Discipleship: Restoration

Accountability is not waiving your finger at someone and say you better stop doing that. You better not do this, you better not watch that is in us. Of gentleness is a portion of the upcoming message title discipleship restoration by pastor Avedon shot the church in Henderson, North Carolina Clearview. Our focus is on making Christ visible how we worship to the way we serve the love we have for each other. Come check us out at 3485 Oxford Rd. in Henderson or visit us online Clearview BC.org join us for the rest of this week's message. Have you ever observed how dance and TS ants help other ants. Have you ever seen that. I know you don't like to see ants in your house.

I do understand that but have you ever observed how the worker ants leave their nest and they go out looking for food to go out looking for sugar rains or whatever you leave on the counter.

The go out looking for them and they will leave a trail in a chemical sin is the pheromone sent all the way back to the nest and they do that sometimes it will even double down on this sent to tell the worker ants back home. Follow this trail. Don't waste your time going here and there, follow this trail. There is food and some varieties of ants.

They even have what they call warrior ants and they would go and fight other bugs or critters like termites and if they get hurt. Did you know that other ants will pick up those warrior ants, and take him back to the nest so they can heal up and fight again on is really odd to know that. But ants are known to help other ants about crabs. They're not that helpful. In fact, you can take a bunch of crabs thrown in a bucket and you don't have to put a lid on it because of one tries to escape the others will bloom down and spell each other up crabs each other down as the ones that have to do with our series on discipleship has a lot to do in the Christian life.

What you and I need are more ants and less cramps.

We need people who will pull us up will encourage us guide us, pray for us, not pull us down. In fact that's what biblical accountability is all about, and this morning I want to help you understand that and clear some confusions about true accountability is helping other people in their walk pulling them up rather than tearing them down. If you have your Bibles with you.

Galatians chapter 6, I have mentioned this passage over and over again. Galatians chapter 6 starting in verse one and let's once again stand for the reading of God's word, brethren, if a man is overtaken in by the way, you can translate this into the feminine gender brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in his spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ were if anyone thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work before you can help someone examine your own work before you can live someone up, make sure that you are not down the enemy is not pulling down, but each one examine his own work and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another. Which means this you will be like a look at them falling in fact, you will realize hey that could be me and then finally, for each one shall bear his own load there is a question for you today and I really want you do answer that question don't just use this as a buffer before I prayed and that our preachers a question who is holding you accountable in your walk. My wife, my mom, my husband not enough is that spiritual brother who will come after you and restore you in a spirit of gentleness. Who has that sister who will come after you ladies and restore you in a spirit of gentleness.

Who is holding you accountable. Who is there to pull you up.

The flip side of the question is who are you there to pull up who wore the people in your life who look to you for accountability. A look if I slip, I know so-and-so is going to come after me. I know they can pray for you. I know they're there for me and the main question every time.

Are you say do you know Christ as your Savior, to keep the same imagery. Have you ever asked Jesus Christ to pull you out of sin to pull you out of your condemnation. Has there ever been a time that you reached up and took hold of his hands pulled up and found yourself say that's never happened today is the day you need to take hold of the nail scarred hands of Jesus Christ, as I've been saying for the past couple weeks it's been awesome for me to see people responding to this series of messages is beautiful for me to see the response that's going on.

People are making inner circles is beautiful. We've had so many inner circle starting is a group of 3 to 5 individuals who are getting into those groups getting into the word of God memorizing scriptures holding each other accountable and praying there may not have everything together but the work has begun is beautiful to see that. I'm also aware there are some people who are still struggling this still have some questions about how to these things work. How does it all happen and what I have noticed is typically most people have no problem with this imagery of water, most of them are fine with most of the elements. For example, you start with W which is witnesses people understand hey you disciple should make disciples should have a testimony, no problem. Tears together, which means we need to come together, come together to hear God's word come together for Sunday school come together for small groups no problem with that is established in the word be grounded in the truth all risk reproducing disciples. A disciple should make disciples no problem with W TER, but there is one place that some people are still struggling is with a riches for accountability people still have questions this morning.

