Discipleship 2: Accountable

Accountability is like guardrails on the road of discipleship is to one male or female, your whole marital single to have accountability in the airline certain portion of the upcoming message time accountable by pastor Avedon Shaw of Clearview church in Henderson, North Carolina I Clearview.

Our focus is making Christ visible providing an atmosphere of worship and community would love for you to come worship with us at 3485 Oxford Rd. in Henderson. Or you can visit us online@clearviewbc.org and join us for this week's message about nine years ago Nicole and I decided take our kids out West and I love the old West. As many of you know, and so we drove from here and went up towards Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, up into Colorado and then down to Utah and became a union job geography lesson here came all the way down to the southern states. We had a wonderful time. It was a trip of a lifetime, except for one part was one point where we left Estes Park if you know Colorado been there. We left Estes Park headed towards southern Colorado into Utah and we had two options. Either we could take the long road which is the interstate into Utah. Or we could take the short scenic route through the Rockies what he thing I chose.

Of course you don't come here twice. So let's go to the short scenic route through the Rockies. 30 minutes into the trip.

We realized it was a big mistake. Maybe all been there, you know exactly what I'm talking about. I don't if things have changed since then but it was a narrow road, no shoulders, no guardrails and a drop on either side is not a sheer drop but we will.

I can see where were going with this. There were no guardrails. That's the thing that scared me the most that if you were to veer off at least something will be there but nothing was there for God we made it. What does that have to do with this message. Accountability is like guardrails on the road of discipleship, it is imperative for everyone, male or female, young or old marital single to have accountability in their lives.

You have a Bibles with you in our series on discipleship today become too accountability of the two passages eloquently read, but there's much more coming in this message.

But let's all stand once again for the reading of God's word. The first is Mark chapter 6 verse seven. The second is Luke chapter 10 verse one in all the Scriptures on this screen and on the block side, but you can also turn your Bibles and follow along. The first one Mark chapter 6 verse seven and heat meaning. Jesus called the 12 disciples to himself and began to send them out to buy two and he gave them power over unclean spirits second reference is Luke chapter 10 and verse one after these things the Lord appointed 70 others. There was an inner circle of three and then 12 and then 70 he appointed 70 others also and send them there is that phrase again. What is it to buy to before his face into every city in place where he himself was about to go you see both of the 12 disciples and the 70 disciples. Jesus send them out to buy to you send them in pairs, among other reasons, I believe it was to keep them accountable to each other before getting to this message on to give your question that I want to be thinking about that question. Throughout this message, and I had to do the same thing and praise God. I have actually applied this message in my life for some time but is help me understand the value of accountability. Here's the question, who do you have in your life right now. If you're a woman another women. Who do you have in your life.

If your man other men who are willing to ask you the hard questions. I'm not talking about getting in your business not talking about getting you know all weird, but who in your life do you have that when you're about to make bad decisions. They will wake you up and say when it would eat up what was going on. Who do you have in your life who is willing to encourage you to make positive decisions. You see, no accountability equals no guardrails on the road of discipleship and someone says may not be in Jesus. That's all I need. I got the Bible got the Holy Spirit bring it on.

That's a prime target for the enemy good man and good women have fallen when the least expected. Who do you have in your life and before you can have accountability that have discipleship which means you gotta be saved if you not save this message is not really for you. The first step is you have to become a disciple you have to get say are you saved are you a believer. Have you received Christ in your life. For those of you here the first time were in our series on discipleship which I began to weekends ago and the first message I laid out an acronym where every letter means something water where water represents the marks of a disciple. If you claim Christ, then you should be a disciple as a disciple.

These are the five things that should be seen in your life. Number one is W's witnesses.

You should have a testimony of what Christ has done in your life is accountability, which we will look at in the moment tea is togetherness in the body is established in the word and are is reproducing a disciple should reproduce other disciples that's much more than evangelism.

Lastly, can be looked at W this weekend. I want us to look at the second letter which is accountability and basically two things I would emphasize there's much under those two categories. The first is this Jesus knew the value of accountability to start with the two verses we just read both of the 12 disciples and the 70 disciples. Jesus send them out. How to buy to send them in pairs.

