Part 1.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] All right, go ahead and have a seat go ahead and have a seat welcome to Village Church [0:04] This is your first time here [0:06] My name is Steve one of the pastors here at Village Church and as always I am thankful and [0:10] Grateful to see each and every one of us there were years ago where I enjoyed [0:14] The fall back period it’s like I get an extra hour of sleep, but I’m a creature of routine [0:20] So that extra hour doesn’t mean I slept the extra hour. So I’m already ready for bed

[0:26] I am so tired. I think I woke up like four [0:30] And it’s if you noticed it’s colder outside [0:34] But not in here [0:36] We ran into a few issues this morning. So please excuse us and [0:43] So don’t use what I’m saying is don’t use the connect card to inform us [0:48] We know

[0:50] Okay, and so so so we know what’s going on [0:54] We we don’t need the news the weather report from all of you [0:57] One of the units went down right before the first service and this is a big room [1:02] And so it takes a lot of air conditioners to cool it down. And so we lost half of them

[1:08] As we head towards Thanksgiving [1:11] Which means that we’re heading into the Christmas season [1:14] But just so you guys know there is one more holiday before the Christmas season [1:20] So if you have a Christmas tree up in your house repent [1:26] Because there’s not something wrong with us [1:28] There’s something wrong with you. All right, you you you need to let Thanksgiving happen

[1:33] All right, you need to enjoy the turkey then the trees go up [1:37] We’ve started ours, but that’s because it takes a long time to actually put our Christmas display up [1:43] But I knew that a couple of weeks ago [1:45] So when you start a series as big as Genesis is I mean, that’s a long book [1:50] You don’t necessarily know exactly when it’s going to come to an end but about two months ago [1:55] I kind of figured out where I was going to be with the book of Genesis

[1:58] And so I knew there was going to be about three weeks [2:01] Between Genesis ending and a Christmas series which is coming the Sunday after Thanksgiving [2:07] Which is when the Christmas season starts just to reiterate [2:11] But I knew I was gonna have about three weeks between there and so I was like man [2:16] I don’t usually do three week series or I don’t usually do smaller series and so I was like man [2:21] You know what? How can I use those Sundays to the glory of God number one, of course, but to really aid

[2:29] The people of Village Church in following Jesus the most effective way possible and just kind of so the Lord started working [2:36] in me as I was praying through this and just I came to the realization that I wanted to just talk about [2:42] Simple discipleship and and cast a vision for a couple of weeks for you to understand what [2:50] discipleship is how you need to view discipleship and what you need to actually [2:57] Put into practice in your life to actually say I’m being [3:02] Discipled I’m becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ

[3:06] So that’s what this week and next week are going to be I might stretch into a third week [3:11] I haven’t really decided yet, but we [3:15] Need to kind of today have their 15,000 foot view. What is discipleship? [3:20] You know, how should you view discipleship and next week is going to be a very much [3:26] What specifically you need to do to be? [3:30] Discipled because what happens is is that a lot of you have been in church for a while

[3:36] It doesn’t mean you’re a Christian by the way [3:39] Some of you, you know, you’ve been in church for like 30 years and you’re still not a Christian but regardless [3:44] You come in here with a pre written definition [3:50] according to you [3:52] What discipleship is and one of the struggles is is that we have definitions as pastors and as a church? [3:59] This is what discipleship is and there are times where they come into conflict with one another

[4:05] And so what I want to do this week and next week is cast a vision [4:09] For how you need to view discipleship and I very much am saying if you disagree with our [4:16] definitions you’re wrong

[4:20] And you need to change you need to change how you view discipleship [4:25] You need to change what you’re doing to be [4:27] Discipled and you need to change how you’re discipling other people if you’re going to be here and if you’re going to grow [4:34] With us and following Jesus because you know as one of the pastors here [4:39] You know I kind of set some of the standards, but that’s not what we’re coming from today [4:45] But what I’m coming from is I’m actually wanting to tell you this is what Jesus

[4:49] Says discipleship is and that’s kind of what I’m kind of pushing today [4:54] And so if you have a different definition of what I’m talking about it. I’m pushing you [4:59] I’m goading you I’m [5:02] Conflicting with you we’re fighting okay, let’s go that far, and I’m gonna win [5:09] So I want to prepare you all right you have seen I’m the champ

[5:14] But the reality of what I want to talk about is I want to [5:18] Exposite which is just a way of saying a type of preaching I only want to use two words [5:23] Today that’s that’s all we’re gonna have time for because somebody all walked in you look you look at the handout [5:29] And you know my rhythm there’s three points that Steve’s rhythm and you panicked because you said there’s five

[5:39] We’re never eating lunch [5:41] And I’m not gonna comfort you [5:44] Because it’s not gonna be short, but I want to talk about two words today [5:50] Follow me [5:52] Follow me it’s in Matthew chapter 4 verse 19, and I want to talk in the first point [5:58] I’m just gonna talk about the first half of this text and then in the second point

[6:02] I’m gonna talk about the second half of this text [6:03] But the whole sermon today is these two words from Matthew chapter 4 verse 19 to set the stage for you [6:12] Jesus is calling the disciples to himself [6:15] This is where he’s going and he’s gathering the 12 and he looks at Peter it looks at his brother Andrew [6:22] They’re fishing and he said to them follow me [6:26] And that’s the basis for the entire sermon that is the basis for what discipleship is

[6:32] That is where you need to start so anything else you have about discipleship [6:38] Forget it for the time being because this is where we start in discipleship is when Jesus looks our [6:45] Direction and he very simply makes the hardest command of your life that you’re ever going to receive [6:53] In your life because Jesus is looking to you today, and he’s very simply saying follow me

