Real Discipleship - Taste and See, Part 2

I want you to imagine with me for just one moment what would be like Jesus showed up tonight at 1 AM in his resurrected body light flowing out of how would you respond. What would you think, how would that change how you live your life that don't want to miss. Thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge euros with shipping trips or Bible teacher for this international discipleship ministry focused on helping Christians live like this program to pick up where he left off last time. This message taste and see which is from the series will discipleship a quick listener.

Note series several years ago, so, so as we begin chip reminds us of the high cost and high reward of following Jesus turning your Bibles to Mark chapter 9, the pathway to power is only through the door of the cross wasn't to learn is the theme of this section. The kingdom will only come in power when it comes to the cross. Now don't get that negative idea what the cross is all the cross is going to hurt here this cross is the you and I and the disciples will only experience kingdom power and light. When we sign that blank check and say your well instead of mine for Jesus and that death at times it will mean suffering rejection for us. It also means, and so the disciples now.

Their focus is totally changed and if that wasn't enough, you talk about confirmation.

You know sometimes we asked� Give me a sign. These guys are the three men. The way to the church is follow-on later. John is gonna write books and end up getting his revelation and ripe old age. Peter is going to be the man who gets things going and then call takes it to the Gentiles. He wanted to convince them man you are in on the most fabulous opportunity few human beings ever get ever and I want you to see who I really and that's his message to us today and so this clown just like the Shekinah glory comes down and they actually hear the voice of God, tell them this is right. This is Jesus.

Listen to him.

He's my son follow him regardless of the cost to get the information now like us.

They have a few questions until after this experience, or walking down the hill they kept the matters to themselves discussing what rising from the dead, met Jesus as they were walking down the hill, gave orders that until they see the Son of Man rise from the dead, they should not tell this to anyone and they still can't figure out what all this resurrection terminology is about verse 11. Asking one of the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first. See that there convince these Messiah Peter knew before this experience. Now they've heard from Moses and Elijah in the voice of God, but they got a couple nagging theological questions like you and I have sometimes sometimes God makes his will clear and you know what to do, but you've always been caught a couple things and they don't quite jive with what exactly you think God's will is and you need it cleared up and so this is what Jesus does. During that day. They had a lot of lot of big I would say extra biblical ideas about Elijah and what he would do and when he came in. What would look like. So Jesus clears them up verse 12.

Jesus replied, to be sure. Elijah comes first and restores all things. That's true. This teaches the law the correct and then he adds a question gets back to the heart of the issue. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected.

But I tell you Elijah has come in them done Tim everything they wished. Just as it is written about him still quick review group of men have been challenged to the core of their being for about six days. They saw the king and his glory and power. They saw as deity they heard from the founders of faith to affirm and confirm that Jesus was the Messiah they heard his methodology about the cross was confirmed by who law the prophets and the father. They had their theological questions answered about Elijah and John the Baptist and they saw and heard God, not about you, but that be pretty.

In one of those experiences want to mark up and write down a Journal and read it every day. Question I have is why is this year.

Every gospel this transfiguration follows the great confession. Why think the answer is real simple. A great confession because the side of the coin of great demand great sacrifice follow Christ.

No matter what.

I think the Lord knows her humanness and knows the struggle and knows that we need to also build a focus on who in the world following and is it worth it worth it and the answer is yes, we can imagine these guys if you can't trust him who can you trust that what I like to say is that this is it reserved for them is mounted transfiguration experiences. What they saw God for who he really wasn't what he was going to do and you and I have the spirit of God living in our life we got the word of God available. We in the fellowship with other believers in God can allow us to see him for who he is today and also begin to see that his will isn't so dark terrible scary. Oh no, I don't want to do that because it's the greatest opportunity see a lot of you like me I mean I was the black sheep of every Bible study. I was in the first three years as a Christian leaders must memorize Scripture window that you're supposed to go to this meeting on and go are you and I was always in and out in NY at such a faulty view of God. I was convinced I got committed to Christ and end up in Africa. I'm serious, so you know I don't get too close to the sky and only go to heaven but that's about it and then you know that when a single some of your this way if you think you're single and get really committed to crunching every American.

