Make Disciples

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If you got a Bible this morning, I’m going to invite you to go ahead and turn to Matthew. Chapter 28 is where we’re going to be. We’re going to talk about a specific text that’s important to what it means to be a follower of Christ. And starting the new year, we have just been going through a series together on following after Jesus and what that looks like in our life. And I’m going to give us a little bit of a a backdrop into Matthew 28. And that backdrop, actually, it picks up from where we we left off last week. And, uh, one of the things I want to say is we, we dive into this text is, uh, when we talk about being a disciple of Christ, it is it is a hard statement to examine within Scripture, because in order to be a follower of Jesus, one of the greatest idols, we have to remove from our lives to do that, and that is ourselves. And throughout the Bible and in the Gospels, especially when you look at the ministry of Jesus, he is very clearly communicating what it means to be a follower of him. And as he does so, he distinguishes among the people in which he teaches. He’ll often refer to the crowds, and then he’ll talk about his disciples. And he’s recognizing, though people may come and listen to what he is about, there is a difference between a follower of Jesus and just the crowds.

And in fact, even on a Sunday morning, I think that’s true. Um, just just because someone gathers into a church building and says they believe in Jesus does not necessarily necessitate that they’re a follower of Jesus, and we don’t want to take it for granted this morning just because someone came into a church building that they’re they’re even a Christian to begin with. Jesus makes that call in our lives very clear in what it means to follow after him and to trust in him. The Bible calls all of us to come to a personal place in our lives where we we put our faith in Jesus and make the decision to pursue him as as Lord of, of our lives. And and the greatest idol we have in our lives must come to an end in order to pursue Jesus the way he calls us to which is which is our self. And so that’s what makes discussing the idea of being a disciple difficult, because what we learn about ourself is that we are very good at putting ourselves back up on the throne and removing Jesus from what he has called us to in this world. And so when God calls us to be disciples and followers of him, that that death that we experience in self is something that we do daily in, in Jesus and our pursuit and our relationship to Him and Jesus.

As he’s explaining this to his disciples, we said last week that into Matthew chapter 16 that that no one really got the picture of what Jesus was about, except for when you read the scriptures. The demons and the demons are the ones who gave praise or at least acknowledged the authority of who Christ was. And even the disciples just didn’t get the the full picture and understanding of exactly who Jesus was really, until Jesus was buried and and resurrected. But Jesus began to paint the the picture for his disciples. And in Matthew chapter 17 for us. And we looked at it last week and and I’ve just I’m not going to dive into this, uh, completely as the way I did last week, but I’m going to just distinguish the important points we made from this passage and move on, because this is what builds the bridge for us, for understanding of what discipleship is all about, because it’s rooted in the authority of who Jesus is. And in Matthew chapter 17 and verse five, the father speaking about Jesus, and this is what he says while he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Talking about Peter, James, and John and Jesus. And behold, a voice came out of the clouds saying, this is what the father said. This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him. And so the father gives three distinguishing marks of the identity of Christ as he demonstrates who Jesus is before these disciples.

This moment where, okay guys, this needs to click in your mind to understand who Jesus is because what Jesus is about to do, it’s going to make you want to tuck tail and run. But the authority of who Jesus is is what’s going to bring you back into his presence, trusting in him with your life. And so he says, this is my beloved son. A quote from Psalm chapter two. This is a messianic psalm that deals with the kingship of Jesus’s identity. Israel would read this psalm when a king was elected or appointed. Isaiah chapter 42, verse one, with whom I am well pleased. Isaiah 42 is a part of the suffering servant. Passage of Scripture from Psalm, from Isaiah 40 to Isaiah 55. This servant would also suffer Jesus going to the cross to suffer for our sins. It’s a demonstration of the priestly position in which Christ would fulfill. And in Deuteronomy chapter 18, Moses saying to the nation of Israel, A prophet like him would come, listen to him. That’s what Moses says. And so when the father is saying this, he’s taking all three positions of authority in the nation of Israel king, priest, and prophet, and saying, all of this is fulfilled in Jesus. This is highly important because in Israel’s history, these positions were considered distinct.