[7:02] So I want to start somewhere [7:03] And I want to make a statement and then the other four points are going to be what that statement means number one this morning [7:10] You need [7:13] discipleship [7:14] There is a way and I’ve heard this many times sometimes. It’s innocent sometimes [7:19] It’s really belligerent of you, but you’ll walk away from an event

[7:24] You’ll walk away from a sermon and you’ll say I wish Sam had been here to hear that sermon [7:31] He really needed to hear that or I wish Carl had been here [7:36] He really needed to hear that or even kind of the little bit jerky so stop doing this. I’m really glad Susan was here [7:43] She needed that for sure, you know or I’m man [7:47] That was really good for the church as a whole the church needed to hear that [7:53] This morning. I’m pointing at you

[7:59] You [7:59] need [8:02] discipleship [8:02] Do not be so [8:05] prideful this morning as to hear everything that I have to say this morning and apply it to your wife or apply it to [8:12] Your husband or apply it to your friend or apply it to your enemy because that’s typically what we do

[8:19] Don’t be that prideful this morning, but instead [8:23] receive this

[8:27] You [8:28] need [8:30] Discipleship it is not more complicated than that

[8:39] It’s not [8:41] Discipleship is very simple actually [8:44] Discipleship is about following Jesus. It’s that simple [8:47] the life of Christianity is about growing in [8:53] Following Jesus. This is what you were created for [8:58] This is the purpose of your life

[9:01] You were meant to put your faith in Jesus and have that radically change your life and [9:09] Discipleship is the process by which that change takes root and [9:16] Grows as you follow Jesus more in your life [9:22] But what we do is we get it more complicated than that we get it muddier than that [9:30] We like to make all these complicated things all these complicated systems all these reasons [9:36] Why it’s not as simple as the Bible says it is or it’s not as simple as the preacher says it is

[9:42] It’s much more complicated for me. No, it’s not

[9:48] And so a lot of times where we get it twisted is [9:52] That we will look at the things that Jesus said later down the road and say I can’t do that [9:59] So I can’t follow Jesus. Do you know what Peter knew about Jesus at this point in his life? [10:05] nothing

[10:07] nothing [10:08] You know the first command the first thing that Jesus said to Peter wasn’t get thee behind me Satan [10:14] Could you imagine if that had been the first thing that Jesus had said to Peter because he does eventually say that’s Peter [10:20] Does he not? [10:22] If he that was the first thing that Jesus had said to Peter Peter would have kept throwing his net out saying [10:27] I wish this freak would go away

[10:31] So, but some of you are looking at the commands that Jesus makes down the road [10:38] After he says the very simple follow me and you were using that as a reason why you can’t [10:44] Won’t or don’t need to follow Jesus because that command is too hard [10:51] It’s like entering in to a hundred yard dash on the 50 yard line and wondering why everyone ran over you [11:00] It’s because you didn’t go to where you were supposed to start you didn’t get it in the right order. You got it off [11:08] So by the time Peter had been following Jesus for a while that prepared him to receive

[11:18] Harder words that prepared him to receive [11:22] harder commands [11:24] But some of you start with the hard commands and you use them to excuse you from the primary commands [11:31] What does it look like to follow someone? It looks like something very easy [11:37] It looks like learning their rhythms learning their habits learning their peculiarities [11:43] Peculiarities learning their likes learning their dislikes to start following someone doesn’t mean you

[11:50] Understand all of it from the outset. It actually means you are quite ignorant of them [11:55] Why because you just started following that person? [11:59] But sometimes we shoot ourselves on the foot where discipleship is concerned because we try to pretend that we’re starting out at expert level [12:05] When we need to start out at ignorant level [12:08] And it’s okay to be ignorant because all it means is you don’t know [12:12] It’s a you need to reduce discipleship for your own benefit for your own good to the simplest matter of what?

[12:21] Discipleship is it is just following Jesus [12:26] It is just walking behind him [12:30] learning who he is [12:32] learning what he likes learning what he wants because I need you to understand that [12:38] Everything that Jesus did in his life his ministry his death his bodily resurrection is [12:44] predicated on that one command and

[12:48] Every aspect of your life as a Christian is predicated on that one command [12:55] Therefore to be a disciple is to live in obedience to that one command now the ramifications [13:02] Of that command tease out from there, but don’t focus on that yet [13:07] Just that simple command follow me because his life his ministry his death his [13:15] resurrection are [13:17] meaningless

[13:19] Apart from that command [13:24] You cannot apply [13:26] anything [13:28] Jesus said or did apart from the [13:32] two words [13:34] Follow me

[13:36] It’s all meaningless [13:39] Unless you just simply follow him

[13:45] You see many of us our attempts at discipleship start with us [13:52] Starts with the question of what’s my gift? [13:57] Well, what’s my personality type? [14:00] If you’ve been in church you’ve heard this one what’s my love language [14:04] You’ve already gotten it wrong [14:07] You’ve already started with disobedience when you start to ask yourself those questions. You need a clean slate

[14:15] Because Jesus said follow me [14:20] And so what is discipleship based on? [14:24] It’s based on him [14:26] No part of it’s based on you [14:29] No part of what Jesus said there is based on what you like [14:34] No part of it’s based on what you’re looking for. No part of it’s based on what you’re comfortable with

[14:42] What does Jesus give you what is Jesus’s personality [14:48] What are Jesus’s commands and when yours? [14:52] conflicts with his [14:54] obedience looks like you changing

