Welcome to NECF sermons. Each message here is
designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
right in. What it means to make disciples. Making
disciples. Last week we looked at disciples.
What it means to be a disciple. This week we'll
be looking at making disciples. Praise the Lord.
So we said that from last week, we read Matthew
chapter 28, which is also our key scriptures
for today. Matthew 28, from verse 18 to 20. So
Jesus came and said to them and spoke to them
saying, All authority has been given to me in
heaven and on earth. Go and make disciples of
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching
them to observe all the things I have commanded
you. And, Lord, I am with you always, even to
the end of the age." So we said that everyone
who believes Everyone who believes in Christ
should start learning immediately. Everyone who
believes in Christ should start learning immediately.
Because this is a command that Christ has given
to us. There is a place of learning. Learning
the things that has been, or learning the reality
that we have, which we looked at in the later
part of the sermon of that day. Learning the
reality of who we are. learning this new life
that we have in God or learning this new life
that we have in Christ. So everybody who has
believed, everybody who has believed the gospel,
there is need to be a learning process because
we don't want to live a contradiction. We don't
want to live a life that is not our identity.
We don't want to live a life that is not our
identity. We want to live a life that it shows
that truly we are children of God. Truly something
has happened to us. Truly we carry the spirit
of God in the inside of us. So everybody who
believes should start learning immediately so
that they don't leave their former life or they
don't leave a contradiction. We looked at that
when he says to teach, he's giving an instruction
or implies an instruction to people. That is,
he's telling them to teach. us to teach a little
child to teach a student praise the lord so he
tells them to teach right you should teach them
to observe all the things that he has commanded
them and lo he is with them always even to the
end of the age and we also looked at the word
disciple and which we said in reference to someone
who learned from another praise the lord somebody
who learns from another Somebody who learns from
another. We looked at examples of how the disciples
of John and the disciples of Jesus were learning
from them. The disciples of John learned from
him. They learned how to fast. The Pharisees
as well fasted. We also saw that the disciples
of Jesus were also learning from him. Part of
the things they learned from him, apart from
the way he lived his life and how he moved, was
also that they learned how to study the scriptures.
they witnessed him properly explain the scriptures
how to study the scriptures how to understand
the scriptures so they saw that they saw how
jesus explained the scriptures so they learned
this technique of explanation of the scriptures
reasonable and so it's in the same learning on
how to read the scriptures that they were able
to teach others So they learned and they gave
it to others. They learned and they continue
this tradition or they continue in the doctrine
of how Jesus taught. So they learned how to understand
the scripture. So they understand how Jesus explained
the scriptures because they were with Jesus.
So they were with Jesus and they had all this
experience. They were his audience. so the way
he explained the scriptures is how he explained
the scriptures so jesus giving command to them
to go and make disciples of all nations because
he knows that they have learned what it means
to make disciples because they have learned from
him they have learned firsthand from him what
that is like they are qualified students or they
are qualified people to transfer this knowledge
to other people praise the lord and so To teach,
so they were to teach, that is make disciples
of all nations, because they were disciples themselves.
They were disciples themselves. So making disciples
also, we saw that it was an important fact, or
it was an important factor of the early church.
The church in Acts, there were people who were
making disciples. There was increment in them.
There were more disciples that were coming to
them. And we also said that our reality in Christ
is enough. Our reality in Christ is enough. So
there is no need for conformity. Our reality
in Christ is enough. That we should let God influence
our life. We should let God influence our life
or how we live our life. We should stay true
to our realities and not be conformed to the
system or the pattern of the world. or to let
the enemy deceive us or confuse us in regards
to how we should live our life. Praise the Lord.
So today as well, in this same Matthew chapter
28, we also see that he's telling them to make
disciples, to make disciples, to make disciples.
So what does he mean to make disciples? What
does he mean by telling them they should go and
make disciples of all nations? He's telling them
that this is the responsibility as a disciple
that you have, or this is a responsibility as
a child of God that you have. This is a responsibility
that is settled on you as a result of the life
that you have in God, or as a result of the life
that you have in Christ. This is your responsibility.
