Making Disciples
by Raymond Sloan
August 2, 2018 · Cornerstone Apostolic Church
Kind: teaching
Scripture: Matthew 10:32-33, Acts 8:1, Acts 1:8, John 14:12-14, Ephesians 4:11-16

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/raymond-sloan--making-disciples
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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so everybody needs a hand out or foot out to welcome all of you to our Bible study here on Wednesday night thank you singers and musicians thank you so much amen good to see you all out tonight if you have a Bible you'll need it if you don't I guess you'll have to stare at the screen very good need a pen take some notes okay what's the name of our series somebody help me radical our first week we talked about anybody remember the terms are we coming to God on our terms or are we coming to him on his terms I think we established that first week that sometimes Christianity what it has done is we have changed the way that the Lord expects us to come to him and we begin to make our own terms bow your head say this prayer shake this hand write this out become this and there you go and that's not at all what the scripture says it has become our terms because probably sometimes it's easier to deal with our terms right and then the second week anybody requite really recall the the topic material what materialism yeah how that we can have so much stuff that we forget the actual proper if you will way that the church is supposed to be and in so doing what happens is as we miss the whole thing because we begin to look at it through our eyes and send it through his eyes last week anybody recall what we talked about well is it believing in the word honestly believing what it says not just it says that but wrapping your arms around it tonight we're going to continue and I will be cognizant of the time Matthew chapter 10 we're going to begin there please please please take notes answer questions you may be glad you did later when you go back and you recover these lessons Matthew 10:32 someone read that for me please very good 33 very good now these are the words of who Jesus said these words they're probably in red in your King James Version that said then we understand that in Jesus's teaching he was helpful let me help somebody he was standing in shoe leather as God and he knew the limitations of humanity right and so he says whoever confess me before men I'm gonna confess before the father does that mean that he is in the interim if you will or does that mean that he's Jehovah jr. that he's a second God because if you read this in another translation you will find out that that's probably the easiest way to understand it but that's not at all what Jesus was identifying here he was simply identifying here not the actual I confess word that we understand but the I will stand in place of I will represent I will identify I'm you're one of mine I'm doing things with you I'm working in you my life is being seen in you fruits coming out of you because of what is happening you got to understand Jesus was a man Jesus was a man but he was also God and so how to get humanity to understand that was the task of that day so we see here that if you identify with who he is then he is going to be let's say your intercessor let's say the one that will stand in the gap question in its church a place to gather together or is Church a place to send people out is it both okay why why is it both help me understand that because if we evangelize and we knock doors or we hang flyers or we send out a whatever or we get four we asking them to come into these four walls agreed and then once they get into these four walls what happens we want them to stay this is like the culmination you come to church well I weren't you in church how come you wasn't at church you should have been in church why'd you miss church nobody else to miss church you're the only miss Church uh you weren't in service while rich you're in service how coming on service you ought to be in service the fact is then as we as church folk understand the principle of in order to get them discipled as somebody just said you got to get them in the house of the Lord but friend this is not the stopping place this is the place where people began to learn and then they turn and they go out the doors and they begin to plug into somebody else's life okay what does it mean then to make disciples if we believe that getting them in here and then them go back out if you will how do you make a disciple okay you lead somebody to Christ and help them to develop a relationship very good now what is a disciple very simple what does that mean what a follower of Christ very good and so to make disciples means there's a process they don't walk through the back door know everything there's a process you are making much like you would making a table making a cake making a book whatever it is you are investing effort energy time into whatever that is and that's the same thing with making disciples I do feel like and please don't don't misunderstand what I'm coming from give me a moment to kind of explain myself here I do feel like that there have been times in times past that we have expected that a fish would come into the net and automatically be clean and we forgot the process that they've got to go through you realize when somebody comes to an altar vows their knee repent of their sins God forgives and washes them fills them with the Holy Ghost they get baptized in Jesus name they are still who they are that's when the process begins you begin to instruct them you begin to help them now that being said what did Jesus teach and demonstrate to his followers let's go back to Bible 101 what did Jesus do how did he teach what did he do to his followers what'd he do ones a thousand examples he taught parables somebody else that's all he did what do you say he practiced what he preached very good what else what'd he