1 00:00:00,860 --> 00:00:04,019 Well, good morning and Happy Mother's Day. 2 00:00:06,350 --> 00:00:07,740 Nobody wished me a happy birthday. 3 00:00:07,950 --> 00:00:09,140 That's fine. I'm good. 4 00:00:09,210 --> 00:00:11,700 If you got a Bible, turn with me to Matthew's Gospel. 5 00:00:11,790 --> 00:00:15,000 We're in Matthew chapter 25 this morning. 6 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:20,710 This is not a Mother's Day message per se, but we do 7 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:25,630 particularly at Forest view value motherhood and and it is 8 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:29,910 certainly worth noting the the just the the incredible impact 9 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:34,340 and role that a mother does play in multiplying disciples. 10 00:00:34,350 --> 00:00:38,790 This is where the middle of the series on multiplication and a 11 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:41,370 Dave Ferguson, who you may know him. 12 00:00:41,380 --> 00:00:44,830 He's the president of exponential church planter. 13 00:00:45,100 --> 00:00:49,460 He has been he's been instrumental, starting many 14 00:00:49,470 --> 00:00:51,660 multiplication movements globally. 15 00:00:51,710 --> 00:00:55,060 He tells about his grandma, reflects on the life of his 16 00:00:55,070 --> 00:00:59,920 grandmother, who at 15 years old is married at 15 years old. 17 00:01:02,580 --> 00:01:08,030 By 17, she has her first child. She has six children and she 18 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:10,110 kind of raised in the Christian home. 19 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:12,550 So she learned how to pray and to read the Bible. 20 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:16,210 But her husband wasn't much into church and so they didn't attend 21 00:01:16,220 --> 00:01:20,170 church as a as a family. She would teach her kids to 22 00:01:20,180 --> 00:01:24,170 kneel beside their bed before they before they slept in order 23 00:01:24,180 --> 00:01:27,610 to pray. But some children's neighborhood 24 00:01:27,620 --> 00:01:32,070 children invited her children to a church service, very vibrant 25 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:34,670 church in town. And the children went, but she 26 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:36,340 went with the children and so did the husband. 27 00:01:36,350 --> 00:01:40,180 And all of them ended up making a commitment to Jesus Christ. 28 00:01:40,190 --> 00:01:43,460 And everything turned around for this family. 29 00:01:43,570 --> 00:01:47,740 And she took very, very seriously this idea of of 30 00:01:47,750 --> 00:01:52,570 discipling her kids and making them disciple makers, gathering 31 00:01:52,580 --> 00:01:55,380 them together on a regular basis to pray together and to read the 32 00:01:55,390 --> 00:01:58,120 Bible together and praying for them and teaching them not just 33 00:01:58,130 --> 00:02:02,220 to believe in Jesus, but to pass on their faith in Jesus to other 34 00:02:02,230 --> 00:02:05,250 people. While three of those kids became 35 00:02:05,260 --> 00:02:07,950 pastors, the other three were leaders in the church. 36 00:02:08,259 --> 00:02:12,290 The impact that they have had over generations just continuing 37 00:02:12,380 --> 00:02:15,530 to bless beyond their town, their city, their state, their 38 00:02:15,540 --> 00:02:19,880 nation globally. She did not hardly leave her 39 00:02:19,890 --> 00:02:21,990 town. And yet the impact that she has 40 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:26,010 had globally is just incredible. For those of you women who are 41 00:02:26,020 --> 00:02:31,720 at the the the Tea Room last week heard Eileen Godworld share 42 00:02:31,730 --> 00:02:33,670 her testimony. Part of her testimony, the 43 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:37,340 impact that her parents had on her faith, bringing her to 44 00:02:37,350 --> 00:02:41,500 church every Sunday and reading scripture and praying before 45 00:02:41,580 --> 00:02:44,630 each meal. But she focused on her mom and 46 00:02:44,640 --> 00:02:46,600 the impact that her mother had on her. 47 00:02:46,610 --> 00:02:50,800 Just seeing her mom with a Bible open and her journal opening 48 00:02:50,890 --> 00:02:54,640 open, communing with God in the living room each morning had an 49 00:02:54,650 --> 00:02:57,500 impact on her. Also seeing her mom committed to 50 00:02:57,510 --> 00:03:00,750 the prayer ministry of the church and also joining the Kids 51 00:03:01,260 --> 00:03:04,060 Kids Club. Just a community outreach 52 00:03:04,070 --> 00:03:06,180 through the kids in the community, bringing the love of 53 00:03:06,190 --> 00:03:10,200 Jesus to them really had an impact on her life. 54 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:13,050 And also speaking about some of the older women in a 55 00:03:13,060 --> 00:03:17,740 congregation who would take an interest in her, check to see 56 00:03:17,750 --> 00:03:20,580 how she was doing, write her little notes of encouragement 57 00:03:20,590 --> 00:03:24,080 and scripture when she was away and and university had an 58 00:03:24,090 --> 00:03:29,970 amazing impact on her. And I think of GAIL, my, the, 59 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,180 the mother of my children and the impact that she has had on 60 00:03:33,190 --> 00:03:35,890 them. Just living out the Proverbs 31 61 00:03:35,900 --> 00:03:41,530 woman, hard working, committed to the Lord, just her love for 62 00:03:41,540 --> 00:03:45,910 Jesus who's just been passed on her good counsel, the number one 63 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:50,030 cheerleader of, of, of my children and just just seeing 64 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:52,130 how they have thrived and just the commitment to the local 65 00:03:52,140 --> 00:03:55,150 church as well. Is that a tremendous impact on 66 00:03:55,160 --> 00:04:00,760 our children? Passing on the faith. 67 00:04:01,420 --> 00:04:02,680 Passing on the faith. This is this. 68 00:04:02,690 --> 00:04:06,180 This is what this this message series is really all about. 69 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:13,670 Psalm 78 encapsulates this, this, this heart that we're 70 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:16,829 after. The Sama says We will not hide 71 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:20,329 them from their descendants. We will tell the next generation 72 00:04:20,339 --> 00:04:24,680 the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders 73 00:04:24,690 --> 00:04:27,870 He has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob 74 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:30,970 and established the law in Israel, which He commanded our 75 00:04:30,980 --> 00:04:33,330 ancestors to teach their children so that the next 76 00:04:33,340 --> 00:04:36,670 generation would know them, even the children yet to be born. 77 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:41,140 And they in turn would tell their children this commitment 78 00:04:41,150 --> 00:04:44,750 to passing on the faith. And this is not a calling just 79 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:47,570 for parents. This is a calling for every 80 00:04:47,580 --> 00:04:50,720 single person that calls themself a Christ follower. 