Latest / Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons / Discipleship pt. 2

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Discipleship pt. 2 · Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons

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Welcome to NECF. We're thrilled you're here.
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Make sure to stay with us till the end, where
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we'll share some great resources to deepen your
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faith. Now, let's dive into this week's sermon.
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Before in the name of Jesus. So as I started
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off with the teaching on Sunday, I will continue.
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And I say that we should understand that this
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teaching is instructive. This teaching is such
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that you cannot listen to it and not find something
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that needs to change. You cannot listen to it
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and not find something that you need to either
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stop doing or something that you should continue
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to do or something that you should start doing,
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something that you start doing. So when we examine
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through the lens of the teaching, through God's
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word, we'll see that we have to come to a point.
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And that is how we make progress. If we don't
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look at what needs to stop. Look at what needs
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to continue. Look at what needs to start. We
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will not see progress. Things will continue to
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go as has always been. We only see change when
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things change. And for us, we are believing God
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that this word and we were seeing God do something
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in our lives and through our lives by the power
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of his word in this season in the name of Jesus.
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So I don't want you to be distracted because
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what can happen is that everyone is off. Nobody,
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I'm not seeing anybody. I'm not seeing, I think
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the only person I'm seeing now is our brother
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Takunda. I'm not seeing anybody else other than
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our brother Takunda. And I don't want us to be
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just to zone out and miss out on the opportunity
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to learn. We say training means that it's uncomfortable,
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but we take a posture to learn. It might not
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be the best, but we don't learn in pleasure.
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We learn under a certain amount of pressure.
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that will help us to be able to see the things
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that we are believing God to see in this season.
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Praise God. So we said that we want to learn
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as a child. We want to learn as a child. We want
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to serve as disciples. And we'll see examples
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in this evening from how Jesus Christ served.
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We're going to see an example because remember
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we said as disciples, our model is Christ. As
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disciples, we're not modeling the instructions
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that we're teaching is that of Christ. The person
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we're modeling is Christ. Yes, we'll model individuals.
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We'll see. as our pastors, how our pastors are
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leading, and we model ourselves after them, but
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we know that the ultimate model is Christ. I'll
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read a key scripture from Matthew. Matthew 28,
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I think I've already talked about why he was
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leading us in prayer, had taken us to this scripture.
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We started from 16, but I want us to just focus
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on the key scripture in Matthew 28, 18 to 20.
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It says, And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying,
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All authority has been given to me in heaven
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and on earth. It is good, therefore, and make
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disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
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name of the Father and of the Son and of the
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Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things
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that I've commanded you. And lo, I am with you
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always, even to the end of the age. Amen. And
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as I said, I'll repeat myself again. Go there
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is a verb. The make there is also a verb. Make
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disciples is also a verb. There's two verbs.
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One is a passive verb, but the imperative or
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the active verb there is the make disciples.
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Make disciples of all nations. Christ, at his
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death, as in resurrection, is giving his disciples
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instruction. Note that in verse 17, we saw that
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some doubted. Praise God. Some doubted. There
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were some of them that doubted. Some believed.
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Some doubted. And I'm very sure that amongst,
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they say they worshipped him, but some doubted.
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The ones that worshipped him believed. The ones
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that there was a bit of doubt here and there.
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I want to believe that everyone on this platform
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believes. Everyone on this platform is a believer.
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Everyone on this platform knows they have...
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come into a relationship with Christ and is in
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union with him, meaning that this instruction
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is still relevant, is very relevant to each and
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every one of us. This instruction is very important
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and demands our attention and it demands a certain
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work and a certain practice. And I said, and
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in training, there is a practice. It's a process.
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It requires your commitment. It requires a reasonable
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amount of effort because nobody makes any change
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without a reasonable amount of effort. If you
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want to change your clothes, have to make an
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effort to take the buttons off and put on another
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clothes you need to do anything you want to do
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every change we want to see happens as a result
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of certain actions certain steps being taken
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and when he says make disciples we say the word
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there is matter too i'll spell it again m -a
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-t -h -e -t -e -u -o and we said It's written
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there as making disciples or you see it as teaching.
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And it implies to cause people to learn. It also
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implies to cause people to learn. And we define
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what discipleship is. We say discipleship is
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a process of training. A process of training
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as a student or an intern or an apprentice by
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a disciple, a pastor or a shepherd. And we say
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that it is very, very, and note that the person
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is more matured in the sense that this person
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is here and the individual that has been trained
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this year. We want to understand that discipleship
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happens as a result of someone being, someone
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that is matured training someone that is not.
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Meaning that the person that is training has
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to be at a level different from the person that
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is being trained. And that is very important
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because in our group, we'll be in a position
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where we can train others. And the end goal is
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that every one of us here are being trained for
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us to disciple others. It's not for the discipling
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to always happen where you are the one. always
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receiving. You have to come to a stage where
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you will be the one at the position to train.
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And every one of us is a disciple. We will always
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be disciples. We are disciples to God's Word.
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And as I said earlier, that there was something
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that was seen in the life of which our brother
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read. He was doing the course of the prayer.
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In Acts 4, verse 13, where they saw Peter and
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John. These two individuals were disciples. These
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two individuals were disciples. And they perceived
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that these men were uneducated men. They were
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uneducated and they were untrained. Note that
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there is the educational system that they had
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where the people would come and be trained. They
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would have their own establishment. And these
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people had not been there. Because the schools
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were not many. Nowadays, we have a lot of universities
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where people go and they are trained. And when
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you finish, they will give you a certificate
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that you have been through that particular system.
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Now people, you go to Bible school, you are being
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trained and you come and you have a certificate
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to show that you have been schooled or you have
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been trained. But these people never had any
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of those. So it means that we can't... come to
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a point where we have an interaction consistently.
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And that is basically what we're doing in our
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church, where we're training people to be grounded
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in God's word, where people will look at you
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and know that this person is trained. This person
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is trained with God's word. This person is trained
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and this person is able to speak boldly. This
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person is able to communicate the truth of God's
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word boldly, clearly, and effectively. And that
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is very key because if you are not discipled,
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you cannot disciple. There has to be something
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that people will see and will be drawn. There
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are things that people will see and know that
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this person is. And that was what made them to
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Marvin. And it's my prayer that we as God's children
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and in the Church of NACF will grow to a place
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where people will see, not just in words, because
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we can say things, we can be very eloquent in
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our speech, but they will see it in our practice.
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They will see it in the way we comfort ourselves.
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They will see it in the way we behave. They will
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see it in the way we do things. Because it is
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not just the things they knew that they saw.
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It was the way they acted, the boldness that
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they saw. That was one thing that clearly communicated
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this. And I believe that we're going to be learning.
