08 - I Believe, What's Next?

Glen Gerhauser

Tools for Sharing the Good News • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

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Theme: You can help a new believer get a firm foundation by teaching them these five things.

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I Believe, What's Next?

08 - Tools for Sharing the Good News

Church on the Park | Sunday, 20 June 2021 | Glen Gerhauser

Text: "When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (1995) (Mt 28:17–20).

Theme: You can help a new believer get a firm foundation by teaching them these five things.

Intro: How can you help guide a new believer? How can you give a young Christian a firm foundation? Today, I will share five ways you can show new believers how to start right and keep strong till the end. Believing in Jesus is the beginning of a lifelong journey. And Jesus has called and commanded each one of us to make disciples. So we shouldn't fob it off to pastors and leaders––each one of us needs to rise to the occasion and take responsibility to pass on our faith to others.

I find it interesting that Jesus gives this Great Commission to some who were doubtful. I haven't heard many preachers highlight the double-mindedness that was in the early disciples. Yet, my pastor would often refer to the doubts in the disciples' heart.

But how could they doubt? They had the resurrected Jesus in the flesh right before them. God himself was speaking to them through his Son. You would think all doubt would melt away. That's how deep our sinful nature and unbelief runs. However, Jesus still commissions them. History tells us almost all these disciples ended up dying a martyr's death. So what are five foundational things we need to lay in young believers?

1) Repent (Matt. 4:17).

What is repentance?

Repentance is your response to God's work of saving you.

Repent means to turn from your sin to God's righteousness.

It begins at salvation, but it needs to be practised every day (Matt. 4:17).

Let’s remember that the prophets and apostles preached repentance.

And most of all, Jesus began his ministry with calling for repentance.

Some have even tried to say that repentance is not for today.

But even, some of Jesus last words in Scripture––in the book of Revelation––are a call to repentance.

So repentance is not just for unbelievers, but believers too.

I need to repent everyday.

“For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways” (Acts 3:26, NASB).

Repentance is a blessing

It’s God’s grace at work in your life.

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of bour great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (Tt 2:11–14).

When you let the Word and the Holy Spirit work in your life, your response will be repentance. Daily, continual repentance lays a strong foundation in your life.

2) Be baptised (Acts 2:37-39).

Baptism is a sign of a new beginning, a celebration of your new life.

It doesn't save you, but it confirms and publicly proclaims your salvation.

Being baptised is your first major act of obedience to Jesus.

Baptism memorialises your salvation––it sets it in stone.

It becomes a marker and a milestone in your life. It says to the world, you believe, It says to God, you believe. It says to yourself, I believe. It says to the powers of darkness, I believe in Jesus.

It symbolises that God has washed you.

It also means you've been married to Christ's death and resurrection.

3) Receive power (Acts 1:1-8).

The Christian life is impossible without the power of the Holy Spirit.

The good news is that your heavenly Father is more than willing to give you his power.

Ask for his Holy Spirit to fill you.

You may even want to ask a mature believer to lay hands on you and pray for you to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:1-8).

My own story about receiving the Holy Spirit’s power.

The Holy Spirit––active and present in your life––will remove doubt and double-mindedness from you.

4) Learn & grow (Acts 2:40-47).

The most dangerous thing a Christian can do is stop learning and growing.

Being a disciple is a lifelong thing––you never graduate.

I have found that sometimes the Bible School students struggle after graduation.

That’s because they think its like university and once you finished you don’t need to learn more.

Actually, Bible School sets the foundation for learning, growing and serving.

It’s a beginning not and end.

The new believers in the early church were so excited that they devoted themselves to the Apostle's Teaching.

We have this teaching recorded in the Bible.

They became disciples of Jesus, journeying with Jesus to learn and grow.

You also have been chosen to be a lifelong disciple of Jesus (Acts 2:40-47).

5) Fellowship (Hebrews 10:24-25).

I believe the area of fellowship is one of the greatest areas of deception in the modern church.

On one hand, some idolise fellowship––they think that fellowship is the answer to all their problems.

But soon that idol topples over and they embrace another error, equally as bad––they ignore fellowship.

Fellowshipping with other believers is one of the great joys of your new life.

You are part of a family, and this family is called the church.

It's not about a denomination, but rather a community of people that you are committed to loving, helping and serving.

Yes, fellowship will challenge you.

But it will also you change you so that you become more like Jesus.

Conclusion: Practice and teach these five things and you will lay a strong foundation for yourself and a new believers: 1) Repentance, 2) Baptism, 3) Being Filled with the Spirit, 4) Discipleship and Fellowship. You can find all these things summed up in my latest infographic on www.brisbanefire.com

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