81 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:57,750 We are, we have a mandate to multiply Christ followers, 82 00:04:57,980 --> 00:05:00,540 sharing the goodness of God throughout the world. 83 00:05:00,550 --> 00:05:02,840 This is what following Jesus is all about. 84 00:05:02,850 --> 00:05:06,080 It's bringing, making the goodness of God tangible in the 85 00:05:06,090 --> 00:05:12,340 lives of other people. Matthew 28 Jesus words to his 86 00:05:12,350 --> 00:05:15,820 disciples last words to his disciples, go and make disciples 87 00:05:15,870 --> 00:05:18,780 of all nations. This is the call that we have to 88 00:05:18,790 --> 00:05:20,490 multiply. You know, when you think about 89 00:05:21,250 --> 00:05:24,180 what it means to live the Christian life, what are some of 90 00:05:24,190 --> 00:05:26,360 the things you think about? OK, well, we're meant to love. 91 00:05:26,460 --> 00:05:29,280 We're meant to serve and meant to, you know, speak the truth. 92 00:05:29,290 --> 00:05:31,220 We're meant to uphold justice, etcetera. 93 00:05:31,230 --> 00:05:33,560 Care for the poor. All these things are very 94 00:05:33,570 --> 00:05:37,150 important, but do we think of multiplication? 95 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:43,230 Multiplying the number of disciples on the planet you know 96 00:05:43,940 --> 00:05:48,570 it is 1/3 of a disciples job description is passing on the 97 00:05:48,580 --> 00:05:49,950 faith. What do we say? 98 00:05:50,280 --> 00:05:54,230 What is a disciple? Disciple loves God, loves people 99 00:05:54,300 --> 00:05:58,050 and passes it on. 1/3 of everything that we were meant to 100 00:05:58,060 --> 00:06:03,300 do as followers of Jesus Christ is to pass on the faith to other 101 00:06:03,310 --> 00:06:06,400 people, to multiply the number of disciples. 102 00:06:06,550 --> 00:06:08,700 And this is what we've been seeing in the parables. 103 00:06:08,850 --> 00:06:12,360 The parables are all about the expansive nature of the Kingdom 104 00:06:12,430 --> 00:06:15,640 that God wants to spread his goodness throughout the planet. 105 00:06:15,870 --> 00:06:19,100 And this is such an important theme throughout the throughout 106 00:06:19,110 --> 00:06:21,800 the parables, but in particular the parable we're going to look 107 00:06:21,810 --> 00:06:26,290 at today, which is in Matthew 25, and the application of this 108 00:06:26,300 --> 00:06:28,150 parable critical when we think about this. 109 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:33,430 So today we're just gonna focus on why and how to make disciples 110 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:36,650 to multiply disciples. So we're in Matthew chapter 25, 111 00:06:36,740 --> 00:06:39,700 and this chapter has three parables in it. 112 00:06:40,420 --> 00:06:43,630 Parable of the of the 10 virgins. 113 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:46,250 The Parable of the bags of gold and the parables. 114 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:48,180 Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. 115 00:06:48,190 --> 00:06:53,710 And so the Parable of the of the 10 virgins is, is really saying, 116 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:59,170 hey, we need to watch carefully. We need to be vigilant in 117 00:06:59,500 --> 00:07:02,430 staying close to God. This is about the abiding peace. 118 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:06,680 This is about the loving God, peace, the last parable, the the 119 00:07:06,690 --> 00:07:11,330 one of the sheep and the goats. It is about not ignoring the 120 00:07:11,340 --> 00:07:14,000 poor, not ignoring those who are hurting. 121 00:07:14,010 --> 00:07:15,890 We need to be loving. This is this is the loving 122 00:07:15,900 --> 00:07:18,460 portion. The middle one is the one we're 123 00:07:18,470 --> 00:07:21,090 going to look at today. And that is the parable of 124 00:07:21,180 --> 00:07:24,650 really about bearing fruit, of expanding, of, of making an 125 00:07:24,660 --> 00:07:28,350 investment so that the Kingdom of God can be expanded. 126 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:33,030 Each one of these parables is talking about what are we 127 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:37,720 supposed to do now until the Lord returns, God is going to 128 00:07:37,730 --> 00:07:39,890 return again. We don't know at what hour or 129 00:07:39,900 --> 00:07:42,990 what day it's going to happen, but we need to be about the 130 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:46,820 Father's business. We need to stay close to him, be 131 00:07:46,830 --> 00:07:50,850 watchful. We need to care for those who 132 00:07:50,860 --> 00:07:54,720 are are are are in need of care to be, to be loving and we need 133 00:07:54,730 --> 00:07:56,670 to be bearing fruit. We need to be investing. 134 00:07:58,020 --> 00:08:02,370 And so today we're gonna look at Matthew 25, starting at verse 135 00:08:02,380 --> 00:08:07,510 14, this parable bearing fruit. And we're gonna look at this 136 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:09,410 over the next two weeks. There's just so much in here. 137 00:08:09,420 --> 00:08:12,330 We can't, we can't, we can't handle it all today. 138 00:08:12,340 --> 00:08:14,090 So we're gonna spread that over a couple of weeks. 139 00:08:14,100 --> 00:08:16,690 It'll be well worthwhile. So let's, let's pray together 140 00:08:16,700 --> 00:08:20,430 before we read this text. Father in Heaven, thank you for 141 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:25,060 the incredible goodness that you have displayed to us in sending 142 00:08:25,070 --> 00:08:30,530 your Son into the world, and Lord also in giving us this 143 00:08:30,540 --> 00:08:35,100 word, the book, the Scriptures. Lord, would you speak to us as 144 00:08:35,110 --> 00:08:39,409 we open the Scriptures? Share with us Lord, your heart, 145 00:08:40,750 --> 00:08:42,679 give us everything that we need to know this day. 146 00:08:42,970 --> 00:08:46,840 We pray in Jesus name and by the power of His Spirit we ask, 147 00:08:47,540 --> 00:08:54,240 Amen. Yeah, Matthew 25 starting in 148 00:08:54,250 --> 00:09:00,580 verse 14 again, it will be like a man going on a journey who was 149 00:09:00,590 --> 00:09:03,860 call, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to 150 00:09:03,870 --> 00:09:07,370 them. To 1 he gave 5 bags of gold, to 151 00:09:07,380 --> 00:09:12,630 another 2 bags and to another one bag each according to his 152 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:15,280 ability. Then he went on his journey. 153 00:09:15,870 --> 00:09:19,680 The man who had received 5 bags of gold went at once and put his 154 00:09:19,690 --> 00:09:22,340 money to work and gained 5 bags more. 155 00:09:22,570 --> 00:09:26,460 So also the one with two bags of gold gained 2 more. 156 00:09:27,030 --> 00:09:30,970 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the 157 00:09:30,980 --> 00:09:32,940 ground, and hid his master's money. 