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We're going to be training. We're going to be...
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going in this season where we're going to be
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learning a lot and we're going to be trained
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a lot and it's to the end that is beyond just
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being in our heads. It's going to go into our
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practice and it's in the practice that we see
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results because manifesting the kingdom of God
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is practice. It's not knowledge. Manifesting
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the kingdom of God is not what you do from words.
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You can see your manifested kingdom of God, but
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it's practice that makes the manifestation a
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reality that we can see. Praise God. And very
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quickly, I had stopped. I think we had gone through
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how it should be. We say the first point is a
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disciple is teachable. A disciple is teachable.
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And I asked us to write it in capital letters,
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and I asked us to be able to... to see and see
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ourselves and ask ourselves to open our mouths
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and say, I am teachable. And you are teachable
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too, because if you have not been taught, you
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cannot teach. And we say that the attitude of
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a child is what we want to pay attention to.
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And Jesus Christ points the disciples to the
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way a child behaves, the attitude and posture
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of a child. A child is dependent, a child is
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trusting, a child is eager to learn. A child
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is eager to learn. If at any point in time you
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call yourself a disciple and you don't have it,
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passion, a desire, eagerness to learn, and you
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don't even trust the tool by which you are able
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to learn, which is God's Word, and you're not
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even dependent on God and dependent on the system
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that God has placed around you for your learning,
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you will have a problem. You will not learn.
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You will not grow. Because learning is important
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for growth. What makes an adult, what makes,
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what differentiates a child from an adult? Even
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when an adult behaves like a child, we call them
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a child. It's not age. When an adult behaves
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like a child, they are referred to, in fact,
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they will say this person is acting like a child,
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meaning that there's a way a child acts that
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an adult shouldn't act. I told us that it can
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be positive, it can be negative. Meaning there
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are certain positive attributes of a child that
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ensures for their growth and evenness, believers.
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grown, matured physically, there are certain
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attributes and attitudes that we see that ensures,
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that accounts for a person's consistent growth.
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You see, you don't outgrow being a child in the
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kingdom of God. Yes, in the kingdom, you can
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get to a point where you're grown, you're a matured
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man, people can see beards and all of that, and
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they know that this person is grown, or they
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can see a woman, and you say this person is grown,
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and then you say he's now ready to move to this
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next level. But in our work, And in discipleship,
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there is nothing like that. You are discipled,
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you are discipling others. You are discipled,
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you are discipling others. That is the cycle.
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And we see an example in the life of the prophet
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Samuel. When he was given to Eli, when he was
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under Eli, we see that he submitted to the authority.
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He learned. He learned. He learned. He didn't
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just... He didn't just take things or did things
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on his own volition. He didn't just wake up on
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Monday and decide to do things by himself. He
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learned. So we're going to go down to, we're
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going to go down to the points. I think we'll
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continue. I think before we even proceed, I want
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to point us to the fact that even Jesus Christ
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himself, at a certain point in time, I want us
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to go to Luke. Luke 2. Luke 2. Because the person
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that is instructing us also did likewise. In
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a sense, also did likewise. He went and he stayed
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around to look to. I want us to read from 41
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to 47. I want us to read from 41 to 47. I'll
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read from the New Living Translation. It says,
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Every year, Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem
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for the Passover festival. When Jesus was 12
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years old, pay attention to his age. When Jesus
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was 12 years old, they attended the festival
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as usual. After the celebration was over, they
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started home to Nazareth. But Jesus stayed behind
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in Jerusalem. His parents didn't miss him at
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first because they assumed he was among the other
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travelers. But when he didn't show up that evening,
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they started looking for him amongst their relatives
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and friends. When they couldn't find him, they
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went back to Jerusalem to search for him there.
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46 now, which is what I want to pay attention.
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That is Luke 2 verse 46. Three days later, they
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finally discovered him in the temple, sitting
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amongst religious teachers, listening to them
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and asking questions. Listening to them and asking
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questions. He says, all who heard him were amazed
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at his understanding. And his answers. All who
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heard him are amazed at his answers. All who
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heard him are amazed at his answers. And I want
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you to see something. In verse 46, it says, three
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days later. You know, if a child is missing and
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you find a child three days later, the child
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will be crying. where's my daddy, where's my
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mommy, where's, or you'll be, there's a sense
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of, but it shows you something very important
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that this person was eager. The person was not
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found on the street crying. We see the fact that
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Christ, I'm using it, a typical child, but it
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shows you the heart of the person of Christ at
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when he was even 12. He was there, not just talking,
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he was listening to them. He was listening to
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them. He was listening to them and was asking
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questions. He was listening to them and was asking
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questions. He was listening to them and was asking
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questions. You know, sometimes we can feel, because
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we talked about this with regard to pride, where
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you feel your age or your status or what you
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have achieved, what you have not achieved, the
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money. We have disciples that were wealthy, but
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were still disciples. We have examples in the
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Bible of disciples of worldly. We have Joseph
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of Arimathea was referred to as a disciple. He
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was worldly, but he was still a disciple. We
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have individuals in Scripture that were, in fact,
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the scribes too, the scribes too were referred
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to. There are certain individuals, even one of
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some disciples, a couple of disciples were scribes,
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they were still. disciples, meaning that there's
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a teaching that you have to submit to the teaching
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regardless of whatever status you have. Christ
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himself came and was amongst these individuals.
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They were amused when he was listening to them.
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So we should be reminded of the fact that the
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instruction given to us is an instruction that
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Christ himself, even when he was very young,
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followed. So you cannot get to a point where
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you feel like, oh, I have known it all. When
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teaching is going on, I don't need to take notes.
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It's the scriptures that we know them. No matter
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how well you are familiar with the scripture,
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being teachable is very important because every
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one of us still needs to learn. Every one of
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us still needs to grow. Every one of us still.
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We don't want to come to, I think one time we
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were in the cell. I think the funny thing is
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that when you're in the cell and then it's, okay,
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it's when the pastor is preaching, then you are
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taking notes. If the pastor says, okay, the leader
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or somebody should teach or the person is making
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a statement, you'll be selecting who to write
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and who not to write. That's very dangerous for
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someone who wants to grow. You are in a setting
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where something is being taught or someone is
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giving the response, but you want to ensure that
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you are teaching. Choosing, okay, this person,
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I don't know. They're coming up. Not today. They
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come up now. That's when I'll now hear what they
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have to say. Or now, where I am. They are not
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near me. That's very dangerous. If you have that
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in your heart, if you have that behind, if you
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have that as the motivation for your learning,
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it means that you will lose out on the opportunity
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to grow. Every opportunity is an opportunity
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where we come around God's word to... to grow.