[14:58] Disobedience looks like you trying to change him and I will tell you most of self-help Christianity discipleship literature [15:07] It is not about you following Jesus [15:09] It’s about you looking in the mirror at a redefined version of Jesus that looks exactly like you

[15:17] Jesus didn’t say follow yourself [15:20] Ever seen a dog chasing his own tail looks really stupid doesn’t he? [15:25] Well, that’s what you look like [15:28] When you’re trying to follow yourself [15:31] It’s foolishness. It’s utter foolishness and it’s sinful [15:36] Because Jesus wants you to learn about him

[15:41] You know discipleship begins the moment that you come into contact with Jesus [15:47] So what happens when you follow someone you learn about them? [15:52] Jesus wants you to learn about him, but then discipleship doesn’t end until your life ends [16:00] You need discipleship. It doesn’t matter how old you are. It doesn’t matter how young you are [16:05] It doesn’t matter how silver your hair is or how little of it there is left [16:10] It doesn’t matter how young and youthful and exuberant that you are

[16:15] if you’re 20 or if you’re 70 the command stays exactly the [16:21] same Jesus says [16:23] Follow me when does discipleship stop? [16:28] the day you die [16:30] That’s when discipleship stops and it doesn’t stop before that [16:35] Dallas Willard puts it this way. He says the disciple is one who intent upon becoming Christ like

[16:42] systematically and progressively [16:44] rearranges his affairs to that end there is no other way in [16:50] Contrast the non-disciple has something more important to do or undertake than to become like Jesus Christ [17:00] Love the few words there is no other way

[17:07] Stop trying to find another way it doesn’t [17:15] Exist there is discipleship which is becoming more like Jesus Christ and rearranging your life around that goal and there’s [17:24] I’ve got better things to do. That’s it [17:27] Every attempt that you make at redefining discipleship does not show spiritual maturity [17:34] It shows idolatry [17:37] It shows that you think something is more worthy of your worship than Jesus Christ is worthy of your worship

[17:45] And I love the way Dallas Willard uses the term [17:49] Progressively, it is a good word [17:51] Some of you don’t think you can become more like Christ

[17:58] You think you’ve reached it and I tell you there’s only two possibilities there either a you’re perfect [18:06] And I’ve met a lot of you. It’s not a [18:10] It’s not [18:12] Or B you’re not a Christian [18:15] There’s the only two [18:18] Possibilities if you think there is no more spiritual growth than spiritual change needed in your life

[18:24] You have more change that you need [18:28] You need to personalize [18:31] discipleship [18:31] and so [18:33] How are you being discipled right now? [18:36] What does that look like in your life?

[18:39] So what I want to do and the brief time we have left is I want to talk about four [18:43] Key things that you need to understand where discipleship is concerned and what you need to understand to be discipled [18:50] The first one is that discipleship is about God’s work in you [18:53] Discipleship is about God’s work in you. It is God who is the life changer

[19:01] No matter how hard you work or how much [19:05] Willpower you possess I want to make a guarantee for you. You cannot change yourself [19:11] You can’t do it not the type of change that God’s calling you towards following Jesus starts with grace and faith [19:19] What does that mean? It means that you have to trust Jesus you have to depend on Jesus [19:26] The Apostle Paul wrote in 2nd Corinthians 3 18 about growth and he says we all with unveiled face [19:33] Beholding the glory of the Lord. We are being transformed or the word that we would use there is as we are being changed

[19:40] Into the same image from one degree of glory to another and here’s the kicker for this comes from the Lord [19:48] Who is the Spirit? [19:50] And so yes following Jesus changes you that’s his first point in that text [19:54] But the final sentence shows the source of that change [19:58] It shows the dependency of that change God the Spirit is the source that you must depend on it [20:06] It is God who is the life changer

[20:07] You see grace changes you by the power of the Spirit

[20:13] Understanding the gospel of Jesus Christ means that you understand that you are dependent upon God to save you [20:21] The sin that we struggle to repent of is independence and self-rule [20:26] That is what we struggle with and those are antithetical to discipleship [20:31] The gospel forces us to understand that we need God to save us and that need never goes away [20:38] When we come to faith in Jesus, it is a lifelong pursuit of depending on God for absolutely everything [20:45] It is God who is the source of life and I tell you that’s vital because

[20:51] Discipleship must be viewed as a gift or it will be viewed as a drudgery

[20:58] Discipleship must be viewed as a privilege [21:01] Or it will be viewed as a hassle [21:05] You can’t start working on it until you start to realize that God needs to work within you to change you [21:14] Note that once Jesus tells Peter and Andrew to follow him in Matthew 4 [21:19] He tells them that he will make them fishers of men [21:22] Yes, they will fish which means they will make other disciples, but that’s not where it starts, is it?