What I want to do is I want to help you clear up some of those misunderstandings and help you appreciate this. It may not be the season right now for you, but that but I'm praying that you will understand the benefits of accountability. The benefits are getting into these inner circles of 3 to 5 individuals gender specific believers close groups for a period of time meeting on a weekly basis. I'm praying that you will really consider that not here's my challenge to you. Please don't trash. You may be saying I don't need this stuff. I got my small group and I got my Sunday school and I got my podcast and I got my favored biopsy.

Please don't trash it because what you may think it's an ugly uncomfortable fast is a lifejacket somebody as your walk around second oldest somebodies walking by you and guess what they're saying. I guess I'll need it either. And now and now their marriage has just fallen apart. Are you responsible for them. Are you going to be there when the children are bounced around from this house to that house.

Are you going to be there.

Are you want to be there when that young person goes ahead and puts a bullet in his head. Are you going to be there so the slow your roll hang on.

Stop don't don't trash something that you may not be ready for that's the only life preserver.

They have there's a reason why your pastor is preaching decision how easy is for me just find a book and reach through it and dynamic by going is awesome know there's a reason I'm doing this because her needs that people are hurting their marriages that are struggling and one man cannot be there 24 seven to help everybody unless that young person gets into that group of 3 to 5 that's the only lifeline he is God unless that young lady gets into that group. She's about to walk away from her marriage. My encouragement to you is humble yourself.

Just know you may not be ready for it. You maybe find somebody else needs it desperately can have a name, and on that not already preached a message on accountabilities I want to preach that message again. I just want to clear up some misunderstandings of how this works in that inner circle. How would worsen the group of 3 to 5 and I'm getting some of these points from Robbie glad him to come to that a few moments but here's the first one I want to do. Don't confuse Sunday school in small groups with inner circles.

I love Sunday school is a wonderful time you get into the word you fellowship with other believers. You pray for each other there for each other.

You make connections small groups are wonderful is a great time. If you are empty-nesters to come together. You know once a month or whatever you do, or young couples or whatever small group you have.

It's great to do that. But here's the problem. In these Sunday school groups and in these small groups you're not making disciples what I often hear something like this. I love my Sunday school teacher. I love our group man I was sick in the hospital and they all came to see me. What did Jesus say in the great commission, God therefore and love your Sunday school teacher did Jesus say God therefore get into a group so when you get sick, you have people come see you. What is a go therefore and make disciples Sunday school groups or small groups by definition are wonderful to connect to grow to relate with each other but they don't spawn more groups. What happens is you just love you group and you stated that people who've been in the Sunday school class for 30 years and that's wonderful, inner circles, by definition, and in the goal is every person in that inner circle starts a new inner circle makes disciples jargon that so don't confuse those to hear something else.

Don't confuse one-on-one mentoring with inner circles that I do a lot of one-on-one mentoring, I meet with young people I meet with people older than me and will meet every week or will meet every month and we talk about the Bible, Jesus did that he met with the Samaritan woman at the well. He met with Nicodemus.

He met with Peter by himself after he rose from the great, but folks there some things one-on-one mentoring can do but a lot of things cannot happen in one-on-one mentoring. In fact Solomon the wisest man will ever live other than Jesus Christ said it so well. Ecclesiastes for nonusers to are better than one. There are no loners in the Christian life to are better than one because they have a code reward for their labor. Though one may be overpowered by another who can withstand him so one, but two is better in a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Robbie glad he gives about eight reasons quickly walk through them why it's better to get into an inner circle. 3 to 5 individuals more than just being one-on-one. First is you avoid the ping-pong match. I met with people one on one.

Guess what happens to begin with something like this how you doing unless the person is talkative is usually good arrive. You have a good week where okay then well then we can pray today know everything is going well I please. For goodness sakes say something when you have three other people in that room with you. Guess what happened somebody else. As you know I was thinking the other day. This is happening in our community are in.

Thank you Lord, you avoid the ping-pong match something else while one is difficult to reproduce that I'm a pastor Robin in the ward for a long time just a little different but I can imagine is the same thing. If you are trying disciples one person. What happens is if that person is weak if that person is new.

What's gonna happen is you will pretty much quench any desire any motivation in them to reproduce disciples.

