1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:10,720 Good morning, Paul and the worship team. 2 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:15,400 Norman Mailer said on television the other night that the Holocaust was God's greatest 3 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:16,400 defeat. 4 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:21,080 Do you believe that? 5 00:00:21,080 --> 00:00:25,160 Norman Mailer was creating a God in his own image. 6 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:30,600 He said, I believe in a God who is doing the best he can. 7 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:39,040 He went on to say that God is neither all-powerful nor all-wise, that he's just like we are, 8 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:41,560 only bigger. 9 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:46,120 He is creating God in his image. 10 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:50,760 The fact is that nothing happens by chance. 11 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:56,880 Although sometimes the language we use suggests that it does, we talk about luck or fortune 12 00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:58,720 or fate. 13 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:06,760 We speak of accidents or a gamble or we talk about something that happened. 14 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:14,200 The fact is that life in all of its circumstances is superintended by divine providence, a providence 15 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:18,480 that is all-wise and all-powerful. 16 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:27,240 John Milton, the 17th century English poet, spoke of that power which erring men call 17 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:31,600 chance. 18 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:40,080 Chance does not really exist in the world, except in mathematics perhaps. 19 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:46,160 In fact, God is the one who knows all and arranges all. 20 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:52,920 We see that illustrated in Jesus' choosing of his disciples. 21 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:59,520 Toward the end of his time with them, he reminds them of the fact, you have not chosen me, 22 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:05,960 but I have chosen you, John 15 and verse 16. 23 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:11,720 He was preparing them for his impending death. 24 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:15,280 He was teaching them about his relationship to himself. 25 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:21,240 It's like a vine and its branches, he says. 26 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:26,560 And the fact that I am the vine and you are the branches is not coincidental. 27 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:28,680 It's not a chance. 28 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:32,400 He says, I have chosen you. 29 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:38,560 Later in the chapter he says, I have chosen you out of the world. 30 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:42,240 The same is true of every genuine Christian. 31 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:47,120 We are chosen by God's grace to belong to Jesus Christ. 32 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:54,380 The new you that you are in Christ is a chosen disciple, in a very similar way to those who 33 00:02:54,380 --> 00:02:58,860 walked with Jesus more than 2,000 years ago. 34 00:02:58,860 --> 00:03:06,760 Think with me of what this means to be a disciple chosen by Jesus Christ. 35 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:11,940 We need to think first of all, what is a disciple? 36 00:03:11,940 --> 00:03:18,200 The word disciple in the original language comes from a verb that means to learn. 37 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:22,040 And so a disciple is a learner. 38 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:28,600 A disciple is one who studies from another, who is his teacher. 39 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:30,960 It is really more than a student though. 40 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:36,280 A disciple is more than a mere pupil in a classroom. 41 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:43,600 The word disciple goes on to embrace the idea of devotion to one's teacher. 42 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:49,400 It means one who is an adherent to his teacher. 43 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:58,420 Biblically speaking, a disciple is a follower, an adherent of Jesus Christ, one who is devoted 44 00:03:58,420 --> 00:04:01,620 to his teacher. 45 00:04:01,620 --> 00:04:06,920 It is interesting in the Gospel of John to notice the steps of the chosen disciples of 46 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:08,680 Jesus. 47 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:12,920 Jesus indicated that he had chosen them. 48 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:17,680 We need to examine the beginning of that relationship in which he chose them. 49 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:21,760 Turn back with me in the Gospel of John to the first chapter. 50 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:28,720 Notice in verse 35 what took place the day after Jesus was baptized. 51 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:35,760 It says, The next day John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked upon Jesus 52 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:41,640 as he walked and said, Behold the Lamb of God! 53 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:47,200 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 54 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:52,240 And Jesus turned and beheld them following and said to them, What do you seek? 55 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:59,280 And he said to him, Rabbi, which is translated teacher, Where are you staying? 