[21:29] It starts with Jesus making them [21:34] And so the primary focus there is Jesus’s term. I will make you [21:41] Fishers of men it all starts with the work of God in you. But secondly discipleship is based on your choices [21:49] Discipleship is based on your choices [21:52] What God works in you will work out or God’s not working it in you [21:57] You see Philippians 2 explains God’s work with our choices

[22:01] The Apostle Paul writes and he says because the gospel is true my beloved as you have always obeyed [22:07] So now not only is in my presence, but much more in my absence [22:11] Work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you both to will and to work [22:19] For his good pleasure note the tension that Paul brings into our lives. He says yes [22:25] There is effort in discipleship [22:28] Yes

[22:28] There is work so much work is going to be needed by you that he says sometimes it will look like fear and [22:36] Trembling he ever worked so hard with your hands [22:38] They were shaking at the end go use a leaf blower this afternoon within 15 minutes. You will understand that reality [22:44] The Apostle Paul is giving us that idea. He’s saying yes, it’s dependent [22:48] My discipleship is going to be dependent upon work that I will do upon effort that I will put forth [22:54] But note where it comes from he says it is God

[22:58] Who works in you both to will and work? [23:03] For his good pleasure. There is a divine partnership [23:07] Between our work and God’s work in our discipleship now make no mistake [23:12] Redemption is the work of God alone. That means that we do not earn our salvation [23:18] Once we are redeemed then God [23:21] Works within us to bring about change in our lives and our choices

[23:26] Show that change and determine our discipleship [23:33] friend you have to choose to follow Jesus [23:38] friend you have to choose to be obedient to him and [23:43] every choice that you make [23:46] Determines your discipleship [23:50] No one can do this for you

[23:53] You have to do this for yourself [23:55] You have to take responsibility for following Jesus [23:59] Now I tell you the church the local church is vital to this because it is the church that provides [24:06] Environments to grow you as a disciple [24:08] But you must choose to enter those environments and you must choose to eat of the substance that God [24:16] Provides

[24:18] Throughout the scriptures old and New Testament God frequently uses the analogy of sheep and shepherds [24:23] To explain God’s work for his people as well as the relationship between pastors and the people of the church [24:31] So what the church does is the church builds a fence around [24:36] The flock of God around God’s pasture. That’s the church providing environments for you [24:43] It shows the boundaries and it creates security around the sheep to keep wolves out and helps [24:50] Sheep not to wander off into unfruitful places

[24:53] the shepherd also makes sure that the grass in the pasture is healthy and the grass is edible for [25:00] Nourishment and that there is a nice stream nearby so that the sheep can be refreshed with life-giving water [25:08] But you know what the shepherd can’t do? [25:11] The shepherd cannot make the sheep eat I [25:16] Mean you can hit the sheep on the head with your staff as hard as you want to and that’s not necessarily gonna [25:22] Make the sheep eat and I know I’ve tried

[25:25] You can’t make a sheep do anything you have to choose to eat nor can the shepherd eat for the sheep [25:34] And so any growth in my life as a pastor in following Jesus that does not [25:40] Necessarily mean you are growing in following Jesus because guess what the same? [25:45] Decisions the same choices that I have to make to grow and following Jesus you have to make the same ones and [25:54] following Jesus [25:55] So I can’t eat for you. No pastor can no group leader can no accountability partner can you have to take?

[26:04] Responsibility for your discipleship and understand your choices do determine your discipleship [26:12] Friends I beg you do not be so foolish as to make bad choices and then blame the church [26:18] Do not do that your discipleship is your [26:22] Responsibility you have to enter the environments and you have to take advantage of the equipping that is provided [26:31] It’s Ephesians 4 verse 22 that casts a real good vision for this the Apostle Paul again writing [26:37] He says you need to put off your old self which belongs to your former manner of life

[26:43] And it’s corrupt [26:45] Through deceitful desires you need to be renewed in the spirit of your minds [26:49] You need to put on the new self created after the likeness of God in the true righteousness [26:57] and holiness of Jesus Christ [27:00] Note what he’s saying. He’s saying you have to put off [27:03] The bad behavior you have to put off the old practices

[27:08] And then you have to put on the manner of righteousness and holiness that Jesus Christ [27:13] prescribes for every one of our lives [27:17] God gives us the responsibility to put off and put on why? [27:22] So that as Paul previously wrote in Ephesians 4 verses 13 and 14 our choices for discipleship should mature us and grow us [27:31] Into Christ he says until we all attain to the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to look to mature [27:38] Manhood to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ and here’s where he points at us

[27:45] He says so that we may no longer be children [27:48] Children and here’s what I want you to understand so important about that. He did not write that to children’s church

[27:57] Paul did not address this letter to village kids [28:02] He wrote this letter to the church at [28:05] Ephesus he wrote it to the moms and dads [28:08] He wrote it to the adults he wrote it to people my age and your age [28:14] And I use my look at that you say what are you talking about? I’m an adult [28:18] Have a beard

[28:24] But Paul looks at church at Ephesus [28:27] He warns him he says you take responsibility to grow to mature [28:32] manhood because some of you are children and [28:36] You’re walking around like you’re this big bad mature Christian, but you know the truth [28:40] You act like a child you think like a child and the Apostle Paul says that in and of itself isn’t wrong [28:48] Until you root in right there and you refuse to make the changes that need to happen

[28:56] So that you can grow up [29:00] He says you should not be children [29:03] Tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine by human cunning by [29:10] craftiness and deceitful schemes because he says here’s the analogy that he’s giving us he’s saying [29:16] Outside of the pen that the church of Jesus Christ provides around his people for security [29:23] Wolves in sheep clothing will come around and they will say hey, I’ve got greener grass over here

[29:30] Hey, here’s this false doctrine [29:32] Hey, here’s this thing of the world that you don’t want to repent of but it’s there and you know [29:39] You want it more than you want to follow Jesus. Hey, don’t repent of your sin [29:43] Hey, don’t change anything in your life stay as committed to worldly ideals as you possibly can [29:49] Hey stay as committed to just wasting your life on the same things that you would have done without Jesus as you’re doing with Jesus [29:57] Continue in that trend and he says some of you are so childlike you’re going to see that you’re going to say