And in fact, in one point in the nation of Israel, there was a king named King Hezekiah who decided to take on the position of a of a priest for just a moment. And he goes into the temple, and the Bible tells us that God strikes him with leprosy. He. Took these two positions and mixed them, and God in that judges them. But in Psalms chapter 110, it tells us that one day this position of priest and king will come together, and we find it in Jesus. In fact, the theme of this idea continues throughout all of Scripture. If you were to look at the book of Hebrews, the book of Hebrews is written primarily to the Hebrews, the Jewish people. It’s a beautiful book that ties Old Testament pictures to the identity of Christ and everything he fulfills for us. His authority is significant to understand what the life of the disciple is all about, because it’s based on his authority that Jesus calls us in pursuit of him. And when we trust in the significance of what Christ accomplished and who Christ is, that’s what gives you the foundation by faith to follow after him. Here’s why it’s important for us as believers. When we come to religious gatherings, sometimes I believe we come with the right or a desire that wants to make a better us. I don’t I don’t want to say that necessarily. It’s always the right desire, but I want to be a better me.

And so we come to, to to messages. And what we want to hear sometimes is these self-help ideas to make me feel better about me and how to improve me. And this is what Jesus says about discipleship. In order to understand the authority of Jesus and exactly what he’s done for you. It’s not about learning how to become a better you. It’s about losing everything about who you are and finding yourself in everything about who Christ is. There’s a firm that we use in Christianity that really means total depravity, right? It’s this thought of saying that that it’s not about learning how to be this better you, but what it is, is about learning how to take the identity of Jesus in your life. It’s all about who he is. It’s not our banner of glory. It’s not our authority. It’s not our praise, but it’s Christ alone. Because in Christ alone, he demonstrates our worth and value and what he has accomplished for us. And in the book of Hebrews demonstrates that in those positions that I just shared with you about what Christ has done, Jesus is the final prophet, priest, and king that everyone has been looking for. And in fact, the book of Hebrews says it in chapter one. It’s the prelude to the rest of the book. He says this in verse one. God, after he spoke long ago to to the fathers and in the prophets, in many portions and in and in various ways.

It says in some text. So it gives this idea that, okay, Jesus was speaking through people and this sort of hodgepodge way, he was doing it in various times in different ways. But in verse two it says this. And in these last days, you want to know what the last days are. It’s starting when Jesus has come and it says, and the last days has spoken to us in his son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the world. Like if you’re wanting to listen to to God’s truth, Jesus is the one who has delivered it. He was the the final authority, which is why we say the Old Testament pointed to Christ. The New Testament now points back to Jesus. Everything that we have been looking for is fulfilled in Christ. He is the final prophet. And so in verse three it goes on, and he is the radiance of his glory and the exact representation of his nature. So this is important. The significance of Jesus talking about the father Jesus is the exact nature of the father. It’s saying to us that Jesus is God in the flesh and upholds all things by the word of his power. When he made had made purification of sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high.

Now Hebrews goes through and expounds on this point that that Hebrews chapter one breaks into. But what it’s saying for us in verse three is that when he made purification of sins, it’s pointing to the priestly nature of Jesus. He is the priest in which we have been waiting for. In fact, in Hebrews nine, when it begins to elaborate it further, in fact, it really starts in chapter five, chapter seven on into chapter nine. It says this in verse 11. It not only calls Jesus the priest, the high priest that we’ve been looking for, but it says in verse 14 that he also became the sacrifice in which we needed as the high priest. The high priest himself lays down his life. And in verse eight, but of the son, he says, The Father speaking here your throne, O God, is forever and ever. Talking about the kingship of Jesus. Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 25 tells us that you, follower of Christ, serve a kingdom that is unshakable. He is the finality. And the positions of Israel that were intended to point to Jesus. Jesus has come to fulfill them all prophet, priest and king. Which is why Paul says in Second Corinthians chapter two and verse two, for I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

On this authority. Jesus gives his final declaration in Matthew 28. One that I would say. And calling yourself a follower of Christ is highly significant. In fact, many of you are probably accustomed to hearing this passage that I’m going to share this morning. But my hope is, as we approach it, we we look at it with fresh eyes on what Jesus is saying to us. And and if I just pause as the introduction of this text, I would just say, when Jesus is about, he’s been resurrected. He’s about to leave the earth. My expectation, and probably yours, is whatever words he wants to share as his departing shot. Would be some of the most impactful thoughts he would want his disciples to carry within his heart. Jesus in Matthew chapter 28. In verse 19. Gives the calling to his disciples. This morning. I want to expatiate what this text says for us as we think through what Jesus is calling us to by calling ourselves disciples of Christ. He says in verse 19, go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.

