Sermon Outlines
Discipleship
18 ?And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.? 19 ?Go ye therefore, and teach? b ? all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: ? 20 ?Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.? (Matt 28:18-20)
Commonly called "The Great Commission," notice the main thought of
Jesus' command...
a. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations..."
b. To " make disciples and to be disciples ," therefore, is the GOAL
I. THE DEFINITION OF A DISCIPLE
The Greek word for disciple is "mathetes." The word in its various forms occurs 289 times. In ancient times "mathetes" designated an "apprentice or pupil attached to a teacher or movement; one whose allegiance is to the instruction and commitments of the teacher or movement."
In the New Testament it is used to indicate total attachment to someone in discipleship. In Classical Greek it meant to bind ones self to someone in order to learn his practical and theoretical knowledge, i.e., blacksmith, art, etc. This was also very popular in the philosophical schools. E.g., Plato was a disciple of Socrates. It was a life style change, new way of life, a new way of thinking.
Many times a person's style of dress would indicate what school of philosophy they were involved in.
Disciple . From the Greek verb manthano ( µa??a?? ) which means "to learn, to be apprised of, to increase one's knowledge," there are derived the words mathetes ( µa?ete? ) which means "a learner, a pupil, one who follows the teaching of someone else," thus, a disciple; and matheteuo ( µa?ete?? ) which means "to follow the precepts and instructions of another," thus to be his disciple; also, "to make a disciple, to teach, to instruct."
II. THE DESTINATION OF A DISCIPLE (Goal of Discipleship)
A. To be like Christ
Luke 6:40 (KJV)
40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. (NKJV)
40 "A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher. (NASU)
B. Conformity to the image of Christ
Romans 8:29 (KJV)
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Great Master, teach us with Your skillful hand;
Let not the music that is in us die!
Great Sculptor, hew and polish us; nor let
Hidden and lost, Your form within us lie!
- Horatius Bonar
C. Filled with the fullness of Christ
Ephesians 4:11-13 (KJV)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Ephesians 3:17-19 (KJV)
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
To be filled up to all the fullness of God- the grand goal
" Filled" with the divine holiness, wisdom, knowledge, and love; even as God is full, and as Christ, who dwells in your hearts, hath `all the fullness of the Godhead dwelling in Him bodily' (Col 2:9).
D. Fashioned by the Potter's hand
Isaiah 64:7-8 (KJV)
7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.
8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
Jeremiah 18:1-4 (KJV)
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it .
O TO BE LIKE THEE!
Thomas O. Chisholm, 1866-1960
O to be like Thee! blessed Redeemer. This is my constant longing and prayer; gladly I'll forfeit all of earth's treasures, Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
O to be like Thee! full of compassion, loving, forgiving, tender and kind; helping the helpless, cheering the fainting, seeking the wand'ring sinner to find.
O to be like Thee lowly in spirit, holy and harmless, patient and brave; meekly enduring cruel reproaches, willing to suffer others to save.
O to be like Thee! while I am pleading, pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love; make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling; fit me for life and heaven above.
Chorus: O to be like Thee! O to be like Thee, Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art! Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness; stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
III. THE DISTINGUISHING MARKS OF A DISCIPLE
A. To Continue in Christ's Word
John 8:31 (KJV)
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
B. To be a doer of the Word
Matthew 7:21-27 (KJV)
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
James 1:22-2:1 (KJV)
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein , he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Too many Christians mark their Bibles, but their Bibles never mark them!
B. Three ministries of the Word of God as a mirror.
(I). Examination (vv. 23-25).
This is the main purpose for owning a mirror , to be able to see yourself and make yourself look as clean and neat as possible.
As we look into the mirror of God's Word, we see ourselves as we really are. James mentions several mistakes people make as they look into God's mirror.
When they are hearers and not doers!
(1) they merely glance at themselves.
Because they read the Word carelessly, or a careless attitude to the true study of the Scriptures . A cursory reading of the Bible will never reveal our deepest needs.
(2) they forget what they see. (the holiness of God and their sinfulness.)
If they were looking deeply enough into their hearts, what they would see would be unforgettable!
Isaiah cried, "Woe is me! for I am undone!" (Isa. 6:5)
Peter cried, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" (Luke 5:8)
(3) they fail to obey what the Word tells them to do.
(II). Restoration (Ex. 38:8)
Exodus 38:8 (KJV)
8 And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the lookingglasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
When he built the tabernacle, Moses took the metal looking glasses of the women and from them made the laver. The laver was a huge basin that stood between the brazen altar of sacrifice and the holy place. The basin was filled with water, and the priests washed their hands and feet at the laver before they entered the holy place to minister.
