Real Discipleship - Empowering Others - The Secret to a Life of Impact, Part 1

Have you ever really wondered what is it mean to be a disciple of Jesus. I mean, is it just doing good things. Being a better person reading the Bible praying more maybe going to church is there more to it than that, something far deeper. That's today welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge with the mission of these daily programs is to intentionally disciple Christians the Bible to chapter just a minute will begin a series we've never played before. Called real discipleship of Jesus chose to change the world.these messages many years ago decided to bring it back. Still so applicable to us today. For the next several program strips in the gospel explaining just said needs to be a disciple if you're looking for more practical guidance on this topic. Stick around after each message for some additional thoughts from Chip with all that said, let's join them now as he kicks off this series with this message powering others. The secret to a life of impact. Give me a fish eat per day. Teach me to fish lifetime the way for God to use your life in my life is not biased seeing all the needs of people and doing doing doing doing doing doing away for your life to really have multiple concentric circle impact over decades is for you to learn what God wants you to learn and then you empower others. The Bible calls it discipleship, spiritual multiplication, taking what God is giving you and passing it strategically, willfully, in a calculated way to other people with the vision that they in turn will give it to others, and they in turn will give it to others. I figure this out with a little luck.

Computer one time. If one Christian reached one other Christian in six months and they both reached another person in another six months or people in at 816 and about 32 to 35 years. We could reach the entire population of the earth the gospel but unfortunately the church seems more committed to edition in multiplication what were going to get to do today is learn how Jesus empowered people.

How he gave away the ministry and how you and I know some of you say when I'm on foot involved in ministry thinking this through the lens of the parent you want to empower your kids you invest in them or small group leader or friend. Some of you can apply this right at your work. So let's roll up your sleeves open up the Mark chapter 6 is one of my favorite passages I really ready for this Mark chapter 6 and here we go, really three things. First, the prerequisite of empowering people for impact. Second, you look at the process and spend the most of our time there in third in the product of empowering people for impact from verse 34 chapter 6 when Jesus landed and saw a large crowd. He had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd.

So he began teaching them many things only make three observations out of this verse that if it's not true in my life in your life.

There's no use trying to impart but we don't possess that just doesn't work.

Observation number one the first prerequisite is a personal authentic walk with God. You can't give away. I can't give away what I don't have and I get that from the word compassion. See what I've learned is that some of you feel more deeply or more tenderly than I do, or others, but the kind of compassion is talking about here only comes from being so in tune with God you begin to see people the way God sees people compassion is that welling up down deep in your heart where you don't just heal it. But you feel compelled to do something to meet the need of a person and that flows out of a personal, intimate, authentic walk.

The second prerequisite I get out of the little phrase like sheep without a shepherd.

When Jesus looked around and he saw him were to read that there's 5000 people men alone so if you know half of them are married and they have one or two children were looking at 1215.

20,000 people. There's a multitude and he loves it does not attune any lenses like sheep without a shepherd would see me was like a sheep is downcast that he can be cast and rolled over, and someone has to pick it up there and the like doesn't work.

I think he looked at their eyes, easing of their marriages don't work and discipline the kids lines are prioritized there lonely or depressed or discouraged their lives. They don't have true and so is falling apart and sit there like she shepherd the second prerequisite is a passion to be used by God. Looking at the world and having not just a conviction but a passion you can be a vehicle to step into the lives of these people touch teaching how marriages work and show him how to discipline the children and show them how to overcome loneliness and depression and struggle in his insecurity like will have the third thing I get from Jesus response when he saw this he did what would do the most good. He began teaching the many things in the third prerequisite is a growing grasp of the word of God when I say a grasp of the word of God.

I don't mean just the intellectual knowledge. I don't mean just being in a Bible study I mean where you get to know this book so that when a person comes to you and marriages fall apart. I don't want to do. She does this, I say this I do this, we try talk doesn't work for you. Look at as a look you open up the fees. Chapter 4 in you walking through a godly pattern of communication and conflict resolution I seem depressed and I'm struggling you for taking the Genesis chapter 6 and he opened up his they look see this fellow's face was downcast. He was depressed is what God's admonition was to him and this is working that is working where you can take God's word and apply it to areas of people's lives that give them hope and truth and life and love. Now before you turn off your buttons they will gosh I don't know the Bible.well, the sermon must not be for me this is a prerequisite.

