Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro Video: https://player.vimeo.com/external/74666822.m3u8?s=48e7c629c8f33c5323bb1583d68c4a3940ed567b&oauth2_token_id=901768848

Intro Video: https://player.vimeo.com/external/74666822.m3u8?s=48e7c629c8f33c5323bb1583d68c4a3940ed567b&oauth2_token_id=901768848

Vision Sermon #2: What is a Maturing Disciple?

If you were here last week, you remember that we asked ourselves the question: Why are we here?

And our answer was simple and profound all at the same time.

We exist to multiply gospel-centered disciples, small groups, and churches that bless the city, the region, and the world.

We make disciples who make disciples, who make disciples…just like Jesus commanded us.

But the we asked the question: How do we do that?

We make disciples by Declaring, Displaying, and Delighting in the gospel of Jesus Christ through a redeemed community of sent people.

· We declare the truth of the gospel by unapologetically preaching the Bible and telling others the good news about salvation in Jesus Christ.

· We display the gospel by loving one another, serving the least of these, and living under the rule and reign of King Jesus (obeying his commands and showing off the good life).

· We delight in the gospel by experiencing relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

We can experience his power and love…not just “know” about it.

So, there is a truth encounter, a kingdom encounter, and a power/grace encounter with God that happens in our discipleship.

But before we move on too quickly, I want to ask what might seem to be an obvious question, but the more I ask it, the less obvious it actually is.

What is a Disciple?

If our mission as a church is to make disciples, and we know that we do it by declaring, displaying, and delighting in the gospel…don’t you think it would be helpful if we make it clear what a disciple is.

I’m going to go about this 2 ways.

1.

A simple, clear, obvious statement about what a disciple is.

2. A 6 Part profile of what maturity looks like so that you can set goals and measure progress.

First, the statement:

A Disciple is someone who lives like the Death and Resurrection of Jesus is true!

As simple as that statement seems, it really gets to the heart of it doesn’t it?

Do you believe the gospel of Jesus is true!

· Is Jesus who he claimed to be…the Son of God and only true Savior of the world…or not?

· Did Jesus die on the cross for the forgiveness of sin and rise again on the 3rd day or didn’t he?

· If it isn’t true, then Jesus is a fascinating historical figure, but of little importance to you and me today.

· However, if it is true…if he was the Son of God who lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death to make atonement for sin, and rose again defeating death itself…then he is of infinite importance to us all.

And so a Disciple believes the Gospel…and lives like the death and resurrection of Jesus is true!

It sets the trajectory of our lives and defines our purpose.

Jesus is God.

He is Savior, he is Lord, he is worthy to be worshiped!

While that little line is helpful for running things through, I find that a rubric for setting goals and measuring progress in this can be helpful.

What does someone who lives their life like the death and resurrection of Jesus is true look like?

6 Identities of a Maturing Disciple:

1. Worshiper

Someone who worships God above all things.

No longer do we serve and worship creating things, expecting them to fulfill us, but we serve our creator, who loved us and gave up his son for us.

()

Someone who worships God in all of life.

There is no sacred/secular divide

The way to live in light of the gospel is to present yourself as a living sacrifice…that is your spiritual worship to God.

And so, yes, we worship God is a special way when we gather together as God’s people, but this is simply the overflow of our lives to him…this isn’t a disconnected reality from the rest of our weeks, but the overflow and reorientation.

In light of this, a worshiper has developed the ability to integrate their faith and work.

Their vocation is far more than just a place to collect a paycheck or a venue to share their faith (it is that), but it is an opportunity to serve the rule and reign of God by contributing good work that benefits others.

A place to make a contribution to the greater good of others…while honoring our God through our excellent work.

This is a person who worships God each day by spending time with him.

By stoping from other activities, opening up his word and allowing him to speak to us.

The Bible isn’t a dead book to this worshiper, but the living and active voice of God that speaks into the situations I will face today!

That’s the first Identity or grid to assess your life through.

Do you worship God in all things?

Have you allowed an insidious idea to creep into your life that there is…God stuff…and not God stuff to life?

That’s the first Identity or grid to assess your life through.

Do you worship God in all things?

Have you allowed an insidious idea to creep into your life that there is…God stuff…and not God stuff to life?

c.

No sacred/secular divide

d.

2. Family

Not only does the worship of God drive us, it defines us.

We center who we are, not on our performance, achievements, or pleasures, but on what God says of us.

For those of us who are IN CHRIST (by faith), this is what is now true.

This means that we have been adopted into God’s family.

No longer are we his enemies, but now his sons and daughters.

The crazy part of this, which would have shocked a traditional, family-centered society, is that now the family name the primarily defines us is not Eaton or Johnson or Smith or Gervais or Addink or Peterson, but Christ!

Meaning, In Christ, we are family.

Yep, if you are in Christ, even you.

Hey…every family has to have their crazy uncles, right?!?

Meaning that all this foolishness going on about race in our country should be answered by the church community, but showing the watching world how God makes us famly!

Just as God is Trinity - or other-centered community, so we now as the people of God, the family of God are to live in other’s centered community in such a way that demands a gospel explanation.

This can be one of the most beautiful things to see when its working and ugliest things to try to forget when it doesn’t.

How do we live together like family?

The New Testament is chalked full of commands on how we are to live with “one another.”

There are 59 of them, 30 different

“Love one another, serve one another, forgive one another, bear with one another, stir up one another to love and good deeds, do not neglect meeting with one another, accept one another, do not grumble about on another, be hospitable to one another, encourage one another...”

Our Corporate Apologetic - we get to be communities of light and love.

Inviting people into that is one of the best ways we can live mission (certainly not the only way, but one of the easiest ways)

So, a disciple of Jesus worship God in all things, lives together with the family of God in a compelling way…third

we are now

a.

Just as Trinity is individual in other-centered community…so now we are

b.

Live, love and bear with the people of God like family.

3. Servants-

True Greatness in the Kingdom is determined by those who make themselves servants of all.

Why is this?

Because God is like this.

The Father makes much of the son, the son makes much of the Father, the Spirit empowers the son to make much of the Father, the Spirit opens our eyes to the beauty of the son who reveals to us the Father’s heart.

Like a dance....The Trinity is beutifully other’s centered.

And in this, we see what real life, true life is about.

Additionally, Jesus…God in the flesh…the one who had every right to demand worship, service, honor from everyone else, made himself nothing, took on the very form of a servant…and showed us how to truly live.

If you think I’m just trying to get you to do stuff, then you haven’t yet discovered the upside down nature of the Kingdom of God in this yet.

The way to truly live is to pour your life out.

The way to find life is to lose your life.

The way to find true greatness, is to not think of yourself and your life all the time, but see your life as an opportunity to serve.

To be sure, this means finding ways to serve in your church…but much more this means adopting a posture to serve in all of your life.

More than this, it means that you see your life as not your own, but now owned by another and at the discretion of another.

So, how do I live life as a Servant?

I put everyone about my life on the table and ask God to deploy it as he sees fit.

My money, my time, my gifts/abilities, my home, my vocation, my everything…Not mine…I’ve been bought with a price.

Now simply opportunities to steward them to make much of God!