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And it's very important that we see that. So
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I want to take us to now the things that we see
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in a disciple. And remember, we said we're all
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talking about attributes of a disciple. And we
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said there's the things that a disciple, that
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we see in disciples as the work of a disciple.
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There are certain attitudes and attributes that
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we see in the work of a disciple. The servanthood
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of a disciple. The servanthood of a disciple.
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There are certain things you will see in a disciple
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that you, that will That makes you know that
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this person is someone that is keen on growth,
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that is keen on the work that God has called
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them into. And one of it is service. A disciple
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serves. A disciple serves. A disciple serves.
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A disciple serves. And we'll see in John 13,
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because this service is modeled by Christ himself.
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Note that the things that we're doing is the
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things that are modeled by the one who has called
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us. We see in John, let's open to John 13. We
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look at this from John 13 and also we look at
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it from Mark 10. So let's just go to John 13.
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I think I want to read this again. Let's just
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read it from here. Let's go to John 13 verse
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14. John 13 verse 14 and 15. And note that the
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background is Jesus washing his disciples' feet.
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John 13 verse 14 and 15. I, your Lord and teacher,
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have washed your feet. You ought to wash each
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other's feet. In 15, he says, And I have given
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you an example to follow, as I have done to you.
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Do this as I have done to you. Do this as I have
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done to you. And I say the background is Jesus
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washing the disciples' feet. And those of us
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that are following who had read the book of the
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book that we had read through as a church, the
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communion table, In fact, even if you're reading
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the one that we're looking at, every disciple
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and minister, you'll see something very key.
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You'll see that the role of a disciple, you can't
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divorce service from the role of a disciple.
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And Jesus Christ here is exemplifying that. Not
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that the symbol, what he was doing when he was
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cleaning them, we said in the last reading and
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the book we read last, there's the teaching of
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salvation, which is being cleansed, washing them,
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that's sanctification. There's a teaching in
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that. Note that what the ultimate teaching, the
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practical teaching you're seeing there is service.
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And he says, as I've done to you, do to others.
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May that you have to serve. You have to serve.
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As a disciple, you can't be a disciple and you're
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doing not. Remember I said, now this discipleship,
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the pro is practical. It's very practical. You
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can't just say stuff and not do. We don't, we
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encourage you to. want to serve, to desire to
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serve, even if you don't have the required skill,
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but the commitment you have, it will enable you
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to go out of your way to do, and following the
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simple basic instruction ensures that you grow.
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So Jesus Christ sets an example, and this example,
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he was showing it to the disciples that he had
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at then, but it's also for us to emulate, to
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emulate these things. We are to emulate these
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things because it's very important that we do
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so. We do so. I want us to go to Mark and see
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again. Mark and see Mark 10. I want us to go
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to Mark 10. Mark 10 verse 43. Mark 10 verse 43.
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It reads, it says, But among you it will be different.
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Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be
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your servant. Mark 10 verse 43. But among you
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it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader
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among you must be your servant. And whoever wants
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to be first among you must be a slave of everyone
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else. 45 now says, For the Son of Man came not
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to serve, but to serve others, and to give his
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life as a ransom for many. But to serve others
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and to give his life as a ransom for many. And
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note that we are saying that service here is
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what Christ himself had done for us. He came
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to serve. And we are to do likewise. The instruction
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is for us to serve. It says anyone, and note
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that greatness in the kingdom is equal to service.
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Greatness in the kingdom is equal to service.
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It says both among you. And note that he was
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comparing, if you read the earlier verses. In
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verse 42, if you read the earlier verses, 41
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down to 41, 41 is where it starts. It says, when
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10 other disciples heard about what James and
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John, you know that it was a whole interaction
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between James and John. You know, the thing that
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James and John had done. They were indignant.
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42 now says, Jesus called the others and said
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to them, you know that the rulers in this world
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lorded over their people and officials flaunted
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the authority over those under them. He said,
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but among you, it should be different. Among
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you, it shouldn't be the same. Where you want
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to pursue service, not position. You want to
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pursue service. It's service to God's people
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that is more important than anything else. Because
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in the world, a person is great when they have
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a position where people will hail them, or hail
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the chairman, or hail the person that is in charge,
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or hail the boss. But note that they can attain
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those positions, but they don't do anything.
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We are in a world where people just say, okay,
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there's a title, but the work that the title
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comes with, they don't pursue it. Know that when
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you say, well, I think we're listing the roles
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and responsibilities of a pastor. You know, somebody
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in Isaiah is not easy. You know, when you know
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the roles and responsibilities, you are less
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likely to desire the position if your heart is
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not really in on it. You know, somebody will
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say, you say, I'm the pastor. You come. And then
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there's some people who used to think, this is
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the way we see it in the world, where somebody
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comes and they're in a position, they have a
22:55
private car, they have a driver, they have all
22:58
of those things. And then you come and you're
23:01
like, I want to, I might go, I want to be. But
23:05
when they tell you, okay, aside from what you
23:07
can see, there's the other responsibility that
23:10
is this, this, and this, and this, you see the
23:11
person will change their mind very instantly
23:13
because... Service is not what everybody desires.
23:16
Most people will prefer to just be on the background
23:19
and then, or in fact, we prefer to be served,
23:22
not serve others. But we see Christ sets an example
23:25
for us in the fact that he came to serve and
23:28
he calls us to do likewise. He calls us to serve.
23:32
So we must desire to serve. Every disciple...
23:36
must desire to serve. So when we are saying,
23:38
serve, serve, serve, and I'm very sure if you
23:40
look at the platform now, we are like 58, 58
23:43
of us. You want to ensure and check yourself.
23:47
Anytime you're struggling with the idea of serving
23:51
others, check again. Anytime you're struggling
23:54
with the idea of serving others, check yourself
23:57
again. Because in the heart of a disciple, there
24:00
always has to, you know, some people say, I'm
24:02
not a people person. I don't like people. You
24:07
are not your own. It's not what you like anymore.
24:10
It's what God instructs you to do that is more
24:12
important than what you like. If everyone had
24:19
a choice to do what they want to do, there would
24:22
be chaos because everyone would be doing the
24:24
things they want. But because we are under God,
24:27
He is the one that is in charge. He instructs
24:29
us. He says, look. Greatness in the kingdom is
24:31
equal to service. If you want to be great in
24:33
the kingdom, you want to pursue service over
24:35
anything else. And that is it. Full stop. No
24:39
buts. Say buts. You know buts. You know where
24:42
I come from. You know buts. There's no buts.
24:45
There's no excuses. We'll get to the part where
24:47
we discuss excuses. And know that another key
24:50
thing is a disciple gives. This is the second
24:53
point. A disciple gives. A disciple is not just
24:57
someone who receives and receives and receives
24:59
and receives because you are being trained, you
25:01
are receiving training, you are receiving training,
25:02
you are receiving training. A disciple gives.