[30:05] Okay [30:07] I’ll follow that guy. He speaks more my love language [30:10]

[30:13] Apostle Paul says do not be a child who’s easy to take advantage of by [30:21] idolatry and falsehood [30:24] Grow up in your understanding

[30:32] Discipleship also requires sacrifice and commitment discipleship requires sacrifice and commitment [30:40] Here’s the thing. I want you to understand

[30:43] You’re going to make some bad choices in this life [30:47] It’s inevitable you are a sinner and guess what that comes with the territory it just does [30:55] But there’s a way to make a bad choice [30:58] That makes it worse and there’s a way to make a bad choice and then emerge as a more faithful follower of Jesus Christ [31:05] From making that bad choice and here’s what I mean don’t double down on your bad choices [31:12] Don’t double down on your bad choices. I

[31:16] Mean sometimes you’re gonna make a bad choice [31:19] And you’re gonna sin and you’re gonna make a stupid commitment and you’re gonna refuse to sacrifice and follow Jesus [31:26] And you’re gonna believe a falsehood you’re gonna give in to idolatry [31:30] You’re gonna offend someone horrible things are going to happen and you’re going to make horrible decisions off of it [31:36] But then there comes a moment where you are confronted with your bad choice where the Holy Spirit does it or a [31:44] Family of God member another Christian confronts you with your bad choice and through that gospel

[31:51] Intervention you will see the wonderful grace of God you will see the forgiveness that’s available in Christ Jesus [31:56] You will repent of that sin and you will emerge from that bad choice a more mature [32:03] Christian than you maybe even were before you made that bad choice. Why because that’s how grace works and [32:11] That’s the beautiful story of every one of us. I pray to God [32:13] but then [32:15] There’s also doubling down on your bad choices

[32:20] There’s you make a bad choice and then you’re confronted with your sin by either the Holy Spirit [32:26] By just reading the scripture and the Holy Spirit shows it to you or [32:29] Your community group leader starts talking to you or a friend in the face starts talking to you or a sermon comes your way on [32:35] Sunday morning or something happens and you dig in and you defend your bad choice [32:43] And you find your hope in your bad choice and you refuse to repent of your bad choice [32:49] The problem comes when we make bad decisions and because of pride we double down on our bad choices and

[32:57] We build our faith around our bad choices and refusal to repent of them [33:03] Because you refuse to give in to one universal truth of discipleship

[33:10] Discipleship is humiliating

[33:13] It’s humiliating [33:16] And in our world, I mean it is antithetical to think humiliation is a good thing [33:22] But when it comes to discipleship [33:24] Humiliation can be the most healthy thing that ever happens to you [33:28] because to be a disciple of Jesus Christ requires humiliation because [33:32] You have to unlearn bad habits

[33:36] The great tragedy of many right now is that we are too prideful to admit that we have bad habits [33:43] So we defend them as if they are good habits as if they are fruitful habits and all the while [33:50] They are serving as a lead weight holding us back from true [33:56] discipleship [33:57] and I tell you you will need to sacrifice in order to follow Jesus and [34:04] Sacrifice looks like repentance and sometimes even sin can be hard to sacrifice and following Jesus

[34:10] You give up what is unhelpful to grab a hold of what Jesus says is helpful [34:17] That’s discipleship. I mean Jesus told us in Luke 9 [34:21] Is no you’re gonna have to deny yourself know what he says is if anyone would come after me pause right there [34:26] What is Jesus saying two simple words follow me?

[34:31] He’s expounding upon the primary command right there he’s saying if you want to follow me [34:39] Deny yourself [34:41] Take up your cross and then Jesus doubles down and [34:47] Follow me [34:48] Why does he book ended that way? [34:51] Why would Jesus start by saying follow me and then finish the sentence just finish the command by saying?

[34:57] Follow me. I’ll tell you why [34:59] Because when we see Jesus say follow me we are going to make some [35:05] Unhelpful decisions along the way and we’re going to be tempted to look at it and say I’m gonna follow him this way [35:13] Jesus went that way [35:15] But you’re going the wrong way and instead of saying oh I gotta make course correction you say nope like this way [35:21] So I’m gonna redefine what following Jesus is and so Jesus gives us a very helpful definition of what following him looks like

[35:28] He says following me it looks like carrying a cross up a hill [35:34] It looks like getting nailed to that cross [35:37] It looks like dying to your prideful sin and then coming out of the other end and saying yes Jesus [35:44] I know I’m following you because I’m on the same path that you are on it is the path of the death of sin

[35:55] Some of you are on the path of giving into your sin of [36:01] Perpetuating your sin of building your sin, and it’s not that you’re lying to other people you are lying to yourself

[36:11] You’ve deceived yourself into believing that you don’t have to die to send to follow to Jesus and Jesus is clear

[36:20] So if you want to follow me you will sacrifice or you’re not following me

[36:29] See friends we have to die to our bad habits so that we can build new ones [36:35] It’s that hard sometimes [36:37] But that’s what the life of a disciple looks like see so many of you are wasting your lives and thinking that you are worshipping [36:45] I tell you if you aren’t sacrificing you aren’t worshipping, and how do I have the audacity to say something like that? [36:52] Note what the Apostle Paul said in Romans 12 1 [36:54] He said I appeal to you therefore he’s saying I beg you since the gospel of Jesus Christ is true

[37:02] By the mercies of God present your bodies as what living? [37:08] sacrifices [37:08] Holy acceptable to God which is what your spiritual worship? [37:15] sacrifice is [37:17] worship [37:18] worship is