It's an assignment that you should carry on to
do. You should make the cycles of organization
to replicate the same thing that has happened
to you, to do the same things that have occurred
in your life, right? That place of training,
because they were with Jesus for three and a
half years. They saw the things that he did.
There was a place of training. So they were under
training. They were under... to touch you. Praise
the Lord. So he's telling them that they should
go as well and disciple other people. Teaching
them. And he said he should command, like teaching
them to observe the things I commanded you. And
lo, I'm with you always to the end of the age.
Praise the Lord. So in this teaching, as we said,
we said it's a place to instruct. It is training.
To make disciples is to train. Praise the Lord.
is to instruct is to a let someone learn from
we say a disciple is somebody who a disciple
is somebody who learned from another right so
you make disciples you don't look for disciples
praise the lord so the instruction of jesus is
to make disciples and not look for disciples
so for example you you know there are several
instances where people maybe start a church And
then instead of training or looking for people
that are not going to church, they will go and
get people that are going to church because they
want to fill their auditorium or they want to
ensure that their church is full or they want
to attract people from other places. That's not
the mind of God. That's not the way God wants
us to do it. He wants to make disciples. The
same way that people... the same way that the
disciples came and from beginning they knew nothing,
they just followed God and over time there was
a place of training, there was a place of maturity,
there's a place of growth and there's a place
where they have come to a place where they resume
leadership positions and that's why they are
known as apostles. So they have come to a place
of responsibility, it's the same way we should
also go about making disciples. He said, do not
go to look for people who are already in church,
right? Or people who are already established
in a church. Go and look for people who are not
in any church, who have no knowledge of the things
of God, who has no understanding of the things
of God. Praise the Lord. So it is a place to
make, making disciple is not, is not a, is an
instruction to labor. It's an instruction to
labor in the lives of people. It's an instruction
to pay a price in the life of people. That is,
teaching them the things concerning Jesus, teaching
them the things concerning the life that they
have. Praise the Lord. So, the same way that,
as I explained, the disciples were somewhere
else. There was a particular time before they
met Jesus, there was a state of... of mind they
have or a state of belief or their level of growth
but as a result of their work with jesus as a
result of the many teachings that jesus was teaching
them because primarily they were they were the
audience of jesus right they were with him everywhere
he went so they learned from him they received
training from him they received instruction from
him he said i've given you all authority they
should go and preach the word they will go go
and get me this they'll go and get him go and
do this go and preach the word or go on and heal
the sick they will go right teachings concerning
their lives we saw that there were people who
have been influenced who have been taught is
the same price or is the same price that we have
to pay praise the lord is the same price we have
to pay because so at some point we were somewhere
praise the lord at some point we were somewhere
where we had no understanding of these things
We have no understanding of what it means to
know God to the level which we know God now.
A good example is that there was a time in my
life that I was not praying in tongues. And I
don't know how to fake things. Until I received
training or I received a teaching consigning
it, I was not going to do it. Until I understood
it or scripturally it is explained to me. There
was no way I was going to do it. Praise the Lord.
And somebody asked me, how did you pray for?
I mean, we used to do all night meeting. I don't
know how I was praying, but I was there. Praise
the Lord. And I was sure my prayer was answered.
I was very sure of those. So, but in those areas
of praying in tongues, there was a need for teaching.
There was a need for explanation via the scriptures.
If I didn't see it, I was not going to pray.
Praise the Lord. And by the grace of God, I saw
it in the word of the Lord. It was not forcefully.
It was not just say it, right? It was a proper
explanation of the things that I have in God.