158 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:36,810 After a long time, the master of those servants returned and 159 00:09:36,820 --> 00:09:40,710 settled accounts with them. The man who had received 5 bags 160 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:44,300 of gold brought the other five. Master, he said, you entrusted 161 00:09:44,310 --> 00:09:49,060 me with 5 bags of gold. CI have gained 5 more, his 162 00:09:49,070 --> 00:09:51,560 master replied. Well done, good and faithful. 163 00:09:51,570 --> 00:09:54,250 Sir, you have been faithful with a few things. 164 00:09:54,300 --> 00:09:56,550 I will put you in charge of many things. 165 00:09:56,980 --> 00:09:59,760 Come and share your Master's happiness. 166 00:10:01,150 --> 00:10:03,220 The man with two bags of gold also came. 167 00:10:03,230 --> 00:10:07,500 Master, he said you entrusted me with two bags of gold. 168 00:10:07,510 --> 00:10:10,790 See, I have gained 2 more, his master replied. 169 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:12,970 Well done, good and faithful servant. 170 00:10:12,980 --> 00:10:15,010 You have been faithful with a few things. 171 00:10:15,220 --> 00:10:17,430 I will put you in charge of many things. 172 00:10:17,820 --> 00:10:20,100 Come and share your master's happiness. 173 00:10:21,250 --> 00:10:24,610 Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. 174 00:10:24,930 --> 00:10:28,800 Master, he said. I knew that you were a hard man, 175 00:10:29,070 --> 00:10:32,160 harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you 176 00:10:32,170 --> 00:10:36,800 have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and 177 00:10:36,810 --> 00:10:40,960 hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to 178 00:10:40,970 --> 00:10:48,810 you, his master replied. You wicked lazy servant, so you 179 00:10:48,820 --> 00:10:51,370 knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gathered where I 180 00:10:51,380 --> 00:10:54,130 have not scattered seed. Well, then you should have put 181 00:10:54,140 --> 00:10:57,410 my money on deposit with the bankers so that when I returned 182 00:10:57,420 --> 00:10:59,150 I would have received it back with interest. 183 00:11:00,430 --> 00:11:04,600 So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has 184 00:11:04,610 --> 00:11:07,200 10 bags. For whoever has will be given 185 00:11:07,210 --> 00:11:09,400 more and they will have an abundance. 186 00:11:09,510 --> 00:11:12,810 Whoever does not have even what they have will be taken from 187 00:11:12,820 --> 00:11:15,900 them and throw that worthless servant outside into the 188 00:11:15,910 --> 00:11:19,730 darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 189 00:11:22,490 --> 00:11:25,360 Again, we're going to cover the ground of this parable over the 190 00:11:25,370 --> 00:11:28,860 next two Sundays, but let's just make a note of a couple things. 191 00:11:28,870 --> 00:11:33,980 One, we have a master who is really referencing God himself. 192 00:11:34,050 --> 00:11:38,340 And this is a wealthy master. He can afford to give an 193 00:11:38,350 --> 00:11:41,340 incredible amount of money. Now, if you have an NIV, it 194 00:11:41,350 --> 00:11:42,490 doesn't matter what Bible you have. 195 00:11:42,500 --> 00:11:46,120 But if there's a text note down at the bottom that says that 196 00:11:46,610 --> 00:11:51,200 that that this like like a bag of gold was worth about 20 years 197 00:11:51,430 --> 00:11:55,370 of a day labour's wage. So we're talking about like 1 198 00:11:55,380 --> 00:11:57,830 bag of gold. We're talking about like 7 or 8 199 00:11:58,540 --> 00:12:03,510 thousand $100,000, seven or seven hundred 800,000 bucks so 200 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:04,480 far. We're talking about an 201 00:12:04,490 --> 00:12:08,490 incredible amount of money that has been entrusted to these to 202 00:12:08,500 --> 00:12:11,780 these people. Now the word for bag of gold, 203 00:12:11,790 --> 00:12:14,470 Talanton, which is where we get talent from. 204 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:16,990 Maybe you think of no, but those of you who have grown up in 205 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:19,330 church and know this parable, it's the parable of the talents. 206 00:12:19,620 --> 00:12:23,230 And we know of talent is being kind of an ability or a gift 207 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:25,810 that God has given. But the word actually means 208 00:12:25,820 --> 00:12:28,690 wait. And So what it is associated 209 00:12:28,700 --> 00:12:32,090 with a, with a, with a significant amount of of money, 210 00:12:32,420 --> 00:12:35,870 really investment capital wasn't just I'm giving you cash, but 211 00:12:35,940 --> 00:12:39,410 I'm giving you this to make an investment here in order to 212 00:12:39,420 --> 00:12:43,630 expand what's what's being done. So the word, and I'm sure the 213 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:47,950 word that Jesus used this word in order to be quite broad to 214 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:49,670 mean something that can be invested. 215 00:12:49,680 --> 00:12:53,070 I'm going to trusting something to you for you to make an 216 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:57,000 investment in in order to cause this to grow. 217 00:12:58,250 --> 00:13:03,270 And notice that. Notice that it's untrusted. 218 00:13:04,150 --> 00:13:06,880 Everything that we've been given, everything that we have 219 00:13:06,890 --> 00:13:13,000 has been entrusted to us by God. But it's given here specifically 220 00:13:13,050 --> 00:13:19,240 to multiply and it's given according to their ability and 221 00:13:19,250 --> 00:13:22,410 verse 15 according to their ability. 222 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:26,870 In other words, the master knows the situation of each of these 223 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:29,990 servants and he knows our situation too. 224 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:32,880 He knows our capabilities, He knows our personality, He knows 225 00:13:32,890 --> 00:13:36,350 our giftedness. And so he gives us in accordance 226 00:13:36,560 --> 00:13:39,630 that gives an entrust these things in accordance with that. 227 00:13:40,220 --> 00:13:46,280 And notice also that when it was given to to to the first one, 228 00:13:46,290 --> 00:13:50,770 the five bags, it says in verse 16 that at once he put his money 229 00:13:50,780 --> 00:13:57,010 to work, got right at it. I'm investing it right now, but 230 00:13:57,020 --> 00:13:59,940 the one who was condemned, he wasn't. 231 00:14:00,010 --> 00:14:02,780 He wasn't trying at all to make an investment. 232 00:14:05,470 --> 00:14:10,740 Now when we look, when we consider the response of the 233 00:14:10,750 --> 00:14:15,040 master, at the end, the 1st 2 are commended. 234 00:14:15,290 --> 00:14:18,380 Well done, good and faithful servant like come and come and 235 00:14:18,450 --> 00:14:20,820 share my happiness, share my joy. 236 00:14:20,870 --> 00:14:23,790 It's meant to be a joyful thing. Come, let's celebrate, Look at 237 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:25,700 what's happened, look at the expansion, look at the 238 00:14:25,710 --> 00:14:28,140 multiplication. But when it comes to the one who 239 00:14:28,350 --> 00:14:33,460 failed to do anything, that's a pretty harsh. 