do he led by example very good what else supplied need certainly what else what did Jesus do what did he demonstrate to his followers he demonstrated how to multiply food and feed thousands uh-huh doesn't mean every time they pray that food multiply two million times did he demonstrate to them how to raise the dead doesn't mean everybody they walk by that day they come out of the grave they demonstrate to them how to heal blinded eyes what else that's all well that's pretty simple now there's thousands of things that Jesus demonstrated daily walking in the streets with people what he was doing followed this is as he was demonstrating to his followers this is how I do stuff this is how things are accomplished look what I'm doing here notice what's happening here notice that I did followed notice that I did not go into the high place to eat but instead I came and i supped with sinners publicans notice that when somebody screamed out my name on a road that I stopped and I attended to them on and on it goes that's exactly what Jesus was demonstrating now question that I have then for you tonight 2018 is this what part are you playing in making disciples of all men is there anybody here that's playing a part of making disciples if you are please don't don't be afraid to lift your hand anybody what are you doing teaching Sunday School beautiful what else being a witness beautiful what else yes ma'am teaching your kids beautiful what else what are you doing you personally to make disciples and what else just a handful doing stuff or is the choir in here tonight it's a logical question we want to be called Christians and then the question comes up then what of what Jesus showed to his followers are you doing that's fair question that's not at any way shape or form saying or passing judgment it's a simple question what are you doing the reason that I ask you that is because if indeed we believe 2018 that everything that we read in the Gospels of Jesus Christ are exactly what he was demonstrating to us or to them and that day then to us today following the Word of God then there's a whole lot of things that Jesus did that we may or may not be doing is that oh is that an okay statement now there's a lot of things we are doing certainly but I wonder sometimes if the church if we have began to focus on things that pertain to us instead of things that pertain to what he wants stay with me tonight okay this is radical this is talking about going back to basics to the root of it and sometimes to do that it's a radical change it's a literal flip it around and let's get this thing back in motion John 17 we're not going to read all of that I just wanted to put this in here when you read the the book of John chapter 17 you see how that Jesus connected himself to his followers part of your homework for this week is go home and read the whole chapter 17 of John okay word please take your time read through it slowly understand that in ways that Jesus was instructing his followers he was leading us even today in 2017 to become to be to to get to a place to where we are able to help those who are without those who have needs I mean you believe that salvation is of the Lord heaven is real anybody still believe in heaven sure well you realize it's a process to get from point A to point B that's the part of a disciple a follower of Jesus is to adapt ourselves to what Jesus taught and then follow it help others follow it help others get a hold of it what is one way in which you can develop disciples in your daily walk just your day-to-day walk how can you develop disciples anybody live what a godly example before them very good what else share what God has done for you and your testimony certainly is there anything else anything else that you're doing now to reach to to develop to to help others that that in daily walk that you're that you're coming in in contact with them that's it encourage one I certainly what else serve that's right serving them loving them there's thousands of ways that we can think of do you realize that when parents you're teaching your kids to say prayer over their food that your disciple II you realize as well that parents when you go to work and you're sitting at the lunch table and you stop and pray over your food your disciple income buddy who's watching okay you're developing habits that are christ-like that all right and in doing so how was it that they knew in the New Testament that they were Christians by what their loved one to another the way they interacted the way that they made themselves available one to another understand that that's a visual from the neighborhood they saw how they interacted with each other and they said those guys are christ-like because that's what Jesus did and they were first called Christians in very good Antioch not in Tennessee but old-school right and the reason is because the church plant there was so powerful in how that it was literally mirroring what Jesus had done while he walked in shoe leather stay with me for a bit what would happen to your walk with Jesus if tomorrow stay with me if tomorrow there was no longer a 75 for a tiger Gap Road building take a minute and think this building disappears sinkhole little small atomic bomb whatever what would happen to your walk with God no place to come no building to come to think about it what would happen anybody what would you do don't say you go to another Church cuz they'd all be gone too what would you do would you go to a house to have where would you start my house oh then we got to move aren't we okay house to house would you would you come to my house and look for me what have you didn't find me what he didn't find my wife what would you do I'd go to Walmart so some of y'all saying right they're all good Christians go to Walmart what would you do is that a logical question anyone would you still love God would you still serve him how you don't have a church building to come to anymore