Sermon Tone Analysis

Discipleship is a life-long process that begins at salvation and ends upon glorification.

It is growth in faith and knowledge of Jesus.

Mims, One look at the bookstore shows you that many people are interested in discipleship.

“Unfortunately, we have more talk than action about discipleship.

The reason may be that to practice discipleship calls for our undivided attention and total commitment to follow the commands of our Lord.”

*Mandated in Great commission - Matthew 28:19-20 *Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

*The nature of true discipleship, sold out completely to Christ - Luke 9:23-24 *Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.

*Ephesians 4:11-15** *It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

Mims, “Mature discipleship means that believers are living for the Lord in all areas of life.

They take the Bible seriously and without question or compromise.

The life of Christ is the center and focus of their lives.”

Growing in Knowledge

Growing in commitment

Growing in giftedness for edification of Church

Holiness is the center of Christ-likeness – It should be the drive of all disciples of Christ

Paul’s take on Holiness - *Philippians 3:8** *What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.

I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ

The Christian life is unnatural and supernatural.

There is nothing easy about it.

It is difficult business and it is up to the church to nourish and uphold newer believers in Christ until they can reach maturity and begin to disciple others

 

*God expects us to be “blameless” - Genesis 17:1 *When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless.

Holiness is absolute blamelessness before God

*Hebrews 5:11-6:3** *We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn.

In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again.

You need milk, not solid food!

Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.

But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

And God permitting, we will do so.

Luke 6:46 – Why do you call me Lord and not do the things that I say?

“Someone will say, “I go to church, isn’t that enough?” 1Samuel 15:22 says, ‘To obey is better than sacrifice.’

Ritual will never replace obedience.”

Luke 11:28 – Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.

A person who has been in the church for fifty years ought to be the one doing the most work as he has had a greater time to mature.

Great Commission

In the gospels we see Jesus discipling the twelve.

In Acts we see them discipling others

2 Timothy 2:2 (NASB95) \\ 2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

[1] 1 Corinthians 4:16 (NASB95) \\ 16 Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me.

1 Corinthians 11:1 (NASB95) \\ 1 Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

– Disciples need to follow the mentor and we need to be examples for them.

Purpose Driven Life – “God’s ultimate goal for your life on earth is not comfort, but character development.

He wants you to grow up spiritually and become like Christ.”

“Christ likeness is not produced by imitation, but by inhabitation”

 

How do you do it

 

1.

Bible Study

2.                  Prayer

3.                  Fellowship

4.                  Decide to become a disciple – we are defined by the commitments that we make.

Many are afraid to commit to anything.

Others make half-hearted commitments to competing values leading to frustration and unhappiness.

5.                  Change your auto=pilot – you must change the way you think – Your life is shaped by your thoughts.

Discipleship is not just what you know, but how you act.

Do you put what you know into practice.

We are not meant to remain as children – Ephesians 4:14a

26 If any /man/ come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple – Luke 14:26-27

 

 

1 Corinthians 11:1 (NASB95) \\ 1 Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

Ephesians 4:20-24 (NASB95) \\ 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in /the likeness of /God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

2 Timothy 2:2 (NASB95) \\ 2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

Sorry indeed should I be if I did not say something on this branch of my subject.

I have no wish to discourage anyone or to keep anyone back from Christ’s service.

It is my heart’s desire to encourage everyone to go forward and take up the cross.

Let us count the cost by all means, and count it carefully.

But let us remember that, if we count rightly and look on all sides, there is nothing that need make us afraid.

Let me mention some things which should always enter into our calculations in counting the cost of true Christianity.

Set down honestly and fairly what you will have to give up and go through if you become Christ’s disciple.

Leave nothing out.

Put it all down.

But then set down side by side the following sums which I am going to give you.

Do this fairly and correctly, and I am not afraid for the result.

*/a./*

Count up and compare */the profit and the loss,/* if you are a true–hearted and holy Christian.

You may possibly lose something in this world, but you will gain the salvation of your immortal soul.

It is written: “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36.)

*/b./*

Count up and compare */the praise and the blame,/* if you are a true–hearted and holy Christian.

You may possibly be blamed by man, but you will have the praise of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Your blame will come from the lips of a few erring, blind, fallible men and women.

Your praise will come from the King of kings and Judge of all the earth.

It is only those whom He blesses who are really blessed.

It is written: “Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake.

Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven” (Matt.

5:11, 12).

*/c./*

Count up and compare the */friends and the enemies,/* if you are a true–hearted and holy Christian.

On the one side of you is the enmity of the devil and the wicked.

On the other, you have the favor and friendship of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Your enemies, at most, can only bruise your heel.

They may rage loudly and compass sea and land to work your ruin, but they cannot destroy you.

Your Friend is able to save to the uttermost all them that come unto God by Him.

None shall ever pluck His sheep out of His hand.

It is written: “Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: fear Him, which after He hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, fear Him” (Luke 12:5).

*/d./*

Count up and compare the */life that now is and the life to come,/* if you are a true–hearted and holy Christian.

The time present, no doubt, is not a time of ease.