Sermon Tone Analysis

Knowledge is Power

Make Disciples: Part 4   |   Shaun LePage   |   May 18, 2008

\\ Knowledge is Power

Make Disciples: Part 4   |   Shaun LePage   |   May 18, 2008

 

I.

Introduction

A.    Knowledge is power.

1.     Someone with knowledge can build skyscrapers.

Vault humans into space and bring them back alive.

Replace a failing human heart with one that works.

Other things are needed (i.e., time, manpower, technology, etc.) but knowledge is a vital component.

2.

Even more common things require knowledge as a basic component.

Fixing a car.

Cooking a delicious meal.

Playing the piano.

Other things are necessary, but knowledge is an absolute necessity.

3.     The spiritual life requires knowledge also.

To worship God correctly we must know His attributes.

To be rightly related to Him, we must know about Jesus Christ and what He has done for us.

To obey Him, we must know what He has commanded.

To grow to maturity, we must know what maturity is and the ingredients required to get there.

B.    CPS: Knowledge is power—the power to grow.

It’s not the only component, but it is vital.

II.

Body: 6 key words at beginning of Mt 28:20; important third level of GC ministry

A.    “*Teaching*” *means learn*.

Basic meaning of “disciple” is learner~/student

1.Gr.

didaskw, broad word—imparting knowledge through instruction.

2.Teaching vital part of Jesus’ ministry—Mt 4:23, Mk 1:32-38; early church Acts 2:42

3.Teaching is a vital part of our work—Rm 10:17; 2Tim 2:1-2; seems obvious, but easy to neglect the importance of teaching.

4.Vital: not knowledge for sake of knowledge; Christian teaching has a purpose…

B.    “*Observe*” *means obey*.

1.Lit.

“watch over” like a guard on duty; in relation to a command simply “obedience.”

2.“Teaching” a means to an end—obedience; we must ask, “So what?”

How should I change?

think differently?

talk differently?

treat people differently?

What should I get better at? stop doing?

apply what I’ve learned?

3.James 1:22-25 is so helpful: The Bible is a mirror—reveals that you need to do something about your current condition; the “effectual doer” will be blessed.

C.    *“All” means grow up*.

All=everything!

not a smorgasbord; all or nothing!

“all” implies process—takes awhile Eph 4:14-17 (notice “doctrine~/truth~/children~/grow up), 17-24 (“futility of mind~/learn Christ~/taught~/renewed…mind~/new manner of life)

D.    “*I*” *means be Christ-centered*.

Mt 28:20: Jesus is the “I” of this phrase.

1.The issue with Jesus was never just His teaching—it was~/is first and foremost Jesus Himself!

Mt 11:28-30; Jn 7:37—Here’s the point: Jesus is Lord.

Disciples of Christ are those who have decided to let Jesus Christ be the Lord of their lives

2.“Lordship” not complicated: Jesus is Lord so we obey Him.

Don’t commit to His Lordship to get saved (not a gift—condition); commit */because /*He has saved~/is Lord

3.Overwhelming mountain of “teaching” out there—must adhere to Jesus’ teaching.

E.     “*Commanded*” *means commit*.

1.Yes, Jesus “commanded”—gave commandments; Jesus asked a lot of disciples: Lk 9:23-26; not the low-commitment Christianity we are peddling today; gospel is free, but discipleship costs everything!

2.What did Jesus command?

Ever read M,M,L&J looking for commands?

Try Sermon on Mount alone (5:16, 39-44; 6:31-34; 7:13,14); Jn 15:1-17; don’t forget Mt 28:19-20!

3.We—as His disciples—should ask a lot of ourselves and as a Great Commission-minded church, we should ask a lot of all who claim to be Christ-followers.

We should ask, What did Jesus command?

Then, get busy (no matter how hard~/how high the cost).

F.     “*You*” *means be Biblical*.

1.You=the Apostles; the Twelve; later endorsed Paul and his letters; later “made disciples” (e.g., Mark, Luke, Jude) and together wrote the NT—only record of what Jesus “commanded” is NT; Those men given special task in history; foundational work of being moved by the Holy Spirit to remember the commands and teachings of Jesus and record the Word of God.

2.Full circle: What “teaching” are we talking about?

A disciple is learning the Scriptures with a special emphasis on the NT.

Acts 2:42: “devoted themselves to */the apostles’ /*teaching…” we need to do same thing.

III.

Closing—do some evaluation; If you don’t “know” the ways you should grow, you will not set goals for yourself.

You will not have the right intentions that will lead to growth.

A.    *Am I growing in my learning?*

Rate yourself—1 is little growth, 10 is tremendous growth; 5 is “I don’t know”; if 6 or under, write, “I will…” (e.g., be more consistent to Sunday morning, CG, start a Bible-reading program and ask someone to keep me accountable, get to MBS, etc.)

B.    *Am I consistently obeying what I’m learning?*

are you doing the things a disciple does?

praying with expectancy?

worshiping with sincerity?

serving with humility?

giving cheerfully?

doer of the Word?

Rate yourself, 6 or under write, “I will…” (e.g., ask someone (same gender) to be my prayer partner, get up early on Sundays to prepare my heart for worship, ask the leader of my CG how I can serve, etc.)

C.    *Am I more mature than I was a year ago?*

In other words: becoming more like Christ? eternal perspective?

compassion for people?

fruit of the Spirit in your life?

Who are you?

Take a good hard look; rate yourself; 6 or under, write, “I will…(e.g., prayerfully study the life of Christ asking God to make me more like Him, prayerfully study the fruit of the Spirit in Gal 5 asking God to build up these qualities in my life, ask my CG leader to help me identify a mature believer who will personally disciple me, etc.)

D.    *Does my life look Christ-centered on a daily basis?*

In other words: are you really living as though Christ is Lord of your life?

Take a good hard look—is He really or is that something you just say; rate yourself; 6 or under, write, “I will…(e.g., recommit myself right now to His lordship, evaluate my use of time and energy and material possessions inviting Christ to be Lord of every area of my life, etc.)

E.     *Am I a fully committed disciple of Christ?*

In other words: have I bought into a low-commitment kind of Christianity or am I obeying all that Jesus commanded?

Take a good hard look; rate yourself; 6 or under, write, “I will…(e.g., prayerfully read my NT this year asking God to show me how He wants me to be more committed, ask a CBC leader how I can help fulfill the GC, etc.)

F.     *Am I Biblical in my approach to life?*

In other words: am I devoted to the apostles’ teaching?

Do I think about my struggles and evaluate my priorities and plan for the future with a Biblical wisdom or according to what is right in my own eyes—my own ideas?

Take a good hard look; rate yourself; 6 or under, write, “I will…(e.g., prayerfully read the NT over the next few weeks asking God to show me if I am Biblical in my approach to life, commit myself to a CG and pour myself into the First Principles study (designed to help people think Biblically), ask my CG leader to help me identify a mature believer who will personally disciple me, etc.)

G.    Evaluate yourself for the sake of “knowledge”—knowledge (right thinking about yourself) is the power to change!

It’s not the only vital component, but it is a necessary component.

James 1:22-25.