56 00:04:59,280 --> 00:05:03,720 He said to them, Come, and you will see. 57 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:07,720 They came therefore and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it 58 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:09,960 was about the tenth hour. 59 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:15,600 One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 60 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:21,280 And he found first his own brother, Simon, and said to him, We have found the Messiah, 61 00:05:21,280 --> 00:05:23,720 which translated means Christ. 62 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:24,880 He brought him to Jesus. 63 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:30,640 Jesus looked at him and said, You are Simon, the son of John. 64 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:38,320 You shall be called Cephas, which translated means Peter or stone. 65 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:43,560 The next day he purposed to go forth into Galilee, and he found Philip. 66 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:46,680 And Jesus said to him, Follow me. 67 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:50,400 And Philip was from Bethsaida of the city of Andrew and Peter. 68 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:56,400 And Philip found Nathaniel and said to him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law 69 00:05:56,400 --> 00:06:02,960 and also in the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 70 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:07,360 Here we have the very first step of becoming a disciple. 71 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:14,760 It is a step that I am labeling for this morning at least an introduction. 72 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:19,520 You will notice that the first two were disciples of John the Baptist. 73 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:25,440 And as they were with John one day, Jesus walked by and Jesus said to them, Behold the 74 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:26,960 Lamb of God. 75 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:31,080 And immediately they began following Jesus, literally. 76 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:34,960 They began walking with Jesus, following after him. 77 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:37,520 That was their introduction. 78 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:43,120 Jesus then turned to them and said basically, What do you want? 79 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:48,200 They inquired where he was staying and Jesus invited them saying, Come and I will show 80 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:50,880 you, come and you will see. 81 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:55,040 It was the next day that Jesus found another one. 82 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:58,120 And he said to this one, Follow me. 83 00:06:58,120 --> 00:06:59,920 And he did. 84 00:06:59,920 --> 00:07:03,640 Here we have the step of introduction. 85 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:10,380 It is a step that is essential for one to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. 86 00:07:10,380 --> 00:07:16,840 You and I are called by the Lord now that we are disciples to be something like John 87 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:26,080 the Baptist, to be introducers, to say to other people, Behold the Lamb of God. 88 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:28,120 Behold the Savior. 89 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:29,540 Here is Jesus Christ. 90 00:07:29,540 --> 00:07:32,520 You need to meet him. 91 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:38,600 We are called upon to be that one who introduces another to him. 92 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:46,600 And then our Lord does the work in the heart and draws out the heart and summons the heart 93 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:49,760 by saying to that one, Follow me. 94 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:55,480 But it begins with the step of introduction. 95 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:58,600 And then comes the step of faith. 96 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:02,660 We see this in chapter 2 on the part of these first disciples. 97 00:08:02,660 --> 00:08:06,360 You recall that Jesus went to this wedding in Cana of Galilee. 98 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:15,160 In verse 11 it says, This beginning of his signs, turning the water into wine, Jesus 99 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:25,520 did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him. 100 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:28,240 So now we have step number 2. 101 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:30,280 First they followed him. 102 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:33,780 Now they have faith in him. 103 00:08:33,780 --> 00:08:39,320 It is based upon what they have heard him say thus far and upon what John calls these 104 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:40,440 signs. 105 00:08:40,440 --> 00:08:43,560 They are not merely miracles in John's terminology. 106 00:08:43,560 --> 00:08:52,000 They are signs intended to point to him, to the Lord Jesus. 107 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:53,720 And they believe. 108 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:59,640 They place their faith in him as Messiah. 109 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:03,560 Now often we think that there were only a handful of people around Jesus, but in fact 110 00:09:03,560 --> 00:09:08,720 there were others that followed Jesus, at least from time to time. 111 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:12,680 And at the end of this chapter we have an interesting note about some of them. 112 00:09:12,680 --> 00:09:19,120 It says, Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed 113 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:23,800 in his name, beholding his signs which he was doing. 