And it's something that is freely given. And
I came to the knowledge of it to be able to begin
to manifest in it. Praise the Lord. So it's the
same way that the person who taught it was gracious
enough. He didn't say, come on, you should know
this by now. Or this or that, right? It took
their time to explain. Praise the Lord. So the
same grace that you received in the place where
you had no knowledge, you had no understanding,
you were immature, the same way that somebody
was gracious to you, or your teacher was gracious
to you to teach you, to instruct you, to guide
you, gradually and gradually, and you came to
this point where you are, and you're continuing
learning, is the same way we should also go about
making disciples. Praise the Lord. To give grace,
to be patient, right? To explain, to give time
to explain. Praise the Lord. So the disciples
of Jesus were with him always, all the time,
or most of the time, they were with him. So they
learned from him, right? He was gracious to them.
He explained time again and again, right? He
was also saying, oh, you should know this by
now. How is it that you are not able? Even if
he makes statements. of maybe they're not understanding
he still goes on to explain praise the lord he
doesn't just brush them off and then move forward
so it's the same way that we should go about
making disciples so the same patient that we
had is the same thing we should because we have
seen our maturity is a result of training praise
the lord our maturity did not just come because
maybe you know we're just moving on our own it
was as a result of training it was as a result
of receiving instruction okay praise the lord
so you make disciples and you train them right
that is the root of church growth so how a child
grows or how the church he become all that god
wanted to become is by training and by teaching
praise the lord It is from a place of training
and by teaching. So you make disciples, you train
them. This is how the church grows. Praise the
Lord. So you preach the word to somebody and
the person believes there's a place of training.
In NECF, we have put some infrastructures around
the training to ensure that people come to a
place of maturity. So there's a place of training
in that we know that the church will grow. That's
how you know that the church is growing, not
numerically. It's not by the numbers of people
in church. Maybe we had 100 people in church.
On average, we're having this. This is not how
the definition of church grows, right? According
to the will of God. That is not what he wants.
He wants people to grow, people that are trained,
people that can train others, people that have
been trained, people that have been taught so
that they can teach others. Praise the Lord.
So that they can teach others. And so this is
not just beginning. We didn't just see making
disciples. It didn't start from Matthew 28. But
we also see it in Exodus. Praise the Lord. We
also see this practice in Exodus. So Exodus chapter
18. Exodus chapter 18. Exodus chapter 18, verse
13. And so it was on the next day that Moses
sat to judge the people. And the people stood
before Moses from morning until evening. So when
Moses' father -in -law saw all that he did for
the people, he said, What is it that you're doing
for the people? Why do you sit alone and all
the people stand? before you morning till evening.
And Moses said to his father -in -law, because
the people come to me to inquire of God, when
they have difficulties, they come to me. I judge
between one and another and I make known the
statutes of God and his law. So Moses' father
-in -law said to him, this thing that you are
doing is not good. But you and these people who
are with you. will surely weary yourself out.
For this thing is too much for you, and you are
not able to perform it by yourself. Listen to
my voice. I will give you counsel, and God will
be with you. Stand before God for the people,
so that you may bring the difficulties to God.
Then you shall teach them the statutes. and the
law and show them the way in which they must
walk and the work they must do moreover you should
you shall elect you shall select from all the
people able men such as fear god men of truth
hating righteousness such place such over them
to be rulers over thousands rulers of hundreds
and rulers of fifties and rulers of times and
let them judge the people at all times then it
will be that every great matter they shall bring
to you and every small matter they shall judge
they shall themselves judge so it will be easier
for you that you would bear the burden that they
will bear the body with you if you do these things
god so command you then you shall be able to
endure and all the people will be able to go
to their place in peace and then he said moses
heeded to the voice of his father -in -law and
did all that he has said praise the lord so we
see here that moses was doing something for the
people of god and what he was doing is that he
was he was the judge that was judging every matter
he was doing many things for them praise the
lord so he was doing he was Leading them. He
was doing many great things for them. And his
father -in -law was just observing what he was
doing. Praise the Lord. He was observing the
things that Moses was doing. So the people came
to him to judge all matters. And he was there
from morning to night. And he was alone. Just
by himself. And he was doing this thing. And
he told him that you be wary. And you and these
people be wary of yourself. Because it is too
much for you to do. Praise the Lord. In as much
as you are receiving the... You are receiving
the counsel or these difficult matters. You're
explaining the will of God and the statutes of
God, or you are receiving the counsel of God
concerning their life. So you're judging what
is going on between their life. It is going to
be too much for you. This is not ideal. It's
not supposed to be so. It is not supposed to
be happening this way. So he was doing many things
for these people, right? Morning till night.