In the beginning of this statement, Jesus gives one command and then expatiates what he says this command entails for us as individuals. He gives the explanation for it. And if you look in verse 19, you can find this command. But I want us to be aware when you read verse 19, this command, there’s only one command in verse 19 and it’s not the word go, okay. This word go is in the active present tense verb. It means it really means as you are going, as you are living your life in this world, this is what Jesus wants you to keep in the forefront of your mind. And this is what his command is. It’s the very next phrase make disciples. Go into this world and make disciples. Disciples of Jesus. Make disciples of Jesus. This this thought for, for make disciples, we said last week, is what the church is for. I don’t know if. Remember, we played this game last week. I threw some words up on the screen and told you to associate it with an idea or a thought as you think about this word. And we came to the church, we said, what’s the purpose of the church? Well, Jesus outlines it specifically for his followers here, he says, and one command God’s desire for you is to make disciples. Now I would pause here and say some translations.

I feel of Scripture, do a a good job of of giving the holistic approach to what God’s desire is. Some, I think, are too specific. And one of those, one of those would be the the King James Version, because the word in which is the word for disciples in mathematics or math, it’s the word for teach is dydasco. And this word in verse 19 that that Jesus is using is Matthew ts right. And the reason that’s important to distinguish is because when Jesus then explains to us what a disciple is, he uses the dasco in verse 20, this teaching them, this is what it looks like. Okay, so so we make disciples. And an aspect of that is is teaching. But to just describe the teaching in the way our society is created is to think academically. And Jesus’s idea of explaining the idea of a disciple is more holistic in its approach. It’s not just this academic learning where you become smarter and therefore it makes you spiritual. Intellectualism is not spiritualism. And by the way, just calling yourself spiritual isn’t either. God created us all as spiritual beings, regardless if you acknowledge it or not. But a disciple. A disciple is one who takes all that they are and surrenders it to all that the master is. In fact, Jesus said at multiple times in the book of Luke. A servant is not greater than his master. Jesus! We’re here.

Under you. And so when Jesus talks about this word disciple. He says some important thoughts about what a disciple does, and I think teaching is a wonderful aspect. But this is what it says in verse 20. Teaching them to observe. It’s not just understanding. But it’s allowing the understanding of what Jesus says to affect your heart. That is, it begins to affect your heart. It begins to shape the way that you live, that it identifies your living with the way Christ would live. Jesus is after the heart. This word for observation says to us. What in my life. Do I need to give up? Or start doing. Or keep doing. To reflect. My master, right? How can I observe what I’m absorbing in Scripture as I’m seeing Jesus live such a beautiful life on earth? This passage of Scripture tells us the authority from which we learn. And I just want to reiterate this for us is it’s not that. We’re saying subject yourself under religious tyranny or or authority. This is what we’re saying is. Just follow Jesus, right? Teaching them to observe all things that Christ. Has said to you, right? What Christ has commanded to us. You know the interesting thing when Jesus tells us this passage of observation in verse 20, he says this. Teaching them right. Teaching them the important thought of teaching them is, is something that Jesus reiterates in this word, discipleship. Throughout the Gospels.

If you were to do a, a word study on on the word disciple within the Gospels and acts, you would find that the word disciple is used well over 200 times within these passages of Scripture. Out of the 200 plus times that the word disciple is used. Here’s what’s really interesting about it. Almost every time. It’s in the plural. There’s but 5 or 6 times within Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and acts that this word disciple is ever used in the singular form. And so when Jesus is talking about discipleship, you cannot separate it from the idea of community in one another’s lives, letting Jesus being displayed in one another’s lives. And in fact, we go a thought further and we would say this Jesus is demonstrated through your relationships to others. Ministry only exists because people exist, and the heart of everything that God calls us to do is to reflect his glory between one another. And so you cannot have the word disciple unless you think about community, because what God calls his community to do is to be with one another, reflecting the glory of who God is, whether it be in relationship to the outside world or within his community of followers. Jesus’s desire is for his disciples to do that together. When it comes to disciple. It’s also important to distinguish that it’s not everyone. Jesus spoke to the crowds. And Jesus was intimate with his disciples.

