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What We Learned Together Sunday June 18, 2023
INTRODUCTION Again this morning we are turning to John Chapter fifteen hearing the words of Jesus for His disciples. As Jesus continues the speaking to His disciples in the Upper Room discourse now on the move toward the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus teaches us that being His disciple means rejection, opposition, and persecution by the world because the world hated Him. The title of our message this morning is Our Testimony As Disciples of Jesus in A Hostile World. The context of John chapter fifteen contains three sections: Relationship with Jesus [15:1-11], Relationship with One Another [15:12-17], and Relationship with the world [15:18-27]. The Guardian Film critic Polly Toynbee description of Aslan in 2005 . . .”but we can do well without an Aslan . . . Narnia represents everything that is most hateful about religion.” Such hostility towards a character who represented Christ in a story written by a man with a Christian testimony. In this section we hear prophecy by the Lord Jesus that would be fulfilled and now is fulfilled in the lives of His disciples. We began last week teaching this passage with verses 18 to 21. There we learned the Testimony of Faithful Disciples of Jesus In The Face Of A Hostile World. Jesus is teaching Why the World Is and Will Be Hostile to His Disciples. His point in verse eighteen Know that The World Hated Me First describing the rejection by the world. Then in verse nineteen Jesus teaches Understand that The World Loves Its Own & Not You describing opposition from the world. The disciples of Jesus are Not of the World But Chosen Out of the World. Instead of calling yourself a Christian the question is are you a disciple of Jesus? Has He chosen you out of the world and are you His own? And finally in verses 20-21, Jesus teaches Remember that the World Persecuted Him describing persecution by the world. Here Jesus commands His disciples “Remember the word that I said to you . . .” And also Jesus said, “But all these things they will do to you on account of My name.” They will do these things because of the truth about Jesus and truth from Jesus. There are several examples throughout the Gospel of John [John 5:18; 7:1, 19; 8:37, 40; 11:53]. Always when Jesus was teaching what they must believe about Him and believe about themselves. So much of His teaching is not popular in this world. The teachings of Jesus contradict the world and its teachings and standards. The teachings of Jesus confront the world and its beliefs and values. First, Testimony of The Faithful One Jesus Himself Before The Eyes of The World Who Hated Him [15:22-25]. In these verses we see How the World Was and Is Hostile to Jesus Himself. Jesus begins His explanation with Hearing His Words They Are Guilty of Rejecting Him. “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin . . .” Revelation from Jesus and about Jesus through His own words. See the references to the teaching of Jesus throughout the Gospel of John [10:24 and 14:10-11]. He teaches about the person of God, the character of man, the nature of salvation, and the calling of discipleship upon the lives of people. One sin is emphasized here in the words of Jesus. It is the sin of rebellion against Him and the sin of rejection of Him. So many sins by so many others because of the one sin of rejecting Jesus. We come to Jesus as our King who laid down His life for us. Therefore we bow down before Him as Savior and Lord. All because of what He said about Himself and who He has revealed Himself to be so that we would believe in Him! As my Dad said while watching the movie the Gospel of John, “Did Jesus really say those things? Did Jesus really do those things? Yes! Yes Dad he did! Do you believe His testimony? Do you believe Him to be the Son of God? Will you believe in Him according to His testimony of His words? Next in verse 23 Jesus describes Hating The Son of God They Are Guilty of Hating the Father. “The one who hates Me hates My Father also.” Earlier in the Gospel of John in chapter seven Jesus said to His unbelieving brothers, “The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify about it, that its deeds are evil.” [John 7:7] Show people the words and works of Jesus so clearly that their rebellion and rejection is plainly seen in their unbelief. We need to do a better job as disciples of Jesus telling others what Jesus said and what Jesus did so that His testimony is our testimony! And again the connection between the words and works of Jesus. As Jesus stated in John Chapter five, “But the testimony I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me. And the Father who sent Me, He has testified about Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. Also you do not have His word remaining in you, because you do not believe Him whom He sent.” [John 5:36-38] And in verses 24-25 Seeing His Works They Are Guilty of Denying Him. “If I had not done among them the works which no one else did . . .” Sin of rejection of Him adds the unbelief of rebellion against Him all in the presence of His revelation