240 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:36,600 Do you know that I remember reading this parable thinking, 241 00:14:36,610 --> 00:14:40,590 Man is that ever harsh, wicked, lazy servant? 242 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:44,000 I mean, he gave, at least he gave back what belonged to the 243 00:14:44,010 --> 00:14:45,620 master. Like he hit it. 244 00:14:45,630 --> 00:14:52,370 He kind of kept it safe and yet he's, he's considered a wicked 245 00:14:52,380 --> 00:14:54,750 and lazy servant. Now this, this should be, this 246 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:59,030 should throw up a whole bunch of alarm bells because this is God 247 00:14:59,040 --> 00:15:03,410 speaking to this one who's been entrusted with something to 248 00:15:03,420 --> 00:15:05,440 multiply and they've failed to multiply. 249 00:15:06,570 --> 00:15:09,940 Now we'll get into some of the reasons why he did not multiply 250 00:15:09,950 --> 00:15:14,700 next week, but he he, he obviously did not experience any 251 00:15:14,710 --> 00:15:19,040 joy in the idea of multiplying and he had a pretty grim view of 252 00:15:19,050 --> 00:15:20,860 the master. We'll talk a little bit more 253 00:15:20,870 --> 00:15:25,340 about that next week, but just letting this settle in for a 254 00:15:25,350 --> 00:15:27,840 little bit. How important it is to the 255 00:15:27,850 --> 00:15:33,180 master, how important it is to God that we multiply what we 256 00:15:33,190 --> 00:15:38,120 have been given. So what have we been given? 257 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:44,280 What is the weirdest thing that God has given to us that needs 258 00:15:44,290 --> 00:15:51,180 to be multiplied? Um, it's the gospel, it's the 259 00:15:51,190 --> 00:15:54,910 message of Jesus Christ. It is the engine for our 260 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:58,900 transformation. It is the good news that God has 261 00:15:58,910 --> 00:16:01,920 given to the world. Jesus himself and all of what 262 00:16:01,930 --> 00:16:04,700 his ministry involves. That is the greatest thing. 263 00:16:04,710 --> 00:16:10,920 He's he's given us many things, but that's the one thing that we 264 00:16:10,930 --> 00:16:20,600 don't wanna miss multiplying. How do we do that in Second 265 00:16:20,610 --> 00:16:25,840 Timothy chapter 2 verse 2? I call it the 2T22 verse. 266 00:16:25,950 --> 00:16:28,520 We're gonna if you wanna turn there Second Timothy 22, you can 267 00:16:28,530 --> 00:16:30,400 in your Bibles, but I'm gonna have it up on the screen. 268 00:16:30,810 --> 00:16:34,760 Very instructive. The Apostle Paul in the in the 269 00:16:34,770 --> 00:16:38,020 in his letter Second Timothy letter to Timothy is instructing 270 00:16:38,030 --> 00:16:43,180 Timothy what to do with what is being entrusted to him, which is 271 00:16:43,190 --> 00:16:45,980 the very word of God, the Gospel. 272 00:16:47,130 --> 00:16:52,530 Good summary of the of the chapter in in chapter 1 verse 13 273 00:16:52,870 --> 00:16:57,920 and 14 says this he says what you heard from me. 274 00:16:57,930 --> 00:16:59,170 So this is Paul speaking to Timothy. 275 00:16:59,180 --> 00:17:01,780 What you've heard from me. Keep us the pattern of sound 276 00:17:01,790 --> 00:17:04,619 teaching with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 277 00:17:05,010 --> 00:17:09,290 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you. 278 00:17:09,510 --> 00:17:12,980 Guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. 279 00:17:13,450 --> 00:17:17,579 The good deposit is the gospel is the message of Jesus all 280 00:17:17,589 --> 00:17:21,290 about his ministry. Guard this with your life. 281 00:17:21,970 --> 00:17:25,700 This is the good deposit and I'm entrusting it to you. 282 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:29,400 And how is he gonna? How is he gonna guard it? 283 00:17:30,290 --> 00:17:32,860 He's gonna he's gonna talk about how to guard it here in chapter 284 00:17:32,870 --> 00:17:37,210 2, starting in verse 1. He says you then my son Paul 285 00:17:37,220 --> 00:17:41,370 talking to Timothy be strong in the grace that is in Christ 286 00:17:41,380 --> 00:17:45,460 Jesus and the things you have heard me say in the presence of 287 00:17:45,470 --> 00:17:47,910 many witnesses. This is the this is the the good 288 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:52,440 deposit entrust to reliable people who will also be 289 00:17:52,450 --> 00:17:56,600 qualified to teach others. Sorry, trust to reliable people. 290 00:17:56,610 --> 00:17:59,680 Yeah, who will also be able to, who will be qualified to teach 291 00:17:59,690 --> 00:18:05,830 others? He he is describing this action 292 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:09,990 of passing it on. We think of guarding the truth, 293 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:12,320 guarding the message, guarding the gospel with some, OK, we 294 00:18:12,330 --> 00:18:14,690 gotta protect from heresy and we gotta make sure it's alright. 295 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:17,620 But actually, part of the guarding process, an important 296 00:18:17,630 --> 00:18:20,850 part, is making sure it's being passed on, because it's gonna 297 00:18:20,860 --> 00:18:23,240 live beyond Paul. It's gonna live beyond Timothy. 298 00:18:23,250 --> 00:18:25,980 It's gonna spread. I mean, the very gospel that 299 00:18:25,990 --> 00:18:31,740 started over 2000 years ago, it's impacted you and me. 300 00:18:31,830 --> 00:18:34,100 It's the reason why we're sitting here today because it 301 00:18:34,110 --> 00:18:36,160 was passed on. It was passed on. 302 00:18:36,650 --> 00:18:40,910 It was passed on. And we see here in verse 2 4 303 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:47,770 generations of a pass. So it starts here, So and the 304 00:18:47,780 --> 00:18:52,350 things you have heard me say. So we're talking about Paul 305 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:56,330 speaking to Timothy heard me saying the presence of many 306 00:18:56,340 --> 00:18:58,750 witnesses entrust to reliable people, that's the next 307 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:01,300 generation. So Paul's giving to Timothy, 308 00:19:01,360 --> 00:19:04,510 Timothy now is giving it to reliable people, passing it on. 309 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:06,660 And then those reliable people are teaching others. 310 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:10,530 See the the expansiveness here. We're talking about this. 311 00:19:10,540 --> 00:19:12,550 It's, it's a multiplication move. 312 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:15,990 It's not just adding, but it's multiplying the number of people 313 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:22,240 are being impacted by that. And then he gives 3 metaphors to 314 00:19:22,250 --> 00:19:26,080 encourage Timothy in this task. Verse 3. 