They were very dependent on him. They were very
dependent on him. Without him, they were not
going to do anything, right? They were very dependent
on him, praise the Lord. And so we see here that
he's pointing to him that this is not a great
way to go about it. This is not a great way to
go about your leadership, praise the Lord, because
he sits alone. So he tells him that you're supposed
to raise men. You're supposed to raise men, right?
You're supposed to raise men. You're supposed
to train men so that they are able to handle
some of this responsibility. You're supposed
to train people so that they are able to handle
some of this responsibility. If there are big
matters, they will bring it to you. If there
are small matters, they will deal with that themselves.
And then verse 17, he said to him that, he said,
so his father -in -law said, the thing that you
are doing is not good. Praise the Lord. So he's
not saying to him that the things that you're
doing is not good. That is what he says he's
doing. He said, I make known the statutes of
God and his laws. That's not what he's saying
is not good. Praise the Lord. By teaching them
the word or by teaching them the statutes of
God is good. But the fact that he's doing it
alone is not good. Praise the Lord. This thing
that you're doing is not good. He's not talking
about his teaching. He's not talking about the
laws. He's not talking about what Moses is judging.
He's just saying that the way he's going about
it, that he's doing it alone, from morning to
night, him alone. Everybody will come to him.
That practice is not good. Praise the Lord. That
practice is not good. Because he's doing it alone.
He's standing alone. Right. Because he was alone
in this thing. Right. So because he does not
have people like him. So there is nobody else
like Moses. Right. Because there is no training.
There's nobody who has been trained to be like
Moses. So the things he's doing is not good because
there's nobody like Moses who can judge outside
from him. Praise the Lord. So he needs to train
people like him so that they are able. To also
instruct or they are able to give the people
counsel or to give the people the will of God
consigning different situations and different
circumstances that surrounds them. So he said
he should make people like you, right? Like I
said, do not look for somebody else. He's saying
to them that he should make more people like
him. He should make more people like him. Don't
look for... Maybe establish people. So in your
ministry work. Is to make people like you. Because
you have received. You have been trained. So
you can train other people. Praise the Lord.
So people like him. Making people like him. Or
people like you. So that they are able to spread
the word. They are able to make disciples as
well. They are able to spread the word. They
are able to make disciples. So that you are not
doing it alone. Praise the Lord. The intention
is not for you to carry the body alone, but that
other people as well are trained so that they're
able to train and share the word. And so we also
see that in the examples of Jesus, he primarily,
as we know, he trained and gave instruction to
the 12. The 12 did not just go and they were
just teaching. What I mean teaching is maybe
they're just preaching to people and they repent
and they move on. They spend time to teach people
so that those people are able to also teach other
people. Praise the Lord. So they spend time to
teach people and to train them. They spend time,
we see Paul, we see Peter, they spend their time
in a particular place to train people. They are
reasoning with them, discussing with them, teaching
them doctrines and teaching them the will of
God so that these people are equipped enough
to be able to teach other people. Praise the
Lord. so that the world is able to spread more.
So they didn't go about saying, okay, maybe they
talk now as they have it, to say, okay, which
other people do we have that maybe are like us,
that, you know, let's go and associate with them.
Praise the Lord. So we saw even that as a result
of their, when they became too much in one place,
persecution arrived so that they would Go to
different places and do the work they are supposed
to do. Praise the Lord. Because they have gathered
themselves in one place and they stayed in one
place. But if you want them to go to different
places and make disciples. So to make people
like you. So that is the job of the discipler.