you don't have a guitar to pick up you don't have a class to teach you don't have a piano to play you don't have a prayer to lead but so then what was that what you would do and how long would you do that do you understand here now I know I know that that's way out there kind of sorta and it's just weird but let's reverse it what if you couldn't get here this building was here but you could not get here broke down car health stuck in the bed what would happened what is it what if you couldn't how long what kind of answer would you be looking for the point I'm making that's very Thank You Logan the point I'm making is simply this if you're sick and in the bed and can't get to church let's say you got the flu or let's say you got something okay got to Episode II what ever it is and you can't something happens anybody here ever been in that position stuck in the bed or can't get out for two three four weeks at a time how did you do besides lose your mind did you do okay probably the first few few hours of that first day you're like gee easy cccccc oh Jesus Jesus I love you Laura I just I can't make it today but Lord I'm I love you it's four o'clock bonanzas coming on or phone rings yeah I was just sitting here praying talking to a little Lourdes interceding for my family yeah he did uh uh what was he thinking oh my good tell me more so I did so I'm just all know how to pray that's why I was tell my wife when somebody comes up say honey did you get details well no honey I don't know how to pray come on go back go ask more question joke point simple is this is this in the disciples discipleship process you're not only an example of what Jesus can and will and should do in your life but you are helping someone to know how God can help them I want to bring in just a quick illustration to make very simple there is a newish born baby in this sanctuary tonight raise your hand Thank You Marie she has no clue how to do anything yet except what is natural eat sleep and yes that's all do not expect her to make her own PB&J do not expect her to drive the her brother her sisters to school do not accept any of that why because it's not going to happen she is a baby now if the one that's holding her can't make a PB&J we might have another issue why because she's been discipled or trained on how to make a PB&J she's well able that's the same thing in the spirit world it takes time to get somebody from here to there but it's the process of doing what God has called us to do look here in Acts chapter 8 not one and eight but eight and one somebody read 8 and 1 of Acts please it's right there in your handout now thank you the who was saw consenting the death of starts with an ass ends with an e an who yeah I mean persecution was happening not what happened to the church at that point we're in the eighth chapter of Acts I mean explosive growth has happened daya Pentecost is already taking place 3,120 churches are being planted things are happening God's moving revivals happening stuff's going on Jerusalem is blowing up with this stuff going on and notice what happens here there is great persecution against the church that was at Jerusalem and notice what happened they were scattered where where to where to the regions of very good now put up Acts chapter 1 verse 8 somebody read that in acts one Jesus is about to leave and he says you're gonna have power to be a witness here Jerusalem Judea Samaria you get into chapter 8 what happened persecution stay where that persecution started and where did they go from Jerusalem to what did it take to get the disciples out of Jerusalem now how many wants to be persecuted do you understand what what's happening the fact that the church exploded with in all these towns an emphasis and colossi and Philip I in these other places you know what was going on they had been dispersed from Jerusalem now the Apostles stayed in the Jerusalem area because that was the central hub but these other followers who had received instruction from them they scattered there in Judea there in the regions and all about Judea in Samaria into these places to small towns communities pueblito whatever want to call them and all of a sudden explosive growth begins to happen the church did not hear it did not stop at Jerusalem the disciples that had listened to the words of Jesus that had seen him crucified on a cross that had come and were there on the day of Pentecost that had connected with these brethren as they were teaching the Apostles doctrine and they were learning from him when persecution started they scattered but they didn't scatter and stop they took what they had learned in the discipleship class and they took it to their area of Judea or in that region or Samaria or in that region and churches began to grow John 14 and 12 verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also and somebody say with me greater works then the shall he do because I go unto my father and whatsoever ye shall ask and what that will I do that father may be glorified in the Sun if you ask anything in my name what's it say this is not again an indication of there's 1 2 & 3 this is an indication that Jesus was very kind to teach people listen when you see me you've seen God I'm the one that's causing this stuff to happen though because I'm flash put here I am what was Jesus God's Word made flesh I'm everything that God has ever said standing here in front of you every word that has ever come out of his mouth is right this is it this is it if you cut me I believe word and what I'm telling you is this is that you're going to do greater things because you're gonna follow the teachings that I'm giving to you and you're gonna grow and when something happens in your spirit there's going to be revelation that you have never seen heretofore notice that Jesus makes a reference to the works that he did you will do greater what does that mean then for you and I in 2018 anybody what does that mean greater