315 00:19:26,150 --> 00:19:29,240 Join with me in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 316 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:34,510 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, 317 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:37,910 but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 318 00:19:39,370 --> 00:19:41,550 He's encouraging Timothy be like a good soldier. 319 00:19:43,770 --> 00:19:46,050 Don't get entangled in the other things. 320 00:19:46,840 --> 00:19:50,860 Make sure that you are after your commanders happiness 321 00:19:52,110 --> 00:19:55,060 focused on the task of passing this on. 322 00:19:55,270 --> 00:19:58,740 Then the next metaphor he uses in verse 5. 323 00:19:58,750 --> 00:20:03,030 He says Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not 324 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:07,340 receive the victor's crown. Except by competing according to 325 00:20:07,350 --> 00:20:11,190 the rules, if you're an athlete, you wanna do, you wanna compete 326 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:12,950 by the rules, you're not doing your own thing. 327 00:20:13,420 --> 00:20:15,830 You're gonna, you're gonna be very diligent in following the 328 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:17,510 rules so that you're not gonna be disqualified. 329 00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:18,790 And what and what what is he doing? 330 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:22,690 He's he's passing on the faith. It's like a, just like a runner 331 00:20:22,700 --> 00:20:24,910 who is passing on the baton to the next runner. 332 00:20:25,260 --> 00:20:27,150 I'm not doing my own thing. I'm coordinated. 333 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:29,970 I'm making sure that this is being done for the for, for the 334 00:20:29,980 --> 00:20:32,330 expansion of the gospel in our midst. 335 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:34,730 And then the last metaphor uses verse 6. 336 00:20:34,740 --> 00:20:38,350 He says the hard working farmer should be the first to receive a 337 00:20:38,360 --> 00:20:41,720 share of the crops. It's all, it's all 338 00:20:41,730 --> 00:20:45,620 multiplication imagery for us. We're like farmers. 339 00:20:45,630 --> 00:20:49,380 We talked about that that last time that that we should be 340 00:20:49,390 --> 00:20:52,580 sharing in the joy of seeing a harvest come. 341 00:20:52,970 --> 00:20:55,260 It's all about it's all about the crops. 342 00:20:55,490 --> 00:20:59,270 It's all about the multiplication of God's work in 343 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:10,510 the world. And then verse 7 says reflect on 344 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:14,950 what I'm saying for the Lord will give you insight into all 345 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:20,560 of this. The this is something that I 346 00:21:20,570 --> 00:21:24,000 gotta admit I have not really reflected on as much as I should 347 00:21:24,010 --> 00:21:26,630 be. This just kind of hit me 348 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:29,690 between, you know, he's not hitting me. 349 00:21:29,780 --> 00:21:34,350 He, His truth is hitting me that this is something to be 350 00:21:34,360 --> 00:21:38,070 reflected on. How important it is for us to be 351 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:42,910 multiplying disciples on this earth. 352 00:21:44,820 --> 00:21:52,080 It's all about the personal, just to get kind of a personal 353 00:21:52,090 --> 00:21:55,820 transactions that are going on. It's, it's personal transmission 354 00:21:55,830 --> 00:21:59,650 that's going on. You know, as a church family, we 355 00:21:59,660 --> 00:22:02,560 do a lot in order to encourage discipleship. 356 00:22:02,610 --> 00:22:07,120 We have life groups, we, we're even meeting here on a Sunday 357 00:22:07,130 --> 00:22:09,610 morning. All of it is, is is to encourage 358 00:22:09,620 --> 00:22:15,000 one another to follow Jesus. But it's that personal contact 359 00:22:15,010 --> 00:22:18,410 that is so important. Paul, the Timothy, Timothy the 360 00:22:18,420 --> 00:22:22,090 reliable people, reliable people to others that that movement 361 00:22:22,870 --> 00:22:28,830 that is taking place one person at a time, investing in a few, 362 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:31,390 you know, the the, the mission of Jesus. 363 00:22:31,460 --> 00:22:34,040 If you think about it, it seemed like such a feeble attempt. 364 00:22:34,850 --> 00:22:37,660 One man is gathered 12 disciples. 365 00:22:37,670 --> 00:22:40,200 And if you look at the 12 disciples, think these guys 366 00:22:40,210 --> 00:22:46,310 capable of doing anything following this one rabbi around 367 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:50,640 Palestine, you know, in these backwater towns and it's 368 00:22:50,650 --> 00:22:52,610 impacted us today. Why? 369 00:22:52,620 --> 00:22:55,530 Because one man invested. I mean, it happens to be the Son 370 00:22:55,540 --> 00:23:01,530 of God, but he invests into 12 individuals who then invest in 371 00:23:01,540 --> 00:23:04,750 others and it is exploded throughout the whole entire 372 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:06,250 world. It turned the Roman Empire 373 00:23:06,260 --> 00:23:09,120 upside down. I mean starting with a few, 374 00:23:09,180 --> 00:23:13,040 investing in a few, and watching God multiply, not adding one by 375 00:23:13,050 --> 00:23:18,270 one, but multiplying that ministry. 376 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:21,070 Note in the first message of this series, I shared a chart 377 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:23,970 with you and I saw a lot of blank stares because I don't 378 00:23:23,980 --> 00:23:26,590 think I've explained it too well, but there's a video I want 379 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:30,580 to show you right now. And so Greg and Jackie Verberg 380 00:23:30,590 --> 00:23:33,530 shared this at their life group. And so I wanted to share this 381 00:23:33,540 --> 00:23:34,720 with the rest of the congregation. 382 00:23:34,730 --> 00:23:47,150 So take a look at this. Would you rather be given $1 383 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:51,180 million or 1 Penny doubled every day for 30 days? 384 00:23:51,890 --> 00:23:53,640 Do you remember this question from math class? 385 00:23:53,650 --> 00:23:55,860 Right? This is when we all learned the 386 00:23:55,870 --> 00:23:58,580 power of compound interest and exponential growth. 387 00:23:58,870 --> 00:24:02,580 At the end of 30 days, that doubled penny becomes just over 388 00:24:02,590 --> 00:24:06,960 $5,000,000. Turns out the same concept 389 00:24:06,970 --> 00:24:09,960 applies to missions. Imagine you filled a football 390 00:24:09,970 --> 00:24:14,510 stadium with 100,000 people for a gospel outreach event and 20% 391 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:18,660 of them came to know Christ that day. 20,000 people would come 392 00:24:18,670 --> 00:24:21,900 into the Kingdom. If you did that every day for a 393 00:24:21,910 --> 00:24:25,170 year, over 7 million people would come to faith. 