I don't if you know one verse you know one verse more than someone else and if you're practicing two verses you have two things to share.

Okay God's not asking you to be Mr. all-knowing or Mr. all-knowing or have it all together. He say if you walk with me authentically and if you have a passion for lost and hurting people get in the Scriptures and share what you do know and I'll use how you pull that off. What's the process. How do you quote disciple others how you reproduce your life, Ken Blanchard became a Christian.

After he wrote the one minute manager if you want a great I mean a great book on how to make disciples for one minute manager. We got to talk in the conference afterwards and he said you know after I became a Christian.

I went to the Gospels is that in the life of Christ. He said I just by chance happened on what Jesus does. He talks about four quadrants, he says. First of all you good people, direction or information. This is what you need to do is is then you teach them how you coaching you do it they watching you do it with third you give them support.

They do it and you watch them and you support them finally delegate you give him the job. That's the pattern the biblical pattern. What you going to see is that Jesus and two miracles is going to teach how to coach and teach how to support the first miracle will happen with 5000 people get fed and Jesus will coach the disciples on what the shepherd happened it was needed in this passage he sees all these people what's in a salute to get the keys to develop 12 shepherds and 11 of the 12 and under the job because he knows unlike us that you in three years he's checking out and if they can't do the job when he leaves the movement has a problem he developed right shepherd to coach support and delegate, and so the first miracle of the 5000 were to learn how to coach people how to give away our faith and feed them spiritually and the second miracle when you learn how to lead people how to teach you how to make decisions, how to overcome adversity and how they can begin to impact other people.

Let's start verse 35 by this time it's late, there's thousands of people. It was late in the day, so his disciples came to him as is interesting there taking initiative there growing.

This is a remote place. They said and is already very light, good observation. Men cures their analysis and their suggestion verse 36 send people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat. Now the good news of this so far as the disciples member they got to preach and heal some people Got a few demons, they feel like they're on the team and now there's a big group and they see a need in the taking initiative.

That's wonderful. But see, when you want to develop people any time they come to you whether to sign or that your daughter or someone in your small group, or friend that looks to use virtually any kind. They come with a suggestion or question you want. That's called a teachable moment. It's a chance for you to develop and stretch them you need to be thinking this way.

So Jesus takes the teachable moment.

Verse 37 good developers then give a timely challenge but he answered them emphatically. You give them something to eat and original language you should be over here and is pulled to the front of the sentence to say you give them something to eat there scratching their head. Now notice their analysis they said to him, no way, man is a loose. He says that would take eight months of the man's wages are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat. In other words, I'm sorry Jesus wanted some practical to its illogical three. We don't have the resources, there is no wheat way we can do it and see when you're trying to develop people, whether to sign our daughter, a friend, a small group leader what they tend to do is always look at their lack of resources and what your job in developing a person's life spiritually is to help them focus on what they have instead what they don't have the human natures would always focus on. We don't have it we start this big thing we don't have enough money on help so-and-so but I don't know enough will is books and we don't have. So let's see what he does or Susan to focus verse 38 and what they have. How many loaves do you have go insane so they go doing some research when they found out they said five and two fish. Five little barley loaves. There were small pancake size not very big and two small fish. So he's redirected their focus now is can organize for success. Listen to how he does it. Verse 39 BC people who were developing never think about what's going to happen because you have a lot of faith.

People were developing others they organize for the success what God is going to do in advance and what that communicates to the people there helping us all yeah this is can work see when you coach people what they need more than skill is confidence. Can you imagine the confidence or 20,000 people out there.

You got Lisle loaves into little fish and and Jesus says to us for �10 disciple okay I like all you have all the people sit down in groups that all this green grass have them sit in groups of hundreds and 50s were thinking why would anything he organizes for success taking the five loaves and the two fish, looking up to the heaven, he gives thanks and he broke the loaves now he models dependency see what we don't want to communicate to people that I know how to do it.