works what is it more what does it mean Wow so instead of raising one from the dead how many have you raised from the dead I mean there's that okay instead of feeding 5,000 with a couple of fish and some bread how many have you fed is that okay and let's say greater let's go past what we thinks oh and AW raising the dead and feeding the hungry let's go past that what would it be like tomorrow if you truly believe that you were a follower of Christ and you believed in his word and you believe that greater works greater things are gonna happen because I am in this and God is doing things in my life and what would it be if tomorrow you walked into Erlanger hospital and simply walk down the hallway in beds were emptied is that even possible is it can that happen can it well would it be like tomorrow if you were so inclined to not have fuel in your car and you walk over to the gas letting go in Jesus name look look look look look and it fill up all that silly I don't know God's help my gas hand stay before when I was on empty and I the Lord you know I got 43 miles and it says I get 10 left and for whatever reason I pulled into a gas station maybe none of y'all have but I have when I should have been run over and I wasn't now all pastor up there talking crazy stuff well greater works anybody here care to say what would be a greatest work that you could ever accomplish for God saying that well what would be the greatest work anyone does anyone even think that it's possible what's the greatest work a what a revival of souls help me with that fill in the blanks how many souls how many of you come in contact with a day depends on what day ok Oh gotcha so I mean honestly that's a great point everybody come in contact with so you come in contact with one for Monday all right that's probably yourself in the mirror but anyway that ok alright but some of you come in contact with hundreds a day what would it be like if God wanted to fulfill that in you is that too radical is that just too far-fetched is that just to way out there it shouldn't be but see what we've done is is we have turned down a little bit the heat we've tamed it down to where we can control the terms of it instead of allowing God to control the terms of it and if it don't look a certain way or smell a certain way or act a certain way then evidently it's not of God because God wouldn't let that in the church I don't want anybody to confess nor raise your hand right now but I dare say that there's a large percentage of us sitting in this room that once in our lives when some homeless person walked into our church looking for a warm place to go the first thing in our mind was while they stink why are they here no I never say okay why aren't they here in church then did you go hug them did you thank them for coming I won't ever forget the first guy that I hugged that I found out after I hugged him he had AIDS I hugged him again partner for years and I baptized him in Jesus name he received the Holy Ghost moved out changed his life and died two months later because I remember when HIV first came out and nobody would touch anybody remember those I didn't know what else to do but say okay come on I remember praying in the altar over somebody were almost threw up because they smelled so bad but when they spoke in tongues God cleaned them up I'm not making that up that's the truth I'll tell you sometimes about my 10th meeting days when I was a kid my grandparents setting up a tent the drunks coming through the back of a tent want to disrupt service and pastor standing up there going in Jesus name I rebuke you and them going boom hitting the floor sober just like that speaking in tongue no smell of alcohol on them anybody nod why's that because you remember it so if that's the case what works Jesus did he says to us greater works so what's greater than raising the dead or feeding the multitudes or is that simply just a reference of you'll be able to do something really neat I am convinced that Jesus can do anything period I'm also convinced that he's waiting on us to believe and expect him to do so not at our glory but at his because see there's probably many of us and I'll just speak for myself probably me that would say man if I could just who pray somebody they get that man you know where I'd show up I'd be all over faith chapter I would I mean Facebook snap dragon and stuff I would why would people be calling me we want you to come to our church and preach hey he's probably oh yeah he's gonna want me to come I know he is he probably want me to see for him oh I know he will why because it's about us everyone y'all looking at me but I know exactly where you live as our pride stops us from so many things and our arrogance and our justification stop so many things what if God used you and nobody ever knew it that's the way I'd want it then you're not humble because honestly the fact is is when Jesus did what he did what did the people say what did the multitudes say Wow you don't believe it how did Bartimaeus know that Jesus was walking by he was blind because somebody round him was yelling Jesus he goes who I'm up for this Jesus I don't know your but and the things being to happen be quiet oh he's telling me to be quiet evidently I shouldn't be quiet where there not ten that I told to go and only one returns to give thanks oh well okay then your whole go they got to go show themselves to the priest they got to go through all of the ritual of that but you because you came back to give thanks you go now now what was the testimony difference that's a side note stay with me greater works is the church the vehicle for spreading of the good news of Jesus Christ to all nations that's a question is the church the vehicle and everybody do this yes but it's not the church building that does it it's the physical church the body that does that now you can answer this unless you don't want to and this this may be hard for some what is your occupation