of Himself. As Jesus says, “but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well.” The very One who is full of grace and truth according to John chapter one. His testimony that condemns. His ministry that confronts. His activity that convicts. Again many examples throughout the Gospel of John of His revelation of Himself which is before the rebellion and rejection of those who did not believe. With verse 25 all of this is according to the Scriptures, “But this has happened so that the word that is written in their Law will be fulfilled: ‘They hated Me for no reason.’” Here Jesus is quoting from Psalm 69:4 showing that His revelation was trustworthy and yet rejected without cause. As one man said, “so perfectly has Jesus done His works, and so completely did He reveal Himself.” No one will stand before Jesus and say you did not do enough and your revelation was not clear that you lacked in anything you said or anything you did. So grate to the Lord for so many here today in this church body who have believed and are not guilty of the sin of rebellion and rejection against Jesus. But today in a group this size there may be some who are here and the sin of rejection of Jesus and rebellion against Jesus is still present in your life and therefore you are not His disciple and are not saved. You may be here today and do not believe what Jesus said or believe what Jesus did as His testimony of who He really is as the Son of God and the only Savior. Al Mohler tells the story of Larry King in his different conversations. Someone asked Larry King “if you could interview God what would you ask Him?” Larry King immediately replied, “Hey God, do you have a son? That’s my question.” Indeed God has a Son and His name is Jesus according to His testimony of His words and His works! Second, Testimony of The Spirit of Truth through the Disciples of Jesus In The Presence of A Hostile World [15:26-27]. Here is What the World Does and Believes Is Hostile to Disciples of Jesus. In verse 26 The Promise of the Coming Holy Spirit Who Will Be Testifying About Jesus. Hear the words of Jesus “When the Helper comes. . .whom I will send. . .who comes from the Father.” This third statement by Jesus about the ministry of the Holy Spirit [see also 14:16-17, 26]. “He will testify about Me . . .” His ministry is emphasized and highlighted in this context of hostility by the world. The truth of the revelation of Jesus in His words and His deeds. In verse 27 The Practice of the Going Disciples of Jesus Who Will Be Testifying About Jesus. As Jesus concludes, “. . . and you are testifying as well” [cf. John 15:16, 20] Our ministry is the focus and attention in the context of the hostility by the world towards the disciples of Jesus. Again consider Acts 9 the testimony of the Apostle Paul [cf. 1 Corinthians 1:22-25; 2:1-2]. The Holy Spirit makes possible Our Testimony As Disciples of Jesus in A Hostile World. Read the Epistle to Diognetus describing the lifestyle of early Christians. CONCLUSION In this passage of Scripture we learn about both Our Relationship with Jesus and our relationship with the World. First, Taking time as a disciple of Jesus to receive, believe, and understand what Jesus said and what Jesus did. This means we READ the Gospels Again and Again. Second, Thinking rightly as a disciple of Jesus you are not guilty of rejecting Jesus nor are you guilty of denying Jesus. We are never guilty of rejecting Him or denying Him if I am testifying about Him. This demands we PROCLAIM the Gospel Again & Again. Third, Telling Others about the words and works of Jesus as His disciple. Let me tell you about my Lord about My Savior and my God. Fourth, Teaching Others these words of Jesus in making disciples in these days. Fifth, Testifying about Jesus by the ministry of the Holy Spirit as those bearing fruit according to the words of Jesus. Our Testimony As Disciples of Jesus in A Hostile World. I really believe! He really is mine! He really did die on the cross for my sins and paid the penalty for all of my sins! I live my life for Him and not for myself! I testify of Him! The things He said and the things He did cause me to worship Him more. I call you to come and bow your knee before Him as King to believe in Him and receive Him as your Lord and your Savior! He is the one and He is the only Savior! Here Are 5 Tips for Conversations in Our Tense Cultural Moment - Canon Fodder (michaeljkruger.com) OK, so conversations with non-Christians aren’t what they used to be. In years gone by, it seems you could just disagree with someone and everyone was fine with that. You could just shake hands and move on. But now, in our tense cultural situation, disagreement is regarded as a personal attack. To disagree with someone is to be hateful and unloving toward them. This is why it can sometime seems like conversations with non-Christians can quickly escalate to DEFCON 1. Before you know it, somehow it’s nuclear war. As a result, I think Christians have struggled with how to talk with non-Christians in our current culture. Some have decided the conversations are just not worth it. Any hint at a disagreement causes some believers to tuck