He gave them incredible power over unclean spirits and they even came back rejoicing and saying we have power over demons. Nonetheless, Jesus said you're not going along with all the power. With all the knowledge he said not alone. And then when you send them for important task. For example, he send them out to get the donkey so he could ride into Jerusalem and fulfill the prophecy he send them out in twos when it came time to prepare for the last supper. He sent Peter and John to go and prepare for the Passover something very interesting. I know this the more I studied became very clear. Have you ever looked at how Matthew and Luke lists the name of the disciples in the Gospels. Have you looked at that. Let's look at how Matthew list and by there's is bit brief difference between those two. So look at Luke Matthew chapter 10 verse two. Now the names of the 12 apostles are these first Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, someone knows that what their brother so that's why Simon and Andrew, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother there you go again brothers did you see how the rest of the list goes Philip was a word, and Bartholomew Thomas and Matthew the tax collector James, a son of Alpheus and Labbe us, whose surname was Thaddeus Simon the Canaanite and imagine having Judas as your accountability partner easy paradigm, and by the way, if you read Luke's list the minor differences which I believe Jesus reassigned them time to time I can. Are you guys. I want you to switch. I want to go with this. And then when you come to the book of acts is divided up again this in acts chapter 1 verse 13 when they had entered.

They went up into the upper room where they were staying, Peter, James, John and Andrew so it's not just that you need to be in twos, you could be three. In fact, I believe in accountability group which I'll explain more as we go to the message and later in the series, you understand how to do it but 325 is a good number. The early church in the book of acts.

This practice, they also assigned disciples in pairs. For example, acts chapter 3 verse one is on the screen, not Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer and the heel demand more and blame on lame acts chapter 13 verse two as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted his time to send out mission trips. I'm amazed when people go on mission trips by themselves is like whoa no I was never the pattern.

So what happens as they fasted and prayed. The Holy Spirit said now separate to me Barnabas and Saul. Saul became Paul Barnabas and Saul for the work which I have called them in acts chapter 15 there was a contention between Barnabas and Paul over Mark because Mark had gone AWOL and Paul's and I'm not taking them. He is not trustworthy. Barnabas said okay fine I will take you called in sick.

Alright I guess I'm going alone is a no Silas, and then later on Paul and Timothy and then Paul and Titus and then Silas and Timothy and Silas and Erastus. There were always going in pairs or three or four together was the point I'm making here the point is that accountability is not some 21st century concept. This is not something I made or something that is sent down to us from the church growth movement. This is biblical disciples were always meant to have accountability in their lives. Bill whole wrote a book called the disciple making Pastor.

He's written several works powerful works on discipleship. I want you to hear carefully what he said about accountability when it comes to discipleship to believe you can make disciples or develop true maturity in others without some form of accountability is like believing that you can raise children without discipline. Run a company without rules come anytime you want work as much as you want to.

Many business owners. It would you do that is the rules and army without authority or doing to the guys. No one knows going somewhere to fight somebody and then he says accountability is to the great commission which what tracks are to a train.

The reason many people's Christian lives go off the tracks seem to be doing so great young leaders, older leaders. I'm amazed as a pastor. When I hear about personalities that I looked up to and then they made a decision that threw away their marriage threw away their family throw away their ministry is like, what would happen how why would you do that you're 21 years old.

You have your whole life ahead a jeep and yet you made that decision. Men and women, even the college and you got all this and then you throw it all away people at the midday of their lives.

You know you work so hard to build up this business or this life or this ministry in man things are going great. Now it's time for you to reap the benefits of your hard work and the Hendon people at the dusk of their life doesn't happen just at the beginning of the middle the dusk of Leela using man of his time for you to go up, go out in a blaze of glory and they go and do something so erratic, why would you do that there's no one in their life that they have given permission to hold them accountable for me ask you this morning. If Jesus emphasized the value of accountability in the early church practice it. Why is it that you are reluctant to have accountability in your life and I know this morning many of you are saying. I do know what I'm talking those who do know, but you are reluctant to have accountability in your life. The second point I was to focus on for the next few minutes is probably the reason why people don't have accountability they failed to understand the difference between true accountability and false accountability false accountability number one.