(1) Water for washing is a picture of the Word of God in its cleansing power .
"Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you" (John 15:3).
The church is sanctified and cleansed "with the washing of water by the Word" (Eph. 5:26).
John 17:17 (KJV)
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
When the sinner trusts Christ, he is once and for all washed clean
(1 Cor. 6:9-11).
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (KJV)
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed , but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
The mirror of the Word not only examines us and reveals our sins, but it helps to cleanse us as well (1 John 1:9).
(III). Transformation (2 Cor. 3:18).
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (KJV)
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is , there is liberty.
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Second Corinthians 3 is a discussion of the contrasts between the Old Covenant ministry of Law and the New Covenant ministry of grace. The Law is external, written on tables of stone; but salvation means that God's Word is written on the heart. The Old Covenant ministry condemned and killed; but the New Covenant ministry brings forgiveness and life. The glory of the Law gradually disappeared, but the glory of God's grace becomes brighter and brighter. The Law was temporary, but the New Covenant of grace is eternal.
Paul's illustration of this truth is Moses and his veil. When Moses came down from the mount, where he met God, his face was shining (Ex. 34:29-35). He did not want the Jews to see this glory fading away, so he put on a veil to hide it. When he returned to the mount, he took off the veil.
When Jesus died, He rent the veil in the temple and removed the veil between men and God. The Old Testament prophet wore a veil to hide the fading of the glory. The New Testament believer has an unveiled face, and the glory gets greater and greater!
You may explain 2 Corinthians 3:18 in this way:
"When the child of God looks into the Word of God [the glass, the mirror], he sees the Son of God, and he is transformed by the Spirit of God to share in the glory of God!"
The word changed in the Greek gives us our English word "metamorphosis"-a change on the outside that comes from the inside. When an ugly worm turns into a beautiful butterfly, this is metamorphosis. When a believer spends time looking into the Word and seeing Christ, he is transformed: the glory on the inside is revealed on the outside.
Romans 12:2, "Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." As we meditate on the Word, the Spirit renews the mind and reveals the glory of God. through the mirror of the Word of God.
"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Ps. 139:23-24). "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8).
Our first responsibility is to receive the Word. Then, we must practice the Word; otherwise we are deceiving ourselves. This leads to a third responsibility.
IV. THE DEFINED COST OF BEING A DISCIPLE
A. Christ must come first in your life.
Luke 14:25-33 (KJV)
25 ?And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,? 26 ?If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.? 27 ?And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.? 28 ?For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it ?? 29 ?Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it , all that behold it begin to mock him,? 30 ?Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.? 31 ?Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?? 32 ?Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.? 33 ?So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.?
B. One must deny themselves.
Luke 9:23-25 (KJV)
23 ?And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.? 24 ?For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.? 25 ?For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away
Luke 14:27
27 ?And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple
Taking up the cross
There was a time when capital punishment was carried out publicly. The condemned criminal was led through the streets on foot or dragged on a cart to the place of execution, and the crowds who watched this grim procession knew what lay at the end of the road. A person on their way to public execution was compelled to abandon all earthly hopes and ambitions .
C. Denying all earthly possessions.
Luke 14:33 (KJV)
33 ?So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.?
V. THE DEFINATE REWARD OF A DISCIPLE
A. The promise of future blessings. ( eternity with God, free from sorrow, pain and death)
Rev 21:1-8 (KJV)
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all thingsa; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. "
B. The promise of present blessings.
1. Peace- John 14:27
27 ?Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.?
2. Love- John 15:9
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.?
3. Joy- John 15:11
11 ?These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
4. Provision for every earthly need- Matt 6:33-34
33 ?But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.? 34 ?Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Phil 4:19
? 19 ?But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.?
Paul J. Achtemeier, Harper's Bible Dictionary , Includes Index., 1st ed. (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1985).
Kenneth S. Wuest, Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament : For the English Reader (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997, c1984).
Kenneth W. Osbeck, Amazing Grace : 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions , Includes Indexes. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Publications, 1990).
Kenneth W. Osbeck, Amazing Grace : 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions , Includes Indexes. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Publications, 1990).
Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary , "An Exposition of the New Testament Comprising the Entire 'BE' Series"--Jkt. (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1996, c1989).
Walter C. Kaiser, Hard Sayings of the Bible (Downers Grove, Il: InterVarsity, 1997, c1996). Page 427
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Other Sermon Outlines from Dr.Kenny Rhodes
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