To make people like him. So that they are able
to do the same thing. Praise the Lord. Because
you cannot be in Cyprus and be in Nigeria. That's
why as a church, we have the training center,
we have friends somewhere, and then the plan
for you is not, let me just find a way that I'm
going to have fellowship, which is important,
but also that the things that you have learned,
the thing that the trainers are taking them to
train you is the same thing you should pass on
to other people. Praise the Lord. So that those
people are able to still pass on the same things
to all that. Verse 18 of that Exodus now said,
he said, but you and these people who are with
you will surely weary yourself out for the things
is too much for you and you're not able to perform
it by yourself. Praise the Lord. So you're not
able to be everywhere at the same time. You're
not able to do it. You're going to weary yourself.
Right? You're going to probably start up a church.
Start a ministry that if you are no longer there,
nothing will happen. Praise the Lord. So there
needs to be a training. There needs to be a training
and a discipleship that should keep going. Worry
yourself and the people that are with you. So
a person that has a... He made the disciples,
people that were with him, so that they would
be like him. We saw that in Acts chapter 11,
verse 26, where they were first called Christian.
And the observation is that these people were
behaving like the Christ. Praise the Lord. So
he made people like him so that they are able
to spread the word. They have the same mannerism
of how they understood. Like I said, when the
first part of his preaching. that the disciples
understood the way Jesus explained the scriptures.
So they explained it the same way that he explained
it. Praise the Lord. So people are able to see
similarities that, oh, these people must be Christians.
They are like Jesus, or they are like Christ,
or they are little Christ of Exodus chapter 18,
verse 19. He said, Listen to my voice and I will
give you counsel and God will be with you. Stand
before God for the people so that you may bring
the difficulties to God. So he said, let me teach
you. We see that Jethro, a man who is coming
from a foreign place, is coming to give Moses
an instruction. And this instruction is divine.
Praise the Lord. So we see a man who, Moses was
the man who was before God. He was the same God
he used to face. But we see a man who comes from
a different land. He was not even part of their
group. But he came from a saint place and he's
giving them a counsel. And this counsel is the
will of God consigning Moses and consigning the
children of Israel. It's the same will that we
see also in Matthew chapter 18, 28. So we see
a man who comes and he's giving Moses instruction.
And this instruction came from a man who came
from a far country, right? So we see the wisdom
of God manifesting itself in this man. And Moses
heeded his voice, right? And this counsel has
been something that has come from one, has continued
for generations and generations. Praise the Lord.
In that same verse, in verse 20, he said, And
you shall teach them the statutes of the Lord
and show them the way in which they must walk
and the work they must do. Praise the Lord. He
says, and you shall teach them. So this word
teach here is slightly different from the usual,
we know, the usual word for teach, right? In
the Hebrew word for teach, right? So this word
for teach is the word zaha, right? It's the word
zaha. It's not just the usual one we know, maybe,
okay, it might imply teach, it might imply instruction,
right? But this one, the word zaha, it means
to be liked. It means to be liked. And it has
many things to eat as well. It means also to
be, to educate, right? It means to warn. It also
means to show examples, to show example, right?
To show the way to do it. Praise the Lord. So
it's not just, it's to be light, to educate,
to warn, to show the way to do it. So the person
who is making disciples is showing the disciples
how to do it. Praise the Lord. So it's a, What
do you say? It's not theory. Praise the Lord.
There's practicality to it. Praise the Lord.
So the disciples learn practically what it means
to preach the gospel, what it means to explain
the gospel, because they are seeing it practically.
Praise the Lord. What it means to heal the sick,
what it means to manifest the gift of the Spirit,
what it means to prophesy, what it means to...
So the disciple is able... to see it. So that
is the word here we see for teach, right? So
it's to educate, to warn, to show a way to do
it. That is to be an example, to be liked. Praise
the Lord. It's the same word that we see in 2
Kings 6, verse 10. There it is used as warning,
right? We also see it in 2 Chronicles 19, verse
10. It's also used as warning there. So it's
the words Zahar, to teach, to show by example.
