INTRODUCTION

1. The Ministry of the Lord Jesus involved four main areas:

a) Preaching the Gospel

b) Teaching Disciples

c) Healing the sick

d) Casting out demons

23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues,

preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.

24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments,

and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.

25 Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from [e]Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. Matthew 4:23-25

2. The Successful Ministry of the Lord Jesus

a) It was Obvious

b) It was also Outstanding

 

THE MAKING OF A DISCIPLE

1. This was a major focus of the Lord Jesus

2. Many need to be brought to Faith and Salvation

3. They also need to be further instructed in the faith as Disciples

4. Without Discipleship, believers would not fare well!

18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter,

and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee,

and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them,

22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. Matthew 4:18-22

 

WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A DISCIPLE OF THE LORD JESUS

1. The Call of the Lord Jesus

a) There must be faith in the Lord Jesus as Saviour

b) Salvation in the Lord must be ascertained

2. The Challenge to follow Him

a) The Lord Jesus calls people to follow Him

b) There must be a clear response to the Call of the Lord

3. The Coaching of Disciples

a) Deep instruction will be given

b) Disciples must be able to meet the demanding challenges

c) Depth of faith must be cultivated

4. Three things stand out

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world,

and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:24-26

a) Desire to follow the Lord

b) Denial of self

c) Determination to follow the Lord faithfully

 

THE BULK OF THE DISCIPLESHIP TEACHING MATERIAL

1. They are found in Matthew 5-7

2. Many important Doctrines were taught

3. Some wrong doctrines were corrected

 

THE PLACE OF THE WORD OF THE LORD JESUS

24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:

25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:

27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching,

29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Matthew 7:24-29

1. Successful Building of a House of Faith

a) Hearing the sayings of the Lord Jesus

b) Doing what He has taught

c) Being a Wise Man building a house on a Rocky Foundation

2. Unsuccessful Building of a House of Faith

a) Hearing the sayings of the Lord Jesus

b) Not doing what He has taught

c) Being a foolish man building a house on a Sandy Foundation

 

CONCLUSION

1. Find Salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus

2. Follow the Lord Jesus

a) As a Disciple, taking up our cross

b) Denial of self

c) Determination to follow the Lord Jesus diligently

3. Fulness of Life as a Disciple of the Lord Jesus would result

a) A strong faith

b) A successful Christian life

c) A significant testimony