25:04
We'll get to the part where a disciple is giving
25:06
what they have received, but we'll talk about
25:08
the practicality of giving because a disciple
25:11
is committed to the work. So a person that is
25:14
committed to a work, a person will be willing
25:16
to give to see that the work moves forward. The
25:19
person we're willing to give to see that the
25:21
work moves forward. And when we talk, I think
25:23
in the Church of Renice here, we say this and
25:26
say this with every sense of humility in the
25:29
sense that we as a church don't place so much
25:35
priority on, oh, give this, give... But not that.
25:39
It is important that we know that it is a responsibility
25:44
that we have as members. to ensure that the place
25:49
where you are located, the local church, is thriving.
25:52
The local church is thriving. You know, one beautiful
25:55
thing about the church is when we call for needs,
25:59
it's when we say, okay, there's a need, we call
26:00
out, we put it out and say, okay, the church
26:03
needs this, that, but not that. It shouldn't
26:06
be that we should be in a habit and attitude
26:09
to be able to look for the needs in the church.
26:13
We, if we're part of a church, and you see that
26:16
the church needs this, and you should not even
26:18
be, it doesn't have to be something you want
26:20
to be loud about. Even though the church needs
26:22
this, you can go and find a way. Even though
26:25
nowadays people can give for very strange reasons.
26:28
Because, you know, I've seen people that will
26:30
come and say, okay, I want to, in my little time
26:34
here, you will see the person will come. The
26:36
person doesn't want to serve, but they want to
26:37
give. There's something about their giving, replacing
26:41
their acts. I say, if you have a heart for this,
26:44
join this. I say, no, no, no, no, Pastor, no.
26:47
No, I just want to. It's an agreement I have
26:55
with God. It's leading my heart to just want
26:57
to. I say, ah, if you really want to, you want
27:01
to see how what you are giving impacts the people
27:05
that you are. You say you have a heart form.
27:09
And it means that people can prioritize wanting
27:12
to give to... People do it. They will say, okay,
27:14
I give so that people that have this will go
27:17
for us. They will go for us. That is very wrong.
27:21
And we'll see how the disciples made this thing
27:25
practical in Acts 4. I think he read a bit of
27:28
it in Acts 2. I just want us to look at Acts
27:30
4. How these people did not just talk. They were
27:34
very practical in their needs. And these people
27:36
were people that were in the church. Acts 4,
27:39
I want us to read from 35 to 37. 35 to 37. Acts
27:44
4, 35 to 37. And I'll read from the New King
27:48
James. It says, 34 to 30, I think, yeah, I said
27:51
35. 35 to 37. It says, And they laid them at
27:56
the apostles' feet. And they laid them at the
27:58
apostles' feet. And they distributed to each
28:01
as... as anyone had need. They disputed to each
28:07
as anyone had need. Then he says, and Joseph,
28:11
who was also called Barnabas by the apostle,
28:14
which is translated son of encouragement, a Levite
28:19
of the country of Cyprus. Praise God, Cyprus.
28:22
The country of Cyprus. 37. having land sold it
28:27
and brought the money and laid it at the apostles'
28:30
feet. So what you will notice is that there's
28:33
this use of the apostles' feet. They laid it
28:35
at the apostles' feet. They laid it at the apostles'
28:37
feet. They laid it at the apostles' feet. And
28:40
we'll see, you'll see there's a lot of use of
28:44
the word feet. I want to explain to us that something
28:48
very interesting. If you look at 35, I think
28:50
in your translation, you'll see that it says,
28:54
and laid them at the apostles' feet, and then
28:57
you see a semicolon, right? You see a semicolon
29:00
there, and it says, and they distributed. They
29:04
is who? The apostles, right? And the apostles
29:08
now distributed to each one as they need. Each
29:12
one as they need. Note that the use of apostles'
29:16
feet there communicates the fact that, remember,
29:19
if we're using, I think we'll get to that part,
29:21
I think we'll get to that part shortly. Where
29:24
when something is laid at the feet of someone,
29:27
when something is laid at the feet of someone,
29:30
it communicates that this person is in charge.
29:32
It communicates the authority of that individual.
29:35
Because the person has that laid, not they laid
29:38
themselves. The person laid what they had at
29:42
the feet of the apostles. And then the apostles
29:45
now were saddled with the responsibility of distributing
29:48
to meet the needs of people. Meaning that the
29:52
apostles... are the ones in charge. People brought
29:55
what they had. They will sell what they want
29:59
to have the monies to give for the work that
30:03
was happening. And note something. It's important
30:06
that we know that the individuals have to have
30:08
prioritized the work that the apostles were doing
30:11
to be able to say, I will sell my land, I will
30:14
sell what I have and bring the money for this
30:16
to happen. They prioritize the work, prioritize
30:18
the people most importantly. The people... that
30:22
needed the people that were in need. And as I
30:24
said, I will repeat myself again, know that the
30:27
use of feet will see that. I want you to see
30:30
it with regards to training. See it with regards
30:33
to training. See it with regards to training.
30:36
I want you to see in Acts, even though in the
30:37
Acts 4, I think it's Acts, the same Acts, we'll
30:43
see this in the individual question, but let's
30:46
go to Acts 22. We'll see the same use of feet
30:49
there. In Acts 22, this is not the Apostles'
30:52
Feet now. In Acts 22, verse 3. Acts 22, verse
30:56
3. Acts 22, verse 3. It reads, it says, I am
31:01
a Jew. That is Apostles' Feet. It says, I am
31:04
a Jew. I am indeed a Jew born in Tarsus of Caesarea,
31:10
brought up in the city, brought up in this city
31:15
at the feet of Gamaliel. at the feet of Gamaliel,
31:20
taught according to the strictness of our father's
31:25
law, and I was zealous towards God as you all
31:29
are today. As you all are today. Know that it
31:33
uses the feet of the apostle, the feet of Gamaliel
31:36
now, in this case, feet of Gamaliel to communicate
31:39
the fact that he learned from him. Gamaliel is
31:42
the authority. He is the student. Gamaliel is
31:46
the authority. He is the student. And you'll
31:49
see something in Acts 5. You'll see something
31:53
in Acts 5. Acts 5, the ending part, that is 33,
31:57
downwards. You'll see that Gamaliel, that is
32:00
in 34, to be specific, Acts 5, 34. You'll see
32:04
that then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee
32:10
called Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in
32:15
respect by all the people. and commanded them
32:18
to put the apostles aside for a little while.