In fact, when Paul is teaching Timothy on how to equip followers of Christ to live in light of Christ, he says this in Second Timothy chapter two and verse two. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. I mean, Jesus spoke to the crowds, but he was he spent time with with the disciples. And in order to equip them and train them and and prepare them. And so it’s as if Paul is saying this, and Jesus is saying this just just because you attend church, um, just because you fill a seat, just just because you may say the word, I’m a Christian. Doesn’t mean you’re a follower of Christ. Martin Luther said this. A faith that costs nothing, asks for nothing and sacrifice nothing. Is worth nothing. See the evidence of your life as to whether or not you truly believe in the authority of who Jesus is, is to look back on your life, to see. Does it demonstrate my faith in Christ, or are they empty words that are just expressed? It is easy to say words like this Jesus, I give you my heart. Jesus, I give you my life. Jesus, I surrender. But. More difficult. To then take those statements, right? And live it out. I asked myself the question. You know, the word disciple is used.

Hundreds of times in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. You know when she get to the book of acts. The Bible never uses it again. The Bible stops in the book of acts, and this is the reason I think it stops using the word disciple is because as soon as as soon as the book of acts starts to share the story about who Christ is, uh, the disciples and the apostles, they they leave Israel and they begin to get into the Greek culture. And the Greek culture isn’t as familiar with the way in which a rabbi would train his students. In fact, the Greek culture was more academically minded. They would segregate intellectually parts of their lives from other aspects of their life. And so they’d have this one section of their life where they did this one thing and this other section in life where this other thing, the American culture more resembles a Greek culture than than it does the Jewish culture. And so the word disciple isn’t used. And I think the practice and art of making discipleship therefore begins to diminish. And so I asked myself the question, okay, when Jesus talks about a disciple, he shares stories about where the disciples are going and how they’re traveling and and how they’re interacting in the world. But but where are some places within Scripture where Jesus says, A disciple looks like this? If you’re asking yourself the question this morning, what does a disciple look like? Jesus gives a few statements with in Scripture, but here are some within the book of John to to measure.

If if you’re seeing demonstrate in your life this this life that desires to pursue Christ. He says this in John 831. So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed in him, if you continue in my word, then you are truly disciples of mine. In John 13 by this all men will know you are my disciples if you have love for one another. In John 15, Jesus says, My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. And so Jesus, in describing the life of the disciple. It’s not not just words, but it’s diving into Scripture and understanding who exactly Jesus is. It’s not just saying I love you, but Jesus in John 13, he’s about to give up his life. And so he goes further and says, love others as I have loved you. It’s a sacrificial love for the benefit of others. In John 15. Showing the fruit of who Christ is your desire. As Christ desire. And what you want. Should be as what he wants. Matthew 28, Jesus delivers the statement that we’ve seen together. Go into all the world and preach the gospel. Baptizing in the name of the Father and Son, Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you.

The important part of this statement, I think. As seen in the backdrop as to why Jesus delivers such a statement. And this is important for every disciple. When Jesus is sharing in Matthew chapter 28. If you look at the context of chapter 28. It’s after the death of Jesus. Now entering into his resurrection. With the followers of Christ have been rocked. And their foundation feels shaky. And in fact in verse 17 it describes it as such. When they are seeing Jesus. This is what it says. When they saw him, they worshiped him, but some were doubtful. In verse 16, and previous to this it tells us that the 11 disciples are present when Jesus is making this statement. You know, some people look at this passage just a little bit more detailed than that. Jesus. When he’s appearing to the disciples, it tells us he’s he’s appearing here to the 11 disciples. But it doesn’t tell us these are the only disciples that are present. In fact, if you were to parallel this with Jesus’s resurrection in John 20, Jesus has been appearing to people sharing his his message of resurrection and hope with them for many days now. Some people even think that this statement Jesus is giving is when Jesus is speaking to the 500 disciples that Paul writes about in first Corinthians 15, that Jesus is speaking to all of the disciples that are still collectively together, wanting to pursue him, although he’s been crucified, but having now seen him resurrected, they believe that possibly this entire group of 500 disciples may be present for this statement that Jesus is giving in verse 19, which makes it very important to understand what Jesus is then saying in verse 17, because at the end of it it says some worship, but some doubted.