That's what I thought, so I don't get too close, then either and some of the seal we get married and start a career modeling committed Christ in my leg will never have anything to committed Christians are poor see what God wants us to learn is his will is good and acceptable and perfect and that we can trustingly give you one verse, and I want you to write this down because this is the message you want.

Psalm 8411 it says the Lord God is a strong combination of two names for God. The Lord God is a sun and a shield was the son, a source of power and shield, a source of protection will Lord authority sovereign one gives grace. What's that unmerited favor, blessing, encouragement and glory enhancement of one's reputation in life. The Lord God is a sun and shield the Lord gives grace and glory, and here's the killer no good thing will he withhold from those who walk upright, you will never get a raw deal going for broke with Christ. You'll never miss the only way your life will turn out best is when you arrogantly like I have done in my life think that you can follow your agenda and it will make you more happy and more fulfilled in sacrificially following his agenda is there cost sure is there balance. Absolutely. Again, I'm convinced that in our day. We are so focused on give this up so never worked out and and and on the front end. What I've learned to let go and it's real painful hard in my experiences God in six weeks. Doesn't make everything wonderful usually takes me through.

Of weaning learning and trusting, and I look back over year two, three, four years and realize the greatest decision I ever made my life, but it sure was hard for me here now. That's what he wants us to hear. I want you to understand that God wants you to know his will for you individually is good and will require sacrifice and faith. This was a sneak preview to shape their thinking about the goodness and the power available to them but then he's quick to take him down the mountain and let them learn you're still in a fallen world. Verse 14 when it came to the other disciples us are Lord large crowd around them and the teachers of the law, arguing with them so you got a scene nine are down here. The three of been up on the mountaintop had this incredible experience as a come down the mountain cures the religious leaders and hear the disciples and they have a royal rhubarb going at it as soon as all the people saw Jesus they were overwhelmed with wonder and they ran to greet the still popular Jesus takes control. Verse 16. What are you arguing with them about yes almost like a father and you know your kids as those of you that have children arguing what's going on here and I've I found is usually pregnant pauses both kids go cruising the tires on the story first and that's what happens here. He couldn't what's going on here. It's a big argument and the Pharisees and the scribes and want to take them on the disciples. I don't know what to say and so the only logical person steps up the whole issue is about a father who brought his son, who is an epileptic and demon possessed and so he tells a story and here's a story. A man in the crowd. Answer teacher I brought you my son is possessed by spirit is been robbed of his speech whenever he seizes him and throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth.

He gnashes his teeth and he becomes rigid, I ask you disciples to drive them out but they couldn't do it. The problem why you guys were up on the mountain you disciples a failed in the ministry. We had a desperate disappointed father and a demon possessed boy and the religious leaders are licking their chops going boy I'm glad he's gone. We've nailed him on this when they couldn't cast it out course you notice they can cast it out, eat, but this is the time to kneel in the notice listen for the words as I read this last paragraph are to believe, trust, unbelief. This theme of the power only comes by way of the cross and this whole issue of trusting God with your future accepting his agenda believing his word. See if you don't pick up Jesus major theme in this entire passage verse 19 all unbelieving generation.

The word is faith with an a on the front all known faith generation disciples scribes crowd father is the most exasperating words I find in Scripture. How long shall I stay with you what take I kill people I answer prayers.

I walk on water. I column storms. I do miracles want people to believe when I say this you can trust me. How long shall I put up with you these at the end of his rope bindings were to have peers in this discipleship process in six months. Can the reins over these guys and they're still in a like rounding first. Almost they haven't learned that it's not your outward stuff I haven't learned yet. It's a matter of the heart.

And when Jesus says it can take to the bank and you can trust your future and your finances in your relationships in your life on what he says we try to get promised.

So now he's gonna instruct bring more to me.

So they brought him and when the spirit saw Jesus immediately threw the ball into convulsions. He fell to the ground.

He rolled around the foamed at the mouth.

