Make Disciples - 2019
Subject – Teaching Believers to Obey Christ’s Teaching
by Rick Welborne
Matthew 28:16-20 (NLT2)
16 Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
17 When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
16 Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
17 When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
--Can you believe that it is 2019 already? God has brought us to a new day and a new year. A new beginning for many of you and a new opportunity to be faithful to God. New opportunity to fast and pray!
--God woke me up early the morning of December 12, 2018 at about 1:30 and initially all I heard was ‘Make Disciples’ and I kept hearing it over and over.
--Finally, being the discerning person that I am, I began to ask God what was He trying to say to me. He began to speak to my heart and my mind so many things about His statement ‘Make Disciples’.
--I had the most ridiculous thought go through my mind…I will remember everything God is speaking to me! Once I got over that fantasy that I could remember, I started taking notes on my phone…went back to sleep.
--That morning it seemed that almost everything I dealt with had some kind of connection to what God had said, ‘Make Disciples’.
--I found myself dealing with situation after situation where believers who had been believers for many years were messing up and not putting into practice the basics of Christianity. ‘Make Disciples’.
Hebrews 5:11-14 (NLT2)
11 There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen.
12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.
13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right.
14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.
11 There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen.
12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.
13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right.
14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.
--One of the reasons churches struggle to grow is because the lead pastor and his staff spend so much time trying to help or even appease people who have been saved a long time.
--Don’t misunderstand me, people have legitimate needs and we are more than willing to help in those situations. We have a track record of being caring and concerned about people. Christianity summed up:
Mark 12:29-31 (NKJV)
29 Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
30 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.
31 And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
29 Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
30 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.
31 And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
--We have tried our best to practice this…to love God and to love people. We actually have no business calling ourselves Christians if we can’t get these two things right.
--As God continued to give me revelation about the thought ‘Make Disciples’, He began to show me the correlation of Jesus with His disciples and how He was making them into what He wanted them to become.
1. Jesus started with water baptism.
--Why would Jesus begin with something like water baptism? In all four of the gospels we hear about John the Baptist (the baptizer) and how Jesus insisted on him baptizing Him.
--Please understand Jesus was communicating with them that if anyone would choose to follow Him, they would have to understand the symbolism of water baptism. Sadly, I think we have missed this basic truth!
Hebrews 6:1-3 (NLT2)
1 So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God.
2 You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
3 And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.
1 So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God.
2 You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
3 And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.
--The writer of Hebrews thought all these things were elementary to their faith and he was encouraging them to move on to deeper understanding of God’s Word.
--Years ago when James Dobson was with Focus on the Family he took a survey of 30,000 Christian men and compared their spiritual growth in terms of Kindergarten to High School.
--Sadly the men only averaged being at a first grade level…his evaluation was that they had given their hearts to the Lord but had not grown much beyond just making it into the Kingdom.
--Ladies, before you get to feeling good about yourselves, the same test for 30,000 women showed that they were at the third grade level in their spiritual growth. Of course these are averages and there are exceptions.
--Back to the basics of Jesus starting with water baptism…obviously He was our example:
Matt 3:13‑17 (NKJV)
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.
14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?"
15 But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him.
16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
--Even though water baptism is symbolic and just being baptized in water cannot save your soul, it is still important to understand it is a command and Jesus modeled for us the obedience to it.
--We are talking about the idea ‘Make Disciples’ and it is important that we understand from the beginning of our relationship with Jesus…much is required. We identify with Him in His death and resurrection:
Romans 6:3-5 (NLT)
3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?
4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.
--Basic to discipleship and to following Christ is dying to self…This should be entry level spiritual growth but convincing people to live dead or to live sacrificially is challenging to say the least.
Matthew 16:24-26 (NKJV)
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
--We make Christianity so fluffy and so sweet as we invite them into the Kingdom but when Jesus invited them, it was not come and dine, it was come and die. Try to save your life, you lose it. Lose it for Him and find it.
--I wonder if that is why so many fall away from the Lord after making a profession of faith at our altars. They did not know the cost when they came in. Deny yourself and take up your cross.
--Water baptism…I want to identify with Jesus. Okay! As you go under the water, you are separated from air. Stay there and you die. Jesus died for us and baptism is saying I will die to self or die for you, Lord. Why?
--When we come up out of the water, we identify with Him in His resurrection! We are raised to a new life with Him on this planet or we are raised to eternal life with Jesus.
Philippians 1:19-21 (NKJV)
19 For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
19 For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
2. Jesus started with Holy Spirit.
--Before He appeared, John the Baptist was already prophesying about Him and about Holy Spirit:
Matthew 3:11-16 (NKJV)
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.
14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?"
15 But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him.
16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.
14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?"
15 But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him.
16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
--‘Make Disciples’ – That will never happen apart from the presence and power of Holy Spirit.
--Can I ask you this? If Jesus started His ministry with the Holy Spirit coming on Him, doesn’t it just make good sense that if we will become His disciples we will need for Holy Spirit to come upon us!
--John the Baptist promised us that when Jesus came that He would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and fire. If Jesus promised us this power, how foolish are we to deny this promise. And yes, He is for us today!
Acts 2:38-39 (NKJV)
38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."
38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."
--Please understand Holy Spirit was there the moment you got saved convicting you of sin, convincing you of God’s righteousness, and His coming judgment. You started with Holy Spirit…continue!
Galatians 3:1-3 (NIV)
1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.
2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?
3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?
1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.
2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?
3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?
3. Jesus went through tough times.
--Listen to me my brothers and sisters, you will face tough trials and temptations as believers! It is a false doctrine that tells you anything different. You cannot simply confess it away.
--You immediately know the spiritual level of a person when they go through some kind of disaster or test. Job was tested beyond our wildest imaginations yet he could say:
Job 1:20-22 (NKJV)
20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped.
21 And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD."
22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.
20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped.
21 And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD."
22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.
--Part of the process to ‘Make Disciples’ is encouraging you to worship God when everything is good and when everything is bad. Bless the Lord at all times!
--This may be a shock to some of you and it may mess with your theology about God but here it is…there will be times when you will literally be led by Holy Spirit into a tough time or place.
--Notice how Jesus was led by the Spirit and then notice how He came out on the other side of the test:
Matthew 4:1 (NKJV)
1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Luke 4:14 & 18-19 (NKJV)
14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.
18 "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."
14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.
18 "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."
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