tail and run. Other Christians take the opposite approach. They figure if a good fight is what someone wants, then by golly we’ll give them one. So, some Christians enter every conversation with both guns out of the holster, ready for a showdown. Needless to say, neither extreme is healthy for the church. So, here are a few tips/reminders to consider in your conversations. There’s nothing particularly earth-shattering here, but hopefully keeping these things in mind can help: 1. It’s not arrogant to think you can know things about God. One thing I’ve noticed over the years, is that Christians are very wary of being labelled dogmatic or arrogant. Our culture bristles at any claims of certain knowledge, insisting that such claims constitute intellectual hubris. As a result, Christians often shy away from claiming they know anything for sure. But, lurking behind the charge that Christians are arrogant is a certain assumption about the way religion works. Many non-Christians view “religion” as merely human attempts to discover and learn things about God. Religion is simply the fallible act of humans trying to figure out the divine. Now, on that definition of religion, the Christian claim would indeed be arrogant! The problem, of course, is that this is not how Christian’s understand their own religion. We don’t believe our knowledge comes from our efforts to figure out God, but rather is the result of God graciously revealing himself to us. For Christianity, religion is not about man finding God, but about God showing himself to man. It is about God seeking out lost sinners and opening their eyes to the truth. That is the opposite of an arrogant claim. So, don’t abandon your certainty under the guise of humility. If God reveals himself by grace, then we can be humble and certain at the same time. 2. Have patience with the non-Christian’s situation. In our conversations, it’s easy to get frustrated, even irritated, when our non-Christian friends don’t “get it.” But, we need to remember what Paul says, “The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him and he is not able to understand them” (1 Cor 2:14). Remembering this truth can help us show patience, even compassion, to our non-Christian friends. To understand the truth, they need God to open their eyes to see it. Just like God was patient with us, so we can be patient with them. 3. You Don’t Have to Know All the Answers. Sometimes we shy away from conversations out of fear that we will be caught without an answer to a tough question. But is this a reason to disengage from our cultural conversations? Not at all. First of all, not having an answer does not affect the truth of what you believe. Your beliefs can be absolutely correct, even if you cannot explain or defend them. Consider other beliefs we might hold. We believe humans landed on the moon in 1969, but if we happened to strike up a conversation with a moon landing denier (these folks are more common than you think) who shared all his well-crafted objections, and pressed us to defend our beliefs, we would probably have very few answers. But, surely we wouldn’t abandon that belief just because we were stumped! Our belief would still be correct. Also, don’t confuse not having an answer with there not being an answer. The two are not the same. Even if you don’t have answers to difficult questions, that does not mean there are none. Indeed, you should know that most of the objections you will hear are old news (even though they are often presented like no one had ever thought of them before). 4. You have to speak truth, but you don’t always have to speak. Sometimes I think we have the impression that it is our job to enter into every debate and engage every conversation. Indeed, some Christians seem to be looking for a fight, jumping into the fray whenever they can. But, this is not always necessary. When we speak, we have to speak the truth. But we don’t always have to speak. Sometimes it is wise not to speak. It might be wise to wait for a different moment or opportunity. And truth be told, that can keep us out of trouble. As Proverbs says, “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise” (10:19). 5. Your goal in the conversation should not be to “win” but to persuade. Our disposition in a conversation is key to its success. If our goal is to win (whatever that may mean) then suddenly the conversation becomes about us—how we look, how good of a debater we are, etc. Instead, the goal should be to persuade the non-Christian of the truth. And then the conversation is no longer about us, but about them—how they can be reached, how to help them understand. Yes, we must remember that only the Holy Spirit ultimately opens eyes to the truth. But, our attitude and disposition in a conversation matter. “Always be prepared to make a defense . . . but do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Pet 3:16). In the end, these five things won’t solve every challenge we face in the complex conversations we have with non-Christians. But, I think they are a step in the right direction. Our goal is not to avoid all conversations. Nor is it to enter into bare-fisted brawls with everyone