32:22
This is the individual that Apostle Paul, being
32:27
trained by, is someone that was held in high,
32:29
is a Pharisee, a teacher of the law that is held.
32:32
So he had trained Apostle Paul in the law. He
32:38
has trained him in the law. And this is the person
32:41
he learned to know that the use of the feet means
32:43
that he's an authority in the law. In that, him
32:47
being an authority, he's in a place to train
32:50
the Apostle Paul. And I want us to see another
32:53
place where it still is used for Jesus. It's
32:56
used also with regards to Jesus. In Luke 10.
33:00
I want us to go to Luke 10, 39. The situation
33:02
between Mary and Martha. Luke 10, 39. Luke 10,
33:07
39. Luke 10, 39. And it says, And she had a sister
33:12
called Mary. who also sat at Jesus' feet and
33:18
heard his word. Who sat at Jesus' feet and heard
33:21
his word. Not that she sat at his feet and heard
33:24
his word doesn't mean that she dwells at his
33:27
feet. She just is a position of a student and
33:32
then the teacher. If you want to learn something,
33:34
the teacher is here, the student is here. It's
33:37
just a function of, you know that you are learning.
33:39
In fact, when kids come around, even in the house,
33:41
sometimes they say, okay, you sit down, let me
33:43
tell you a story. The person is at the higher
33:45
level, you are at the lower level. It means that
33:47
this person, you are learning from the person.
33:49
You can't be on that ground level and you're
33:51
arguing with the, you know, that's why the pulpit
33:53
is higher than the, you keep it at the, that's
33:58
why the pulpit has to be, pulpit, it has to be
34:00
up and then the other people are down. Because
34:03
you, aside that, it communicates the fact that
34:06
you are, You are listening to what is being taught.
34:09
The person is here. You are up, depending on
34:12
where exactly it is. I know that it's a thing
34:15
where you can see, but it's a function of the
34:17
individual. They trust you as an authority to
34:19
be able to deliver. That's why they will come
34:22
to you to learn. Praise God. It's a function.
34:25
It's as much as symbolic. It communicates much
34:29
more than just the physical. And it means that
34:32
if the person... is at that level, you have the
34:35
responsibility to know that in the case of Martha,
34:37
they were hosting him. They were giving to the
34:40
master. In fact, I think it's in Luke 8, where
34:43
you see that there are women too that were given
34:45
to the work of ministry. These women were aiding
34:48
the work that was being done. They were contributing
34:51
to Jesus Christ and also to his disciples. So
34:54
people gave. These people gave. They gave. And
34:58
giving is a lifestyle of a disciple. Giving is
35:01
the lifestyle of a disciple. It's not just receiving.
35:04
The disciple should have a lifestyle. The lifestyle
35:07
of a disciple is that of giving. A disciple doesn't
35:11
need to be pruded, cajoled. They will have to
35:17
use persuasive words. They will have to encourage
35:20
you, say, you know, you have to see that we need
35:22
this. And then you'll now be motivated to say,
35:24
okay, because I have seen, because the pastor
35:27
had explained and had to drum it down, then we'll
35:30
now... because the pastor had to drum it down.
35:33
Note that, yes, if you are not used to giving,
35:36
you have to be trained to understand that giving
35:38
is a responsibility. It should be a lifestyle.
35:41
It should be something. It is what is demanded
35:43
of us. And you don't have to have a lot to give.
35:47
You don't have to have a lot to give. I will
35:50
show us in Acts 10 verses 28 how the disciples,
35:53
each of them according to their ability, according
35:56
to what they had. They determined. They determined.
36:00
According to what they had, they determined.
36:02
I want us to see it in Acts 10. Acts 11, sorry.
36:04
Acts 11, 29. Acts 11, 29. Acts 11, 29. You know,
36:09
sometimes you say, ah, sir, I don't have... You
36:12
want to... The giving is a function. It's a discipline
36:17
you're acquiring when you give, even when you
36:19
don't have. Because if you can give when you
36:21
don't have, when you do have, you're not struggling.
36:24
You know, some of us will say, ah, sir, you know...
36:26
The money is not, even if it's, and we don't
36:29
want to despise, whatever it is that you have,
36:32
you want to train yourself to be able to do it
36:35
regardless, to be able to do it regardless. So
36:37
in Acts 11, 29, we see that, then the apostles,
36:42
according to their ability, determined to send
36:44
relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. The
36:48
brethren dwelling in Judea. So they were willing
36:50
to give for the, and by the way, understand that.
36:54
Meeting the needs, they saw that the brethren
36:57
in Judea had a need, and then they contributed.
37:00
They determined to send some form of relief to
37:04
them. Meaning that there's the giving that happens
37:06
with them. We saw that in Acts 4, where they
37:09
give to meet the needs of the people that are
37:11
around them. And there's also the giving to meet
37:14
the needs of people that are out. Okay, we see
37:17
that these people have something that they contribute
37:20
to meet the need. So it means that you give according
37:23
to your ability. You don't give beyond. You give
37:26
according to your ability and you know your ability.
37:29
You know your ability and you give according
37:31
to that. And I want us to see also the Philippian
37:34
church in their generosity to Paul in Philippians
37:38
4. I want us to go to Philippians 4. Philippians
37:41
4 verse 10. I want us to read that 4 verse 10
37:44
to 18. I want us to see it in context. Philippians.
37:49
Philippians 4, verse 10 to 18. So it says, But
37:53
I rejoice in the Lord greatly, knowing that at
37:58
last your care for me has flourished again, though
38:04
you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.
38:12
You surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.
38:15
Not that I seek... in regard to need, for I have
38:19
learned in whatever state I am to be content.
38:24
He says, I know how to be abased and I know how
38:28
to abound. Everywhere and in all things, I have
38:33
learned both to be full and to be hungry, both
38:37
to abound and to suffer need. 13 now says, I
38:41
can do all things through Christ who strengthens
38:44
me. Note that when you used to read this verse,
38:47
you say, I can do all things, you can say means,
38:48
I can do this, you can say means, you can quote
38:50
it and quote it, but note that the context is
38:52
in the verse 12, where it says, I know how to
38:55
be obeyed and I know how to abound. Wherever
38:59
and in all things I have learned, because it
39:03
says, wherever and in all things I have learned
39:04
to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and
39:08
to suffer need. So he says he can do all things
39:11
to Christ. I mean that he can do the all things.
39:13
There is not everything and everything. The all
39:15
things there is that he knows how to, when hunger
39:20
is in the land and when he has enough. In all
39:24
of those things, he is strengthened of the Lord.