Jesus asked the father like a good physician. How long is he been like this little diagnostic question from childhood. He answered it's often thrown into the fire water to kill and see you have now these men who been on the mountaintop facing who God is there moving forward and what they're realizing is they are called to minister in a fallen world where Satan is on the throne and we have a graphic picture where Satan has his boy tied in knots and he is blind in his life's nests and he's hurting and Jesus plan was that the disciples would trust him and believe him and make a difference in that fallen world because of their lack of faith they can't father goes on to say, but if you can do anything, take pity on him. Help us if you can do anything to this father heard about Jesus, he heard about the miracles he heard the stories he thought this guy can do it in these disciples are in other not lightweights through four weeks ago memory when they were sent out. They cast out demons. They healed people are not those of the now Jesus responds.

Verse 23. This is emphatic. He says you can. Are you joking now you remember there's Peter James and John over here looking like the same if you should hear what Elijah and Moses think we for the boys. We know who he's God if he can, and then he isolates the issue. Everything is possible for him.

He believes the trusts, everything is possible he can heal, marriage, fiction, finances, internal labor trials, heart, everything is possible for one who believes the one is willing to say no to his agenda and yes to God's agenda signed a blank check.

But the chimps of your life and little tables that you call the shots and all follow no matter what and it may not turn out great. Initially, I'll trust you immediately. The boy's father exclaimed that I love this is this is how weak your faith can be a get a response from God because I believe sort early it's gonna help me in my unbelief.

I want to trust you.

I can because I trusted you so far it hasn't worked you disciples aren't as good as you block people out there who've met with you or me and tried to find God and because we were walking independency. They said Christianity didn't seem to work in and help me when Jesus saw the crowd running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit.

You deaf and dumb spirit. He said I command you to come out of him and never enter them again in the spirit shrieked and convulsed them violently and came out of the boy looks so much like a corpse that many cities dead. But Jesus took him by the hand and eliciting to his feet and he stood up, and then afterwards Jesus and gone endorse the scenes over the third scene we been on the mountaintop within the Valley now were indoors as disciples asked him privately. This is a great question. This is a perceptive question, why can we drive what went wrong. What's the problem, stand two weeks ago you said is that we did it when we talked, and they fled. What's the deal. He replied this kind, generous, this particular type of demon only comes out by prayer.

Mark is giving a kind of veiled view of the real issue here. Matthew says it right out. He says the problem is your unbelief. Luke confirms see the problem is guys you are running hot and you were with me and use all the power you did it and I left for a while and you somehow thought that there's an autopilot and you can just go on on your own, but a a faith that is dynamic and vital has to be nurtured there problem wasn't lack of activity there problem was lack of intimacy with the father and so the theme comes back again was their unbelief they weren't trusting him and he and so Mark gives us the greatest evidence of our lack of trust in its premises. We say that Angel had time getting a tiny breakfast I get time to work at time. I don't have time to pray times not the issue with the real issue in my life is and you can put the she wanted fits the issue is for me to get along with God for protective times and be absolutely honest and and reassignment blank check and telling I'll do whatever you want me to do is scary threatening and makes me uncomfortable and I would rather just keeping good big moral areas of my life clean make it on the small ones read the Bible little bit, pray a few quick prayers and go about my way and have everyone think I'm doing it wrong on this together.

You know, the only problem with that is the power is the power that all power comes when I get to a level of unconscionability when I think on what you can do with my life.

I want you with my future. My family my life my finances. But I read your word and I will bring you my faith. You do what you want to do and I'm scared to death. Help me those kind of people come to desperation and those kind of people see super natural kingdom power because it always flows through the door across for the powers not in our mechanics is not our Bible reading is not in coming to church good things the pathway to power through the door the cross. It's an faith is what trusting that God's will is good for me, trusting that this is the real deal. This isn't bad this is great I get to be a part of the team and the one who's in glory.

And he wants me to have that power that experienced how do you tend to view Christ's call to absolute allegiance to him is the class half empty to focus on all the sacrifice you think you have to make towards the glass half-full privilege the power the future is your focus on what he promises or what you perceive must be given up. You know you will begin to walk by faith and all begin to walk by faith, when at the very personal level, I realize what God really wants for my life is not my performance.

He wants my belief, this is the work of God. We believe on him who sent we just trust. It's a scary vulnerable position unless the God of eternity is all powerful hold you see the Lord God the son to the Lord God gives grace and glory no good thing will he withhold from those people.

