The Divine Crash

Only in churches do we get a second 1st sermon.  After missing last week for my grandfather’s funeral.  In some ways this felt like my first sermon all over again.  You can listen to it on the bottom of here or download on iTunes.

Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20 Exodus 12:38

Go and Make disciples.

A disciple is a follower of the master.

A follower walks.  Specifically a follower walks behind the master.

Around the time of Jesus all Jewish boys would memorize the OT and at age 12 would be examined by a Rabbi they wanted to follow. If they passed they left their family, job, and possessions to follow rabbi.  The rabbi would examine and if they passed simply say “Come follow me.” or “I have never known you,” if they failed.

If they failed they studied to about age 15 and then the same thing.  If they failed they went and did the families job.

There was no great joy than following a Rabbi.  Made your parents proud because they could say “My son is following a Rabbi.”

If you followed a Rabbi you wanted desperately to be like them.  To do everything they did.  Disciples would literally step in the footprints of the rabbi.  They would walk so close that the dust that was kicked up by the Rabbi would be caked on them.  Then they would compare amongst each other who had the most dust because they were the better disciples.

It is interesting to note that the disciples were all doing a job…..they had been passed over by other Rabbi as not being good enough.

- Some were fishing, collecting taxes, and all other jobs that were not part of following a Rabbi.

- These were people that were just not good enough to be called disciples of someone else.

That seems to be how God usually works.  God has always in the business of calling the not good enough, rich enough, or popular enough.

Exodus 12:38, which we mentioned last week.

God calls those who simply want freedom.  The Hebrew is Erev Rav it literally means a group of non-residents/immigrants. They were people who were Jewish.  These were people who never knew who God was, never knew the Old Testament law.  but they were people who simply wanted freedom.

This is who Jesus is in the business of calling.  The not good enough, messed up, hurting, and oppressed people.

This is the type of person you were before you realized Jesus was your savior.

This is the type of person you may feel like when your world caves in.

This is the type of person you are called to be with and share Jesus with.  Those just like you.

We are called to make disciples to be with those around us that need Jesus.

We are called to be with those around us who need to know about Jesus.

- Friends

- Coworkers

- Children

- Parents

- Spouse

Incidentally, This is why I have no time for church politics because too many people don’t know about Jesus.  We can deal with the petty junk like the color of carpets and the right kind of music AFTER the whole world has been saved.  Until then let’s make disciples.

Look at another part in Matthew 28 that I think changes everything you have ever known about evangelism.

Verse 17.  ”They worshipped him, and some doubted.”

This word doubt: in Greek is Distazo it means, to waiver, to be unsure, nervous.  It is only used one other time in the Bible and that is when Peter is walking on the water and sinks and Jesus says “Why did you doubt?”

This word doubt: in Greek is Distazo it means, to waiver, to be unsure, nervous.

So then, if you aren’t quite sure about what it means to make disciples, how to do it, what to say, when to do it, or any other questions you are in good company.  You are in the company of those who changed the world.

What do you do with your doubt?  Jesus knew they were doubting but ignored.  He simply said do it.

If you doubt, if you have questions, if you don’t know what to do to make disciples….that is okay.

Do what the disciples did.

In Acts chapter 1 they were gathered together until the Holy Spirit showed up and when that spirit arrived it was like thunder through the house and then they started talking.

They talked about Jesus and they lived like Jesus did.  They helped people, served others, and in the midst of their doubt they told others about God who stepped out of heaven, lived a perfect life, died for them, and then is alive again…forever.

Shortly after the time of Jesus Christians became known as “Baby thieves” because at that time if a family had a baby that was handicapped or otherwise not perfect they would take it to the city dump and leave it there.  Christians would come along, find these babies and raise them as their own teaching them about Jesus and what it means to be adopted and become a part of the family when there was no reason to be loved, other than the fact that you are human.

So what can you do?  Look around you, what need can you fill? Maybe it is adoption, or going to Zimbabwe on a mission trip, maybe it is starting a visiting ministry or a car repair ministry, or maybe telling your kids about Jesus or even your spouse about Jesus.

In your doubt you were still saved.  In your doubt you are still called to make disciples by any means necessary.

Maybe it is a concert or a car wash, or a food drive.

But maybe it is looking at your adult children who no longer want anything to do with church and saying to them: Do you know that Jesus loves you, that Jesus died for you and is alive now, forever and if you believe that with your heart and confess it with your tongue then you can spend eternity with Jesus?

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