39:26
Nevertheless, you have done well that you share
39:30
in my distress. 15. Now he says, now you Philippians
39:34
know also that it. that in the beginning of the
39:39
gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church
39:42
shared with me concerning giving and receiving,
39:45
but you only. 16, it says, for even in Thessalonica,
39:54
you sent aid and a gain for my necessities. Again
40:00
and again for my needs. Once and again for my
40:02
necessities. 17 now. It says, note that I seek
40:06
the gifts. I seek the gifts, but I seek the fruits
40:10
that abound to your account. 18 now. Indeed,
40:13
I have all and abound. I am full, having everything
40:18
from Epaphroditus. The things which were sent
40:26
from you. a sweet -smelling aroma and acceptable
40:29
sacrifice, well -pleasing to God. So, not that
40:33
he had received the things that were sent from
40:35
them through Epaphroditus, and he's appreciating
40:41
this church, the church in Philippi, for their
40:47
generous gifts. is appreciating the church for
40:49
their generous gift. Note that it's important
40:52
that we understand that there's a giving that
40:54
you give to the persons in need and there's a
40:56
structure for it. When you're giving in the church,
40:58
there's a structure. You don't just come and
41:00
do it without... the structure that the leadership
41:03
has set in place. You don't just go around and
41:05
be doing whatever it is you want to do. Yes,
41:07
you are giving, but if you're in the church,
41:09
you want to respect the fact that there's a structure
41:11
around it, then speak to the persons in charge.
41:13
You don't just act like you're your own boss
41:16
or act like you want to be very careful with
41:19
that. And then once you're doing it, there's
41:22
a collective system where the church is able
41:24
to give for the needs and there's opportunity
41:27
for all of that to be done so that it's done
41:29
in order. is done in order. So this church, note
41:32
that he's writing, he's appreciating, writing,
41:35
appreciating the church for all supply of his
41:38
needs through a certain individual. The church
41:40
contributed to that individual and it came to
41:44
him. And note that in our giving, because in
41:46
the same Acts, you have an incident that happened
41:49
when individuals said they were going to give
41:52
something and they lied. In Acts 5, verse 1 to
41:55
11, where they say they are promised they're
41:58
going to give and they lie. Most of the times
42:01
we focus on who killed them, what exactly it
42:05
is. But you want to understand that a disciple
42:08
should be a person of integrity. A disciple shouldn't
42:13
lie. A disciple... shouldn't be given to lie.
42:17
If you want to lie, if you don't, you can't,
42:20
you shouldn't. You shouldn't lie. And in fact,
42:22
they in their own case, it was not on their neck
42:25
for them to sell the land and give everything.
42:28
But the question was, how much did you sell the
42:32
land? Because you promised to sell and give.
42:34
And they lied. So you want to focus on the error
42:37
of their actions. The error of their actions
42:40
was the fact that they lied. So in your giving,
42:43
you want to be honest in your giving. And know
42:45
that we said that your giving is according to
42:48
your ability. If you don't have the ability to
42:50
give, there's nobody that is micromanaging or
42:52
wanting you to give beyond your capacity. So
42:55
you want to be honest. The disciples should be
42:58
honest in their giving. That's why when we tell
43:01
you, we know that you have the capability to
43:03
do so. And then you also know your capability.
43:07
So you want to be able to do it within your means.
43:10
You want to do it within. Your means. Know that
43:13
you don't want to be manipulative. We are not
43:16
manipulating you to give. You want to truly give
43:19
under authority. You want to do your giving under
43:22
authority. Then we go to the other part where
43:25
a disciple rejects entitlement. A disciple rejects
43:30
entitlement. We are in a world where people are
43:33
entitled. They feel like, you know... The church
43:39
owes them. This sense of entitlement. Let's go
43:46
to 1 Samuel 2. Let's go to 1 Samuel 2. 1 Samuel
43:50
2. I want to see the situation with the sons
43:54
of Eli. 1 Samuel 2. I want us to read from verse
43:58
12 to 17. 1 Samuel 2, verse 12 to 17. It says,
44:02
Now Eli's sons were corrupt. Did you not know
44:06
the Lord? And the priest's customs with the people
44:12
was that when any man offered a sacrifice, the
44:16
priest's servants would come with a three -pronged
44:23
flesh hook, something like a fork, they would
44:27
come with it, in his hand while the meat was
44:30
boiling. Then he would thrust it into the pan.
44:34
or kettle, or cauldron, or pot. Not that that's
44:38
the word, that's the same, it's just the same
44:40
pot, the same, the meaning for the same thing,
44:42
like a pot. And the priest will take for himself
44:45
all that the fish hook, all that the flesh hook,
44:48
sorry, brought up. So then, so they did in Shiloh
44:54
to all the Israelites who were there. 15. Also,
45:00
before they burned the fat, The priest's servants
45:03
will come and say to the man who sacrificed,
45:07
Give me meat for roasting to the priest, or he
45:11
will not take a boiled meat from you, but raw.
45:17
16 now it says, And if the men said to him, They
45:21
should really burn the fat first, then you will
45:25
take as much as your heart desires. He would
45:29
then answer him, No. But we must give it to me
45:35
now. You see, but you must give it to me now.
45:39
And if not, I will take it by force. I will take
45:42
it by force. 17. Therefore, the sin of the young
45:47
men was very great before God for men above the
45:53
offering of the Lord. So, know that these individuals,
45:56
there was a system already there where you come
45:59
in and then you... You don't come and insist
46:03
on your own. Don't come and because my father
46:06
is the person in charge, then I'm entitled to
46:10
all that it is or I'm entitled because there's
46:14
some form of stake. Know that these men, first
46:17
and foremost, don't have any regard as we saw
46:19
from the start. They were corrupt. They didn't
46:21
have any regard for God. They didn't have any
46:23
regard for the things of God. As disciples, we
46:26
have great regard for God and we have great regard
46:28
for the things of God. We don't do otherwise.
46:32
We don't do otherwise. And it's very interesting
46:34
that if you look at the structure of the house,
46:37
the sons were doing what they were doing in rebellion.
46:40
And you can see Samuel, the young Samuel, who
46:44
later became Prophet Samuel, submitted to the
46:47
authority and the things of the sons were in
46:49
rebellion. So in a setup, you want to be the
46:54
one who is submitted to authority and submitted
46:56
to the authority of God's word and submitted
46:58
to the leadership. You want to be the one that
47:01
submitted to the authority of God's word. And
47:02
also, which is very key to point out here, is
47:06
the fact that in Eli's case, Eli had a failure.
47:11
He had failed to, he allowed sin, the sin of
47:17
his sons to thrive. That's why we give instruction.
47:20
That's why we correct. You can be in the church
47:23
where there's a leadership and then you are floundering
47:26
and then you expect us to watch you. do the things
47:29
that you want to do or your heart desires. We
47:31
said, wherever you, any system where anybody
47:34
just does whatever they like, nobody grows, nobody
47:37
learns, nobody, there's nothing. Everybody just
47:39
chooses however it is they want to. Because in
47:41
his house, the man tolerated that happening.
