I had the opportunity and pleasure to speak at the church our team spent our time at in Nepal. Pastor Achute requested that I preach, and furthermore to make sure that the sermon was fairly long. His exact words were, “Not short. Not short. Thirty, Forty minutes. Not short.”
As you may be able to imagine, I was a bit nervous about this imposing challenge. I have never officially preached before! Immediately I began to string together thoughts that corresponded with Bible verses and events from my life. I started to think of how to fill the time with scripture and knowledge.
Just a few minutes into my frenzied mental preparation, I realized that just maybe it would be a good idea to pray about the situation, and to actually ask God what He wanted to have said during my time in front of the congregation.
It’s amazing that when we actually stop and quiet ourselves to God’s voice, we can notice Him speaking. The direction the Lord took this message in was incredible, and taught me so much! It was a breathtaking experience to be a part of, as the Spirit popped scripture and thoughts into my mind. He even organized it into a nice little 4 point package. haha!
I wrote out the whole message word for word. Since it was my first time in a situation like this, I didn’t want to skip any important thoughts. So, I thought I would share it as an article. May the following open knew thoughts toward the ever growing need for discipleship within the body of Christ:
…As followers of Christ, we are all called to make disciples. Jesus’ final words to His 11 remaining disciples was to “go and make disciples among all nations.” So, as followers of Jesus Christ, we are both called to be disciples in our personal pursuit of Him, and to make disciples in sharing His love with others.
At the end of John chapter 6, the number of followers Jesus has is many, but they begin to complain about the amount of commitment it takes to continue following Christ. Then, in verse 63, Jesus tells the group that the words He has spoken to them are life and the only truth. Yet, Jesus knows that some of them still do not truly believe. Because their hearts do not truly understand God’s love, verse 66 tells us that many of the followers in the group turned back and left Jesus. Only the 12 disciples remained. The fact that Jesus allowed this to happen tells a lot to us about His character and His heart. Jesus was not interested in fame. He does not need to be popular among man to be more important. Jesus is more interested in the quality of the relationships than the number of them. Instead, Jesus is looking for a heart that is deeply committed; a heart that is looking to understand who He is more and more; a heart that believes completely in the power of God and accepts Jesus with complete faith.
This is the type of disciple we are called to be, and this is the type of disciple we are called to make. When we see discipleship for what it truly is, we can realize what a great task Jesus has called us to. We are not meant to only convert people to Christianity, but to teach the depth and truth of a relationship with God.
The place to start in discipling believers, is to understand Christ’s vision for the church body. Jesus desires a body of believers who understand the power of the cross; who understand that through Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection we are: set free, made alive; accepted, and given authority through Jesus Christ.
First, we are set free. We have been set free from rules and heavy expectations. Free to follow Christ’s example and live a life of sacrifice and love. Free to accept grace for our sins; free to be imperfect in our pursuit of God.
In Ephesians chapter 1, Paul disciples the church about their freedom in Christ. “…to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins in accordance with the riches of God’s grace, that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put unto effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment- to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.” (vs. 6-10)
Paul is explaining to us that through our acceptance of salvation, we are free. Our relationship with God no longer relies on a list of rules, or trying to please God through our own efforts. The cross put dead religion to rest, and delivered us into a free relationship with Jesus.
Galations 5:1 says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery.” Jesus was crucified to take away the burden of sin. We are not meant to live as slaves to sin any longer. Instead, let’s accept the freedom in Christ’s resurrection.
The second point is that the cross makes us new; it makes us alive. Paul explains this idea in Ephesians as well. “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (vs. 1-7)
This same truth is explained in Romans chapter 6. It tells us that if we have received salvation we have then died with Christ to sin and raised again with Him in new life.
The body of Christ needs to truly believe that it is a new being. We are each forgiven through Christ’s sacrifice, washed clean by His blood, and worthy of the righteous inheritance that God holds for us in Heaven. When we as the members of Christ’s church body truly see ourselves the way that God sees us, pure and set apart; when we really see ourselves in the light of this truth, we can put our old ways to rest, deny our flesh, and run after God’s call in our life.
The power of Christ’s work on the cross is perfect and complete. (Col. 2:13-15) Jesus has cleaned our sin away and given us the hope of glory. He has made us new and set us free.
The third thing we should remember in being a disciple and making disciples. is that there is acceptance in the love of God. It doesn’t not matter how much money you have, what family you come from, what your home looks like, or what you look like. There is acceptance for you in God’s love. He sent His only Son as a sacrifice for every single one of us.
Ephesians 2:19-22 “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and member of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”
We need to live in this kind of acceptance as the body of Christ and teach it to those we are discipling. When we live in a spirit of love and acceptance, there is no room for being judgmental. Judging your neighbor is the easiest way to break unity within the church.
Romans 15:7 tells us to accept one another just as we have been accepted by Christ. The same love and mercy Jesus has shown us, we much show to each other. Anyone is welcome in the family of Jesus Christ.
The fourth point is to realize the great power and authority our voice has because of Jesus Christ in us. These are the exact instructions of Jesus found in Matthew 10:7-8. “‘As you go, preach this message:’The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.'”
God’s power can be delivered through us because of Christ’s Holy Spirit in us. But we must have full faith in God’s power, full belief in His great love for us, and full surrender to His perfect will and timing
Galatians 3: 26-29 “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” This is your identity in Christ. Each one of us are children of the most High God. If we look up at verse 14 we see that through receiving Christ’s sacrifice by faith, we then receive the Holy Spirit in us.
So, God calls each of us family by accepting us as sons and daughters. Jesus loves us so much that He hung on the cross to be able to spend eternity with us. And, when we accept this gift of love, the Holy Spirit enters us to guide us and to be the voice of Jesus to us until we are united with Him in Heaven.
Do you see how much significance you have to God!? Do you see all of the ways that He has and continues to pursue you? Your are important to Him! God loves each of you so very much. And, there is power in that love. There is power in the significance He places on us. When we share God’s love, and speak His truths there is power in our words. There is power in your voice. Christ is looking for disciples who realize the power and authority that He has given to them.
So, in being Christ’s disciple we must learn and teach others that we have been set free, we have been made new, we are accepted, and we are given authority through Jesus Christ.
Discipleship based on truth is necessary for the maturity and growth of the church. “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Song of God and become mature, attaining to the whole of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph. 4:11-13) We must equip ourselves with the truth and then impart that truth to others so that we can be a body of believers firmly planted on the foundation of God’s Word.
2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking and training in righteousness.” Therefore, any teaching in discipleship should be tested against and based on Scripture.
Throughout high school and most of college, I did not fully understand what God’s love meant. I knew that Jesus died for my sins, but I did not understand how to have a relationship with Him. I was still trying to be good enough on my own strength. I was living by the law, instead of the freedom of the cross. It took me many years to truly learn what Christ’s sacrifice meant for me, and how God truly sees me as completely forgiven. And, I am still learning! But, one of the reasons it took me so long to begin learning these things is that I didn’t have much discipleship in life. I believe that the young in faith crave mentors who point to God’s heart, rather than actions that we should or should not do.
We could save so much confusion and sin within the church if we would just reach out to each other in true discipleship! That is my challenge to you all. That you continue making disciples by truly believe thing Christ’s death and resurrection has set you free, made you new, brought you acceptance into the kingdom of God, and given your actions authority in Christ. And, in believing these things, reach out to other believers and teach them God’s truth. This is the Father’s will for us as the Body of Christ.