in life right now what's your job you got one you want one need one looking for one okay you got it there then how can you disciple somebody in that situation how how can you make a difference in someone's life wherever you're working right now wherever you're located right now how can you make a difference in their lives what can you do question do they consider you to be a help or hindrance do they consider you to be a godly person or not godly person do you talk about Sunday church on Tuesday but on Wednesday you don't act like it does your temper get the best of you does dishonesty get the best of you and now they're sitting there going with he no Christian I'm asking the fact is is on Sunday when you're here worshipping and shouting you ought to be able to take that same understanding to your workplace I'll bring it to my workplace every day I'm still working on the people of staff in the office but God knows oh she's in the back back there I'm sorry talk about Roman right yeah you know people I I'm a business owner I'm by myself I tell me I have a company party about once a week you know Christmas party I switch gifts with myself because that's the benefits right Ross and having your own company being so proprietor yeah well I think this ought to be a meal for training seminar write that one down how do I hold a fork what can you do right now to reach out to someone in your scope of life that's a very serious question what can you do think about it you may be in a large office complex you might be on an assembly line you may be in a place where you're the adult nobody else all kids are around I don't know can you make a difference in their life somebody mentioned teaching your children do you realize that if you're if you're a homemaker you have the incredible awesome responsibility of training of the next generation don't take that lightly cuz it'll come back and bite you in church when you're saying something your kid comes on say mommy you didn't say that about them and that's the one you said was ugly and my lion parents you got to be careful huh it could also be the one they say you know what my mommy says it's your prayer warrior well my daddy says that you know how to get ahold of God see your disciple in leading guiding the neck molding the next generation what can you do right now to reach out to someone that's in your scope God listen to this God has placed his word in front of you his spirit inside view and his command to you make disciples of men the process of teaching and training and showing and demonstrating to others can you put my image up still look at this right here I know this is very simple this is biblical many times ephesians if you go to the book of ephesians and it talks about some apostles some prophets evangelists pastors teachers we see that and we call it the word fivefold ministry and i wonder sometimes does that mean it's fivefold administer anyway it's the five complete processed ministries do you realize that if you simply wait for the ministry to do something the church will only see addition only one plus one plus one plus one because one at a time ministry the Apostles the prophets the evangelists the pastors the teachers they are going to fulfill their job and their job is going to be what to help equipped the Saints why Ephesians 4:11 he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers twelve says was somebody read that for me stop for the perfecting of the Saints God gave to the church fivefold ministry that it's referred to here apostles put a backup dill prophets evangelists pastors and teachers the reason that they are here is to mature the Saints for what what does it say work of the ministry if anybody in here is saying well the pastor's job is that or the teacher's job is that or the leaders job is that or the Evangelist job is that then it will happen follow me but it will be 1 plus plus plus plus plus plus it happens with addition only but if those five in that ministry can perfect mature the Saints for working in the ministry then it changes from that to multiplication what is 1 times to anybody what is two times for who what is 8 times 10 did you see what just happened it would take decades for ministry to add up to 80 one at a time one at a time one of the time perfecting the Saints maturing teaching equipping preparing the Saints the Saints are the ones that's supposed to do what the work of the ministry how's that I mean I thought the preacher did all that I thought pastor was supposed to be the one responsible for all that is that Bible what's it say the ministry that emphasis was talked about here said there's these apostles prophets evangelists pastors and teachers the reason that they've been given to you is for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ do you realize that edifying the body is not the ministry's job the preacher the teacher the Evangelist job stay with me for me till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto what a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive but speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the head even Christ what was written here to the church was simple the simply this God said I need people to be taught prepared event I need them I need that I need them to know what I've got for them and I'm gonna use preachers and apostles and teachers and evangelists and pastors to do exactly that but then when those Saints those members get a hold of it it's going to become their responsibility that's how the church grows rapidly listen to me friend this last Sunday the Lord blessed us in our celebration with 10 years of pastoring my wife and I my kids 20 years the church has been here I may say thank you Jesus I'm thankful for that but I want you to know if the Saints can get ahold of it and ministry can get ahold of it things can happen at such a breakneck speed you know why larger churches grow come on we all we've all said it before