114 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:29,200 But Jesus on his part was not entrusting himself to them. 115 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:35,240 For he knew all men, and because he did not need anyone to bear witness concerning man, 116 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:39,280 for he himself knew what was in man. 117 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:41,680 Aren't these interesting verses? 118 00:09:41,680 --> 00:09:49,040 It says that there were others in Jerusalem who believed on him, but Jesus did not believe 119 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:50,040 them. 120 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:52,920 This is literally what the language says. 121 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:56,920 The word entrust is the very same word for believe. 122 00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:59,720 They believed in him, he did not believe them. 123 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:02,560 What is the problem? 124 00:10:02,560 --> 00:10:05,160 Jesus knew the hearts of these people. 125 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:10,840 Their hearts were superficial in faith. 126 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:13,720 It was not a genuine saving faith. 127 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:19,000 And so we understand that in this crowd of people who were coming along with Jesus in 128 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:24,760 the days of his ministry, there were some who genuinely believed on him, but there were 129 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:36,040 others who believed him only in some superficial sense, some sense that was less than saving. 130 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:44,720 Peter, Jesus, purposely sought to divide the crowd, to skim off those who did not believe. 131 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:49,600 For example, in chapter 6 we see him doing it. 132 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:55,280 He has just given to them a very difficult discourse to understand regarding the truth 133 00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:57,480 that he is the bread of life. 134 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:06,800 He has explained that for one to be saved he must eat of this bread. 135 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:11,920 And they thought he was talking about eating his body, cannibalism. 136 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:19,280 They did not understand that he was talking about spiritually appropriating who he is. 137 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:26,840 It says in verse 60, many therefore of his disciples, when they heard this, said, this 138 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:28,620 is a difficult statement. 139 00:11:28,620 --> 00:11:31,400 Who can listen to it? 140 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:38,760 But Jesus, conscious that his disciples grumbled at this, isn't that interesting? 141 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:43,400 That should be an encouragement to any of you who are leaders of other people. 142 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:50,660 Even the Lord Jesus Christ in his earthly ministry had people who followed him who grumbled. 143 00:11:50,660 --> 00:11:55,640 So don't be surprised in your work as a leader that there are people who grumble. 144 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:58,400 That happened to Jesus. 145 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:02,320 He said, does this cause you to stumble? 146 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:06,600 What then if you should behold the Son of Man ascending where he was before? 147 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:10,400 It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh profits nothing. 148 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:14,920 The words that I have spoken to you are spirit in our life. 149 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:18,720 But there are some of you who do not believe. 150 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:24,480 For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that 151 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:27,240 would betray him. 152 00:12:27,240 --> 00:12:32,080 And he was saying, for this reason I have said to you that no one can come to me unless 153 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:36,040 it has been granted him from the Father. 154 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:45,160 As a result of this, many of his disciples withdrew and were not walking with him anymore. 155 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:49,160 Jesus thinned out the crowds purposely. 156 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:54,920 He was not interested in building a large crowd. 157 00:12:54,920 --> 00:13:00,320 He wanted true disciples. 158 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:06,360 And so now he turns to the ones who were left. 159 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:13,040 And he said to the twelve, you do not want to go away also, do you? 160 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:15,960 Simon Peter answered him, Lord to whom shall we go? 161 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:22,120 You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed and have come to know that you 162 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:25,360 are the Holy One of God. 163 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:33,600 And Jesus answered him, or answered them, did I myself not choose you, the twelve, and 164 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:38,280 yet one of you is a devil? 165 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:42,080 Now he meant Judas. 