we can. Instead, our goal is to patiently, but boldly, engage our culture as opportunities arise, always “speaking the truth in love” (Eph 4:15). Expository Thoughts on the Gospels (monergism.com) "Now is the Son of God glorified, and God is glorified in Him . . ." John 13:31 The crucifixion brought glory to the FATHER. It glorified His wisdom, faithfulness, holiness, and love. It showed Him wise, in providing a plan whereby He could be just, and yet the Justifier of the ungodly. It showed Him faithful, in keeping His promise, that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head. It showed Him holy, in requiring His law's demands to be satisfied by our great Substitute. It showed Him loving, in providing such a Mediator, such a Redeemer, and such a Friend for sinful man as His co-eternal Son. The crucifixion brought glory to the SON. It glorified His compassion, His patience, and His power. It showed Him most compassionate, in dying for us, suffering in our stead, allowing Himself to be counted sin and a curse for us, and buying our redemption with the price of His own blood. It showed Him most patient, in not dying the common death of most men, but in willingly submitting to such horrors and unknown agonies as no mind can conceive, when with a word he could have summoned His Father's angels, and been set free. It showed Him most powerful, in bearing the weight of all a world's transgressions, and vanquishing Satan and despoiling him of his prey. Forever let us cling to these thoughts about the crucifixion. Let us remember that painting and sculpture can never tell a tenth part of what took place on the cross. Crucifixes and pictures at best can only show us a human being agonizing in a painful death. But of the length and breadth and depth and height of the work transacted on the cross--of God's law honored, man's sins borne, sin punished in a Substitute, free salvation bought for man--of all this they can tell nothing. Yet all this lies hid under the crucifixion. No wonder Paul cries, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Gal. 6:14.) What It Means To Be a Christian https://www.gracechurch.org/about/doctrinal-statement
Being a Christian is more than identifying yourself with a particular religion or affirming a certain value system. Being a Christian means you have embraced what the Bible says about God, mankind, and salvation. Consider the following truths found in Scripture. God Is Sovereign Creator. Contemporary thinking says man is the product of evolution. But the Bible says we were created by a personal God to love, serve, and enjoy endless fellowship with Him. The New Testament reveals it was Jesus Himself who created everything (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16). Therefore, He also owns and rules everything (Psalm 103:19). That means He has authority over our lives and we owe Him absolute allegiance, obedience, and worship. God Is Holy. God is absolutely and perfectly holy (Isaiah 6:3), therefore He cannot commit or approve of evil (James 1:13). God requires holiness of us as well. First Peter 1:16 says, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." Mankind Is Sinful. According to Scripture, everyone is guilty of sin: "There is no man who does not sin" (1 Kings 8:46). That doesn’t mean we’re incapable of performing acts of human kindness. But we’re utterly incapable of understanding, loving, or pleasing God on our own. (Romans 3:10-12). Sin Demands a Penalty. God’s holiness and justice demand that all sin be punished by eternal death (Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:23). That's why simply changing our patterns of behavior can’t solve our sin problem or eliminate its consequences. Jesus Is Lord and Savior. The New Testament reveals it was Jesus Himself who created everything (Colossians 1:16). Therefore He owns and rules everything (Psalm 103:19). That means He has authority over our lives and we owe Him absolute allegiance, obedience, and worship. Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.” Even though God’s justice demands death for sin, His love has provided a Savior who paid the penalty and died for sinners (1 Peter 3:18). Christ’s death satisfied the demands of God’s justice and Christ’s perfect life satisfied the demands of God’s holiness (2 Corinthians 5:21), thereby enabling Him to forgive and save those who place their faith in Him (Romans 3:26). The Character of Saving Faith. True faith is always accompanied by repentance from sin. Repentance is agreeing with God that you are sinful, confessing your sins to Him, and making a conscious choice to turn from sin (Luke 13:3,5; 1 Thessalonians 1:9) and pursue Christ (Matthew 11:28-30; John 17:3) and obedience to Him (1 John 2:3). It isn’t enough to believe certain facts about Christ. Even Satan and his demons believe in the true God (James 2:19), but they don’t love and obey Him. True saving faith always responds in obedience (Ephesians 2:10). "To testify the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24)
