Discipleship 4: Established in the Word

A disciple is not someone who just had head knowledge.

There also needs to be out. Are you observing are you will be all things that just turn a portion of upcoming discipleship for established in the word pastor Avedon Shaw of Clearview church in Henderson North Carolina I Clearview.

Our focus is on creating an atmosphere of genuine worship and community come check us out at 3485 Oxford Rd. in Henderson or visit us online@clearviewb.org join us for this weeks message question for all the men who are here today. How many of y'all enjoy reading instructional manuals anybody here that is like you get something new. I gotta read instructional many men over here please don't raise your hand.

You gotta solidarity for the men we don't like it. I don't know why it is and is frustrating to the ladies because they say their screws left over here this stuff here like I will be okay.

Maybe all you're doing is building a little girls doll house or a bookshelf.

Not a big deal putting up a ceiling fan. It's a big deal better read if you don't know how to do it or garbage disposal that's even worse.

The Bible is God's instructional manual. It has an answer for every situation in life, every disciple, men, women, Boys and Girls Club and America all over the world. If you are a disciple you should be in the word you should be established in the word mark of a disciple is that they are observing the commands of Jesus Christ.

Failure to follow the instructional manual is disastrous and is even dangerous to your testimony. If you have your Bibles with you this morning is very familiar passage from Matthew chapter 28 the great commission Jesus set a line in that passage that tells us that a disciple should be established in the word.

And Jesus came and spoke to them saying all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit baptism doesn't save you is simply a mark of enrollment into God's family. Once you have done the enrollment. What happens teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.

You want to be a disciple you want to make disciples. Here's the key line teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.

And low.

I'm with you always, even to the end of the age. A man teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.

The question for you this morning as we go further into the messages. This are you learning all things that Jesus has commanded us.

But even further.

Are you observing a disciple is not someone who just has had knowledge. There also needs to be application are you observing are you obeying all things that Jesus has commanded us the mark of a disciple. Are you disciple. If you've never received Christ as your Savior. You may be a church member, you may be a Baptist or Methodist or Pentecostal or Presbyterian or whatever you are, but you are not a disciple to be a disciple. There has to be a point in your life where you ask Jesus to save you. He not only saves you but he becomes the master of your life now from here on, you follow him and you observe all things that he has commanded us. If you haven't done that today is a day as you know ever met people here this morning who are here for the first time I haven't been here for a couple weeks we been in our series on discipleship and we have this acronym water.

This word water, which is an acronym and you should have it memorized by now. W means witnesses, every disciple should be a witness, you should have a testimony of who you were before Christ. Christ came into your life and who are you, since Christ has come into your life. There should be a change is accountability every man or woman should have gender specific me.

Which means if you're a woman other women, men, other men, who hold you accountable who ask the tough questions and help you make the right decisions in life. It doesn't mean they get up all in your business doesn't mean they ask you what did you and your husband find about it doesn't is not their business to ask how much money you have in your bank account that's called meddling. Accountability is much different tedious togetherness. We looked at it last week and today is he established in the word and next weekend is our riches reproducing other disciples. Listen again to that line teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. One of those things that Jesus commanded his disciples if we were to look at everything that he commanded we would be here for years. In fact, John tells us that if everything Jesus said and did were to be put down in paper the whole world could not contain it.

So I believe in preaching only 30 minutes. Amen we don't have enough time to go through every little detail but I believe there are ways that you can condense what Jesus talked about two major things that Jesus taught his disciples.

And if you are not going to be his disciples. We need the same truth in our life and we have to observe it to main things you can condense Jesus teaching to number one is this Jesus taught his disciples the meaning of the kingdom of God and Jesus come preaching. He began his preaching with repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

The Jewish people who observe the Old Testament had no problem with the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven.

There, it had two meanings for them. Number one the kingdom of God is God's indirect sovereign rule over his whole creation which means this at this moment who is in charge.

God is in charge.

He is the king. He is in control. There's nothing that happens in this world without his command, but I can see him. I mean do you know are God's palaces.

Do you know where his throne as the psalmist talk about the throne of God in the heavens, but you can travel up there.

You don't see it is in direct that's God's sovereign rule. At the present time, but the second meaning is that somewhere in the future. God will directly rule over this earth.

He will directly come and punish the wicked and give honor and justice and righteousness to his people Israel there promises that God made to his people Israel that he will complete he will fulfill and that is going to be towards the end and the Messiah is the one who would make all this happen.

He will establish the kingdom of God on the earth for a period of time when Jesus came preaching repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The Jewish people based on the Old Testament near what the kingdom of God is, but they had a little problem with what he said what he said is it has begun what he mean it has begun. The Romans are still in charge. The tax collectors are still collecting taxes. The prostitutes are still prostituting what you mean. The kingdom of heaven has begun, the Messiah has to do that would Jesus do if you read the Gospels carefully, repeatedly, he taught his disciples and the multitudes about the kingdom of God. The kingdom of heaven to give them parables. Members of this parables in Matthew 13 the kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in the field.

The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal. Everything is somewhat under and hidden and secretive the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls that are out there, but you can see it and he is going after the state. What Jesus was telling them is this one day in the future it will happen and you will see the kingdom.

