Making Disciples

For some of you, this is about the fourth time in two weeks that  you’ve heard me talking about making disciples. I mentioned in Sunday’s sermon that I wasn’t doing my job if you weren’t sick of hearing me talking about the subject of disciple-making.

Any guesses about what I’m talking about today? Give yourself a pat on the back if you guessed “disciple making.”

A Challenge to You

Here’s what I’m asking you to do right now. If you can’t do this now, set a bookmark and come back when you have a few minutes.

1. Read these Scriptures linked below. Yes, there are several here to read, but they are short. You may have noticed that I’m using New International Version of the Bible instead of the Message. Why? Because this is a study, not a sermon. Pay attention to the words, but be careful to get the whole picture.
2. Make a decision about how you are going to respond to these passages.

Ready? Here we go:

• Matthew 28:18-20
• Mark 16:15
• Luke 19:10
• Luke 24:48
• John 20:21
• Acts 1:8
• Romans 1:16
• Romans 2:4
• II Corinthians 5:16-21
• Galatians 1:10
• Ephesians 2:8-10
• Philippians 4:13
• Colossians 3:1-2
• I Timothy 2:3-7
• Philemon 1:6
• James 5:19-20
• I Peter 2:9-12
• II Peter 3:9

What Now?

First, thanks for reading. That took some effort. If you didn’t actually read these passages, then you are missing the real power of this message. Get back up there and start clicking.

Second, if you read those passages and wondered when someone was going to offer you that kind of hope, please call me immediately. This message is about disciples making other disciples. You can’t be expected to do that if no one has offered it to you yet! Found people find people!

Finally, I want to know who came to mind as you read through this. Who are you bringing with you to church on Sunday? Who are you going to seek out? To whom will you offer your hand?

They might be in your household right now. They might be your friends at work or at school.

But they might not be.

There’s a world of hurting people out there. And some of them live in places that aren’t convenient to your home. You might have to go to some weird places to find the persons to whom God is sending you.

Wherever they are, and whoever they may be, God loves them and wants them to be a part of our family.

We have work to do, my friends.

I’ll see you on Sunday.