394 00:24:25,380 --> 00:24:29,410 That sounds pretty great, right? Here's the question, though. 395 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:32,910 If you kept that pace of 7 million people each year, how 396 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:36,030 long would it take to reach the world's population of 8 billion 397 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:42,280 people over 1000 years? 1095 to be exact. 398 00:24:42,350 --> 00:24:46,760 A 100,000 person outreach event every day for 1000 years? 399 00:24:46,990 --> 00:24:50,760 From a pure number standpoint, mass evangelism will not reach 400 00:24:50,770 --> 00:24:53,060 the World for Christ in our lifetime. 401 00:24:53,190 --> 00:24:56,740 What about a different strategy inspired by that original math 402 00:24:56,750 --> 00:24:59,960 problem? Instead of preaching to 100,000 403 00:24:59,970 --> 00:25:03,920 people every day, suppose you made one disciple each year, 404 00:25:03,990 --> 00:25:06,900 focused on their development, and equipped them to make their 405 00:25:06,910 --> 00:25:10,690 own new disciple every year. At the end of the first year, 406 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:14,630 you would have two followers of Jesus, you and your disciple. 407 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:18,520 At the end of the second year you would have 48, the third 408 00:25:18,530 --> 00:25:25,350 year 16, the 4th, and so on. 30 two 64128 How many years would 409 00:25:25,360 --> 00:25:28,090 it take to disciple the world using this strategy? 410 00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:31,230 34 years? Do the math. 411 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:34,810 Something profound happens when we take a multiplication mindset 412 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:38,570 in the Great Commission. Jesus tells us to go and make 413 00:25:38,580 --> 00:25:41,410 disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of 414 00:25:41,420 --> 00:25:44,040 the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 415 00:25:44,310 --> 00:25:47,840 He continues by instructing us to teach those disciples to obey 416 00:25:47,850 --> 00:25:51,300 everything He commanded us. What was His final command? 417 00:25:51,610 --> 00:25:55,230 Go and make disciples. So our role is to make disciples 418 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:58,540 that obey the command to make disciples that obey the command 419 00:25:58,550 --> 00:26:01,840 to make disciples. Where to go to all nations and 420 00:26:01,850 --> 00:26:05,860 make disciple making disciples. That's multiplication. 421 00:26:05,950 --> 00:26:08,820 Reach the few in order to reach the many. 422 00:26:09,670 --> 00:26:12,300 What if you didn't feel the burden to preach to an entire 423 00:26:12,310 --> 00:26:15,820 village or city or country, but instead we're faithful to the 424 00:26:15,830 --> 00:26:18,790 simple multiplication principles of the Great Commission? 425 00:26:18,980 --> 00:26:22,890 The entire world could be discipled in our generation if 426 00:26:22,900 --> 00:26:26,450 we started with just one. What about you? 427 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:29,490 How might God want you to be involved in making disciples 428 00:26:29,500 --> 00:26:32,550 that make disciples and seeing movements of Jesus among every 429 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:34,730 tribe, tongue, people and nation? 430 00:26:36,070 --> 00:26:39,100 Would you rather fill a stadium every day for the next 1000 431 00:26:39,110 --> 00:26:42,400 years or commit to making one disciple this year? 432 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:47,410 Let's do this together until all have heard, starting with 433 00:26:47,420 --> 00:26:51,790 Discipling 1. So who's your one? 434 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:02,670 Makes a pretty good point. Who is your one? 435 00:27:03,310 --> 00:27:07,310 Who are you investing in now? The whole idea of disciple 436 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:10,130 making it can be a pretty intimidating concept. 437 00:27:10,180 --> 00:27:12,420 Me. How am I gonna be making 438 00:27:12,430 --> 00:27:14,310 disciples? If we were to break this down, 439 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:16,810 what do we mean when we say make a disciple? 440 00:27:17,870 --> 00:27:21,500 There are two components to it. One is the evangelism component. 441 00:27:21,510 --> 00:27:24,570 That is, I'm sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with 442 00:27:24,580 --> 00:27:26,440 someone else. And there's a development 443 00:27:26,450 --> 00:27:28,800 component. I'm developing this person to be 444 00:27:28,810 --> 00:27:32,120 an A minister of the gospel. We're all meant to just be like 445 00:27:32,130 --> 00:27:36,360 Jesus, to be filled with his love, to be walking closely with 446 00:27:36,370 --> 00:27:38,440 God, to be loving and serving others. 447 00:27:38,450 --> 00:27:43,450 There's no agenda beyond that and to pass that on to another 448 00:27:43,460 --> 00:27:46,000 person. But there's that evangelist and 449 00:27:46,010 --> 00:27:48,580 component, gospel sharing component, and then there's a 450 00:27:48,590 --> 00:27:52,410 development component. I'm training you up to be a 451 00:27:52,420 --> 00:27:54,650 disciple maker yourself. Those are the two. 452 00:27:54,660 --> 00:27:58,290 Those are the 2 two main pieces. We're not trying to multiply 453 00:27:58,300 --> 00:28:02,690 people who believe we are meant to be multiplying. 454 00:28:02,900 --> 00:28:06,580 People who are gonna end up being ministry workers who are 455 00:28:06,590 --> 00:28:10,230 gonna join Jesus in his work of making other disciples. 456 00:28:11,520 --> 00:28:15,290 The church, This church has 1 mission. 457 00:28:16,300 --> 00:28:18,690 The Church of Jesus Christ is only one mission to make 458 00:28:18,700 --> 00:28:19,950 disciple makers. That's it. 459 00:28:20,790 --> 00:28:24,460 Everything that we do from greeting to kids, ministry to 460 00:28:24,470 --> 00:28:29,290 life groups, it's all about sharing the gospel and 461 00:28:29,360 --> 00:28:33,730 developing people to work for Jesus to join him in his 462 00:28:33,740 --> 00:28:35,550 mission. That's that's, that's everything 463 00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:40,720 right there. Matthew Chapter 9 Jesus shares 464 00:28:40,730 --> 00:28:43,190 his heart. He says that the the harvest is 465 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:44,850 plentiful, but the workers are few. 466 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:48,410 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers 467 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:51,970 into his harvest field. That's, that's what we're doing. 468 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:57,450 We are, we are bringing in the harvest and we are sending out 469 00:28:57,500 --> 00:29:00,600 workers into the harvest field that that's, that's what we're 470 00:29:00,610 --> 00:29:01,990 doing. That's how we're gonna bring the 471 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:06,120 goodness of God into this world, the church. 