There is a continual need to return to the great fundamental of the faith. As long as the age lasts the Gospel of God's grace must be preached. The need arises out of the natural state of the human heart, which is essentially legalistic. The cardinal error against which the Gospel has to contend is the inveterate tendency of men to rely on their own performances. The great antagonist to the truth is the pride of man, which causes him to imagine that he can be, in part at least, his own savior. This error is the prolific mother of a multitude of heresies. It is by this falsehood that the pure stream of God's truth, passing through human channels, has been polluted . . . Now the Gospel of God's grace is epitomized in Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." All genuine reforms or revivals in the churches of God must have as their basis a plain declaration of this doctrine . . . The Gospel is a Revelation of the Grace of God. Our text speaks of it as the "Gospel of the Grace of God," for this is its source . . . Grace is a truth peculiar to divine revelation. It is a concept to which the unaided powers of man's mind never rises . . . Now the Gospel is a revelation of this wondrous grace of God. It tells us that Christ has done for sinners what they could not do for themselves—it satisfied the demands of God's Law. Christ has fully and perfectly met all the requirements of God's holiness so that He can righteously receive every poor sinner who comes to Him. The Gospel tells us that Christ died not for good people, who never did anything very bad; but for lost and godless sinners who never did anything good. The Gospel reveals to every sinner, for his acceptance, a Savior all-sufficient, "able to save unto the uttermost those who come unto God by Him." The Gospel is a Proclamation of the Grace of God. The word "Gospel" is a technical one, employed in the New Testament in a double sense: in a narrower, and in a wider one. In its narrower sense, it refers to heralding the glorious fact that the grace of God has provided a Savior for every poor sinner who feels his need, and by faith receives Him. In its wider sense, it comprehends the whole revelation which God made of Himself in and through Christ. In this sense it includes the whole of the New Testament . . . Grace is God's provision for those who are so corrupt that they cannot change their own natures; so averse to God, they cannot turn to Him; so blind they cannot see Him; so deaf they cannot hear Him; in a word, so dead in sin that He must open their graves and bring them on to resurrection-ground, if ever they are to be saved. Grace, then, implies that the sinner's case is desperate, but that God is merciful. The Gospel is a Manifestation of the Grace of God. The Gospel is the "power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes." It is the chosen instrument which God uses in freeing and delivering His people from error, ignorance, darkness, and the power of Satan. It is by and through the Gospel, applied by the Holy Spirit, that His elect are emancipated from the guilt and power of sin. "For the preaching of the cross is to those who perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God . . . But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God" (1 Cor. 1:18, 23). This is the glory of the Gospel: it is the power of God unto salvation. In one of his books, J. H. Jowett says: A little while ago I was speaking to a New York doctor, a man of long and varied experience with diseases that afflict both the body and mind. I asked him how many cases he had known of the slaves of drink having been delivered by medical treatment into health and freedom. How many he had been able to "doctor" into liberty and self-control. He immediately replied, "Not one." . . . Doctors might afford a temporary escape, but the real bonds are not broken. At the end of the apparent but brief deliverance, it will be found that the chains remain. Medicine might address itself to effects, but the cause is as real and dominant as ever. The doctor has no cure for the drunkard. Medical skill cannot save him. But grace can! . . . Hallelujah! Yes, grace saves. It snaps the fetters of a lifetime, and makes a poor sinner a partaker of the divine nature and a rejoicing saint. It saves not only from the bondage of fleshly habits, but also from the curse of the fall, from the captivity of Satan, from the wrath to come. What effect has this message on your heart? Does it fill you with praise to God? Are you thankful to know that salvation is by grace? Can you see and appreciate the infinite difference between all of man's schemes for self-betterment and the "Gospel of the Grace of God?" What We Learned Together Sunday February 19, 2023