This is well often heard Pastor.

I'm so amazed at how much you know I could never do that. My shoulders like this.

At that moment. Great. I was hoping that at the end of the year or the end of the summer you will go out there and find someone else and teach them the word of God and disciple them, but now you're looking up to me and going.

I could never it's amazing how much Bible you know I could never do that. I walk away, going Lord, I failed one-on-one is difficult to reproduce. Here's number three, he gives a group of two attempts to become a counseling session unless that person is very determined to learn the word of God. This was going to happen though Saddam go let me tell you about how I grew up. 20 minutes is gone. Talk about how bad it was as a child and you can say will forget about that. Let's get into the gospel of John me what you do you go oh man I was I was I was bad, so sorry to hear that. Tell me more, and then I had relationship problems and I had this now you have a whole hour long therapy is that discipleship course not. This may be hard for some of you understand because if if you've never done this. This is new to you, but some of you who have done discipleship and you know what it means to help mentor other people you know exactly what I'm talking about. Here's number four, a group of 3 to 5 has built-in accountability. What happens my brother when I made next Wednesday morning and we meet every Wednesday. I want to start this week by reading the gospel of John and memorize John chapter 1 verse 12.

God awesome Tuesday evening. They were meeting tomorrow morning and says there's a restaurant you know, yeah, see you there.

I food is great. You know everything is wonderful, so how did you what you feel about John chapter 10 man, you know what, I had a rough week. I did read anything this week we'll talk about that and do their homework.

It's over. But what if the other two individuals have read John chapter 1 and they have memorize John chapter 1 verse 12 what can happen now.

Even if this person hasn't done.

There were the other two have and you begin to begin the process of discipleship and guess what this guy's gonna do this girls gonna do next week should be like Marilyn look like a fool I better read John chapter 2, so that's reason number four here's reason number five and I really want to get this reason, a multiplication strategy is faster is faster than an addition strategy now numbers are our friends, business people here know that numbers are our friends Keith Phillips were to book back in 1981 on discipleship. It was called the making of a disciple. And in this book. He presented a chart what he did was he laid out over 16 years.

What will happen if someone is an evangelist versus someone is a disciple maker to hidden this comparison for 32 years, but just for our sake let's say for 16 years evangelist disciple maker and inner circle list of the comparison for evangelist. Imagine someone who makes a convert. One convert per day for a whole year.

How many is that 365 right that's an ideal world, 365 people get say what happens the next year 730 what happens the next year 1095. I have written down here in case you're wondering what happens in 16 years, 5804 as an ideal world folks out of anybody… Jesus Christ, you can make one disciple, he today for 16 years, 5840 I think about a disciple maker not this disciple maker does not make one disciple a day, but they make one disciple a year. So at the end of the year. How many disciples makers do you have. Start with one and he is making one how many that to about the next year how many have floor how the next year how many you have a checkmark with a 1632, 64, at the end of 16 years, 65,536 disciples, but you do only one a year. But you see what's happening. Numbers are our friends exponentially begins to multiply. We do know that the first option is not going to happen. I don't know of anybody who will get someone save every single day, but you can make one disciple year now convert this into the inner circle model. What happens when you are in inner circle.

How many have much to say you have three the first year you and two other individuals. How many of you have the next year on the masses to early on a Sunday morning nine. How many of the following year. 9×327 I made the following year, 81, how many of the end of 16 years, 43 million people. What is the goal. What did Jesus say go therefore and make disciples folks would you agree with me that we have done a very poor job of making disciples because the problem is were not making disciples, we get them saying we get them wet, but nothing else happens there. Don't go out there and mentor people who mentor others to follow Jesus Christ. Reason number 611.

The group can be a one-on-one group can be intimidating, which means this is very hard for people to talk about their personal lives to talk to me because I'm a pastor.

They feel confidential, but if you get two men together in a tall, very rare number seven you grow as a group Christian life is not an individual sport.

It is a team sport. When someone falls, the other person is there to pick them up. One person cannot be there to pick everybody when the group is 3 to 5 and someone is down someone is hurting someone is struggling even if I can't, he can he care or even if she can, she can. And here's the last one. Robbie Colletti says Jesus disciple in groups and I repeated this again and again I want to go over all that.

