Active Apprentice

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Our greatest command is to be an active apprentice

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Welcome

Over the last few weeks we have been covering the values of Renew
Passionate Pursuit
Selfless Service
Fearless Followers
Real Relationships
This week we continue our values with Active Apprentice
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Matthew 28:16–20 ESV
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
The last command given was to go and make disciples
The term make disciples there means to to teach or to follow a teachers precepts and instruction
Disciple here really means to be an apprentice
Apprentice - a person who is learning a trade from a skilled employer
Christ commanded us to teach them “to obey everything” (or all things), which means that for all Christians a lifetime of learning must follow conversion and membership in Christ’s church. Boice, J. M. (2001). The Gospel of Matthew (p. 649). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
We must commit to being lifetime learners as Christians
Christ commanded us to teach them “to obey everything” (or all things), which means that for all Christians a lifetime of learning must follow conversion and membership in Christ’s church.
Christ commanded us to teach them “to obey everything” (or all things), which means that for all Christians a lifetime of learning must follow conversion and membership in Christ’s church.
If we are not learning and moving forward we are moving back from God
This is part of the active in Active Apprentice
We must always be learning more about God
Boice, J. M. (2001). The Gospel of Matthew (p. 649). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
Boice, J. M. (2001). The Gospel of Matthew (p. 649). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
But we are also called to find other apprentices like us
We must teach them
We must make them apprentices with us.
So what do we teach our apprentice?

Teach the Power and Authority of Jesus

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Matthew 28:18 ESV
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
It cannot be denied the importance of Jess starting off with this.
This was not just an exercise in just reaffirming the earthly power he had professed
It was a statement that his authority is superior to all other authorities
The resurrection itself proves his authority over any force imaginable
This is important to the message that we are portraying to those around us
No matter what you have done, no matter what you are going through, Jesus is bigger
No addiction, no mistake, no situation is bigger than God
His authority extends over all of those!
His power extends beyond anything that we can face!

John Stott summarizes this well:

The fundamental basis of all Christian missionary enterprise is the universal authority of Jesus Christ, “in heaven and on earth.” If the authority of Jesus were circumscribed on earth, if he were but one of many religious teachers, one of many Jewish prophets, one of many divine incarnations, we would have no mandate to present him to the nations as the Lord and Savior of the world. If the authority of Jesus were limited in heaven, if he had not decisively overthrown the principalities and powers, we might still proclaim him to the nations, but we would never be able to “turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God” (Acts 26:18). Only because all authority on earth belongs to Christ dare we go to all nations. And only because all authority in heaven as well is his have we any hope of success.

John Stott summarizes this well:

The fundamental basis of all Christian missionary enterprise is the universal authority of Jesus Christ, “in heaven and on earth.” If the authority of Jesus were circumscribed on earth, if he were but one of many religious teachers, one of many Jewish prophets, one of many divine incarnations, we would have no mandate to present him to the nations as the Lord and Savior of the world. If the authority of Jesus were limited in heaven, if he had not decisively overthrown the principalities and powers, we might still proclaim him to the nations, but we would never be able to “turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God” (Acts 26:18). Only because all authority on earth belongs to Christ dare we go to all nations. And only because all authority in heaven as well is his have we any hope of success.

If he were just another teacher. If he had not decisively held authority over the enemy
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He was not just another teacher. He stepped on the throat of the enemy
Because of this, we have the power and authority of Jesus to proclaim this good news to all people!
It’s the Good News that says, Jesus is bigger than anything you could ever face!
This power and authority is based on the sovereignty of Jesus
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Sovereign = Right to Rule

To say that God is sovereign, therefore, as the Bible does, is to say that God rules in all matters and all places. Nothing is an accident.

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Nothing you could ever do would make God step back and say “WHOA!”
Jesus holds power over all things
Including the things that we are struggling with
To say that Jesus can’t is to say that we are bigger than God
His power and authority reaches beyond anything our finite mind could ever comprehend.
His power and authority is the truth that we must teach them
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Teach the Truth of Jesus

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Matthew 28:19 ESV
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Christ commanded us to teach them “to obey everything” (or all things), which means that for all Christians a lifetime of learning must follow conversion and membership in Christ’s church.

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This truth that we are to proclaim is not a truth that is easy to hear
Too many times, as seeker sensitive churches, we have watered down the gospel to make it attractional
You have to bring them in
But the truth must be told
We have to teach them these things
A high view of Scripture
This is not just some book
This is the end all be all
Every situation that we could find ourselves in has the answer in these letters
It is not an outdated manuscript
It is the road map by which we live our lives!
We have to teach them about the power of God!
God is BIGGER!
The depravity of man
Man is in rebellion against God
Man is dead in sin
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Ephesians 2:1–3 ESV
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Salvation is through Christ alone

Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone.

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These are not popular things to hear!
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2 Timothy 4:3–4 ESV
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
We cannot deprive the Gospel for the sake of being PC
We must teach the truth that all have fallen short ()
Romans 3:23–24 ESV
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

We need to speak of the depravity of man, so much so that there is no hope for him apart from God’s grace. We need to speak of God’s electing love, showing that God enters the life of an individual by his Holy Spirit to quicken understanding and draw the rebellious will to himself. We must show that God is able to keep and does keep those whom he so draws.

But the last thing that we must do is maybe the most important thing we have to teach
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But the last thing that we must teach is maybe the most important thing we have to teach

Teach the Love of Jesus

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Matthew 28:20 ESV
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
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Matthew 28:20 ESV
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
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The love of a savior emanates from these last words
No matter what happens, no matter where this command takes you, I am with you
The never ending love of a savior willing to walk with us every step of the way
We must teach them that Jesus was given because God loved each of us so much that he wanted to spend eternity with us!
No pre-requisites
Only come and be a part of this salvation
Even in the midst of your mess, God loves you more than our small minds could ever comprehend
It is the love of a father that drives him to say he will never leave us or forsake us
Lyrics - Stuart Townsend
Lyrics
How deep the Father’s love for us, How vast beyond all measure, That He should give His only Son To make a wretch His treasure. How great the pain of searing loss - The Father turns His face away, As wounds which mar the Chosen One Bring many sons to glory.
Behold the man upon a cross, My sin upon His shoulders; Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice Call out among the scoffers. It was my sin that held Him there Until it was accomplished; His dying breath has brought me life - I know that it is finished.
I will not boast in anything, No gifts, no power, no wisdom; But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer; But this I know with all my heart - His wounds have paid my ransom.
We must teach that God’s love is beyond measure and is freely given!

Why is this important?

matheteuo, which literally means “to make one a disciple.” This is the way the New International Version renders the phrase: “make disciples of all nations,” that is, “make them disciples of Christ.” Preach the gospel to them so that through the power of the Scriptures and the work of the Holy Spirit they are converted from sin to Christ and thereafter follow him as their true Lord. In this commission, evangelism is the primary task.

In this commission, evangelism is the KPI - Key Performance Indicator
We have to judge our lives based on our level of activity when it comes to making disciples of all nations
Who are we influencing, who are we reaching?

Where do we go from here?

IT comes down to 2 things
Are we learning
Are we teaching
You can’t be a teacher without learning
You have to learn things in order to teach them
It doesn’t mean that you can’t make disciples until you know everything
It means that you teach these things as you are on your journey
This apprentice isn’t one that you are the skilled master and are teaching them what you know
You are both under the skilled master learning what he is teaching you
Each helping another along the way
Meditate -
Matthew 28:16–20 ESV
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Ask - What do I need to learn today? Who can I bring on this journey with me?
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