Pastor Pat Edwards 1/29/2006
Grace Baptist Church in Bountiful, Utah

On Wednesday I met with my accountability partner Dean and he shared a positive experience with me. During the previous week a young man in his late twenties knocked at the church door and shared he was looking for information about God. Somewhere he had run into an article written by a Baptist pastor and felt it was helpful so he got out the yellow pages and realized he walked past Dean’s church every time he visited his grandmother but had never noticed it. The night before he knocked on Dean’s door he looked up their website, read one of Dean’s sermons, liked it and decided to stop. They had a positive visit; Dean gave him John Stott’s book, BASIC CHRISTIANITY and the young man asked if he could attend the Sunday services. He showed up the next Sunday for the whole morning, enjoyed it and told Dean he’d read more of his sermons online and was feeling drawn to the Lord.

We love it when things like that happen because it shows the clear work of the Lord in a person’s life. And I’m convinced it happens daily but most of those people don’t knock on church doors and ask us to explain the gospel and then for permission to attend our church. Oh, how we wish they would because that would make Jesus’ command to disciple all nations so much easier.

More often the experience is like two I’ve had recently. Two different people have come up to me to talk about the wonderful books they’re reading and want to know what I think. In one case I was pretty sure the book was unbiblical and I later confirmed it and in the other case I knew it was unbiblical. So I’m trying to figure out how to develop a spiritual conversation with them that leads to Jesus without offending them by trashing the books they’re reading.

But the most common experience for most of us is to be involved with people who have no interest in spiritual things or are firmly committed to unbiblical beliefs. How do we develop conversations with them that might lead to discussions about Jesus? That’s what most of us wrestle with. Of course what we’d really like is for Jesus to only lead us to those empty, lonely people who are crying out for God and ready to change. But the fact is that first we need to be out there with Jesus marching up and down the length of Israel and back and forth across its breadth. Jesus didn’t sit on the doorstep of his Nazareth carpenter shop waiting for his reputation to bring the crowds in. Yes, the Lord may occasionally drop someone in our lap but I know it’s only happened once or twice in my 26 years at Grace.

A central part of the church’s problem is the distinction I’m going to draw between followers and disciples. For our purpose followers were those people around Jesus who wanted more food, more entertainment, more excitement in their humdrum lives. Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill... And later, 39He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.John 6.23-26

What are some of the reasons people follow Jesus today? For some it’s material blessing. There’s lots of health and wealth teaching going on and numerous books on businessman Jesus. Others are following for emotional and spiritual blessings and rewards: peace of mind, answers to daily problems, special knowledge or insight. Most followers are into Jesus for personal gain and it feels alright because Jesus loves people and wants us to be happy. For them happiness is the ultimate test of life’s goodness. But followers never learn to love Jesus because it’s all about me and my happiness and my needs and my desires. Disciples are wired differently.

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15.1-8

Followers hear those words and either ignore them or run because it doesn’t sound like there’s anything in this relationship for them. But disciples hear words of life. They know that the old way, the selfish and solitary way, leads to death. They’ve got to get off the merry-go-round of self-fulfillment that’s killing them slowly but surely. They know they need to find both a new reason and a new way to live. Jesus offers both. He offers truth about why we exist and what we exist for. We were made to experience his love by choosing to live in his presence. Obedience is at the heart of a disciple’s lifestyle because it is what keeps us close to Jesus and in fellowship with one another. Obedience is also the measure of faith, what we tell others we believe. What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2.14-17 What would you have thought if after Hurricane Katrina you watched a tv interview where an overweight celebrity at some fancy New York restaurant said, "I really feel bad for those folks in New Orleans but I don’t have a dime to spare. You tell ‘em I wish ‘em well and I’m praying for them." If we’re honest we all know that the patterns of life reveal a person’s beliefs, what we’re calling faith this morning. It’s summed up in the proverb, actions speak louder than words. Disciples actions almost always match Jesus’ commands.

Sometimes this all seems hard but as I was swimming Wednesday and chewing on this sermon God reminded me making disciples isn’t as complex as rocket science or getting a PhD in astrophysics or even being a good electrician. It’s obeying the commands of Jesus and teaching others those commands and then encouraging one another to obey them. I just need to listen to Jesus and hang around with you guys so I won’t succumb to those frequent temptations to disobey. The body of Christ is mystical and supernatural but it’s also very down to earth; it’s nuts and bolts as well as the theory of relativity. It’s as simple as the fact that if someone is meeting me to exercise at 6 AM I’m far more likely to show up than if I have to exercise alone. Encouragement gets me to try harder and keep going. Or your presence might keep me from going back to smoking or having one drink too many. It’s nuts and bolts and disciples know that and stick together for one another’s good.