472 00:29:06,210 --> 00:29:08,610 Like when we invite people to become members of Forest View, 473 00:29:08,620 --> 00:29:10,770 invite people to become ministry partners. 474 00:29:10,930 --> 00:29:14,680 We're inviting people to date. Join us in the mission of Jesus 475 00:29:14,950 --> 00:29:19,080 to make disciples. That's it, That's it. 476 00:29:19,830 --> 00:29:24,190 All of our leaders are seeking apprentices that they can, that 477 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:27,020 they can develop in order to take on areas of ministry. 478 00:29:27,030 --> 00:29:28,360 Why? Because we want to expand the 479 00:29:28,370 --> 00:29:28,980 ministry. Why? 480 00:29:28,990 --> 00:29:31,490 So that we can get more. The more people that we have 481 00:29:31,500 --> 00:29:34,840 involved in the work of Jesus, the more arms we have to wrap 482 00:29:34,850 --> 00:29:37,560 around people to care for people, to love for, love 483 00:29:37,570 --> 00:29:40,920 people. So back to the question, who are 484 00:29:40,930 --> 00:29:43,820 you discipling? Pure follow Jesus. 485 00:29:43,830 --> 00:29:45,710 Who are you? Just you, You discipling? 486 00:29:45,880 --> 00:29:47,950 You're thinking, Oh man, there's nobody. 487 00:29:49,130 --> 00:29:50,850 Just chill. It's it's gonna be alright. 488 00:29:52,350 --> 00:29:54,740 Who is it that you are? If we think of discipline as 489 00:29:54,750 --> 00:29:58,640 those two components, who are you praying for each? 490 00:29:58,710 --> 00:30:02,160 Each of us should have somewhere between one and three people, 491 00:30:02,230 --> 00:30:04,960 maybe more, but just just a short list of people that we're 492 00:30:04,970 --> 00:30:08,110 praying for on a regular basis basis who don't yet know Jesus. 493 00:30:09,990 --> 00:30:13,840 Keep that little list in your Bible or in your pocket, on your 494 00:30:13,850 --> 00:30:17,780 fridge, in your in the mirror, whatever to remind to pray every 495 00:30:17,790 --> 00:30:21,410 day for the person that's in your life that you know, doesn't 496 00:30:21,420 --> 00:30:23,640 know yet. The love of God is not walking 497 00:30:23,650 --> 00:30:26,250 with that person, walking with God and be praying for them, 498 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:29,310 looking for opportunities to share the love of Jesus. 499 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:32,610 That's one thing, but then who are we developing? 500 00:30:32,680 --> 00:30:35,860 That could be the person who comes to Christ, but we can also 501 00:30:35,870 --> 00:30:40,310 have an impact in developing a Christian who's maybe a little 502 00:30:40,350 --> 00:30:44,180 further, a little we're we may be a little bit further down the 503 00:30:44,190 --> 00:30:46,650 road than them and that we can help to develop them and 504 00:30:46,660 --> 00:30:49,910 encourage them in their own faith to be a disciple maker 505 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:57,520 themselves. I love the heart of the one who 506 00:30:57,530 --> 00:31:01,280 had five bags of gold, was given 5 bag bags of gold. 507 00:31:01,290 --> 00:31:05,260 Since at once, at once he went and invested. 508 00:31:05,590 --> 00:31:10,360 He put that to work. In other words, when we think 509 00:31:10,370 --> 00:31:13,560 about who are we discipling? We shouldn't be waiting around. 510 00:31:13,890 --> 00:31:16,480 Like, who is it? I'm not talking about like going 511 00:31:16,490 --> 00:31:18,820 up to anybody, you know, like, can I disciple you? 512 00:31:18,830 --> 00:31:21,560 You know, is it like like scare anybody? 513 00:31:21,810 --> 00:31:24,350 But who is it that's in my life right now that I could be 514 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:25,740 discipling? Like think about the 515 00:31:25,750 --> 00:31:28,080 relationships that God, we don't want to force anything. 516 00:31:28,430 --> 00:31:30,840 And again, this is a work of the Holy Spirit. 517 00:31:30,850 --> 00:31:33,640 We want to, we want to, we want the Holy Spirit to guide us in 518 00:31:33,650 --> 00:31:36,320 this. Who do we have relationship with 519 00:31:36,330 --> 00:31:39,040 now? If you're a a young mother with 520 00:31:39,050 --> 00:31:42,560 children, your focus right now is on your kids, right? 521 00:31:43,290 --> 00:31:44,980 Discipling them, raising them up. 522 00:31:45,030 --> 00:31:49,760 Same with your Father. But who is it that may be in our 523 00:31:49,770 --> 00:31:53,440 in in your life that you can walk alongside of and and and 524 00:31:53,450 --> 00:31:57,530 and encouraging the faith disciple them just I just wanna 525 00:31:57,540 --> 00:32:01,790 try to take the mystery out of that idea of of discipleship. 526 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:04,190 What are you looking for? You're looking for a learner. 527 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:09,970 The word disciple mathetes means learner or pupil apprentice, 528 00:32:09,980 --> 00:32:13,800 someone that's willing to learn. That's what you're looking for. 529 00:32:13,810 --> 00:32:16,530 You don't try to force things on people that aren't into it. 530 00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:20,100 Just go with the people that you know that are willing to learn. 531 00:32:21,420 --> 00:32:23,430 What about the content? The freak? 532 00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:25,080 Like, OK, well what do I do with them? 533 00:32:25,090 --> 00:32:26,370 Why? When I get together with them, 534 00:32:26,380 --> 00:32:26,810 like what? What? 535 00:32:26,820 --> 00:32:29,350 What do I do? What is the content? 536 00:32:29,360 --> 00:32:31,650 We there's a lot of great books. There's a lot of great 537 00:32:31,660 --> 00:32:33,570 resources. I'll just highlight too right 538 00:32:33,580 --> 00:32:37,670 now, Discipleship Essentials by Greg Ogden as well. 539 00:32:37,820 --> 00:32:40,770 The book Multiply by Francis Chan. 540 00:32:40,780 --> 00:32:42,270 Both of those are in the in the library. 541 00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:45,970 You can pick those out, but don't complicate it. 542 00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:49,390 If you think about the 1st century, those who came to 543 00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:52,690 Christ and and continue to make disciples, they had nothing. 544 00:32:52,700 --> 00:32:55,030 They had no curriculum, they had no books. 545 00:32:55,420 --> 00:32:56,990 They didn't even have a Bible at the time. 546 00:32:57,000 --> 00:33:00,340 They just knew the gospel. It was in their mind and in 547 00:33:00,350 --> 00:33:04,070 their heart and they just shared what they had and what they did. 548 00:33:04,730 --> 00:33:07,260 That's that's simply what they simply what what they did. 549 00:33:07,270 --> 00:33:09,400 So what? What content? 550 00:33:09,510 --> 00:33:11,940 The content is what God has given to you. 551 00:33:14,250 --> 00:33:16,810 Don't downplay what God has given to you. 552 00:33:17,410 --> 00:33:21,200 You have the scriptures. He's given you a faith in Him 553 00:33:22,660 --> 00:33:26,830 and you're living for Him on a number of different levels. 