When you walk upright want to do his will is the greatest deal we go any farther. What you heard was the offer of eternal life. Jesus wants you to know that he came for you he lived a perfect life for you.

He died in your place to pay for your sins for you. He rose from the dead, and is at this moment the right hand of the father and here's his invitation come to me. Put your trust in me. If you have never placed your faith in Jesus Christ today is your day. The Bible is absolutely clear as many as received him, Jesus, to them he gives the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in his name. The promise of Scriptures call to me and I will answer you. I'll tell you great and mighty things, and that all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. And so if you desire to have a personal relationship with God through Christ know that your sins are forgiven of his spirit enter your life that you might be born again.

I want you to stop right now. What ever you're doing if you have to pull off the road somewhere pull off the road, but I want you to pray with me is not saying the words would be from your heart to your God and want you to say to him.

Dear father, I need you, I have sinned, I'm done things wrong.

I know I'm not perfect and you are a holy God. But today I believe Jesus died in my place. I believe he paid for my sin. I believe he rose from the dead to prove that it's true that I'm asking you, Lord Jesus come into my life right now.

Forgive me. Make me your son make me your daughter and now help me to walk with you all the days of my life.

If you have prayed that with the full intent of your heart. I want you to text or call the greatest Christian that you know that I want you to go to LivingontheEdge.org we have a very clear place there. We have some information absolutely free to help you understand your new relationship with the Lord and then let me encourage you find a good Bible teaching church this weekend and go and welcome to the family were thrilled that your know a brother or sister in Christ, if you prayed with Chip, we'd love to put a resource in your hands.

It's called starting out right and it's absolutely free. This tool will help you gain a clear biblical understanding of what it means to put your faith in Jesus and that's our whole missionary Living on the Edge helping Christians really live like Christians. So let us help you get started in your faith journey. You can request this resource by calling us at AAA 333-6003 or by visiting LivingontheEdge.org and clicking on the new believers button that's LivingontheEdge.org or call AAA to 333-6003 chip still with me here in studio and ship we got a lot of response from a newer resource.

We've developed your Living on the Edge called daily discipleship with Chip tells how this tool came about and maybe sure where your heart for discipling others came from. I'd be glad to Dave. I say this a lot, but I'll keep saying a lot. Bricklayer name Dave Marshall met with me individually, and he taught me how to study the Bible taught me how to hear God's voice.

He taught me how to pray and do so during the pandemic. We just literally tried an experiment I said I will meet with people one on one and I set up a couple cameras and literally just got a couple coffee and open my Bible and walked people through passages of Scripture, not so much just to teach them what it says but way more about how to study the Bible for themselves and so we started with one that was really applicable, overcoming difficult circumstances is called growing deeper with God and I went to the first couple chapters of Philippians and help people understand our circumstances can't define us and then we went to the book of Ephesians and that we talked about yes you can really change, and we walked verse by verse through Ephesians chapter 4 learning what it says and how to study it in and then we went back to Ephesians 1, two and three in a series called a discovering your true self and we just, I mean literally, paragraph by paragraph slowly went through learning our identity in Christ and then we went to Romans chapter 12, which everyone knows is a big favorite of mine about what true spirituality is and what it means to be a disciple and her latest series was in the book of James as we understood the art of survival and whatever study you pick. I think you will really grow from it. Let me encourage you to check them out. Choose one and then join me one-on-one and let me mentor you. The way Dave Marshall mentored me.

Here's how it works for each series, I begin with a short teaching video no longer the 10 minutes and then there's a little assignment that I'm gonna ask you to take 10 minutes on your own and do some study and here's what I know people that have done this with me who make it a habit just to spend 20 minutes with me day after day for somewhere between 10 days to a couple weeks they learn to hear God's voice, they learn to discern the spirit, God begins to change them from the inside out. This is a habit that you cannot afford not to develop fixture will if you're looking for a practical way to deepen your faith. Let me encourage you to sign up for daily discipleship with Chip this free video resource will really help you learn more about God and his word to sign up for any of our daily discipleship sessions. Just go to LivingontheEdge.org Listeners just Discipleship. Just before we close. I want to thank those of you who make this program possible through your generous financial support. If you found this program helpful, but haven't partnered with us.

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