WEBVTT 00:00:00.260 --> 00:00:06.350 Luke chapter 14, Luke chapter number 14, 00:00:06.350 --> 00:00:07.180 if you don't have a Bible, 00:00:07.180 --> 00:00:11.010 there should be one underneath the seat in front of you, 00:00:11.010 --> 00:00:22.730 will be in Luke 14. 00:00:22.730 --> 00:00:25.270 Luke 14, the Bible reads, 00:00:25.270 --> 00:00:27.720 "And it came to pass as he went into the house 00:00:27.720 --> 00:00:29.540 of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread 00:00:29.540 --> 00:00:32.080 on the Sabbath day that they watched him. 00:00:32.080 --> 00:00:34.740 And behold, there was a certain man before him 00:00:34.740 --> 00:00:36.420 which had the drop seat. 00:00:36.420 --> 00:00:38.810 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees 00:00:38.810 --> 00:00:42.620 saying, 'Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?' 00:00:42.620 --> 00:00:43.700 And they held their peace. 00:00:43.700 --> 00:00:46.950 And he took him, and healed him, and let him go, 00:00:46.950 --> 00:00:49.040 and answered them saying, 'Which of you 00:00:49.040 --> 00:00:51.650 shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, 00:00:51.650 --> 00:00:54.660 and will not straightway pull him out on the Sabbath day?' 00:00:54.660 --> 00:00:57.680 And they could not answer him again to these things. 00:00:57.680 --> 00:01:00.520 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, 00:01:00.520 --> 00:01:03.630 when he marked how they chose out of the chief room, 00:01:03.630 --> 00:01:06.940 saying unto them, 'When thou art bidden of any man 00:01:06.940 --> 00:01:09.510 to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room, 00:01:09.510 --> 00:01:13.800 lest a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him. 00:01:13.800 --> 00:01:17.520 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, 00:01:17.520 --> 00:01:21.390 'Give this man place,' and thou begin with shame 00:01:21.390 --> 00:01:23.010 to take the lowest room. 00:01:23.010 --> 00:01:26.210 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room, 00:01:26.210 --> 00:01:28.520 that when he that bade thee cometh, 00:01:28.520 --> 00:01:32.050 he may say unto thee, 'Friend, go up higher.' 00:01:32.050 --> 00:01:34.250 Then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them 00:01:34.250 --> 00:01:36.140 that sit at meet with thee. 00:01:36.140 --> 00:01:40.420 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abase, 00:01:40.420 --> 00:01:43.680 and he that humbleeth himself shall be exalted.' 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:46.250 Then said he also to him that bade him, 00:01:46.250 --> 00:01:48.150 when thou makest a dinner or supper, 00:01:48.150 --> 00:01:50.910 call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, 00:01:50.910 --> 00:01:53.020 neither thy kinsmen nor thy rich neighbors, 00:01:53.020 --> 00:01:54.870 lest they also bid thee again, 00:01:54.870 --> 00:01:58.310 and to recompense be made thee. 00:01:58.310 --> 00:02:00.800 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, 00:02:00.800 --> 00:02:03.170 the maimed, the lame, the blind, 00:02:03.170 --> 00:02:04.940 and thou shalt be blessed. 00:02:04.940 --> 00:02:06.970 For they cannot recompense thee, 00:02:06.970 --> 00:02:08.530 for thou shalt be recompensed 00:02:08.530 --> 00:02:10.590 at the resurrection of the just. 00:02:10.590 --> 00:02:12.640 And when one of them that sat at meet with him 00:02:12.640 --> 00:02:14.820 heard these things, he said unto him, 00:02:14.820 --> 00:02:18.240 Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. 