[37:20] sacrifice

[37:23] So how do you know whether you’re sacrificing? How do you know if you’re worshipping? [37:28] You are defined by your commitments. You’re defined by your commitments, and I’m not talking about [37:33] some mystical [37:35] Spirituality here where it’s like what are you committed to and of course? [37:39] I mean very few of you maybe like 1% of you would look at me and say I’m not committed to following Jesus [37:44] No, you’re all probably gonna say I’m committed following Jesus. I want follow Jesus. All right open up your iCalendar

[37:50] Open up your Google Calendar, or if you’re old school open up your day planner [37:55] That’s what you’re committed to [37:57] Here’s how Rick Warren puts it these are words that devastate me [38:03] Nothing shapes your life more than the commitments you choose to make your commitments can develop you or they can destroy you [38:12] swallow that [38:15] Your commitments can develop you or your commitments can destroy you

[38:20] But either way they will define you [38:24] Tell me what you are committed to and I’ll tell you what you will be in 20 years [38:30] We become whatever we are committed to

[38:37] Let’s set a baseline. I’m gonna set the baseline at 30. It’s a little younger than me [38:41] It’s a little older than a couple of you [38:43] It’s a little way younger than some of you [38:45] It’s way way younger than a couple of you because you’re getting old [38:50] All right, just have a heart-to-heart. All right, you got more days behind you and you got in front of you [38:54] It’s just reality. All right

[38:57] If you are 30 years old, that’s what I want my baseline to be and I’m not there [39:02] So this is a little harder on me because I’m past that [39:06] If you’re 30, then you need to have a vision and I hope that you do [39:12] That when you are 50 years old [39:15] You will be closer to Jesus Christ than you are right now [39:20] Your hope should be that when you are 50 years old you will be a more faithful follower of Jesus Christ

[39:27] Than you are right now [39:28] I mean isn’t that the hope of following Jesus that you will grow closer to him? [39:33] You will be more intimate with him. You will know more about him [39:37] You will be more faithful to him and some of you are saying I just hope I will be and what he’s saying is [39:43] Show me your calendar

[39:49] Show me the commitments you actually have every single day and I will tell you [39:55] What you will look like when you are 50 years old [39:57] I will be able to tell you whether you will be closer to Jesus Christ in [40:02] 20 years than you are right now and I tell you for some of us that is a [40:09] crippling thought but a [40:11] Repentant hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ that when I am 57 years old

[40:16] I will be closer to Jesus Christ than I am right now and I pray and I beg and I work and I [40:22] Plead with the Spirit. Oh God, let it be true

[40:27] Because my oldest will be 28 when I’m 57 I [40:34] Say God what will I be showing them in 20 years? [40:38] What kind of man will I be in 20 years by God I pray I can show them what it looks like to be a [40:44] 57 year old follower of Jesus Christ

[40:48] But it’ll only happen through my commitments [40:50] It will only happen through how I actually use my time and here’s where I do have a warning for some of you [40:56] Some of you will be dead in 20 years

[40:59] That’s not just the cynical me that’s just reality [41:04] Because look if you’re 65 right now statistics [41:08] You won’t be here in 20 years [41:11] Maybe you will maybe you won’t

[41:17] But even for you [41:19] Here’s what your hope needs to be that the day that you leave this earth [41:23] You are closer to Jesus Christ than you are right now [41:27] And you will simply enter into the rest of Jesus Christ. You will open your eyes and say I’ve been preparing for this Lord [41:35] I [41:36] Was ready to meet you

[41:38] I’m so glad I am [41:40] What is the hope of your life? [41:44] and I tell you [41:46] redefine your commitments and what you are chasing after based on that hope

[41:55] Because it will either destroy you or it will develop you but it absolutely will define you

[42:04] See in second Peter [42:06] Chapter 1 starting in verse 5

[42:11] Peter writes this amazing diatribe [42:14] And I hope we can get that up on the screen. He starts this amazing [42:18] Diatribe about what it actually looks like to grow in following Jesus Christ [42:24] What it actually looks like to develop he says you need to add to your faith knowledge [42:29] You need to add your knowledge virtue. You need to add your virtue and he just keeps going down the road [42:34] But where does he start? He says make every effort

[42:39] To add these things to your faith and there’s a big list don’t be so overwhelmed by the list but focus on the effort [42:47] You see the problem comes when commitment to discipleship [42:52] Conflicts with the commitments you’ve made that take you away from discipleship [42:57] You don’t want to call it that but that’s what it is [43:01] You need to admit it [43:05] The truth is that those things are more important to you than following Jesus Christ

[43:11] You can excuse yourself by saying well, I don’t have time [43:16] Or you can go in further and say oh, but I don’t want to be that extreme [43:22] But when it’s just biblical

[43:26] It’s sad for you to just excuse it away as if you are hopeless [43:30] And that is the tragedy of lying to yourself [43:34] You would rather waste your time than do what God calls beneficial [43:39] You have to sacrifice many things the world will convince you are vital [43:47] or [43:47] Even things that you are humanly interested in to do what God says discipleship requires

[43:54] You cannot have it all [43:58] That is a lie [44:01] You either have to sacrifice becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ or you have to sacrifice things that the world says are vital to happiness [44:10] There’s no other way. There’s no third choice. You can’t have it all

[44:18] That is why Jesus is so upfront by telling us follow me deny yourself [44:26] And that is why Paul is so upfront when he looks at the Church of Romans when he transitions into the application [44:32] section of Romans [44:33] And he says you want to know what worship is sacrifice

[44:39] The fourth thing that you need is that discipleship is about growth and change [44:46] Discipleship is about growth and change [44:47] you know God saved you to change you and change looks like growth and you can’t grow without change and [44:54] What’s really easy is to think about children? I’ve got three kids relatively young in age are getting older every day my my my [45:02] Oldest is gonna be eight in December my youngest just turned two a couple of weeks ago [45:08] And and it’s so fascinating that I was looking at some pictures the other day with my wife of our oldest child

[45:14] And it’s fascinating to look at the change [45:17] It’s fascinating. I mean some of you’ve known him his whole life. It’s fascinating to look at how much he changed [45:23] Fascinating to hear him talk. I mean he speaks human words now [45:28] There’s a huge achievement in our household [45:31] huge achievement [45:33] What’s fascinating?