47:44
And we see that even in our own church setting,
47:49
we do well to avoid a situation where anything
47:53
that is erroneous will thrive. Scripture says
47:56
that a little leaven leavens the lump. So wherever
47:58
it leavens the lump, wherever it is that you
48:01
allow anything to thrive, it will destroy the
48:05
house. People will just come and think that that's
48:07
a culture. That's the norm. That's what we do
48:11
here. That's basically what is obtainable. That's
48:13
what is allowed here. In 1 Corinthians, okay,
48:16
let's just read it. I just quoted it not long
48:19
ago. Let's just read 1 Corinthians 5 verse. Okay,
48:23
while we're in Samuel, let's just look at Samuel
48:25
3 .13. Samuel 3 .13, where it says, For I have
48:28
told him that I will judge the house forever
48:32
for the integrity which it knows, because his
48:35
sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain
48:38
them. I want you to see that he did not restrain
48:41
Samuel. Sorry, I took us to... Listen, well,
48:44
in 1 Samuel 3 .13, we see that the Eli, Prophet
48:47
Eli, did not restrain his sons, meaning that...
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He had the responsibility to restrain them. That's
48:54
in 1 Samuel 3, verse 13. It says, For I have
48:56
told you that I will destroy the house of iniquity,
48:59
because his sons made themselves vile, and he
49:02
did not restrain them. He did not restrain them.
49:05
In 1 Corinthians 5, verse 6. 1 Corinthians 5,
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verse 6. We'll go to 1 Corinthians 5, verse 6.
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1 Corinthians 5, verse 6. But your glorying is
49:21
not good. Let's speak in context. Your glorying
49:27
is not good, but do you not know that a little
49:33
leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore, purge
49:36
out the old leaven and the new lump. In this
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Christ is the Passover. Note that the focus of
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this passage is the fact that Christ is the Passover.
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For in this Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed
49:51
for us. But the point is this, that once you
49:54
take out, that you don't want to allow room for
49:57
anything, because in the whole passage, we see
49:59
Apostle Paul writing to the church in Corinth,
50:02
saying that, encouraging and admonishing them
50:06
to flee all manner of immorality, because immorality
50:09
defiles the church. He's warning and instructing
50:12
that this is not allowed here. This is not allowed
50:16
here. It is not allowed here that this will leaven
50:20
the whole. When they say a little leaven, it's
50:23
yeast. And you put yeast into something, there
50:26
will be fermentation. And if you notice that
50:29
the children of Israel had a thing, because it's
50:32
symbolic, they didn't eat. The bread that they
50:36
ate was not the one that had yeast in it. It
50:39
was not the fermented one that went through the
50:41
process of fermentation because yeast in it was
50:44
almost like adding something that shouldn't be
50:46
in it. to part of it, praise God. And this is
50:50
an instruction here where you want to ensure
50:51
that you address, you restrain any form of error.
50:55
You say, no, this is not obtainable here. And
50:58
that is how people grow. Some people don't even
51:00
know what is obtainable or what is not obtainable
51:02
until they are instructed. And when they are
51:05
instructed, a responsible disciple will take
51:09
heed of the instruction and go from there. So
51:13
we also will see that a... Disciple forsakes
51:15
all. A disciple forsakes all. A disciple forsakes
51:19
all. It is the responsibility of a disciple to
51:22
prioritize God, prioritize the teaching. And
51:26
we see this in Luke. I want us to go to Luke
51:29
14, 26. I think I've seen previous teachings,
51:34
okay? Luke 14. I just want us to read 26. Luke
51:38
14, 26. If anyone comes to me, and does not hate
51:44
his father and mother, his wife and children,
51:50
brothers and sisters, yes, his own life also.
51:53
He cannot be my disciple. And you'll be thinking
51:55
to yourself, what has been said here? I don't
51:59
really understand how that will work. And let
52:02
me jump to 33. It says, So likewise, whoever
52:05
does not forsake all that he has, cannot be my
52:09
disciple. See, whoever doesn't forsake all that
52:12
he has can be my disciple. And we say that the
52:14
word there, to not, and does not hate, means
52:20
that, the hate there means to love less. Meaning
52:23
that you prioritize or you love more this one
52:29
person over this. So you love less. The hate
52:31
there communicates to love less. So it says that
52:34
you want to prioritize him over anything else.
52:37
We read the 26 and then the last bit. I would
52:41
love you to read 26 down to 33, but I just read
52:44
the first and the last. But what it's pointing
52:45
to is the fact that your priority has to be Him
52:50
over anything else. Your priority has to be Him
52:52
over anything else. And by the special grace
52:54
of God, we're helped by God to be able to prioritize
52:56
Him over anything else and not make excuses,
52:59
which is the next point in the forsaken all.
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When you choose to pursue other things, you will
53:07
always have excuses. When you choose to pursue
53:10
other things, you will always have excuses. And
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I want to say this, at this point, I really want
53:14
us to pay attention for this point. When you
53:17
forsake, as a disciple, forsake your key responsibility,
53:20
what you are giving root for is excuses. You
53:22
will have to say, oh, but this, oh, but that.
53:25
You know, when a person is full of excuses, You
53:29
already right there have a disciple that is not
53:32
committed to growth, that is not committed to
53:34
the Word, that is not committed to the things
53:36
that he's called to do. And we see Jesus Christ
53:39
spelling this out to a certain group of people
53:42
when they were designed to follow. And then they
53:45
said, oh, that's in Luke 9. Since we're in Luke,
53:48
let's just go to Luke 9. I want you to see very
53:50
quickly. We'll read all the excuses that was
53:52
given. One first said, ah, hey, um, ah, well.
53:57
I'm going to follow you. He now says, foxes have,
53:59
let's look 9 .59. Look 9, let's start from 57.
54:03
Look 9 .57. Look 9 .57. It says, now it happened
54:09
as they journeyed on the road that someone said
54:15
to him, Lord, I will follow you anywhere you
54:17
go. And Jesus said to him, foxes have holes,
54:19
birds have nests, birds of the air have nests,
54:23
but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head.
54:26
Meaning that the ease is like, look, if you're
54:29
going to come with me on this journey, you will
54:32
not always have where to lay your head. It might
54:34
not be comfortable. It might not be the best.
54:36
You will not always have anything you want, the
54:39
comfort of a bed, a pillow, a house. Things will
54:42
be difficult. Meaning that this thing of discipleship,
54:45
the process will be tough. The process will be
54:47
tough. And then it says in verse 59, it says,
54:50
And then he said to the other, follow me. But
54:53
he said, Lord, let me go and bury my father.
