In a few weeks, we’re starting a new series on the first book of the Bible we’re calling Majesty over Madness. You read Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The most quoted words of all Scripture. There is nothing more spectacular than the majesty of God. The Bible says we exist for the praise of God’s Glory! But when we exchange the high ground of living for God for the low ground of living for ourselves our world quickly devolves into madness.
At the root of madness if loving yourself more than God and loving yourself more than others. But ever since the beginning God has been calling us back into a relationship with Himself. When asked, Jesus said the “first” and “greatest” commandment is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. And the second greatest commandment is to “love your neighbor as yourself.” As a church, we believe there is no greater aspiration in life than loving God and loving people (Matthew 22:37-40).
Now sandwiched between the Majesty of God and Madness of Mankind is the church. It’s not enough that we love God and love people; We’re on a mission to go help all people, everywhere, in every culture, love God. In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus said, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations." We talked last week about how a church that doesn’t go is of no use to the world! And as we go, what are we supposed to do? Jesus said we are to go "baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you."
In church lingo, this is called “Evangelism” and “Discipleship.” Evangelism is when you help a person BELIEVE on Jesus. You help a person enter into a personal relationship with Jesus. They hear the word of truth. They trust Jesus for the forgiveness of sin and gift of eternal life. Discipleship is when you help a person BECOME like Jesus. In the Bible we see that God doesn’t just want connection, or fellowship. . . He desires transformation! Jesus says don’t just “baptize” people and let's blow up our church attendance. He says “teach people to obey!”
Evangelism and Discipleship are like the two wings on an airplane. When we lean into evangelism and discipleship, the church soars to new heights. But when we neglect evangelism and discipleship, the church crashes to the ground.
Last Sunday we talked about Evangelism or Outreach or Going. How to go, and meet a person where they are at (spiritually), and help them take steps to BELIEVE in Jesus. Today we want to talk about Discipleship or Teaching or Mentoring. . . helping people take steps to BECOME like Jesus.
Now, I’ve got some really great news this morning. We don’t have to make anyone BELIEVE. If we are faithful to point people to Jesus, Jesus will do all the rest. There are two ways we can point a person to Jesus. (1) We can point people to Jesus with His Word. In John 5:37 Jesus says, “The Father who sent me has himself testified about me. You have not heard his voice at any time, and you haven’t seen his form.”
Okay, then how has the Father testified about the forgiveness of sin and eternal life available in Jesus? In John 5:39-40 Jesus explains, “You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, and yet they testify about me. But you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life.” The Bible is the Father’s testimony about Jesus. The Scriptures lead us right to the cross of Jesus for forgiveness, right to the resurrection of Jesus for the hope of eternal life, right to the ascension of Jesus for the hope of glory and power.
Billy Graham was one of the greatest evangelists of this century. He had one chief method—take people into the Scriptures. If we get people into the Word, God the Father will testify and teach them everything they need to know for life. We can point people to Jesus with the Word. (2) We can point people to Jesus with Our Worship. Psalm 100:1-5 says, “Let the whole earth shout triumphantly to the Lord! 2 Serve the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God. He made us, and we are his—his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name. 5 For the Lord is good, and his faithful love endures forever; his faithfulness, through all generations.” 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
Our Worship is our personal statement about Jesus. The Word of God is the Father’s testimony about Jesus. There is no more potent method for bringing people to FAITH, to BELIEF, than Worship and God’s Word. Both enable a person to come to Jesus that they may have life. Nothing will energize the mission of Jesus like Worship and the Word. Nothing will sink the mission faster than the neglect of God’s Word and neglect of worship.
Every relationship has a kind of rhythm. With Jesus, that rhythm is word and worship. Father testifies, we testify. Father speaks, we worship, people BELIEVE.
Now, I’ve got some other really great news this morning. We don’t have to make anyone BECOME like Jesus. If we are faithful to point people to the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will do all the sanctifying and transformation needed. My go to passage on the Holy Spirit is Galatians 5:16-17, “I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.”
As believers, we often get our messaging wrong. We often tell people they lack the willpower, of the self-discipline to change. We often think people will change if we’d just get more strict, and lay down the law, or enforce tougher penalties for sin. Galatians 5:18 says, “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” You don’t need it. Why?
Because the Spirit is going to do what laying down the law never has nor ever will achieve! Galatians 5:22-25, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” Don’t you see? Self-control isn’t a “prerequisite” to sanctification, it’s an outflow, a fruit of the Spirit. You can tell your children they need self-control and discipline… but it’s a relationship with the Holy Spirit they need.
I recall on so many different occasions, when I sinned, my mother saying, “You can’t fix this Jon, you need the Holy Spirit.” When my sister’s kids for a time fell out habit of attending church, I recall my rather alarmed mother saying, “How will these kids get through Junior High and High School without the Holy Spirit?”
A while back I preached a series on the Holy Spirit called Second Breath. The key idea is that when you come to end of your own strength, and can’t catch your breath, God offers us His Holy Spirit. In the Bible the Holy Spirit is called the breath of God—and the Spirit is just who we need for life. You can go to our website and watch or read the whole series on demand. You can subscribe to our Apple Podcast and take a listen.
But for now, let me summarize some of what the Bible teaches. Before his crucifixion Jesus explained to his disciples how it was “good” that he was leaving, because he would send his Holy Spirit!
John 16:7-15: “I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment: 9 About sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; 11 and about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. 12 “I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. 15 Everything the Father has is mine. This is why I told you that he takes from what is mine and will declare it to you.”
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten stuck spiritually. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat down with someone who was stuck! Sometimes I slip into their trap of thinking I should have all the answers for myself, or my church. More often than not human nature’s (my own more than others) have left me scratching my head! What a joy to be able to say, “I don’t know… but I know a great Counselor!” The Holy Spirit knows just what to say and do—and he doesn’t bill hourly—he’s willing to work on our pride 24/7—convicting us of the good, the sinful, and our future with or without God. When you or some person is too fragile to bear much more truth, the Holy Spirit’s got you!
Allow me share a summation of New Testament teaching on cultivating a relationship with the Holy Spirit.
- Be born of the water andSpirit (John 3:3-8, Acts 2:38).
- Be Immersed in the Spirit (1 Cor 12:13).
- Drink in the Spirit (John 4:10-14; 7:37-39).
- Be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18).
- Keep in Step with Spirit (Galatians 5:25).
- Produce the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
- Sow into the Spirit (Galatians 6:8).
- Be on fire in the Spirit (Romans 12:11).
Now Allow me share a summation of New Testament teaching on wrecking a relationship with the Holy Spirit.
- Quench the Spirit with cold water (1 Thess. 5:19-20).
- Become lukewarm (Revelation 3:19).
- Insult the Spirit (Hebrews 10:29).
- Grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30).
- Reject the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 4:8).
- Lie in the Spirit (Acts 5:3).
- Sear your conscience (1 Timothy 4:2).
- Blaspheme the Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32).
Just to come back full circle. God is a fellowship. In 2 Corinthians 13:14, Paul prays, “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” We believe on Jesus for forgiveness and life. We become like Jesus through our fellowship with theSpirit.