[45:35] You know what’s what’s really amazing is and if you’re a parent you’re gonna get this especially if your kids are advancing but [45:43] He doesn’t have to walk around in diapers anymore. I mean, that’s awesome [45:48] I mean if you’re a mom and dad you’re there with me you’re like miracle [45:53] But if you’ve actually got kids, you know, that’s not a miracle [45:56] It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever been through in my life as potty training [46:01] Because it’s just this amazing thing is that kids would rather poop in their pants sit in it sniff it for a while

[46:08] then actually just take a walk and use a restroom and [46:13] It’s not an uncommon experience. I mean, it’s difficult to convince them that it’s not going to suck them down into the sewers [46:21] I mean, I don’t understand why he thought that but he’s like I don’t want to go down there. You don’t have to [46:27] I’ve never gone down there [46:30] Just use it. Look, it’s magic. You can flush it away

[46:36] But there’s this amazing thing that comes and he’s he doesn’t have to wear diapers anymore [46:41] My daughter doesn’t have to wear diapers and by God’s grace our youngest someday will not have to wear diapers anymore [46:48] And man, that’s a budget item. I mean we’re gonna be rich

[46:53] We’re so wealthy when we don’t have to buy those stupid throw away things anymore [46:58] And I know some of you crunchy people like I’ve got the answer. I [47:03] Ain’t standing there hosing nothing down

[47:06] Something wrong with you that you want to do that. All right, I won’t offer you counseling either go talk to somebody else

[47:15] But there’s so often in our lives where we don’t see what’s gonna be beneficial for us five years from now [47:22] Based on what we think is okay right now [47:25] You know, so the third grade is a lot more enjoyable without diapers I bet [47:30] It really probably is because that’d be pretty weird for you to be the only kid in class with diapers [47:36] Lunchtime is a lot more enjoyable when you don’t have to call home and say mommy come powder me

[47:42] But if you’re still wearing diapers [47:44] You don’t know that it’s better to not wear diapers and if you’re a parent you’re just praying and begging that they will change [47:52] And quite frankly, I think sometimes that’s how God looks to us [47:57] Is that he knows you don’t understand in five years if you will just repent of this one sin [48:03] If you will just change this one pattern if you will just grow in this one commitment in five years [48:09] The person you will be the joy you will have the life that you will experience but you have to change to grow

[48:19] This is how Paul puts it in first Corinthians 13. He says when I was a child [48:23] Guess what? I spoke like a child. I thought like a child. I reasoned like a child [48:30] But when I became a man I [48:34] Gave up childish things

[48:37] The Apostle Paul [48:40] Puts it so eloquently in verse 2 of Romans 12 [48:43] He says worship is sacrifice and then he explains to us [48:47] What worship looks like he says don’t be conformed to this world [48:51] See there’s only two possibilities you either become conformed to the patterns of this world or you could become conformed to Jesus Christ [48:58] He says but be transformed again. What is transforming change be changed by the renewal of the world

[49:05] By the way you think about your life [49:09] That by testing you may actually be able to understand what is the will of God? [49:17] What is good? What is acceptable? What is perfect? [49:21] Do you know what Paul is saying he’s saying that until you’ve been changed by Jesus [49:27] Until you truly obey his call to follow him. You don’t know what good is

[49:35] But when you follow him [49:38] When you learn him when you walk his path you start to understand what good is what is good friend [49:44] I tell you there’s nothing better than Jesus Christ [49:47] He is good and we become like who he is [49:53] You will never stop needing change. Do you know that? [49:58] By God’s grace when I am 70 years old I will still need more change

[50:03] I will still need my mind renewed [50:06] That is my hope for discipleship [50:11] because disciples [50:13] Continuously grow I find that most people have goals. It’s just that our goals are stupid [50:19] And they typically can just conform us to this world [50:23] So I ask you what are your goals in discipleship?

[50:26] Is he when Paul says and when I became a man I gave up childish things [50:31] He’s telling us what growth looks like he’s saying it’s measurable. I mean we have measurements for [50:38] Everything but we bristle at measuring discipleship. Don’t judge me only God can judge me [50:44] But I tell you [50:46] discipleship has a goal of growing from childlike tendencies in following Jesus to adult behavior and [50:53] only God knows the joy that you will have on the other side of making better choices of

[50:59] Giving up what is less so that you can have more but you have to trust God my son [51:07] Had to trust me a lot the other day [51:10] We were in Target, which is a great place, but also very dangerous [51:15] Because my son loves Legos. It’s like his favorite thing in the world is Legos and and they’re not cheap [51:21] I’m gonna be bankrupt soon [51:23] It’s ruining me, but my son was and I got a map this better