166 00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:48,600 Isn't it interesting that in these who walked with Jesus, these of his disciples, there 167 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:55,800 were large masses of them who were alone only for the show. 168 00:13:55,800 --> 00:14:02,480 They came to be entertained by his teaching and by his miracles, but not to be committed 169 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:09,160 to his cause and to believe on him. 170 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:14,560 And now he has dwindled the crowd down to again those few that he had chosen. 171 00:14:14,560 --> 00:14:21,320 And he acknowledges that even among them there is one who will betray him, who is possessed 172 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:24,760 of the devil. 173 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:30,040 It is still true today of those who call themselves Christians. 174 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:36,740 Those who say they believe and who are followers of Jesus in some sense, there indeed are those 175 00:14:36,740 --> 00:14:42,840 who truly believe on Christ and who are committed to him. 176 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:49,840 But there are masses of people who have not believed under the saving of their souls, 177 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:56,320 but who only in some superficial sense have come along on the ride believing that Jesus 178 00:14:56,320 --> 00:15:05,200 is a fine example to follow, or it's fun to be a Christian. 179 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:10,400 But Jesus knows every heart, every heart. 180 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:16,280 And he knew those who had believed on him. 181 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:21,920 The second step in being a true disciple though is the step of faith. 182 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:27,200 There's another step that comes and we see it in John chapter 4. 183 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:40,800 Chapter 12 early on had believed and in chapter 4 verse 1 we have the beginning of a small text that is overlooked in most commentaries. 184 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:45,800 You will search in vain to find many comments written about these verses. 185 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:51,760 It says, When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making 186 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:59,960 and baptizing more disciples than John, although Jesus himself was not baptizing but his disciples 187 00:15:59,960 --> 00:16:05,800 were, he left Judea and departed again to Galilee. 188 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:11,480 And then it goes on to tell about his conversation with the woman at Samaria which is almost 189 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:15,320 all that we know about John chapter 4. 190 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:19,720 But I want you to notice that there is a third step in discipleship that is mentioned in 191 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:22,440 these verses that are often overlooked. 192 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:26,960 It is the step of baptism. 193 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:37,040 Those who were following Jesus even before his death on the cross were baptized. 194 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:43,960 Was this the same as John's baptism which was a baptism for repentance signifying a 195 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:50,440 desire for change of heart, a baptism of preparation for the coming of Messiah? 196 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:53,360 Was it something more than that? 197 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:57,640 I really haven't thought through the full answer to that myself yet. 198 00:16:57,640 --> 00:17:02,580 But I want you to notice that those who followed Jesus, and though it doesn't explicitly 199 00:17:02,580 --> 00:17:09,000 state it, it is implied that those who followed Jesus, the beginning ones, those early disciples 200 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:12,400 whom he chose were also baptized. 201 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:18,080 As were the others then who came to follow him, they were baptized. 202 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:21,720 That is a step of discipleship. 203 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:26,240 Baptism is a sign of identification. 204 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:31,880 Christian baptism today signifies something different than baptism did even in chapter 205 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:34,600 4 of John. 206 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:40,960 For our baptism today signifies our identification with Jesus in his death and resurrection. 207 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:46,440 In John 4 that hadn't happened yet. 208 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:54,480 But the ritual of it, the act of it was performed even before his death and resurrection. 209 00:17:54,480 --> 00:18:02,280 It says to me that if one wishes to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, there is the issue of baptism 210 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:05,780 that must be faced. 211 00:18:05,780 --> 00:18:09,600 It begins with an introduction to the Savior. 212 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:15,880 You and I are privileged to be in that role as introducers for others. 213 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:23,440 It then must develop to the point of faith, genuine faith, genuine faith, that understands 214 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:27,680 who Jesus is and trusts in him for the saving of the soul. 215 00:18:27,680 --> 00:18:31,800 But then the very next step is baptism. 216 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:36,920 And we see that carried out in the book of Acts in the early church. 217 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:41,680 We see it in the commission of our Lord Jesus when he said, go and make disciples of all 218 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:49,240 nations baptizing them. 219 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:56,400 Baptism is a step for a disciple. 