Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

a scholar, sometimes applied to the followers of John the Baptist (Matt.

9:14), and of the Pharisees (22:16), but principally to the followers of Christ.

A disciple of Christ is one who (1) believes his doctrine, (2) rests on his sacrifice, (3) imbibes his spirit, and (4) imitates his example (Matt.

10:24; Luke 14:26, 27, 33; John 6:69).

I. Old testament Scripture

A.Family discipleship

(NASB95)

6 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.

7 “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.

on your heart Israelites must take them to heart—commit them to memory and make them an integral part of their life.

6:8–9 Not only must the people of Israel memorize and rehearse Yahweh’s commands in order to internalize them, they must also wear them on the body (compare Exod 13:9, 16) and attach the words to their homes.

The Israelites practiced these commands by placing written commandments in leather pouches (tefillin or “phylacteries”; compare Matt 23:5) and then literally binding them on their arms and forehead with leather straps.

The command to put the laws of Yahweh on doorposts (mezuzoth in Hebrew; Deut 6:9) likewise resulted in the Jewish practice of writing passages of Scripture on a small piece of parchment that was rolled and inserted in a case affixed to the doors, lintels, and doorposts of private houses.

The verses written on those small parchments typically included this passage (vv.

4–9) and 11:13–21.

6:7 teach them diligently to your sons.

The commandments were to be the subject of conversation, both inside and outside the home, from the beginning of the day to its end.

As Christians, therefore, we want to take advantage of every opportunity to shape our cultural activities toward Christ.

If the Christian community neglects the cultural aspect of its mission, in effect it is saying, “To hell with culture!”

But we cannot do this.

Every cultural activity is an opportunity to practice discipleship, to employ words and deeds in Christ’s service, to orient our lives toward Christ.

1 Now the LORD said to Abram,

“Go forth from your country,

And from your relatives

And from your father’s house,

To the land which I will show you;

2 And I will make you a great nation,

And I will bless you,

And make your name great;

And so cyou shall be a blessing;

3 And I will bless those who bless you,

And the one who curses you I will curse.

And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed

Go out from your land Abram is living in Haran in northwestern Mesopotamia.

Yahweh’s command that Abram go is followed by three details: Abram is to leave his country or land, his birthplace or homeland, and his father’s household.

The list increases in intimacy and importance.

Disciple ship requires something

While the word, “discipleship,” is not found in the Old Testament, the concept is embedded from the very beginning.

God’s people were to pass on a legacy of faith to the following generations.

B. One on one Discipleship

11 Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.

When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

15 Then Moses spoke to the LORD, saying,

16 “May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation,

17 who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep which have no shepherd.”

18 So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;

19 and have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and commission him in their sight.

20 “You shall put some of your authority on him, in order that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may obey him.

21 “Moreover, he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the LORD.

At his command they shall go out and at his command they shall come in, both he and the sons of Israel with him, even all the congregation.”

22 Moses did just as the LORD commanded him; and he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation.

23 Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses.

1. Moses and Joshua – ; ; ;

15 Then Moses spoke to the LORD, saying,

16 “May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation,

17 who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep which have no shepherd.”

18 So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;

19 and have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and commission him in their sight.

20 “You shall put some of your authority on him, in order that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may obey him.

21 “Moreover, he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the LORD.

At his command they shall go out and at his command they shall come in, both he and the sons of Israel with him, even all the congregation.”

22 Moses did just as the LORD commanded him; and he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation.

23 Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses.

9 Now Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; and the sons of Israel listened to him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses.

10 Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,

11 for all the signs and wonders which the LORD sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, all his servants, and all his land,

12 and for all the mighty power and for all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.

The Bo

Marriner, Following the Lamb, 28–29.

Take the time to recognize people of character who are ready to take more responsibility.

Moses was selective about who he would groom to share the responsibility as judge over the people with him.

He didn’t necessarily choose the most charismatic or most educated, but looked for men who had a relationship with the Lord and were trustworthy and honorable.

It was this group that Moses poured himself and the Lord’s Word into.

Take the time to equip people before you give them responsibility.

Moses made sure he taught those who were going to serve with him.

This would have included the general instruction they received with the rest of the Israelites , as well as how to perform their duties as judges over the people, knowing what cases they could handle and which would need to be brought to Moses .

The men selected would be responsible for administering God’s Word in the cases brought before them.

In order for them to do this they would both have to know God’s Word and be able to apply it to any given situation.

Let those you have equipped serve.

Some leaders and disciple makers make the mistake of equipping others, but never given them an opportunity to serve or disciple others.

Certainly, if someone is not ready, they should not be given greater responsibility.

However, if they are ready, if they have been fully trained for a role and have shown the competence to fulfill that role, then they should be released to function in that role.

Remember, those who are trained are to “share” the load with you, not to observe from the sidelines

2. Elijah and Elisha – ; ; :

Comparison to Old Testament Call Stories

Bultmann suggests that the Gospels’ call stories are “biographical apophthegms”—stories or anecdotes about certain figures (Bultmann, Synoptic Tradition, 28–29).

He compares them to the call of Elisha in 1 Kgs 19:19–21 (see Robbins, “Mark 1:14–20,” 222–30).

In 1 Kings, Elijah casts his cloak upon Elisha, inviting Elisha to follow him.

In the Gospels, Jesus calls the disciples to follow Him and obey.

However, the stories differ in significant ways.

For example, while Elijah permits Elisha to bid his parents farewell, Jesus does not (compare Luke 9:59–62).

And though Elijah appoints Elisha as his successor based on God’s instruction (compare 1 Kgs 19:16), Jesus appoints as His disciples those “whom He desired” (compare Mark 3:13; Robbins, “Mark 1:14–20,” 230).

16 and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.

17 “It shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death.

18 “Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth.

And Elijah passed over to him and threw his mantle on him.

20 He left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you.”

And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”