Some people think that coming to church is accountability. I want to hear me very carefully going going off the analogy of the guardrail. If accountability is like guardrails on the road of discipleship. You know what coming to churches. Just fueling your tank just because I had fuel in my truck doesn't mean I'm not gonna go off the edge coming to church is like fueling your faith. Accountability is about guarding your steps coming to churches about celebration as a family when we come here. The worship team leads us in celebration. Accountability is about reflection on your personal walk coming to church is about soul uplifting accountabilities about soul-searching.

You can be uplifted by of devils in your soul. If the enemy is working here. No amount of uplifting is going to keep you from sin. What are you are go to Sunday school. I go to Bible study. Do you really think going to send a school or Bible study is accountability.

You go to Sunday school and we had wonderful teachers. By the way, you should be all right once you get out of the congregation. You should be going into community but is only one way I can keep you accountable when you going to the Sunday school or Bible study on Wednesday night. You are in this setting. When someone opens up the Bible says this from the book of Genesis were in the final chapter, we'll talk about Jacob and how he related with his sons, and then either talk a little bit about it and then you say all I got up and then you share your story or whatever is happening in your life do you really think that's accountability now you know what accountability is. It's a time when you are open to hard questions hard questions like this. How is your prayer life hard questions like this are things going in your personal life and you are willing to give honest answers. Now don't misunderstand me, and explain to you what it means to ask the hard questions is not getting into all you business how much money you have in your bank account or what did you and your wife fight over that's called meddling. That's not accountability but accountability is a time in between 3 to 5 people of the same gender are willing to ask the hard questions, give the honest answer and know that you have confidentiality many years ago I prayed and I say God send men in my life who will hold me accountable and it didn't happen overnight but in time. God send the right people in my life and listen, don't call me every week. Don't call me every day but they call me periodically and see how are things going on. Well, and we have an unwritten rule that I will answer their call to see the goal is is it something different. The goal is not here's again a false understanding of them.

He rushed through this is not controlling someone's life. That's why I'm really leery of some of these small group things that go on where one couple becomes the head honcho and the beacon to control everybody's life. Now you gotta gotta go through them to to do anything where you need to go. They are calling all the shots. That's not accountability that's called invasion of privacy.

That's called manipulating other people to satisfy their own ego. That's not accountability folks and if you are in a setting like that get out of there. It's not about legalistic rules where I have this list of things that you better do it some ice. It sounds and what how movies are you watching tell me get out of that group is not legalistic rules. It's something that helps you stay on the path of discipleship. You see, accountability is not making you a slave is making you a son or a daughter of Christ is not about bondage is about freedom to know that there are people there who are looking out for me and the one the best for my life. I can trust them. Many times people don't understand the benefits of accountability to go to the Old Testament there was a wise king by the name of Solomon, who explained it very well. I preached this at weddings before, but this is really about accountability and by the way, in a marriage setting.

If you're married the first layer or the first circle of accountability is your spouse, the husband should be accountable to his wife.

The wife to her husband.

When you have a situation with a husband doesn't know what the wife is up to and why doesn't it with the husband's up to. That's not a counter urea breaking the first circle then follows the second rim where people of your own gender 325 hold you accountable. How does sin come into this world going back to the marriage when Adam and Eve were given the freedom to eat of every tree but the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and Satan came and he did what he isolated Eve her accountability partner was Adam who should've been there and say hey you got no business talking to him but he just sat back and ate the fruit and sin came into this world. Adam failed because it was Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 4, not two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor, for if they fall one of the left up his companion, but want to him who is alone when he falls for he has no one to help him you have in your life who is there to help you get up to help you keep the faith.

You had a knockdown drag out fight with your wife who is there that you meet the following Thursday who says a man, how are things going rough but keep us in prayer. They don't get along in your business to tell me more tell me more so I can find out what's happening this a look. Life has its ups and downs of days we been there to note don't lose hope. Man will be okay when you cool down, sit down, tall go out pray over this will be our that's accountability.

Listen to what he says, verse 12, door one may be overpowered by another two can withstand him any threefold cord is not quickly broken. You see, this is Hebrew wisdom.

