Heavenly Father,
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this is your church.
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these are your people.
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I pray that you would speak to us
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and address us from your word today
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so that we feel the call
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to be faithful to our ministries,
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to your church,
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to your people.
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that as you've commanded us to make disciples,
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that you would stir up a fire,
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a passion,
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a desire
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to do that,
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to do that very thing,
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to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
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Father,
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I pray that you would
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help us
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to see rightly
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that we are small,
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we are insufficient for this task,
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but that in this time
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that you would expand
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our vision of you
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so that you would not be a small God
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but a big God
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and a God
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who has promised to use us,
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broken vessels,
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weak vessels,
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but nonetheless,
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you have assured us
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that you will be with us
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until the end of the age
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and from that,
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we feel the confidence
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to be able to go forth
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and be faithful
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to the call
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that you have,
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you have,
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you've called on us,
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you've placed on us,
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Lord.
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We pray that you would
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help us to be faithful
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disciples to the,
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to the little sprouts
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that you have put in our midst.
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In Jesus' name,
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we pray.
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Amen.
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To honor God's word,
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let us rise,
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if you are able.
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Starting off in Matthew 28,
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verse 16.
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Now the,
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the eleven disciples
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went to Galilee,
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to the mountain
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to which Jesus
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had directed them.
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And when they saw him,
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they worshiped him,
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but some doubted.
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And Jesus came
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and said to them,
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all authority
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in heaven and on earth
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has been given to me.
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Go, therefore,
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and make disciples
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of all nations,
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baptizing them
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in the name of the Father
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and of the Son
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and of the Holy Spirit,
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teaching them
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to observe all
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that I have commanded you.
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And behold,
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I am with you always
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to the end of the age.
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This is God's holy
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and authoritative word.
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Please be seated.
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I don't think
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what I'm about to say
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is overstated
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or sensational.
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We have a discipleship
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crisis
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in American Christianity.
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We have a discipleship
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crisis
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in American Christianity.
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For the past couple of years,
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Ligonier Ministries
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and LifeWay Research
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has teamed up
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to conduct
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a survey
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to figure out
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what do Americans
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really believe
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about God.
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Specifically,
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they targeted
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and focused
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on a group
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who have self-identified
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as
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evangelicals.
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And so,
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this is our camp.
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These are our people.
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But yet,
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hear what the state
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of their beliefs are
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from a survey
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from last year.
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To this statement,
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God accepts
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the worship
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of all religions,
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including Christianity,
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Islam,
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Judaism.
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47%
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of evangelicals
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agree
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to that statement.
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Half
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of evangelicals
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believe
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that you could be
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a Muslim,
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you could be a Jew,
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and believe
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that Jesus
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was not God,
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believe that Jesus
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did not die
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for our sins,
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to the acceptance,
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to the glory
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of God.
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Everyone sins
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a little,
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but most people
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are good by nature.
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It's another statement.
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More than half
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of the Christians
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surveyed,
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53%,
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don't think
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that you need
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the atoning
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sacrifice of Jesus
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because you yourself
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are good enough.
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53% would agree
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to that statement.
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Or every Christian
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has an obligation
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to join a local church.
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One third,
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one third
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of confessing
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evangelicals
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would disagree
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with that.
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One in three
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think that church
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is just completely
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unnecessary.
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And it's not just
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basic theology
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that we are lacking in.
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We also lack
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faithful obedience.
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Scripture teaches us
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that it is more
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blessed to give
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than to receive
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and to live a life
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of radical generosity.
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And yet,
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it's surveyed
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that less than
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or more than half
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of evangelicals
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give less than
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1% of their
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annual income away.
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And it's no secret
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that the church
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has a pervasive
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problem with
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poor news.
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In other surveys,
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64% of born-again
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Christian men
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and even
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44%
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of women
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admit to
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struggling with
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pornography
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regularly.
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Or take
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divorce and
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remarriage.
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A Barna study
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found that
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born-again
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Christians
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divorce at
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the exact
00:07:38.500 --> 00:07:40.300
same rate
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as the
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national
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average.
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It's virtually
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indistinguishable.
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And those
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statistics can
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paint
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Christians
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in a bad
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light,
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but it doesn't
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tell you the
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whole picture.
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Because what
00:07:56.939 --> 00:07:57.460
the data
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does not
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tell you
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is that
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those
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in the
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church
00:08:00.920 --> 00:08:01.680
who are
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spiritually
00:08:02.259 --> 00:08:02.780
engaged,
00:08:04.019 --> 00:08:04.300
who are
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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
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persevere. Pastor David Mathis shares his experience about disciple making, and this is
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true of myself. A common denominator of my disciple making experience over the years
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has been that in the end, the investment proves manifestly more fruitful than it typically feels
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in the process. Of course, it can be wise to stop a discipling relationship. You need not needlessly
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push through. Know that you are not solely responsible for this person's salvation, right?
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It takes a village. Someone else can come in and disciple that person, and if a relationship
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doesn't work out, a discipleship relationship doesn't work out, learn from it, and then simply
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move on to the next person. Don't stop making disciples after a few bumps in the road. And
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finally, don't stop making disciples even when you are not here. The pastoral team, we're under
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no illusion that many, if not most of you guys, will not be members at Trinity Cambridge for the
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next 10, 20, 30 years. We know that we are a church in a transient area. Many of you guys will go to
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different cities, different churches, even in different countries. Recently, again, we were
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lamenting together just how hard it is. And it is really hard to lose the people, to see them move away,
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and to lose them to other churches in other places. And yet we take solace that when you do go to these
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other churches, these other cities, in these other countries, you will carry the message of the gospel
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with you, and that you will be faithful to the task of making disciples. You will meet up with folks to
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study scripture, to pray, to disciple them, teaching them to obey all that Jesus has commanded. You will
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work to reverse this discipleship crisis that we have here in America for the glory of God by making
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mature disciples who obey everything. You will make disciples not to prove your worth, not to have God to
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finally accept you, but because you already have that assurance. You already have the assurance that God
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will walk with you until the end of the age, but you make disciples simply because you love Jesus.
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And he, you know, he's just the best thing. And you want others to see that too.
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And so when I remember in heaven that I'll get to speak with all the people that you have discipled,
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the people that you have encouraged and loved, poured your life into, and they share the testimony of your
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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.
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Our heavenly Father, we do ask for your strength and power and grace to help us to be faithful to the
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task you have called us, that we would not look to the left, we would not look to the right, but that
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we would keep our eyes on the prize, that we would keep our eyes focused on the goal to be faithful to
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make disciples, to be your hands and feet here on earth. Lord, we are small and weak and foolish, and we
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make a mess of it so often. So Lord, please forgive us when we do. Please forgive us when we do. We've
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messed it up too often. But thank you, Lord, that you use, you invite us into the work of ministry.
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You're not just the frustrated dad who pulls away the tool from his son, saying, you're too slow,
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you're too incompetent, you're not good enough. But as a loving father, you invite us into the work,
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and you change us, transform us along the way. Thank you, Lord, for who you are and what you're
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doing. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.