Disciples know that Jesus offers us the best to replace the deception and pleasure of the present moment. That casual sexual encounter feels great at the moment but it can lead to herpes or Aids or an unwanted pregnancy. Worse, it may create a callousness so you never enjoy sex as God planned for you. Pornography does the same thing - creating a false image of sex that destroys intimate, loving human relationships. Food is great until you can’t tie your shoes or need to have a by-pass operation or develop diabetes. One more drink sure helps you relax until you hit a child because your reflexes are diminished. And smoking helps unwind until you get all wound up about the operation and radiation and chemotherapy to treat your lung cancer. But a lot of followers just don’t get it. Disciples know and believe Jesus doesn’t rob life of joy with a bunch of rules but he gives us commandments to protect and provide for us. If we weren’t all twisted up by our old nature we’d know that his commandments are as basic as get plenty of rest, find some exercise you like, eat well, work hard but take time to play, spend time with people you love. And we learn these things not just from studying the Bible but from being with each other and serving others.

I’ve tried to define discipleship and disciples as simply as I can. It won’t do us any good to be out there trying to make disciples if we’re not obedient. That means so obedient that you really are different from all those who don’t have the Holy Spirit living in them. Now I’m going to say something that is going to put a few of you on edge but listen carefully. It has to do with living in Utah and the predominant Mormon culture. I’m not taking potshots at Mormons or the culture they’ve created. I’m appreciative of the lifestyle they’ve created because it’s based on biblical moral teaching. But my Mormon friends and I are honest with each other. We both think we have the truth and since our basic beliefs contradict each other we would love to see the other person convert to our way of thinking and believing. Because we share many of the same moral principles our lifestyles are often very similar - coffee is probably the big issue. So in the past I’ve said it’s hard to live next to people who require good works for salvation because they are morally as good or better than me. And it’s true. They’ve offered a helping hand or shoveled my walk or dropped off a plate of Christmas treats many more times than I have.

But I’d forgotten an essential truth. Both groups may be "righteous" in the neighborhood or on the job and difficult to tell apart but the critical difference that should eventually become obvious to any observer is the presence of the Holy Spirit. If we believe the Bible is true then we believe only disciples have the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit. So regardless of how many good people there are in the world doing good deeds, disciples of Jesus will shine forth in a way no human effort can match.

So here we are - almost at the end of another sermon and I’ve talked in generalities again but the generalities are the foundation on which the deeds are built. I’m going to just list a few things we can start doing right now as we "are going and making disciples of all nations." 1. A few more of you need to participate in Friendship Club so we can share Jesus’ love with all twelve (that’s an interesting number isn’t it?) all twelve adults living in the group home.

Tell your friends at work or in the neighborhood that you go to a prayer meeting every Wednesday night and you would like to pray for them or any requests they might have. Then come to prayer meeting and pray. Tell me or some of the men in the Saturday morning group you’re available to help the single parents or older members of our congregation with projects around the house. Help Jim Gunnuscio move the IHN office - you’ll probably run into a few pagans who are helping out that you might build friendship with.

Join a service club in the community like Kiwanis or Rotary. Begin to meet people who care about our community and are working to help others. Volunteer at your local elementary school to tutor kids who are struggling academically or volunteer to coach an athletic team. And do a lot of this stuff in pairs so there’s accountability and a stronger presence.

Stop limiting your service to just what happens inside this building. We need to spend more time with one another in arenas other than worship and Bible study.

How’s that for starters? Some of you are already saying no. Well, you’re not saying it out loud but you’re thinking "No way. I’ve got my own stuff. My schedule is too full. That’s not what I come to church for." And a few of you probably do have demanding schedules almost beyond your control, especially if you’re a single parent. But even then ask the Lord to show you some small way you could be a light for him.

I told you last week you needed to ask yourself these questions before this week’s sermon: "Am I willing to go, to get going again? Am I willing to change some priorities? Am I willing to adjust my schedule and activities? Am I willing to do whatever Jesus asks so many others can share in the blessings of the gospel?"

I’ve wrestled with this for a long time and I know I don’t want us to compete with other churches for people who only follow Jesus, who come for the coffee or the music or the programs or the sermon. I’m no longer interested in consumers. I want producers. I want disciples who abide in Jesus and obey Jesus, who in the words of Jesus ...bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. I want disciples who are hungry to see others discover life with Jesus. I don’t want us to pray, "Lord, bring us some good Christian families." I want us to pray, "Lord take us to the lost, the broken, the deceived and dying that we might bring them the good news, that they might know you and the power of your resurrection."

If you’re not able to pray that prayer ask Jesus to change your heart. If that prayer is already on your lips than ask Jesus to show you how to make it come alive in unity with your brothers and sisters so that we really are the light on a stand, the city on the hill that Jesus said his church is. This sermon is now ended but the conversation isn’t. Let’s keep talking and praying together to walk the path of obedience Jesus has placed us on. The good news is that the Lord will be with us in these challenging times. Don McCullough writes, Grace gravitates, with gathering force, to where it’s most needed. So we must understand this: we are more likely to meet God not on the mountaintop of insight but in the valley of doubt, not in proud accomplishment but in humiliating failure, not in moral victory but in immoral defeat, not in strength of spirit but in poverty of spirit. "Blessed are the poor in spirit," Jesus said, "for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."