being guilty man if we just had 300 well how did they get there but Martin McCool who preached here on Sunday did a fabulous job they run about seven or eight hundred people in their church you know old their churches 60 something years old so I started doing the math I'm not a real bad guy but I understand math Sammy you're the math guy right so if we are where we are in 20 years 80 people we grow to 60 years in 40 years how many a year do we need to grow oh that's a lot I can tell by looking at that bunch or is those grandmas that's a whole heap that's a lot isn't it but what happens is what is if somebody somebody that sits in the pews every Sunday every Wednesday every prayer time every evening every you want to come to by themselves to pray to clean the church to do whatever if they get a hold of it and they begin to do the work that the ministry that God is doing in their lives and they share the gospel of Christ do you realize it would take a an apostle a prophet a teacher and evangelist a pastor it would take them years to get to the place to where they could grow it but if somebody in the pew gets a hold of it and they win a family that wins another family that wins another family God will work through the ministry in the Saints differently than he will with the leadership so what I'm trying for an example to do one plus one plus one plus one plus one if somebody in the ones would see it and receive it and say instead of my wheel Lord yours be done I'm gonna reach for somebody I'm gonna reach for my neighbor the one up the street that doesn't mean that I don't have to do anything or meaning she doesn't do anything it's simply what God's order is in the church it's for ministry to hear from him and prepare and equip the Saints that's why there's Sunday school every Sunday that's why there's prayer chain that's why there's all church prayer that's why they're singing and musicians doing things that's why there's meals that's why there's hosting green OUTFRONT that's why there's follow-up do you really I must want to say this when a guest walks through the doors of our church we do everything we can do to follow up with them and that's typically a letter or an email or text depending on what kind of information we get from them the next day the day after two days after from the church it's got my name on it so glad you came thank you for coming to Cornerstone taps talk Church to visit please come back and see us again I'm sure that that person appreciates the effort that's been given I'm sure but what if what if while they were here in service you took the time to work of the ministry and you got their phone number from them and on Monday evening you called them hey John this is Sam use it Church yesterday yes Sam hey buddy won't you know that Wednesday night after church we're gonna go to chick-fil-a I once see if you'll come and sit through the Bible study with me and then go to chick-fil-a after would you do that how much more effective would that be see I don't mind telling you I don't mind telling you I'll be very honest my wife and I beat each other up constantly over this what are we not doing what are we not doing what we're not doing why can't we get souls in the altar why can't we get people in the altar I don't mind I tell you that's I do and while I was reading through and reading over and reading over and reading over today and and I said Lord this is not a get-out-of-jail-free card for me and my wife at all but lord please help me to plant something in someone so that they can do the work of the ministry for the Gibson I've been looking at it wrong something that I was reminded of again today is there is not one shepherd that has ever shepherded sheep that reproduced another sheep didn't happen who reproduce a sheep sheep got time one day you do a study I'm watching the clock I'm coming to down in my last few points do a study when you get a chance on a shepherd you realize that a shepherd that takes care of a flock of sheep the sheep know his voice they respond to his voice true fact you can take ten herds of sheep put them all in one big array one big place and have all ten Shepherds standing outside the gate on all ten of those herds of sheep two hundred sheep whatever it is in there all within the compounds of a place a Corral whatever want to call it you can remove the gate listen to me you can remove the gate of that Corral where those two hundred-plus sheep have remains there ten different Shepherds that have taken care of their sheep and that Shepherd simply has to walk away from that Corral and begin to use his voice sing talk whistle whatever he has done to acclimate the sheep to him fact he can walk away from that Corral and begin to do his thing and no matter if his sheep are all mixed in with the rest of him you know where those sheep will begin to go they'll begin to follow that Shepherd because they don't know any other Shepherds way that's the relationship Jesus uses with Shepherds and flog stay with me do you realize that when a shepherd has a flock and one of the years gives birth the you will not accept the responsibility of that lamb until the Shepherd has accepted it she waits for the Shepherd's approval it's a fact if he doesn't hold nurture there the you will look at that lamb and say evidently you're not accepted and she will discard that lamp unless the Shepherd takes the responsibility of its fact the rod and staff reason I'm telling you that guys is because the Ministry of the church leadership is to perfect the Saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying what does it mean to edify something encourage build grow that's the job of Saints each church member has the God called command to do work of ministry reaching a lost world the leadership of the church is to equip and prepare the member to accomplish that goal that's why that's why your Sunday school teachers are there saying I'm here to teach you something I want