Bottom line is this.

There are so many benefits to the inner circle so many benefits to getting into the groups of 3 to 5 and I'm really grateful out on preaching hard this morning.

I'm really grateful a clear view 67 groups have already begun and some of those individuals really need to be in those groups and I'm grateful to God. Some of you have invited them to be in your group. Praise God for that. Praise God for. I'm really grateful and some of you haven't started this is not a condemnation is an encouragement pray see what God is telling you and begin make disciples who make disciple.

Here's the last one. Don't confuse biblical correction with control and condemnation.

A major reason that many people are reluctant to join an accountability group and inner circle is because I feel like someone will tell them how to live folks. The purpose is not to control each other. The purpose is not to condemn each other and feel better about yourself. The purpose is biblical correction. Helping people get on track slowing them down in the slippery slope of sin not. I work with the police officers. I have talked to many of them and I'll tell you this, you may not believe this Army may believe it. If you have some who have served.

Most of them do not want to give to because they're not eager on, saying, let me make your day go bad. All right, but here's my question to you what happens when you see those lights what happens when you see the lights on top of a car and you are doing 65 in a 35 what will you do you slow down you slow down because you feel like thank you for reminding me.

I wanted to keep the law, but it just slipped my mind. You brought it to my mind.

Thank you so know you slow down the go you want to go take it you want to be embarrassed thereby drives by you. No one had to sit in court and you don't want your insurance to go up. Amen. What is the purpose of the accountability group slow you down.

If I had to face those three men and here there's a temptation from me to look at pornography tomorrow morning and see those men and talk about John 112 is that is that in the Bible. I don't know is that in the Bible. This verse again. What is a safe breath rent. If a man is overtaken in any trespass, the Holy Spirit will helps restore such a one is a what is it you are spiritual.

There's a reason why people go off the deep end even though they know Christ is because there is no one there.

They don't see the lights. They don't see the car with those blue lights to say I need to slow down you are spiritual and how you do it you restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Biblical accountability is not waiving your finger at someone saying you better stop doing that he better not do this, you better not watch that is in a spirit of gentleness. Robbie Colletti says accountability must be couched in grace.

Avoid narcissistic self improvement regimens that turn grace into law. The goal is not controlling people or condemning people or criticizing people, but restoring people is in your Bible. So what is the same guard that God has given his someone is being overtaken by sin. Those who are spiritual. You are to help them. I would never endorse a program, a book a idea unless it is coming from the word of God. John here that I will not endorse.

I don't care if it comes from Nashville. I don't care if it comes from coax Barry. I don't care if it comes from some Christian publishing house. If it's not coming from the word of God is not been be preached from here. This is in the Bible you do it with gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. So when I'm telling that man hey man, listen up, you should not be doing this you should not be doing. I need to know that Satan is waiting for me to bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For anyone thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each one examine his own work and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone and not another. And this is it different, rejoicing at seven.

It's an ugly sinful demonic rejoicing that happens deep within. When we hear that someone's marriage is on the rocks and someone's child is not behaving in someone's engagement has fallen apart as someone is doing drugs of someone is alcohol. I don't know how that happens but it's a sinful is the old sin says who agree. I got something to talk about now.

If you truly spiritual. Your heart should be broken even if it's your enemy who is struggling.

Paul says in first Corinthians 1510 but by the grace of God I am what I am what you are where you are not because you made all the right decisions in life is the grace of God that has brought you are you are extend the same grace to other people extend the same gentleness, gentleness and kindness to other people. Did you know that he only one or two decisions away from being locked up. The people sitting around not know what accountability is realizing that God has in his word. You want spiritual help someone else. Accountability is not only alive someone telling you how to live. Getting up on business countability is so that you will each other up, just like this answer will each other. You may need accountability or someone around my relationship so much for joining us for this week's message God has placed godly people in your life.

Hold you accountable. Stay focused spiritually through these relationships gets our attention restores us and puts us back on the right path. For more information visit us online@ubc.org for the sermons, notes, check out Pastor Sean's block of it on shop.com