220 00:18:56,400 --> 00:19:00,000 There's a fourth step that is important for us to grasp as we think about what it means 221 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:01,920 to be a disciple. 222 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:08,040 I'm not going to take time to read the text, but I invite you to look in John chapter 4 223 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:09,960 verse 8 and following. 224 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:12,640 John chapter 6 verses 3 and following. 225 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:15,200 John chapter 6 verses 16 and following. 226 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:18,040 John chapter 9 verses 1 and following. 227 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:21,520 John chapter 11 verses 6 and following. 228 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:25,120 What is happening in all of these texts? 229 00:19:25,120 --> 00:19:29,500 The disciples are being taught by Jesus. 230 00:19:29,500 --> 00:19:35,000 Step number 4 in the process of being a disciple is being taught. 231 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:38,000 It's being taught. 232 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:44,480 Jesus took these men with him as he spoke with that woman of Samaria. 233 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:47,440 They were there hearing the end of that conversation. 234 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:49,840 They were involved in that. 235 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:56,040 They were involved in the feeding of 5,000 people. 236 00:19:56,040 --> 00:20:03,440 They were involved in that storm on the Sea of Galilee when Jesus came and rescued them. 237 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:06,600 They were involved in the healing of the blind man. 238 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:09,040 They said, Lord, who's sinned, this man or his parents? 239 00:20:09,040 --> 00:20:11,560 He's blind. 240 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:13,240 Jesus went over and healed a man. 241 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:16,320 He said, I am the light of the world. 242 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:17,320 They saw that. 243 00:20:17,320 --> 00:20:19,600 They learned from that. 244 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:26,000 They were with Jesus when he was resting and word came that Lazarus was ill. 245 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:30,240 They were with him as he waited those days after the word came until he knew. 246 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:34,680 Jesus knew that Lazarus was dead. 247 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:39,840 They were with him as they walked to the home of Mary and Martha and may have heard the 248 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:44,560 words that the sisters spoke to him. 249 00:20:44,560 --> 00:20:55,480 They heard him say to Lazarus, come forth, and saw him be raised from the dead. 250 00:20:55,480 --> 00:21:01,440 The fourth and final step of discipleship is that of being taught. 251 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:05,080 For us, it is a lifelong process. 252 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:14,040 I am glad that being a disciple of Jesus Christ is a process, not a state of perfection. 253 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:19,520 Because if that were the case, I wouldn't be a disciple of Jesus. 254 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:27,120 If one had to have arrived at some state of perfection before being a disciple, then I 255 00:21:27,120 --> 00:21:29,800 could not qualify. 256 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:33,920 For that matter, neither could any of those disciples in the New Testament nor any of 257 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:34,920 us. 258 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:39,560 You see, discipleship is a process. 259 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:45,600 How do we learn by being with Jesus just like they were? 260 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:50,480 You say, but Jesus was walking with them. 261 00:21:50,480 --> 00:21:51,480 They could see him. 262 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:52,840 They could touch him. 263 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:53,840 That is true. 264 00:21:53,840 --> 00:21:59,200 But you and I have an advantage over them. 265 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:05,980 That is that he can be with you and with me wherever we are at the very same time. 266 00:22:05,980 --> 00:22:10,000 In those days, he could be in one place at one time. 267 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:15,520 Now he is with all of us at the same time so that all of us can walk with him every 268 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:19,000 day and learn from him. 269 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:20,160 We can go to the Bible. 270 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:24,280 We can follow his tracks through his ministry. 271 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:25,880 We can learn of Jesus that way. 272 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:35,500 We can follow him through the day in our lives and come to learn of Jesus. 273 00:22:35,500 --> 00:22:40,840 One thing Jesus did for his disciples that he does for us is to test them. 274 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:46,480 Back in that occasion when he had 5,000 people to feed, Jesus asked one of his disciples, 275 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:52,780 where are we going to find food for all these people? 276 00:22:52,780 --> 00:22:57,480 Probably for the first time that disciple began to think, I have a responsibility here 277 00:22:57,480 --> 00:22:59,920 and how in the world am I going to meet this? 278 00:22:59,920 --> 00:23:03,760 He had no idea. 279 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:12,140 Jesus takes us through testing experiences too as part of our process. 