REALITY CHECK 2

Bruce Chant

PULSE / generation-j

26 April 2002

Jesus calls us to be DISCIPLES. A committed follower of Him and His ways.

And as disciples we are to make disciples. Others who are faithful committed followers of Jesus. Our goal in 2002 is to “MAKE ONE DISCIPLE” (249 days left).

So what is a disciple and what did Jesus Do with His Disciples? (Luke Ch 9) Part 2

(from last week: Jesus sent them out, No Distractions, Their Identities were in Christ.)

1. Disciples Meet Needs.

Luke 9:17
¹⁷They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

Context here is of the feeding of the 5000 – they did. Did they care if “that is all they were there for?” No! They did it anyway. Why? To open opportunities to preach the good news (v11b). E.g. Testimony of giving.

Some people are so spiritual they are of no earthly good. A hungry person is more likely to listen to your words if you feed them and meet their need.

The lesson here is that by stepping out in faith you give God the opportunity to work a miracle. All the disciples got together was a few loaves and fish. They took it to Jesus. And out of that ACT of faith – Jesus performed a miracle that met a need (and brought glory to God).

The gospel is not about self-help groups where it is all about what I can get. It is all about what you can give. It is all about the difference you, with the gospel working in your life, can make to the world. What a great thing!

Think selflessly – not how great your problems are. But how others problems can be met through you and God.

2. Disciples KNOW Jesus.

Luke 9:20
²⁰"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
Peter answered, "The Christ of God."

Jesus was saying “Who am I?” – I don’t care what the crowd’s opinion is – I want to know what you think. People have said Jesus was an American pioneer, a southpark character, an excuse for a public holiday or two. But it isn’t what “others” think that matters.

They knew God was God and they weren’t.

They hung on His because it was the truth

They worshipped Him because He didn’t just have good ideas – he had amazing revelation.

The bottom line is Jesus want Peter and the others to realize that He is God. And once they recognized that fact – it was a case of all or nothing. The consequence of a real encounter with the truth about Jesus HAS to be life changing (1 way or another).

Disciples choose the right way – and bring glory to God (that is the goal) – it is simple but many get it wrong:

http://archives.marshill.fm/content_2000_q3/word/conference/Gospel%20Culture%20and%20Church.pdf

What matters:

Luke 10:38-42

³⁸As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"
⁴¹"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴²but only one thing is needed Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Jesus said only one thing mattered in the end – sit at His feet and listen. Get to know God. Build strength in that relationship because that is all that matters.

3. Disciples Pick up their Crosses Daily.

Luke 9:23-27
²³Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. ²⁴For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. ²⁵What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? ²⁶If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. ²⁷I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God."

In the time of Jesus a man carrying cross was a sign that man was walking to his death – just as Jesus did on the way to His crucifixion. Jesus is saying to be a disciple the old you has to die and die and die everyday – to be a disciple

The fact is we humans are flawed beings – we err towards selfishness and flesh gratifying pursuits – it these things that we need to kill off each day.
E.g. all our leaders starting this year use journals that hold an account of that daily journey. Why? Because each day does make a difference (in all our lives)

This is the harsh truth of sacrifice.
Don’t pretend to have any morality outside of picking up your cross everyday.

Will you follow Jesus?

What would you do if Jesus asked you the questions he asked in v57-62?

⁵⁷As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."
⁵⁸Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." – ie it isn’t comfortable. U2 said that in their journey Christianity was the real rebellion not sex, drugs and rock n roll.
⁵⁹He said to another man, "Follow me."
But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." – Don’t get sucked into a “one-day” mentality – it never comes!
⁶⁰Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
⁶¹Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."
⁶²Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." – lack of faithfulness is an ugly thing – like a half finished project it was a waste to have even begun.

Purpose.

The purpose is v43 All Amazed at the greatness of God.

All true disciples bring glory to God.

Response.

Who’s going to heed the call? Who’s going to commit to not being a passive Christian but a full-blown disciple?

Prayer.

Remember also…

Pray for REVIVAL – to bring back to life.

PRAY that we’ll “Make One Disciple”.

Back to www.hismethod.com/words/index.html

Return to www.generation-j.com