[51:28] Because somehow I ended up I didn’t have to end up on the Lego aisle [51:32] It was a bad choice [51:33] I need to repent of that need a better map to get through that store without ever getting to those out [51:38] But on the Lego aisle and he’s looking at some Legos and he found one and he was like, oh [51:42] This is a new one and some scene from something that he wants to build and he’s like, oh I need this [51:48] And and we’ve got this thing going where he has to buy his own things

[51:51] He has to save up money and he’s looking at it and he’s thinking how about I don’t I’m like [51:55] $10 off and he’s like in his mind [51:58] He’s like what kind of stand can I set up at the end of the driveway to trick the neighbors into giving me the money? [52:04] That I need but you know what happens when he comes up with those ideas, you know who does most of the work [52:10] This guy right awful [52:13] And so I’m sitting there and I’m like, you know, I’m being totally selfish and I’m like

[52:17] I do not want to set up a stupid stand at the end of the driveway. How can I get myself out of this one? [52:22] And I’m thinking and I remember it’s like I bought you a Lego you haven’t even opened the box [52:29] As I asked him I said hey, what about that one that you got like three months ago? [52:33] It’s like why haven’t you put that one together yet? [52:37] Like what’s going on there and he looked at me and it was this just teachable moment where he looked at me and he said [52:43] Just look devastated and I was like, oh, what did I do?

[52:46] But he looked at me he says [52:48] That one’s too big [52:50] It’s too hard I’m not gonna be able to get it together and [52:56] Trust me, I’m not this smart. So I believe this was a Holy Spirit moment. I just looked at him. I said son [53:04] Let me explain something to you if [53:07] You will put forth the effort

[53:09] To build that one so that I can see it so I can know what it looks like. I [53:16] Will reward you by buying you that one [53:20] But you can’t move on to this one until you’ve built that one

[53:27] Sometimes when we look at discipleship and we look at growth and we look at change in our lives [53:32] We look at it as this insurmountable [53:36] wall [53:37] We look at it. There’s this barrier there and it’s too hard. I can’t get past it [53:43] I can’t repent of this sin. I can’t change this habit [53:46] I can’t do what needs to be done

[53:49] but what we don’t understand is that not only is God telling us if you will make this change on the [53:58] Other side of this change. I’m going to reward you with joy [54:03] You don’t even know with a closeness to Christ that you can’t possibly understand right now [54:10] But he also knows [54:12] That when he went home and he dumped all those Legos on the table which my wife is still mad at me about [54:19] She didn’t okay that one

[54:23] That he didn’t have to do it by himself

[54:28] I’ll sit with you son. His sister comes over helps him his mom is helping him

[54:36] Is God is standing there the whole time saying you don’t have to do it alone [54:45] My spirit will help you [54:48] God’s people will help you and the joy that is on the other side

[54:57] Is a joy unspeakable and full of glory

[55:02] Friends we are not born [55:04] disciples

[55:06] We have to be made in the disciples by the Spirit of God and the choices that we make and so the question that [55:12] I ask you is what are you doing?

[55:15] How are you being discipled see Jesus died so that you could be freed to live and [55:22] Those choices that yes you have to make [55:25] They bring sacrifice [55:28] They bring sacrifice for new commitments and those new commitments. They will promote change [55:34] They will promote growth [55:36] But we must become a people who are passionate to pursue those things

[55:44] Let us leave behind [55:46] Anything that would hold us back so that we can follow Jesus [55:53] As the band comes forward [55:55] friends, I I tell you [55:59] Following Jesus is the greatest thing that I’ve ever done in life [56:03] I ever will do in life, but I’ll be honest. It’s challenging. I’ll be honest

[56:07] It’s hard some days harder some days than it is other days [56:11] But one thing after many many years I can tell you every time every change every growth pattern. It’s worth it [56:19] It’s worth every moment. It’s worth every sacrifice. It’s worth every change [56:26] Every Sunday we respond here at Village Church with something called the Lord’s Supper [56:31] The bread on the table represents the broken body of Jesus the cup represents his shed blood [56:36] And so if you’re a follower of Jesus what that means is when you eat and when you drink it’s

[56:42] representative of what Jesus has done to save you what Jesus has done to forgive you of your sins and what Jesus has done to [56:50] Remove the barriers that exist between you and him having fellowship [56:54] And it’s him inviting you to a meal with him so you can tell everyone in this room. I’m following Jesus [57:02] I have faith in Jesus. I know Jesus [57:07] But if you’re in here, and you’re not a Christian you don’t have faith in him. You’re not following him [57:13] I’m gonna ask you to not partake of the Lord’s Supper

[57:17] Not because anyone in here is better or more deserving of any of this than you are but because I don’t want you to be a liar [57:25] I don’t want you to lie to me. I don’t want you to lie to everybody else. I want you to be honest in this place

[57:33] But what I want you to understand is is that you can know Jesus today all of you [57:39] If you will trust in his sacrifice on the cross in his paying the penalty for your sin [57:46] And you will turn from your sin to follow him. He will save you this moment [57:52] And he will be the friend that sits closer than a brother [57:55] If that’s you I’m gonna ask you to do something different [57:57] I’m gonna ask you while everyone else is partaking of Lord’s Supper to slip out into the foyer

[58:01] There’s gonna be somebody there that loves you that would love to pray with you that would love to answer any questions that you [58:07] Might have about what it means to follow Jesus [58:10] But if you’re in here, and you are a Christian you are a follower of Jesus Christ to all of you [58:15] I say come to the front go to the back eat and drink and proclaim this one thing I [58:22] Will follow Jesus when you’re ready come