You just watch me. What was Jesus the son of God, modeling, it's not me as being fully man and fully God is fully God, it was him. He breaks the loaves and expresses his dependency. I will take what you guys give me and I will offer it to God.

The issue is and how much you have to bring the issue is are you willing to bring what you have an offer it and make it available to God and let him multiply. Anyway, he would choose so he models that dependency list. Find out what happens.

Then he gave them to the disciples and set for the people.

He also divided the two fish among them all.

Verse 42 here happens. They all ate and were satisfied and the disciples picked up 12 baskets of broken pieces of bread and fish. A number of men. The word here for is it's it's not a generic word for men and women is word purchase men who had eaten was 5000 is one of the few miracles it's in all four Gospels we it was very impressive at all, remember that they all recorded and so notice the last thing he does it: coaching the goal of coaching isn't the people think you're great coach. What's the goal of coaching how to become a winner. Spiritually, you will become aware spiritually when the people you're helping with your son or your daughter, a cousin someone is just casually that you know or someone in a real semi official disciple relationship. You are a winner when they can do what you can Google gets to have the success in the story. Jesus knows he can multiply fish. Jesus knows he can do miracles need to have a successful experience disciples lets the text say they passed out. God used them the most is really don't believe God can use us. We really don't believe that deep in our heart. You and Jesus wanted to coach them to learn acting as an ordinary guy like you ordinary guy like me and we would say I don't have the resources. Why do you think the stories in the Bible. How much do you have not much greatness. What I need in the lyc�e. This fellow named Jack King.

He's involved in sports ministry of athletes in action does a lot of baseball teams around the world and Jack got the gift of evangelist. We moved on a bus he shares price with this guy, this guy this guy. I mean I saw him lead in of two weeks. You had made to Christ, bus drivers, Christ anything in a winsome way.

I mean you are not offensive at all and but I had little plant Washington through three times feeds share Christ by member on a bus.

This one time and this guy I was up two seats back in kind of listen and the guys just ready to become a Christian's objectives mean unthinking close the deal man close the deal know in what he does, he stops assist using a second set had to make one up your waiver.

Second, this young college sophomore comes up, sits down with empty.

I mean, unthinking, Jack. I don't know much about evangelism at the guys ready become a Christian when you know and he brings us guy introduces lets him talk a few minutes and they turns to Jim. He says not explained him in his real interest in becoming Christian, Jew talk with him a little bit. I think it will be ready to pray and receive Christ.

Pearson is I'll be back in just a second.

Think about back the bus five or 10 minutes later Jim is bowing his head with this guy is what Jimmy's latest first person the Lord to Jack King understands he's led hundreds of people to Christ, you need to learn how what you doing is multiplying his life. You want God to use you multiply your life. That's how you do it out of this passage and how to coach people to multiply your life one remember this accomplishing tasks is less important than developing people. If you wanted two words to remember grow people it's more important that your son or daughter learn something in the garage get absolutely clean the floors spotless for that. The tub doesn't have any residue or bring is more important that the small groups gets a chance to lead seat develop people grow, people you get the test done accomplishing tasks is less important than developing people because there's always a lot of pass but there's very few people really want to grow number two ability is always less important than availability. It's not what you can do that is crucial is what God can do three so get others involved. The focus is grow people. The method is get other people involved place alone. Don't pray loaning it up except for your private time to share Christ.

Bring a friend if you could pray for or involving anything bring people get them involved in the catch third resources are always less important than reliance you never have enough. We take the steps God provides. My philosophy of leadership is get the snowball rolling downhill and to pick up speed. Trying to sign were not because my observation is in people's lives and organizations and churches.

Most of them never get the snowball off and use the rain little bit more open go pack quite right. Well, you know, about 3 miles down the turn.

We don't have an attorney, so get resources are always less important than reliance. Bring what you have to God and he'll do something.