But even right now the kingdom has already begun, albeit it is internal and spiritual, but it's very real.

What Jesus did, then was told the listeners how to get into the kingdom.

He gave them certain requirements which I believe every man, woman, boy and girl needs to think and listen and say if you have not done this. You're probably lost. Listen to the requirements number one reject self-righteousness, listen to Matthew 2131. Assuredly, I say to you, he's talking the chief priests and the elders that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. If you try to get into this kingdom, which is internal and spiritual but very real. By bringing your good deeds Obama good man.

Our family give to the church and we do things.

I go feed the hungry, and I let the lady cut her grandson to help this person cross the street. If you think that's going to get you to God gets to get you into the kingdom can do it. There's a tax collector over there men are robbed everybody trust me around a lot of people. I am no good God, come on in.

There's a prostitute over there who has sold her body.

There's nothing good left in her.

God says come on you can enter the kingdom of God. But if you bring a self-righteousness can commit. You have to reject sins attraction, which means if you say all I want Jesus on the kingdom, but I love my relationship I'm shacking up over here I'm doing addiction and in August I can give that up.

Listen to Mark 947 if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out, it is better for you so that were with me. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. Another requirement don't rely on earthly treasures to get you into the kingdom of God.

Mark 1025 is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.

Then for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. Get a picture that someone trying to thread a camel with the snout and with the home through this little tiny eye of a needle is impossible. What Jesus is saying is if you rely on your earthly treasures and accomplishments and houses and boats in jobs and connections to get into my kingdom stop at the door. He can commit. I don't understand this is not about God hating rich people I have found more poor and middle-class people who are materialistic than rich people. Something else don't give lip service, but is not gonna get you into the kingdom. Matthew 721. Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my father in heaven. If you made up your mind yeah I'm going charge, received Jesus, I was told what I want to do my eyes will go home and have a good time you're not in the kingdom. If you have second thoughts were, you start towards God and you want to have Christ in your life but you look back. Jesus said in Luke 962. No one, having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.

The requirements are high.

So what can get is in Jesus.

What should we do gotta be like a little child. Gotta have a childlike faith to get into this kingdom. Listen to what he said, Luke 18, seven assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child while will by no means enter it sometime people are all immuno confuse and parents alike on Monroe does Johnny get the gospel. I don't think against the gospel, here's my challenge to you Johnny gets the gospel much better than you get the gospel because Johnny doesn't have all the baggage that you do is stepparents that are the problem is the adults who who have trouble getting the simple concept that I need God in my heart.

It is a childlike innocent feint that says I don't see the kingdom but I believe it's real and I wanted my here's the key verse on how to enter into this kingdom.

John chapter 3 verse three be born again.

And Jesus answered and said to him, Nicodemus is the one that Jesus talking to most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. So the question this morning is what are the requirements if you try to bring your righteousness if you try to hang on to sin. If you trust in your riches if you try to look forward and then look back can do it if you just give lip service on Jesus, I love you to all our love charge. I love my favorite preachers, that does not get you into the kingdom of heaven is a childlike simple faith that is willing to let God regenerate you and make you born again in Jesus Christ that gets you to the kingdom. So the question this morning is has that happened to you know what Jesus was telling his disciples in Matthew 28 go make disciples baptize them in God's guess what moment you do that start teaching them the stuff.

Tell them the stuff and not just tell them to stop, but tell them to keep this stuff to obey this stuff. We have lost sight of this stuff. So what we do in charge.

We have our traditional and you know we've refined over stuff that doesn't really matter. We have lost sight of Jesus's teachings we have lost side song Marge and churches are dying but people are willing to sink inside take that over what the master has commanded me. Have you received the kingdom of God, which means this. Are you born again heavy exercise childlike faith and receive Christ as your Savior is I have to see it to believe it. You never gonna see it until you believe it to the first thing Jesus taught his disciples, is the meaning of the kingdom of God with the second thing he taught them was a lifestyle of the kingdom of God. In fact, I challenge you to go through the Gospels and you'll be able to condense Jesus is teaching under these two categories. The meaning of the kingdom of God and the lifestyle of the kingdom of God now want to pay attention.

Jesus often said and did things that sounded contradictory to the Old Testament law yes many times Jesus did things and sent thing that seemed like he was breaking the commandment.

For example, Mark 715. There is nothing he said that enters a man from outside which can defile him.

Now this was going directly contrary to the Old Testament law zero the Jewish people were given the law about what you can eat what you can eat, and even how you can cook what you can eat me. There were so many rules of purification. They had dietary laws. Jesus is saying something real you say there is nothing that enters a man or a woman from the outside, which can differ while him or defile her and then he says, but the things which come out of him. Those are the things that defile a man. Those ugly words that came out of your mouth to word your spouse or your neighbor or your children or your parents. Those are the things that defile you not the food you're putting into your mouth. Seems like Jesus has just violated the dietary laws of the Old Testament doesn't he did it again. Listen to Luke 61 not happen on the Sabbath of the second Sabbath after the first that he went through the grain fields. By the way on the Sabbath. You were not allowed to cook food, you were not allowed to do any work, especially harvest not allowed to do that. He is going to the grain fields.