554 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:29,790 You can pass that on to another individual. 555 00:33:29,960 --> 00:33:33,050 How often do you meet? It could be weekly, it could be 556 00:33:33,100 --> 00:33:35,030 biweekly, could be monthly, whatever. 557 00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:40,360 But just taking some time and investing and remember for me, 558 00:33:40,410 --> 00:33:44,550 someone met with me every week, university cafeteria every week. 559 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:47,420 We just had lunch together and it was just over the Bible and 560 00:33:47,430 --> 00:33:50,200 we just talked about what it meant to be a Christ follower. 561 00:33:51,390 --> 00:33:55,300 We're meant to just model that. What it means to abide, love and 562 00:33:55,310 --> 00:33:58,440 bear fruit, What it means to love God, love people, and pass 563 00:33:58,450 --> 00:33:59,920 it on. Simple. 564 00:34:00,050 --> 00:34:03,470 Just the way that we pray, the way that we read the Bible, that 565 00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:05,270 the way that we talk about people. 566 00:34:05,410 --> 00:34:07,010 All these things are being passed on. 567 00:34:07,020 --> 00:34:10,710 The way we love, the way that we forgive, and then the way that 568 00:34:10,719 --> 00:34:14,540 we're investing in one person, encouraging them to invest in 569 00:34:14,550 --> 00:34:16,130 another person too. We don't should. 570 00:34:16,139 --> 00:34:17,870 We shouldn't be complicating it at all. 571 00:34:18,780 --> 00:34:21,090 So it's who you are that you're that you're passing on. 572 00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:24,610 You might think, oh, who I am. I'm so imperfect. 573 00:34:24,620 --> 00:34:28,630 I'm full of contradictions. I'm not a good disciple, like 574 00:34:30,150 --> 00:34:32,580 just chill for a little bit. Think it'd be possible? 575 00:34:32,590 --> 00:34:35,750 Paul, he called himself the chief of sinners. 576 00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:38,489 He wasn't he. He didn't call himself. 577 00:34:38,500 --> 00:34:40,810 I was the chief of sinners. I am the chief of sinners. 578 00:34:40,820 --> 00:34:45,070 He knew all of his flaws and imperfections and yet he said 579 00:34:45,750 --> 00:34:49,260 follow my example, friends, is I'm following the example of 580 00:34:49,270 --> 00:34:53,889 Christ, Come and follow me. To the extent that I'm following 581 00:34:53,900 --> 00:34:57,230 Jesus, come and follow me. Forget the other stuff. 582 00:34:57,300 --> 00:34:58,940 Stuff where I'm failing to follow Jesus. 583 00:35:00,150 --> 00:35:05,130 That's how God has ordained it. So don't worry about how we 584 00:35:05,140 --> 00:35:07,330 don't have it all together. Step into it. 585 00:35:08,130 --> 00:35:10,100 To step into it. You might think, OK, but 586 00:35:10,110 --> 00:35:13,340 nobody's ever discipled me. I've never been discipled, so 587 00:35:13,350 --> 00:35:14,780 how am I gonna disciple somebody else? 588 00:35:15,620 --> 00:35:19,840 It's OK, it's alright. Disciple means learner. 589 00:35:19,910 --> 00:35:23,360 We're all learning, and no matter how much we have it all 590 00:35:23,370 --> 00:35:24,820 together, there's still more to learn. 591 00:35:24,830 --> 00:35:29,580 Just all we're doing is learners working with learners to help 592 00:35:29,590 --> 00:35:31,340 develop one another. And you know what? 593 00:35:31,650 --> 00:35:34,680 The people that we disciple, they're going to help us with 594 00:35:34,690 --> 00:35:37,650 things in the faith too. I learned so much with the 595 00:35:37,660 --> 00:35:42,630 people that I walk with, things that I haven't seen in the Bible 596 00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:47,190 before, and so always wanna be in that place of learning, 597 00:35:47,200 --> 00:35:49,020 learning, learning, humbly learning. 598 00:35:49,030 --> 00:35:53,130 But I'm just giving what I have. Simple, simple, simple. 599 00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:58,310 And just know that we have all the help of heaven to do this. 600 00:35:59,730 --> 00:36:04,080 We have the help of heaven. There are people around you who 601 00:36:04,090 --> 00:36:07,860 can develop you. You might think, OK, so, so who? 602 00:36:07,870 --> 00:36:10,300 I mean, who is discipling you? That's a good question to ask. 603 00:36:10,310 --> 00:36:15,160 Who is discipling you? Man's social media is discipling 604 00:36:15,170 --> 00:36:18,950 a lot of people today, and we gotta be careful of that AI chat 605 00:36:18,960 --> 00:36:22,260 LGBT that that's my disciple making right? 606 00:36:22,460 --> 00:36:24,780 And those things are, those things can be very, very 607 00:36:24,790 --> 00:36:26,420 helpful. But there are human beings 608 00:36:26,430 --> 00:36:30,780 around us who are a few steps ahead that we can approach and 609 00:36:30,790 --> 00:36:33,600 say, hey, could we meet together for coffee every once in a 610 00:36:33,610 --> 00:36:36,950 while? I wanna learn some things from 611 00:36:36,960 --> 00:36:39,270 you. I wanna walk with you awhile. 612 00:36:39,280 --> 00:36:42,010 I wanna put on your yoke for a bit and and walk with you and 613 00:36:42,020 --> 00:36:43,280 learn and learn. We can do that. 614 00:36:44,750 --> 00:36:47,330 So there's people around us. That's what the church family, 615 00:36:47,340 --> 00:36:49,780 the family of God is about. But also we've got the Holy 616 00:36:49,790 --> 00:36:55,580 Spirit going back to chapter one, verse 14 of Two Timothy. 617 00:36:56,500 --> 00:36:59,890 You know, he says guard the good deposit that was entrusted to 618 00:36:59,900 --> 00:37:02,350 you by passing it on. Guard it with the help of the 619 00:37:02,360 --> 00:37:04,570 Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit is gonna help us to 620 00:37:04,580 --> 00:37:08,130 do this. Lean on Him, friends, as we step 621 00:37:08,140 --> 00:37:11,780 out in obedience. He's gonna do. 622 00:37:11,850 --> 00:37:16,770 He's gonna do the expansion. Jesus says. 623 00:37:16,780 --> 00:37:21,150 This is to my Father's glory that you bear much fruit, 624 00:37:21,320 --> 00:37:24,060 showing yourself to be his disciples. 625 00:37:25,940 --> 00:37:29,360 Don't give up. Live out your full potential in 626 00:37:29,370 --> 00:37:33,790 Christ, abide in Him, love others and bear fruit and just 627 00:37:33,800 --> 00:37:36,390 listen to this, Paul says. Let us not become weary in doing 628 00:37:36,400 --> 00:37:41,470 good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not 629 00:37:41,480 --> 00:37:46,970 give up. Father in Heaven, we as we hear 630 00:37:46,980 --> 00:37:50,330 your word today. Lord, I pray that it would land 631 00:37:50,340 --> 00:37:55,390 on good soil and that You give to us a willingness to join You 632 00:37:55,400 --> 00:37:58,170 in this glorious venture, the greatest thing on the planet, 633 00:37:58,180 --> 00:38:00,950 and that is spreading Your goodness throughout the world by 634 00:38:00,960 --> 00:38:03,810 multiplying. Disciples equip us to do what we 635 00:38:03,820 --> 00:38:06,950 pray through Jesus Christ and the power of His Spirit. 636 00:38:07,730 --> 00:38:08,110 Amen.