00:02:18.240 --> 00:02:20.820 Then said he unto him, 00:02:20.820 --> 00:02:25.060 A certain man made a great supper and bade many, 00:02:25.060 --> 00:02:28.070 and sent his servant at supper time to say to them 00:02:28.070 --> 00:02:31.990 that were bidden come, for all things are now ready. 00:02:31.990 --> 00:02:35.640 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. 00:02:35.640 --> 00:02:38.820 The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, 00:02:38.820 --> 00:02:40.820 and I must need go and see it. 00:02:40.820 --> 00:02:42.790 I pray thee have me excused. 00:02:42.790 --> 00:02:46.260 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, 00:02:46.260 --> 00:02:47.970 and I go to prove them. 00:02:47.970 --> 00:02:50.640 I pray thee have me excused. 00:02:50.640 --> 00:02:52.940 And another said, I have married a wife, 00:02:52.940 --> 00:02:55.170 and therefore I cannot come. 00:02:55.170 --> 00:02:58.460 So that servant came and showed his lord these things. 00:02:58.460 --> 00:03:00.630 Then the master of the house being angry, 00:03:00.630 --> 00:03:03.760 said to his servant, go out quickly into the streets 00:03:03.760 --> 00:03:06.150 and lanes of the city and bring in hither the poor 00:03:06.150 --> 00:03:08.830 and the maimed, and the halt and the blind. 00:03:08.830 --> 00:03:13.010 And the servant said, lord, it is done as thou has commanded, 00:03:13.010 --> 00:03:14.580 and yet there is room. 00:03:14.580 --> 00:03:16.650 And the lord said unto the servant, 00:03:16.650 --> 00:03:20.050 go out into highways and hedges and compel them to come in, 00:03:20.050 --> 00:03:22.190 that my house may be filled. 00:03:22.190 --> 00:03:25.360 For I say unto you that none of those men which were bidden 00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:28.160 shall taste of my supper. 00:03:28.160 --> 00:03:30.390 And there went great multitudes with him, 00:03:30.390 --> 00:03:32.480 and he turned and said unto them, 00:03:32.480 --> 00:03:35.490 if any man come to me and hate not his father and mother 00:03:35.490 --> 00:03:38.130 and wife and children and brethren and sisters, 00:03:38.130 --> 00:03:42.340 yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 00:03:42.340 --> 00:03:44.950 And whosoever does not bear his cross and come after me 00:03:44.950 --> 00:03:46.760 cannot be my disciple. 00:03:46.760 --> 00:03:48.890 For which of you, intending to build a tower, 00:03:48.890 --> 00:03:52.390 sitteth not down first and counteth the cost 00:03:52.390 --> 00:03:54.870 whether he have sufficient to finish it? 00:03:54.870 --> 00:03:56.710 Lest happily after he laid the foundation 00:03:56.710 --> 00:03:59.200 is not able to finish it. 00:03:59.200 --> 00:04:02.790 All that behold it begin to mock him, 00:04:02.790 --> 00:04:06.470 saying this man began to build and was not able to finish. 00:04:06.470 --> 00:04:09.070 Or what king goeth to make war against another king 00:04:09.070 --> 00:04:12.900 sitteth not down first and consulteth whether he be able 00:04:12.900 --> 00:04:15.250 with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him 00:04:15.250 --> 00:04:17.200 with twenty thousand. 00:04:17.200 --> 00:04:19.670 Or else while the other is yet a great way off, 00:04:19.670 --> 00:04:24.850 he senteth an embassage and desireth conditions of peace. 00:04:24.850 --> 00:04:27.550 So likewise, whosoever be of you that forsake 00:04:27.550 --> 00:04:30.580 not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. 00:04:30.580 --> 00:04:33.520 Salt is good, but if the salt have lost its savor, 00:04:33.520 --> 00:04:35.520 wherewith shall it be seasoned? 