So in raising leaders, you don't just teach them,
but you show them, right, how to teach and also
how to be a leader. Praise the Lord. So in making
disciples, you're not just teaching them. You're
not just teaching them this, teaching them the
word, teaching them doctrine, but you're also
showing them how to teach. so how do you teach
the word of god right how do you explain these
scriptures you're showing them how to be leaders
praise the lord you're showing them how to lead
other people how to be leaders of church or how
to be a pastor right or how to be a minister
or how to be a leader of a group so practically
they learn some of these things okay so that's
what he says in verse 20. Instead, you teach
them the statutes and the law of God and show
them the ways in which they must walk in. So
you're showing them practically, okay, this is
what you should do. This is what you should do.
So the disciple knows, right? So in making disciples,
you let them know the do's and the don'ts. Praise
the Lord. When you see this, this should be,
what do you say, a red flag for you. when you
see this you know that so practically you are
able to show them what to do praise the lord
so that you don't you don't have people that
are around you and you have said many things
and then you find out that they have started
making a lot of mistakes because nobody has told
them what you should do praise the lord or maybe
you assume that maybe somebody has told them
before or where they are coming from they have
received these instructions before So you practically
show them what to do. You show them the things
they should do. So that means that your teaching
ministry should not just be informative, right?
But it should also be transformative. So it means
that the people's lives are also changing. You're
not just giving information, right? It's not
just informative, but it's transforming as well.
In verse 20 again, that you show them the way
they must walk. Right? Show them the ministry
things. What does it mean to pray? Right? Why
do we pray for a long time? Why do we pray like
this? What does it mean to fast? What is fasting?
What does it mean to manifest the things of the
Spirit? Right? What does prophecy mean? So it's
to show them, we see them. Instead of teach them
and show them the way they must walk. And the
walk they must do. So there is an instruction
in their own walk. Okay, this is what you should
do. Do this walk or do that. So in making disciples,
there is a place of instruction. This is the
way it should be, right? But this is the things
you must also do. Praise the Lord. Verse 21,
that's it, of Exodus chapter 18. Moreover, you
should select from all the people, able men,
such as fear God, men of truth, hating, covetousness,
place such over. They should do the things that
they should do. And now they are able to then
lead, able to go and make disciples. It's the
same thing that we see here. So after these people,
after generally, so he's saying to them that
when you come, he's saying to Moses, the instruction
to Moses is that he should teach the people,
right? He should teach the people. And then as
he's teaching, in the process of teaching the
people, then you select men. Praise the Lord.
So there's a place of training, there's a place
of teaching, then there's selection to responsibility.
Praise the Lord. And it's not the other way around.
So a good example is that you have planted a
church or you have a church or you have a building
that you want to be holding your church service.
And then you're looking for people that should
be leaders in your church or to be handling one
responsibility or the other. It's not to go and
give them the responsibility. It's to first teach
them. It's to first instruct them. It's to first
teach them. It's to first instruct them. It's
first to train them, right? Train them. And in
the process of training, you are then able to
now select men. And select men that... The selection
of men, he says, in verse 21, he says, he said,
such as fear God, like men of truth, hating covetousness.
So these people that he's selecting is people
that have gotten a hold of what he's doing. Praise
the Lord. So the selection is people that have
gotten a hold of what is happening. They have
gotten a hold of the training. Praise the Lord.
But the first thing, like I said, is teaching.
So you do not start a church looking for pastors.
You don't start a church looking for pastors.
You raise men to start churches. Praise the Lord.
You do not start a church looking for pastors,
right? You raise men to start churches. Praise
the Lord. Your goal of... Preaching and teaching
is not that they will remain with you forever.
That they will stay, they will finish, they will
continue. No. It's that the world has to spread.
The kingdom has to spread. So you don't start
a church and looking for pastors, but you raise
men. You disciple men so that they are able to
start churches. Praise the Lord. You disciple
men so that they are able to start churches.
