Sermon Notes

Clay Smith JFBC
"How Jesus Made Disciples"

To multiply many, focus on a few.

Matthew 4:18-22

"A disciple is one who found Jesus, is following the ways of Jesus, and is leading others to do the same."

The hurdle: making the lead from being a disciple to leading others to become a disciple. Ask yourself: who are you leading someone else to be a disciple? Jesus wants you to grow up.

Five stages of a disciple's growth:
1. Spiritually dead Eph 2:1 these are who need to be reached.
2. Spiritual infant. New believers. Excited about Jesus. Starting to make changes.
3. Spiritual child. Focused on one thing: themselves. Self centered. Knows the basics. Dedicated to themselves. Hey, I'm not being fed.
4. Spiritual young adult: starting to become God-centered. Starting to serve intentionally and ask questions.
5. Spiritual parents - the goal, to become disciple makers.

Which stage are you in? Jesus always had such expectation and hope for people. Had a positive attitude about people, the fields are ripe for harvest. We need this mindset.

Four stages of how Jesus made disciples:
1. The "come and see" stage: living differently than the world around me. John 1. We need to be wise, not jerks for Jesus 1 Peter 3 always ready to make a defense…" means to have hope in a hopeless world, and to be able to share this with others.
2. The "come and follow me" stage - Mark 1, with intentionality. They followed immediately. Jesus had 70-100 disciples during his ministry but spent most of his time with 12.
FATS = faithful available teachable sendable. Luke 6 Jesus prayed all night. He was serious about disciple making.
3. The "come take up your cross" stage. Must confront sin, and issues with your family of origin. Mark 8:31 who do you say I am? Following Christ can mean persecution. Set your mind on God's purposes. It's not about me. Verse 34 must deny himself if you want to follow Christ. Die to self - the path to freedom and life.
4. The "go and make disciples" stage. Matt 8 the great commission. I am with you always. Get out of your comfort zone. Going to people you don't know, who don't know God. Jesus can do this through you.

What stage are you in? How to start…
1. Pray that God will lead you to someone
2. Start where you are, with what you have.
3. Join a small group. Focus on a few.

Suggested Reading:
1. One Eighty Jeff Vandersteit
2. The Training of the Twelve: A B Bruce
3. The Master Plan of Evangelism, by Robert Coleman.

Jesus' message + Jesus' methods = Jesus' results.

The ways of Jesus: loving, serving, generosity, gathering/worship, and multiplication/bearing fruit. How are you doing in these areas?

34 in Sunday School.