What are they doubting? Are they doubting? Jesus. At 500 people are present. I seriously do not expect that. I could say all 500 people would feel what I’m about to describe for you. But I don’t think the majority of people within this group would have doubted Jesus’s resurrection. I don’t think they would have doubted what Christ was saying and who Christ was. I think it was apparent to them Jesus has got some holes in his hands and he’s standing right in front of them. This word for doubt. Is also the same word. For hesitation. I think some are seeing the resurrection of Christ, and they’re seeing the hope that Jesus has promised. And seeing now Christ has fulfilled it and they’re worshipping. But I think some of the other ones aren’t looking at Jesus and doubting what Jesus is capable of doing. I think they’re looking into themselves and doubting they have whatever it would take to pursue Christ with their lives. Some of them are doubting. They’re hesitating. And it’s on the the backdrop of this hesitation that Jesus delivers the statement in Matthew chapter 28 and and verses 19 and 20.

This is why I said this in the beginning. It is extremely important to understand us as people, not just to come to Christ for the self-help idea, but to look at our total depravity apart from who Christ is. This is why it’s important to understand the authority in which Jesus carries in this world on our behalf, what he has done for us. And this is why it’s important. To die to self. Because when someone understands exactly what Jesus is saying. About our lives. And what he’s called us to in him. I would say to us, the only way that happens to live that life. As death to self. Some were doubtful. Listen, if it were just the 11 disciples, I heard this clever statement written that it was a statement, as if management consultants were to investigate the 12 disciples, to tell Jesus if he’s an entrepreneur or building this business, what he thinks, what they think these consultants think the 12 disciples are capable of. Now listen to this, they said. It says this Simon Peter is emotionally unstable and given to fits of temper. Andrew has absolutely no qualities of leadership. The two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, placed personal interests above company loyalty. Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale.

We feel that it is our duty to tell you that Matthew has been blacklisted by the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau, and James, the son of Altheus and Thaddeus, definitely have radical leanings. And they both registered a high score on the manic depressive scale. One of the candidates, however, shows great potential. He’s a man of ability and resourceful ness, meets people well, has a keen business mind, and has contacts in high places. He is highly motivated, ambitious and responsible. We recommend Judas Iscariot as your comptroller and right hand man. All of the other profiles are self-explanatory. We wish you well on your new venture. These 11 disciples that are at least by Jesus that we know. I would say, have plenty of reason to doubt themselves. But Jesus now delivers a message. That says in your weakness he is strong. And in your depravity. He’s there to meet the need. Jesus is the one that supplies that for which he has called you to accomplish in this world. In fact. In this command that Jesus gives, I would say he surrounds it by two phrases of comfort for the disciples in their understanding of their pursuit of Christ. He says this in verse 18. Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. This word for authority not only says Jesus has the power. But it also says Jesus has the position to carry out and fulfill the power of the promise that he’s about to give.

It’s one thing to be strong. But who cares if you can do nothing with it, right? And what Jesus is saying to his disciples, not only do I have the strength to do what I’m about to call you to do, but I have the position through which I can accomplish to do what it is that I’ve called you to do. Why? Because I am prophet, priest, and King, of which all has been fulfilled in me. And so Jesus then says this. Teaching them to observe all things I’ve commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. I heard a guy read this passage once and he said, this, this, this is a promise God gave us. And the lady a lady stands up and responds, no, it’s not just a promise, it is a fact. Jesus is with you wherever you go. Especially. Especially. And your weakness and doubt. I wouldn’t say most, in fact. At your greatest moment of weakness and doubt. Because it’s his authority. In which it rests. There was a. A husband. Who was at home watching a game of his favorite team. And it came down to the last minutes and his wife was out shopping and and his team was behind. And and they come back, you know, one of those nail biters, just a few seconds to go, they score and they win.

So this is obviously not about the Bengals. Right. But they score and they win. And he’s excited. Last minute his team. What a victory. And his wife comes home. And she still has to do some more shopping. And the game is over. So he decides he’s going to go out with her and spend the day. And and while they’re out shopping, they get back in the car at the end of the day and he turns on the radio. And it just so happens the same game is playing again. It’s a repeat, and he decides he wants to listen to it again just to celebrate, because he’s catching just the last few seconds of the game. And the wife hears the two teams that are playing. She even know her husband’s team is playing that day and he’s listening to this game. But but he’s got a smile on his face and she’s she’s like nervous for him. She’s like, your team’s losing. What are you going to do? Why are you not nervous? And she’s going through all these emotions for him. And and the game ends and she wins and and she’s looking at him like, well, how were you not just on the edge of your seat during that game? And he he reveals that I’ve got a secret. I know who won. It’s a rerun, right? And she was obviously upset.