Here at New Life Fellowship of Graham our purpose is “to cultivate a ministry based upon the Bible which Equips the saints to Glorify God, to Worship Him rightly, and to accomplish His Great Commission through making disciples who lead others to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Making Disciples is our mission as disciples of Jesus. Making Disciples is Intentional, Personal, Transformational, and Relational. Discipleship means being disciples making disciples. A disciple of Jesus is someone following Jesus, being changed by Jesus, and committed to the mission of Jesus. In Matthew 28:18-20 we read the words of Jesus directing these matters as disciples of Jesus making disciples is our mission as His church. As H.B. Charles said “the last command of Jesus must be the first priority of the church.” Here in this Scripture passage we see His majesty, His authority, His glory, and His commission. In the context we are told twice that the disciples worshipped Jesus in verse nine “and worshiped Him” and in verse seventeen “they worshiped Him . . .” This means the worship of the resurrected Lord Jesus does produce in His disciples the heart of obedience to His words in the matters of His Great Commission. First, we see the Foundation for the Mission of Making Disciples Is Our Resurrected Lord Jesus [28:18]. Both His Authority declared And His authority described. Here Matthew places focus upon the content of what He said with the emphasis on the words of Jesus to His disciples. Also the testimony of this reality as a church which shows His authority. [Ephesians 1:20-23; Philippians 2:9-11] Second, we are told the Instruction for The Mission of Making Disciples by Our Resurrected Lord Jesus [28:19]. Both His Assignment declared And His Assignment described. Jesus’ words communicate one command personally directed about others becoming disciples of Jesus. His command “make disciples of all nations” calling us to go to all peoples. These words are only found here but an expansion and explanation of these words of Jesus included elsewhere further detailing the message, manner, and ministry of making disciples [Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-49; John 17:13-20; Acts 1:8]. Making disciples of Jesus meaning people become learners, followers, believers, and worshippers. Christlikeness the calling for every Christian also means we would make disciples as He made disciples during His earthly ministry. Every one of our ministries at New Life Fellowship and all of our activities seeking to obey the command make disciples. Making disciples after the pattern of Jesus in the Gospel accounts takes time, requires truth, needs teaching, involves trials all of which are relationships produced by faith, filled with love and covered in prayer. So many examples of Jesus making disciples in the Gospel of Matthew through walking and talking, questions and answers, counsel and comfort, conversations and sermons. Like Jesus and becoming more like Jesus with making disciples as our mission. Jesus’ words emphasize three participles actively concerned about others being disciples of Jesus. “Therefore Go . . .baptizing . . . teaching . . .” Every one of us is here because someone obeyed these words of Jesus! These three activities can be defined as prepared action, public confession, and personal communication. All of the teachings of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew are the basis of our teaching His commands for disciples of Jesus [5-7, 10-12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21-23, 24-25]. Six areas of the teachings of Jesus can be the emphasis in our making disciples through our focus on believe, love, live, serve, give, and forgive. Making disciples is not the greatest command which is found in Matthew 22:37-39 love the Lord our God and love our neighbor as ourselves. As we obey the greatest commandment we will indeed obey the great commission of our Lord Jesus! Here is the primary mission of the disciples of Jesus making disciples. Third, we are given the Motivation for the Mission of Making Disciples from Our Resurrected Lord Jesus [28:20]. Both His Assurance declared And His Assurance described. Jesus clearly says, “and behold I Myself with you I am even until the end of the age.” The very promise of His presence in these acts of obedience to fulfill the requirement of making disciples as those with the assignment going, baptizing, and teaching. Living in the reality that the Lord Jesus coming again at the end of this age for all things will not continue as they are forever. There is limited time for making disciples with all of us having limited days for making disciples of Jesus. Being disciples of Jesus making disciples is our mission! So let us consider these words of Jesus. Our purpose as New Life Fellowship of Graham is “to accomplish His Great Commission through making disciples.” How are we fulfilling our purpose in this season of our ministry together as a church body? Who will be the disciples of Jesus on that day when your friends and family have your funeral? Do you want to do what Jesus wants you to do with your passions, in your practices, and for your priorities? Finally, being a disciple making disciples is more than agreement with these words of Jesus but having this mission as our assignment from Him and for His church. Consequently, this activity of making disciples should be our testimony as His disciples because of the reality of His promise. Remember the Parable of a little lifesaving station. Blessings, Pastor Tim |
Pastor Timothy J. AtkinsHusband, Father, Grandfather, Pastor, Teacher, Discipler, and Follower of Jesus. Archives
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