54:58
Let me go and bury my father. And look at his
55:00
response to it. He said to him, let the dead
55:03
bury their own dead. But you go and preach the
55:08
kingdom of God. See what he says in the instruction,
55:10
which is our duty. He says, our duty and responsibility
55:15
is to go and preach the kingdom of God, to go
55:17
and preach. And there's no excuses for that.
55:18
We don't have any excuse for that. He says, let
55:21
me go and bury... See, we're not saying that
55:23
you should not do the irresponsible, but the
55:26
priority for a disciple is go and preach the
55:32
kingdom of God. That is the instruction he gave
55:33
in Matthew 8. Go and make disciples, go and preach,
55:36
go and do all of that because in doing that,
55:37
we're going to be teaching. We're going to be
55:39
teaching. And then in 61, he now says, and another
55:42
said, Lord, I will follow you, but let me first
55:45
go and bid them farewell. who are at my house,
55:51
and bid them farewell who are at my house. But
55:53
Jesus said to him, No one having put his hand
55:57
on the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom
56:00
of God, is fit for the kingdom of God. Not that
56:04
there is no excuses. Every one of them had an
56:07
excuse, but the priority for the master is to
56:10
preach the kingdom of God. And we see this even
56:13
in the Old Testament. We see Elisha. Elisha.
56:17
Elisha was... Elijah calls him to follow him.
56:21
And Elisha's response was a wholehearted surrender.
56:26
He even goes as far as breaking the calf, killing
56:30
the cow because he was a farmer. He did all of
56:33
that in 1 Kings. We see this in 1 Kings 19 verses
56:35
19 to 21. He goes ahead and does that and follows
56:39
him. And we see him being discipled by Elijah.
56:43
And we see where he goes. We see the effectiveness
56:46
of the discipleship, the effectiveness of being
56:49
trained under him, the commitment. We see where
56:51
he went. And I use the example of even David
56:55
and his men. See how they grew. See all the things.
56:58
So we want to always, because we can claim to
57:02
follow people because of, we can claim that we
57:05
are not able to follow because of our career.
57:08
because of our family, because of our comfort.
57:10
But all of those things are not, we don't do
57:13
that. We don't, we prioritize being disciples
57:16
over anything else. Praise God. We prioritize
57:18
being disciples over everything. We don't prioritize
57:20
discipleship over career. We don't prioritize,
57:22
but we do all of those things with respect, under
57:24
that respect. And know that a disciple also stays
57:28
connected. A disciple stays connected too. the
57:32
local church a disciple stays connected to the
57:35
teaching of god's word we saw that the the the
57:38
the people that were converted continue steadfastly
57:41
in the apostles doctrine in fellowship and in
57:44
breaking of bread and in prayers they stayed
57:46
connected and i want us to really very much and
57:49
this is we see this in acts the acts 2 42 to
57:53
47. We see also in Hebrews. I want us to write
57:56
down the scriptures. We see also in Hebrews 10,
57:58
25. All of these things, we don't neglect the
58:01
Garden of God. We stay connected to the Garden
58:03
of God because that is how we grew. That's how
58:05
we grew. And I want to very much put this out
58:09
there that when you come and then you are a disciple
58:11
on social media. Social media follower, social
58:16
media disciple is not truly a disciple because
58:18
he's in a commitment to local church. I said
58:21
this on Sunday and I'm saying it again. If you're
58:22
committed to local church, you truly grow. Because
58:26
true disciples are committed to a local church
58:28
and it's in local church that people, they grow,
58:32
they serve, and they are effective. They grow,
58:35
they serve, and they're effective. And lastly,
58:37
a disciple multiplies. A disciple multiplies.
58:42
A disciple multiplies. Our brother, when he was
58:44
leading us in prayer, took us to Acts 6. Acts
58:48
6. We see in Acts 7 that there was multiplication.
58:52
The word spread and disciples multiplied. The
58:55
word of God spread and disciples multiplied.
58:57
And going back to the scripture that we read,
59:00
it says, go and make disciples, teaching them
59:02
to observe all the things I've commanded you.
59:05
If there is no multiplication, there is a problem
59:08
somewhere. It means that either we're not doing
59:10
what exactly Jesus was saying, or we're just
59:12
saying things we're not doing there. It means
59:14
that there is a need for us to come to that place
59:17
where the word is spreading, and I believe, God,
59:20
that we're seeing it. tremendous amount of multiplication
59:23
in the Church of NDCF. We are seeing multiplication
59:25
in people's passion and desire to preach the
59:28
gospel. We are seeing multiplication in people's
59:30
desire to break away from everything that is
59:34
holding them back from speaking, everything that
59:36
is holding them back from learning, everything
59:38
that is holding them back from serving, everything
59:40
that is holding them back from prioritizing the
59:42
kingdom of God. And it's my prayer and it's my
59:44
heart desire that we are challenged. We are greatly
59:47
challenged to understand that discipleship is
59:50
not automatic. Discipleship happens by intentionally
59:53
submitting to the place where God has placed
59:56
you in. Discipleship happens by when you intentionally,
1:00:00
it's intentional. It's a desire that you have
1:00:02
that if I must grow, I must submit to the authority.
1:00:05
I must submit to what God is doing in the church.
1:00:08
And I want us to just take this time to just
1:00:10
pray. I would want us to affirm the words I have
1:00:13
encouraged us to affirm on Sunday, which is,
1:00:15
I am teachable. Say it in your room, I am teachable.
1:00:18
Shout it in your room, I am teachable. I stay
1:00:20
teachable. I stay teachable. without pride in
1:00:25
my heart. I stay teachable without pride in my
1:00:27
heart. I lead others by serving. I lead others
1:00:29
by serving and I serve diligently. I submit to
1:00:33
authority. I am not rebellious. I don't frustrate
1:00:36
the efforts of the pastors and the leaders. I
1:00:39
prioritize discipleship. I prioritize the activity
1:00:42
of the kingdom over everything else. I am a disciple
1:00:46
that disciples others. I want you to say these
1:00:48
things. I want you to pray these things and we
1:00:50
are enabled. We are helped of God to be able
1:00:52
to... manifest the kingdom, by the help of God
1:00:54
to continue to manifest the kingdom, by the help
1:00:56
of God to do the things that is required for
1:00:58
us to see the change in our lives and in the
1:01:01
lives of others in the name of Jesus. Amen and
1:01:05
Amen. We're thankful you joined us today. Don't
1:01:11
forget to subscribe so you're always connected
1:01:14
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1:01:18
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1:01:22
We look forward to having you with us next time.
1:01:25
God bless.