So who are the people that you are training in
your church? Who are the people that you're training
in your church? So when training is not happening,
different people get invited to come and teach
the church many things. So when there's no training,
we need a pastor to come. to get invited either
from US, from Nigeria. That would be the need
of the church. Or we'll get a music minister
to come in, to fly into the island and sing.
And then maybe we'll get somebody to talk about
finances and so many things like that. Praise
the Lord. Because training is not done. Because
when training is done, people will come to that
place of responsibility. Praise the Lord. When
training is done, people will come to the place
of responsibility. So invitations becomes the
order of the day because training is not there.
Because the man of God cannot trust his people
to be able to do those things that he has invited
people because there's a lack of training. They
have not grown. They have not become all that
or come to a place of maturity. Praise the Lord.
So Jethro told him to train men, right? He should
train men and then select them for leadership.
So in the process of training, in the process
of training, leadership selection is being done,
not the other way around. So when leaders are
not trained, the church cannot grow. When is
there a place of training? When is there a place
of discipleship? The church cannot grow. When
there is no place of training, the church cannot
grow. You train them, teach them, and in doing
that, you will now look around. Who are the men
that are fearing God? Who are the men that are
of truth? Who are the men that have understood
this training they were doing? Who are the men
that are without covetousness? Which are the
men that are qualified? feed for these goals
and responsibilities, not the other way around.
Not first, who feeds this thing? Maybe we say,
okay, we're looking for ushering leader. So let's
look for somebody with a serious face, a tall,
maybe brother or sister, you know, that is a
bit skinny, likes to wear corporates, right?
And then we'll select you based on that. Afterwards,
we'll ask, okay, come and start training. Praise
the Lord. So your evaluation of people being
brought into leadership is not by looks or is
not by physical qualities, but rather training
first comes and then selection is done. How was
then Joshua chosen? We also see Joshua here.
How was he chosen? What made Moses choose Joshua?
God made Moses choose Joshua. Exodus chapter
17. Exodus chapter 17, verse 9. Verse 9 says,
Moses said to Joshua, choose us some men and
go out and fight the Amalek. Tomorrow I will
stand on top of the hill with the rod of God
in my hand. Praise the Lord. Exodus chapter 24
verse 13. Exodus chapter 24 verse 19. 19 says,
So Moses, Exodus chapter 24 verse 13. So Moses
rose with all, with his assistant Joshua, and
Moses went up to the mountain of God. Praise
the Lord. So we see here that Joshua, He was
always with Moses. He was always with Moses all
the time. He was there serving Moses. He was
a servant of Moses. He puts it as a sister. He
was a servant of Moses. So he was serving Moses.
Praise the Lord. He was always with Moses. And
then when Moses was about to die, then Joshua
was selected. So there's no training that is
done in absentia. In this kingdom, if you want
to grow, there's no training that is done in
Ascension. You're somewhere. You're attending
it online. What you did is that you were watching
it. You were watching the program. You did not
receive any training. You were just watching
it. Praise the Lord. So there's no training that
is done in Ascension. Joshua moved with Moses
everywhere he was going. Exodus chapter 33. It
was with Moses everywhere he was going. Exodus
chapter 33, verse 11. So the Lord spoke to Moses
face to face as he speaks, as a man speaks to
his friend, and he returned to the camp, but
his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man,
did not depart from the tabernacle. Praise the
Lord. And then, Acts chapter 1. Acts chapter
1. Acts chapter 1 verse 21. Acts chapter 1 verse
21. Let's start with 20. Speaking of Judas Iscariot.
So for it is written on the book of Psalm. Let
his dwelling place be desolate and let no one
live in it. Let another take his office. Therefore,
of the men who have accompanied us all the time,
that the Lord Jesus Christ went in and out among
us, beginning from the baptism of John to that
day when he was taken off from us. One of these
must become a witness with us of his resurrection.