This is Jewish wisdom.

This is the pipeline through which Jesus and the early church operated what we have done as we have categorically thrown this out and said me and Jesus I come to the garden alone. Dietrich Bonhoeffer many of you know who he is who he was, in his classic book life together. Listen to what he said. Sin demands to have a man by himself.

It withdraws him from the community the more isolated. A person is the more isolated you are, whether you're traveling, isolated with your homebody. Whether you are one of those loners.

The more isolated.

A person is the more destructive will be the power of sin over him. Men and women in the place he works the most is up here in your mind with doubts and fears with discouragement with insecurities jealousy with envy with bitterness with wrath with distractions. A disciple knows that he is vulnerable when he is alone. A disciple knows that she is vulnerable when she is alone look in the Old Testament there was always an twos right had was it was David and Nathan Ruth and Naomi there always someone else with them. I don't think that all this is negative. Let me give you deposit what happens when you have this accountability. Proverbs 2717 as iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. I am where I am today because God has placed the right godly accountable people in my life. Paul says in first Thessalonians 511. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing so is not a positive benefits here. What's the next step. I promise sure what the next step when it comes to accountability number one you to accept the importance of biblical accountability you to repent and say you know me doing my own thing.

I'm alone and army in the world that needs to end. Do you have these guardrails in your life number two. Be willing to sacrifice when you going to accountability, it means you're going to have to some you men you you you stay up late until 10, 11 o'clock at night watching TV all bring the Bible and you cannot get up in the morning at 7 o'clock to meet up with those three guys in your life. A once a month or twice a month to have accountability will shut off the TV at nine get up in the morning, go have breakfast with them or some other way.

Ladies, it means you may have to stop scrolling and and go have the time that your meeting with those ladies for lunch or your your your break, whatever your get what I'm saying is a hard truth. We have time for things that matter, accountability should matter. Pray and ask God to show you the right person or the right people who will help you stay accountable. I wish I could be you know your countable department.

All the men here, it is impossible to do that.

What if you prayed and say God I'm praying for three men, three men that I can actually connect with that other sit there and try to teach me. The Bible will allow you to go.

As for the Bible study fish for then I want to want to preach to me comes under morning outreach to you. They have a different purpose, accountability number three and number four is be patient and adjust because you prayed this morning, don't expect by the end of the week to have your group operate for couple years before God. Send the right people in my life.

Robbie, Gladding past red long hollow.

I've learned a lot from him that I'm using is material.

He said this, he said, finding individuals whom we can trust is not an overnight process.

It takes time to develop the kind of trust where deep secrets can be shared with confidence and confidentiality before you can talk about accountability you need to know Christ.

You have to become a disciple. Have you ever given your life to Christ. Has there been a point in your life where you asked him to save you.

If you haven't done that today you need to give your life to Christ, but he was gonna happen at that moment you give your life to Christ, you will receive an accountability partner as the Holy Spirit, who will confront you and he will comfort you. He will remind you to stay on the path and he will also tell you you make it, but don't stop there. You married your spouse should be there for us bring is on my spouse is not ready well then the second ring, men with men and women with women coming together 3 to 5 that's it. Not an extensive Bible study and in the weeks ahead. I will explain to you how that is done.

Someone that you can trust someone who will hold you accountable. Someone who will encourage you. Is there a sin you're struggling with right now.

I think hard. Is there a sin that you cannot seem to find freedom over the worst kind of sins are appear sin of negativity sin of low esteem sin of insecurity and fear and doubt and worry and jealousy and envy. Could it be that accountability is the missing link.

Are you struggling in your growth. It seems like you go here, but come right back. Go. Come right back.

Something is missing. Could it be that God is saying I'm not ready to chew on the next level unless there are guardrails because when you fall gonna take a lot of people down with men and women. This message puts fear in my life does. I'm driving the truck is not just me but my whole family is with me decisions I made are catastrophic for them to guardrails. Thank you so much for joining accountability component discipleship. We see that all throughout God's word same is true of our lives. Breathing, bring those life asking the hard questions stay away from sin and spiritual more information, visit us online.org for this sermon's notes. Check out Pastor shot shot.