280 00:23:12,140 --> 00:23:16,480 We don't just become disciples like that. 281 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:19,440 We have to grow into it. 282 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:25,860 It's a lifelong process and none of us has arrived at perfection yet. 283 00:23:25,860 --> 00:23:30,900 When we forget that, we get into trouble. 284 00:23:30,900 --> 00:23:35,800 This winter when I can't walk outside to get some exercise, I have joined the Shoreview 285 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:40,360 Community Center where I can go and exercise on equipment there. 286 00:23:40,360 --> 00:23:46,560 I've seen some of you there exercising as well. 287 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:56,280 They have all kinds of weight equipment in that room for he-men to work out on and he-women. 288 00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:57,280 She-women. 289 00:23:57,280 --> 00:24:02,200 Whatever. 290 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:06,840 I would like to have seen myself the first day I was in there. 291 00:24:06,840 --> 00:24:13,760 I'm sure I did what I have seen many others do now that I've been there a couple of months. 292 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:18,240 It's really almost humorous to watch some of these young bucks come in, their muscles 293 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:20,380 rippling. 294 00:24:20,380 --> 00:24:24,620 They sit down on the machines and they max them out immediately. 295 00:24:24,620 --> 00:24:28,280 The most weight possible they put on there. 296 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:34,320 They've done it four times and that's it. 297 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:35,320 They're finished. 298 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:36,320 They've worked out. 299 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:37,320 See? 300 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:40,120 That's the way you do it. 301 00:24:40,120 --> 00:24:44,760 I came to learn in fact that you can even rupture muscles doing that. 302 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:51,920 You've got to sit down and start out with a lower weight, look like a sissy, plug it 303 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:57,720 in there, go through a few of these operations. 304 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:00,480 Then you increase the weight a little bit. 305 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:02,440 You have to work yourself up. 306 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:06,840 You have to go through several repetitions on the machines. 307 00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:08,600 You don't sit down, just do it like that. 308 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:12,800 The same is true of discipleship. 309 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:13,800 It's a process. 310 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:19,520 It's something we have to learn and we learn it from Jesus. 311 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:22,480 We're followers of Him. 312 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:34,080 The question is how much time are we spending with Him? 313 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:38,520 The first step of becoming a disciple is being introduced to Jesus. 314 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:42,560 Somebody introduced you. 315 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:47,040 It may have been a tract that you received or a book that you read or a radio program. 316 00:25:47,040 --> 00:25:51,120 It may have been a speaker at a camp or in a church or an evangelistic rally or a five-day 317 00:25:51,120 --> 00:25:53,280 club or a YFC club. 318 00:25:53,280 --> 00:26:00,380 I don't know where it may have been, but somebody took time to write down the gospel 319 00:26:00,380 --> 00:26:06,040 or to record the gospel or to speak the gospel to you so that they could introduce you to 320 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:09,400 Jesus. 321 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:15,160 Maybe it was at that moment or perhaps it was some time later that you placed your faith 322 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:19,480 in Him. 323 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:27,000 Then hopefully you were baptized to signify that you are identified with Him in His death 324 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:29,560 and resurrection. 325 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:37,500 Since that time you have been on a lifelong process of learning to become a genuine disciple 326 00:26:37,500 --> 00:26:40,140 of Christ. 327 00:26:40,140 --> 00:26:47,000 This morning as I speak to you there are people who are at various stages of this process. 328 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:51,400 There may be some who are only now being introduced to Jesus or others who have just believed 329 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:57,600 or others who are awaiting baptism or planning that or others who are still in the process 330 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:00,840 somewhere down the line. 331 00:27:00,840 --> 00:27:14,080 The point is, are you a disciple and are you growing in your discipleship? 332 00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:16,240 Are you increasing? 333 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:20,280 Are you learning of Him? 334 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:27,840 How much time did you spend with Jesus this last week? 335 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:33,500 You know Jesus gave two signs of being a disciple in the gospel of John. 336 00:27:33,500 --> 00:27:37,720 One of them is well known, John 13.35, by this shall all men know you are my disciples 337 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:40,040 if you have what? 338 00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:43,280 Love for one another. 