But something happens and his disciples plot. The heads of grain, which is reaping and they ain't been but how to do it running them in their hands are, you know what they're doing there making flower. It seems like Jesus has just violated the Sabbath honor the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. What exactly is happening. What is happening is this post.

Jesus is not trying to teach his disciples to break the Old Testament or to be agitators or to be non-traditionalist. He is teaching them. Listen carefully.

The difference between the letter of the law and the essence of the law. The letter of the law kills the essence of the law is life. In fact, he fussed at the Pharisees and the scribes many times. Matthew 2323 says woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, hypocrite is a person who pretends to be something that they're not for you pay time of mint and anise and cumin is what they would do is if they had 10 leaves, they would go. Okay one leave to the Lord.

I mean they were keeping the letter of the law, but this is what Jesus said but you have neglected the weightier things of the law, which is what justice and mercy, and faith what they were doing was they were taking widows properties and putting them out in the streets and willing to stone a woman caught in adultery. While the man goes free. No one talks about that man a man no one said a word about him. There were, they were being hypocrites and Jesus said you're doing all these things, and yet you don't have justice and mercy, and faith. So what Jesus did is not that okay the Old Testament law gone. No, he says just the opposite. Listen to Matthew five verse 17 do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy but to was the word fulfill. But then he says something that is so mind blowing, for I say to you that unless your righteousness exceeds was or exceed me, it needs to be more than the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven which means this Jesus did not lower the standards he read is the stamp Jesus is raising the standard of righteousness. In fact, if you want to know the standard for US Christians and eyes Christians read the sermon on the Mount six antithesis you have heard it said but I say to you, remember that you read it somewhere. You heard it said but I say to you, you heard it said do not commit murder. But I say to you that even if you're angry with your brother without a cause. You just as much guilty. You shall not commit adultery. All man rough and lower never done that on word now. Even if you look at a woman with lust in your heart. Ladies, if you look at a man with lust in your heart you already done it. You heard it said, and I for an eye to the protests. But I say to you, if someone strikes you turn the other cheek you harness said love your neighbor and hate your enemies but I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you see if you can try that you see in Jesus extended this call and said come follow me. People were saying.

I don't know about this.

At least they were not being hypocrites, Christians in America are about to hit what is my gas, I surrender all your serve and then we live and we hate and read backstabbing and talk trash about her body and hide hate in our hearts and find two Bible verses to support our hate. If you walk away from here today saying I don't saved but I do know Manda Ellis that's tough. But you know what, if that's what it means to be a disciple from here on, do it. If men, women, boys and goes you walk away from this place and say from here on I am going to do what Jesus has told me to do in the sermon on the mount. I will keep that hot.

You have missed the point of the message.

What Jesus was really doing is this you can never keep God's standard of righteousness. Someone has to die and pay the penalty of your sins's head in the process because he is innocent and righteous. Now, his righteousness is applied to pauses really well look on the screen in Romans chapter 8 from of the law could not do that.

It was weak through the flesh. If you walk away from me as a man fought with my why I need to be nice to fought with much will be nicer than them.

If you walk away law is weak through the flesh, listen, God did by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh on account of sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law of the righteous requirement to get on screen the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the spirit. This is what happens when you do not receive Christ.

When we fulfill the requirements leaving everything behind. Go all in it childlike faith were born again were regenerated at that moment the Holy Spirit comes to build inside of us and this is what he's doing. He's making the life of Jesus real in us. He's bringing the righteousness of Christ in us. So when I cannot love people the way I'm supposed to. He loves them through me. You have to submit to him. That's what I believe Christians are the biggest hindrances to the gospel.

As we have the wrong gospel in the world says you're doing the same thing I'm doing except you talk about Jesus, but shorter work for you.

Why would work for me. When Jesus said, go into all the world make disciples, baptizing them means and roll them and then teach them to observe all things that I have commanded you. These are the all things he was talking about. Tell them about the kingdom, tell them how to get into the kingdom and tell them what happens once they're in the kingdom, tell them the standard of righteousness but also tell them that I am divine they are the branches. Unless they abide in me, they can do nothing and once my word is in them, and they let my kingdom grow in them.

They will do things that cannot be done in the flesh mask this morning. Are you truly a disciple of Christ.

Has there been a point in your life. Are you recognized your lack of self efforts and the need for the righteousness of Christ. Has there been a place in your life where you sense the presence of the Holy Spirit doing in you what you can never do for yourself, then here's a question for you how much is this book in your life. Are you a disciple, are you establishing the word if you never give your heart to Christ. It is a day if you have given your heart to Christ.

Be a disciple is not about how much you're trying to keep God standards how much God is living through you. The righteousness of Christ is working through you.

He will help you do what you can never do on your own. Thank you so much for joining us for this as disciples. Our lives should be established. God when life seems chaotic. Our foundation sure. Ask God today to help you develop genuine love for his work more information, visit us online at Clearview B's. He.org and for this sermon. Check on Pastor Sean's block but on shop.com