The strategy is build on what you have focus is to grow people. The method is get others involved a strategy build on what you have, not what you don't listen to the first part of his message holding others. The secret to a life of impact from a series real discipleship. Are you familiar with the term compounded interest in economics, it simply the idea of rapidly growing your investment. So what does that have to do with becoming a disciple of Jesus through the six part series trip explains that discipleship is kind of like spiritual multiplication or job is not just to lead people to Jesus were called to help them mature in their faith and empower them to take others on that same journey to join us as we study the gospel of Mark and discover how to spiritually invest in the lives of others and if you happen to miss any part of this series. The tripping remap is a great way to catch up one joined in studio know by chip and ship over the next several programs were to revisit a series you taught several years ago that still relevant to us know.

So take a minute to ensure more about which will be teaching them what you're hoping your listeners will learn from the series.

What I hope they really understand when Jesus said, follow me and I'll make you fishers of men. When he said to those early disciples and to all of us going all the world and make disciples.

How does that really work. This was a an older series. I remember going to Santa Cruz Bible church a number of years ago and as I went there I had been a pastor for I think about eight or nine years and I thought Lord I really need in this very non-Christian environment. I mean, there were less than like 4% of people that went to any religious institution, let alone a Bible believing church and people came from all kind of backgrounds.

Dave it was just absolutely it was a great ride.

It was so amazing and I wanted to sort of develop a baseline in this very unchurched, non-Christian area of America of who Jesus really was and what it really means to be a follower and you would think that would be difficult. But here's what I have to tell you they also didn't have baggage didn't have tradition. They didn't have expectations. They fell in love with the Jesus of the Gospels, not the Jesus of American culture and so part of why I wanted to share this to come to bring this older series back. I think we need a fresh view of what's it mean to be a rule follower a real apprentice or real disciple of Jesus Christ. Thanks Chip. Let me also encourage you to join us for this entire series as we dive into the gospel of Mark and discover what it means to be a disciple and a disciple maker. I really think you learn a lot will trip as we wrap up this program today you taught from a familiar passage, Jesus feeding 5000 people. Explain what we can learn about the disciple making process from the story all day.

When you see the context here Jesus sees the needs of people like sheep without a shepherd there downcast.

It's challenging it's it's very much like our world. I mean so many needs everywhere and he wants to get off and have a little retreat in the context of this passage and these overwhelms and there's 5000 people.

There's all these needs and I think he begins to help these disciples realize that even when you feel like you have no resources to meet the needs of people around you that God sees the needs God actually wants to use us as it sounds kind of funny but he wanted them to learn to accomplish the impossible with what they didn't have let me say that again to accomplish the impossible feet, 5000 people with what they didn't have their what it required was coming to Jesus with the needs because you deeply care in the three things by way of review. I just said this a personal authentic walk with God is the prerequisite for being empowered by the Lord Jesus and being used.

These men were walking with Jesus. They were traveling with Jesus. They they wanted to respond. They were in the midst of hearing his voice. They were actually living out their faith and they found themselves with overwhelming need and I think a lot of us are there right now. Second, they had a passion to be used in images like Lord, what we do and it is an interesting that Jesus didn't solve it for them. He says you feed them and I think all of us are looking for someone or something or at times the government or you have the organizational church out there instead of water. The needs around us.

What are the issues where the herds where are they, in our network of people that we know were at work or in your neighborhood or or in the church and justice passion to say, oh Lord, use me. I really do believe that availability is much more important than ability that just really being available and then I think the final thing here is, there has to be a platform of credibility.

I mean, Jesus had done these miracles he had demonstrated that he has the resources to help people and I think in our own walk with God. We need to be the kind of people. Not perfect but where were living out our faith in a manner that's consistent with the Gospels, so we have a platform where people would look to us when we want to help them so real. Discipleship is more than going to a Bible study and filling in the questions were going to church and discussing the pastor's sermon.

Real discipleship is about being empowered by God to meet the needs of others for the glory of Christ Encouraging Word triplex as we close, if Living on the Edges making a difference in your life you like others to receive the same blessing we love to have you partner with us. Thanks to the generosity of a few friends of the ministry. Every donation we receive between now and July 7 will be matched dollar for dollar to send a gift. Just go to LivingontheEdge.org Donate only up or give us a call at AAA 333-6003 that's AAA 333-6003, let me thank you in advance for your support over all of us are saying thanks for listening to this edition living on the