339 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:48,320 That love doesn't just mean that you are a nice person, easy to get along with. 340 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:55,320 That love means that you are the kind of person who sacrifices yourself for the good of others. 341 00:27:55,320 --> 00:28:03,920 But there is a second sign of being a true disciple that is found in John 15. 342 00:28:03,920 --> 00:28:13,360 In John 15 Jesus talks about our prayer life and the fact that through our praying we bear 343 00:28:13,360 --> 00:28:26,320 fruit and so prove to be His disciples. 344 00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:36,960 If the measurement of your discipleship was left to the effectiveness of your prayer life, 345 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:45,600 how true would your discipleship be? 346 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:49,980 That's a hard question for all of us to face. 347 00:28:49,980 --> 00:28:54,480 The fact is that one of the greatest signs that we are genuine disciples of Jesus Christ 348 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:58,120 is that we are a praying people. 349 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:04,360 We spend time with Him and as a result of that there is fruit in our lives. 350 00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:13,560 That's our prayer and so we prove to be His disciples. 351 00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:15,480 Are you a disciple? 352 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:22,240 What evidence do you have today to show that to the Lord? 353 00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:26,240 Let's pray together. 354 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:30,560 It's time for us to bring this service to an end but before we do that I would like 355 00:29:30,560 --> 00:29:38,840 the Holy Spirit to search our hearts, your heart, my heart, regarding this matter of 356 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:44,320 being a chosen disciple. 357 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:51,240 Have you placed your faith in Jesus Christ, my friend? 358 00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:59,680 Are you trusting in Him alone for the salvation of your soul? 359 00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:00,960 Perhaps you can answer yes to that. 360 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:03,520 I hope you can. 361 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:08,680 If so, have you been baptized? 362 00:30:08,680 --> 00:30:19,840 Have you followed the Lord's command to be immersed as a token of identification with 363 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:25,920 Him saying that you have died with Him, that you are alive with Him? 364 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:29,760 Have you obeyed the Lord in that? 365 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:43,400 Are you walking with Him, learning of Him, praying in the Word? 366 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:47,920 Perhaps in the quietness of these moments you would like to talk to the Lord and express 367 00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:52,680 to Him what you need to regarding your discipleship. 368 00:30:52,680 --> 00:31:04,440 Let's take a moment right now to do that. 369 00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:11,080 Lord I'm glad that you never tire of our new beginnings. 370 00:31:11,080 --> 00:31:16,960 There are some of us here who have long been disciples but we haven't been growing much 371 00:31:16,960 --> 00:31:19,180 lately. 372 00:31:19,180 --> 00:31:27,840 We haven't been spending the kind of time with you that we would like to. 373 00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:30,160 And so today we start again. 374 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:34,060 We say it is a new beginning today. 375 00:31:34,060 --> 00:31:35,740 We want to grow. 376 00:31:35,740 --> 00:31:37,760 We want to be involved in this process. 377 00:31:37,760 --> 00:31:45,040 We want to be working out and developing our discipleship. 378 00:31:45,040 --> 00:31:48,660 And so we commit ourselves to that today. 379 00:31:48,660 --> 00:31:59,760 And we commit ourselves to be introducers for others who yet need to know about you. 380 00:31:59,760 --> 00:32:06,660 Forgive us when we as disciples decide to hang on to things in this world and refuse 381 00:32:06,660 --> 00:32:12,080 to let go and to follow you. 382 00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:20,120 May we like those early disciples forsake all and follow after you. 383 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:22,200 Every day. 384 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:25,320 All day. 385 00:32:25,320 --> 00:32:32,480 Let's stand with our heads bowed and sing together. 386 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:39,560 I have decided to follow Jesus. 387 00:32:39,560 --> 00:32:47,160 I have decided to follow Jesus. 388 00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:55,040 I have decided to follow Jesus. 389 00:32:55,040 --> 00:32:58,640 No turning back. 390 00:32:58,640 --> 00:33:02,560 No turning back. 391 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:05,640 The world behind me. 392 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:09,280 The cross before me. 393 00:33:09,280 --> 00:33:12,920 The world behind me. 394 00:33:12,920 --> 00:33:17,280 The cross before me. 395 00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:21,040 The world behind me. 396 00:33:21,040 --> 00:33:25,400 The cross before me. 397 00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:29,200 No turning back. 398 00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:33,240 No turning back. 399 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:40,120 Lord I am mindful that you have said that if we are not willing to take up our cross 400 00:33:40,120 --> 00:33:46,480 and follow you, we are not worthy to be called your disciples. 401 00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:55,200 And so this week may we be willing to take up our cross and to follow you alone. 402 00:33:55,200 --> 00:34:03,360 Amen.