He let her get all emotional over that. But but when you look at the early church. And when they went out into this world, it wasn’t just a game for them, it was life. So much so that they gave it up. Literally. Why? Because they believed these last words Jesus said. They know how the game ends. And the things in which they fought for before, in the magnitude of all that Jesus is now no longer matters to them. You know, one of my favorite. People. I would say in history, a follower of Christ was a man who preached the gospel in the 1800s mid 1800s. A man by the name of Charles Spurgeon. One of the things I love about Charles Spurgeon, Charles Spurgeon, he’s considered one of the some people would say he’s the Prince of Preachers outside of the Apostle Paul and Jesus, there’s probably no one who’s done more than Charles Spurgeon. Some people put him on that sort of pedestal and the impact that he made. In fact, at his at his 50th birthday, they they took time to read some of the ministries that were established and began in thriving through through the ministry that Charles Spurgeon had had begun to lead. And it was some 60 some organizations doing things for the gospel in the world. And Charles Spurgeon lived in in London, and he spoke to crowds so large there was there was no larger gathering at the time than what Charles Spurgeon was doing.

In fact, in London, whatever happened on the weekend in their church was such a focal point in the in the city that the newspapers had columnists, and their entire job was just to critique this man. 10,000 people or more would gather in sermons as a church body and listen to the Word of God spoken. And I don’t want to glorify large group gatherings. I don’t care about that. And I don’t think Charles Spurgeon did either. But one of the things I love about him. So you would never know this about his life, seeing what we would call success by worldly standards, but in his personal life. And he struggled. He fought depression. He had two kids, and for most of his ministry, his wife was bedridden. He himself suffered from a kidney disease and had gout continuously that he wasn’t even able to get up and share God’s Word often as he would desire. He died in his 50s, and one of the guys that wrote a book about Charles Spurgeon’s life, his biography on his life, he said this about Spurgeon. One of the reasons he thinks he died young is because of the stress of what happened to him when he was young. 22 years old in London. He’s preaching to a crowd of 10,000 people. And he had people that protested against him and people that stood against him and and didn’t like what he was he was doing.

And during one of his meetings when he was 22 years old, someone stands up in the middle of this building that’s packed and crowded and yells fire! And there’s such a stampede out of the building. Tons of people are injured. And some. Some stories say as many as seven people were trampled to death. And when he saw what what he desired to reach London and to share the gospel and to get close to, to to the Lord with a community of followers. And and he saw the results of what happened in seeing those people. It just it broke his heart. Seven people losing their lives. And he never he never let that go. And he struggled. You know, one of the reasons I think he was so successful is sometimes in our lives at the depth of our suffering and hardships. At the end of ourselves. That’s where we begin to see the beauty of what Jesus is saying here. Anyone. Can say the words. I died. But it’s harder to live that death. Sometimes we doubt. Because with our eyes we’re looking at the possibility that we find within ourselves. But the gospel is clear. The answer is never found in you. But the reality is, and being a disciple of Jesus, if you aren’t willing to give, you aren’t a follower of Christ.

Because what Christ asks for is your life. Jesus said in John 14. Greater works than these, you will do. How? The road to the greater things in Christ ends with dying to self and letting Christ live within you. It’s what I say this morning. And following after Jesus. Isn’t this magical formula where if you surrender everything that you are to God, you’re going to end up in London in your dream home preaching to 10,000 people. But you will. Live a life of success and victory according to what Christ has created you for in him. I don’t think Jesus cares about the numbers. Well, Jesus cares about. As you waking up every day and giving your life to him as he has given his life for you. It’s that intimacy. It’s in that place of doubt. And struggle. That you find the words of Christ ringing true as prophet, priest and king. All authority. Has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, in the name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe everything or all things I have commanded you. God’s goal for his people. To be disciples that make disciples not in your strength. But in his. People of the word, loving one another and bearing fruit to the glory of God as Jesus works his strength in us.

Real Disciples

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