you to know that if you learn your your your 10 commandments if you'll learn the books of the Bible if you'll learn this verse or if you'll learn how to interact with ear what you're doing is you're becoming equipped to go and do it for others when the musicians and singers are up here and they're leading and in worship they're not just here to have a big old party on this stage they're up here to say this is how we bless him and so those in the congregation who look up here I don't know how to worship God all I see is somebody up there doing this so you know what they do look around your kids sometimes what they're doing they're in church get the color and book away from them get the pad of paper away from them stand them up they're next to you and say you worship you do I don't know how this is how come on mom and dad kids got to learn they're not going to learn it just if it falls out of a video then I'm gonna learn it sitting there with something electronic in their hands they're gonna learn it by sitting there saying this is what church service is about wow she's crazy wow he's powerful now I know what they say about me Father's Day I got a thing from one of their Sunday School classes you know what it said on there he sweats it's loud he's funny I know what they say about me you're the guy upfront sweating all the time you're the guy screaming all the time see that's me I'd ok with that I am do you realize that the relationship that I had with my pastor growing up I was scared to death of him I revered him because I knew that if he ever snapped his favorite my wife when she was a kid and he did that he was no respecting respecting of people that's not what it says no respect you're a person and he said we don't do that in this church enolate give me did you learn did you ever do it again stay with me but I won't ever forget as I begin in ministry and a call of God on my life to say God I want to love you on a serve you and I had to begin to do things that were very uncomfortable god they're gonna hate me for that they're not gonna be my buddy they're gonna be my friend and God the whole time of saying that's not what you want what you want is you want to lead them they'll be your friend they'll thank you later brother Doron would you come help me please get me out of this mess if leaders are the only ones working in the harvest then addition is happening 1 plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 but if the members are working in the harvest multiplication is happening it's 1 times 3 times 6 times 12 times 2 times and it's exponential things happening making disciples of the church or making disciples is the church's responsibility we all have a part it's a radical change perhaps of mind and purpose of your heart that would launch this church forward some of you sitting here tonight you are incredibly talented resourceful people some of you Sunday School teachers blow my mind now that an egg carton in your hands becomes a tennis racket or whatever some of you singers and musicians blow my mind anybody cares I'll tell you this testimony or this guy that I know you want me to play what up the piano I'm alright I'm more of a guitar kind of guy okay plays the guitar oh we have a piano let's go to the piano Oh gg gg gg gg I don't ever forget the first few times I asked her on hey let's play this one she is so sweet to trust into whatever it was he go he wasn't even a deer in the headlights there was no car he was just lost huh I'm alright and the next service he walks in here and he says Patrick I'll show you something sweet if you learned that he said yeah to call mom but now listen I just soon sit in the presence of this guy playing than anybody guitar go man drums bass anybody seen him walk around up here he was braving a few months ago to bring a mandolin just waiting on the sack but to ask him about that that's an instrument right what you saying pass what I'm saying is this it might be that this is a radical change maybe some of us need to change our prayer God let me grow as a member of this church in maturing so that I will see the need to reach out and Lord let me trust the leadership enough to say if I get him here they'll disciple and help them they'll help me to help them they'll acquit me they acquit them stand with me would you please want to pray together right now Jesus Jesus Jesus you're real everything about you is perfect everything about you Lord is correct it's in place it's beautiful I know God that you have done an incredible work in the lives of every single one of us Lord you have shown yourself so very strong and faithful to each of us I'm thankful for that Lord but help us in 2018 or this generation help us God to see your coming as soon we've got to do what we can do now while it is day nights coming Lord nobody can do anything I pray Lord that we would grow with purpose that we would multiply Lord with purpose I pray Lord for a pastors wisdom to know how to equip and to prepare and to lead those who are out reaching or the harvest I believe you Jesus you have so much for us greater things more to the church help us in this our Lord not to be distracted but help us Lord to be focused on you your purpose and your plan for each one of us the name of Jesus Lord go with us this week come back this weekend Lord expecting rain and wonderful things in the power of the Holy Ghost anoint us O God for this hour let us do Lord what you call us to do bless every heart in every home that's represented here tonight let us grow in favor Lord in the name of Jesus be glorified Lord I pray in all things love you honor and trust you Jesus you are great and greatly to be praised in the name of Jesus we pray come on before you go home would you lift your hand and thank him thank you Jesus thank you Jesus love your lord i love you lord i love you come on thank you sir I thank you Jesus I thank you Jesus I believe hallelujah and somebody say in Jesus name