And they proposed two, Joseph called Barnabas,
who was so named Justice, and Matthias. And they
prayed and said, You, O Lord, who have known
the heart of all, show which of these two have
you chosen to take part in the ministry and the
apostleship. from which Judas by transgression
fell, that he might go to his place. And they
cast lots, and the lot fell on Matthias, and
he was numbered with eleven apostles. Praise
the Lord. So we also saw here, we also saw in
Exodus, that Joshua and both Matthias and these
people have been with them. They have been in
the training, they have been in that place. Praise
the Lord. They have received what they have received
with them. So they have been together. He was
with him all the time. He did not know that he
would succeed Moses. So his moving around with
Moses was not a succession plan. That was not
it. He did not know any of those things. All
he was doing, he was serving the Lord from his
heart. All Matthias was doing was also serving
the Lord from his heart. They were not doing
it because they were going to succeed anyone,
but because they were serving the Lord. And that's
how they succeeded both Judas and Moses. So what
is your plan to teach the world? What is your
plan to teach the world? What is your plan to
make disciples? What is your plan to teach the
world? Do you plan to teach the world or consign
yourself with other matters happening around
the body of Christ? Or other things that are
happening around? 1 Peter 4, verse 14. He said,
Give your reproach for the name of Christ. Blessed
are you, for the spirit of glory and of God rests
on you. On their part, he's blasphemed. On your
part, he's glorified. But let none of you suffer
as a murderer, as a thief, as an evildoer, as
a busybody in others' matters. If anyone suffers
as a Christian, let him not be ashamed. But let
him glorify God in this matter. Praise the Lord.
So he's saying, to them that if they are suffering,
let our suffering be because they are doing the
work of the Lord. Not because they were talking
about other things, or because they were murderers,
or because they are doing evil. Praise the Lord.
So we also see an interesting word here called
busybody. I don't know how to call the Greek
word. It's very long. But it means to belong
to another matter. Or you are overseeing somebody
else's work. You're doing somebody else's work.
You're concerning yourself with other matters,
with other people. If you are suffering because
of it, that is not the will of God. That's not
what should be happening to you. But you should
concentrate rather on making disciples to suffer
as a Christian. If you are suffering, For we
are seeing other people's work. It is not the
will of God. So do not concern yourself about
other people's work. Do not concern yourself
about other people's ministry. Do not concern
yourself about other people's pastors or posts.
But rather, concentrate on the work that is in
front of you. Concentrate on the work of making
disciples that is right in front of you, that
is given to you. Let others be doing what others
are doing. Praise the Lord. Whether they are
teaching correctly or not teaching correctly,
it is not your work to correct the body of Christ.
It is your work to make disciples. Praise the
Lord. It is your work to make disciples. It is
your work to make disciples. If you have 20 people
in your church, they cannot grow without training.
Your church will remain 20 if there is no place
of training. Because when that training comes,
there will be more discipleship and people, the
church will grow. 1 Peter 5, verse 1 to 2. So
the elders who are among you are exalted. I who
am a fellow elder and a witness of the suffering
of Christ and a partaker of the glory, I will
be revealed. He says, shepherd the flock which
is among you, serving as overseer, not by compulsion,
but willingly. Not for dishonest gain, but eagerly.
Not as being Lord over those who are entrusted
to you, but be an example to the flock. Praise
the Lord. So he's saying to mind your business,
the things that are in front of you, right? To
be, to disciple, to shepherd the flock among
you. Do not concern yourself about what is going
on somewhere else, but to disciple men, to continue
to preach the word, to mind your work. So your
job is to focus on the flock, right? And those
who you are raising. Your job is to focus on
the flock and those you're raising. If you stop
looking at other matters or other people and
begin to look into your flock, you discover that
there's only a lot that is happening. Praise
the Lord. If you begin to look internally, you
find out that many things are happening around
you that needs more of your attention. Praise
the Lord. There are many, many things that are
happening around you. that need more of your
attention there's a lot of work to be done around
you there's a work there's a lot of work of discipleship
that should be done around you that you should
focus your mind on it rather than focusing on
what other people are doing praise the lord so
the lord has called us to make disciples to make
disciples and that's how the church will grow
praise the lord So I pray that you will bless
by this word in Jesus' name.