00:04:35.520 --> 00:04:39.460 It is neither fit for the land nor yet for the dunghill, 00:04:39.460 --> 00:04:41.290 but men cast it out. 00:04:41.290 --> 00:04:44.200 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 00:04:44.200 --> 00:04:55.960 Brother Temmo, will you pray for us? 00:04:55.960 --> 00:04:58.100 - Back to the evening service here. 00:04:58.100 --> 00:05:00.360 As you all know, Pastor Thompson is sick, 00:05:00.360 --> 00:05:04.500 so he asked me to fill in, so I'm filling in for him. 00:05:04.500 --> 00:05:08.260 And you're there in Luke chapter 14. 00:05:08.260 --> 00:05:09.940 Look at verse 25, it says, 00:05:09.940 --> 00:05:12.260 and there went great multitudes with him, 00:05:12.260 --> 00:05:14.330 and he turned and said unto them, 00:05:14.330 --> 00:05:17.480 if any man come to me and hate not his father and mother 00:05:17.480 --> 00:05:20.880 and wife and children and brethren and sisters, yay, 00:05:20.880 --> 00:05:26.560 and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 00:05:26.560 --> 00:05:29.680 And whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:34.800 cannot be my disciple, and whosoever, 00:05:34.800 --> 00:05:37.700 oh, I'm sorry, so likewise, whosoever he be of you, 00:05:37.700 --> 00:05:40.710 that forsaketh not all that he hath, 00:05:40.710 --> 00:05:42.540 he cannot be my disciple. 00:05:42.540 --> 00:05:45.960 And the title of my sermon is, he cannot be my disciple. 00:05:45.960 --> 00:05:46.800 So let's pray. 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:48.030 Dear Heavenly Father, I just thank you, Lord, 00:05:48.030 --> 00:05:49.700 for this church, I thank you for the word of God, 00:05:49.700 --> 00:05:51.970 I just pray that you would help me preach this message 00:05:51.970 --> 00:05:53.930 that you put on my heart, and that you would fill me 00:05:53.930 --> 00:05:55.470 with your spirit in the congregation as well, 00:05:55.470 --> 00:05:57.350 in Jesus' name, amen. 00:05:57.350 --> 00:05:59.690 So, this is a great chapter in the Bible 00:05:59.690 --> 00:06:02.150 on being a disciple, and this is a sermon 00:06:02.150 --> 00:06:04.120 that I preached in Seattle, 00:06:04.120 --> 00:06:05.920 but pastor just kinda asked me last minute, 00:06:05.920 --> 00:06:08.120 so, you know, it's one of those things 00:06:08.120 --> 00:06:10.920 where I feel like you might not, in the flesh, 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:13.040 wanna say, "Yeah, sure, I'll preach for you," 00:06:13.040 --> 00:06:15.350 when he's asking, but like, I feel like, 00:06:15.350 --> 00:06:18.300 in the heart of wanting to be a disciple, 00:06:18.300 --> 00:06:19.700 it is something you would say yes to, 00:06:19.700 --> 00:06:22.290 because we are called to follow the man of God 00:06:22.290 --> 00:06:25.330 as he follows Christ, and I believe that of our pastor. 00:06:25.330 --> 00:06:26.840 I believe that he's a man of God 00:06:26.840 --> 00:06:28.520 that tries to follow after Christ. 00:06:28.520 --> 00:06:30.910 So, I kinda ask myself, would I say no 00:06:30.910 --> 00:06:32.910 if Jesus asked me to do this? 00:06:32.910 --> 00:06:35.760 And I probably wouldn't, I probably would wanna say yes. 00:06:35.760 --> 00:06:38.610 So, you know, hopefully I don't misread my notes 00:06:38.610 --> 00:06:40.650 like I told you all to silence your vehicles, 00:06:40.650 --> 00:06:42.600 and you know, nobody really said anything to me 00:06:42.600 --> 00:06:46.270 but my wife, but it was only if you had your alarm on, 00:06:46.270 --> 00:06:48.910 you know, I mean, I guess that still does apply, 00:06:48.910 --> 00:06:52.550 but I meant your phone, so you could silence those now 00:06:52.550 --> 00:06:56.030 if anyone ran outside and tried to silence their vehicle. 00:06:56.030 --> 00:06:58.340 So, I got the idea to preach this sermon 00:06:58.340 --> 00:07:00.440 because there was a little bit of a question being asked 00:07:00.440 --> 00:07:02.690 that I saw online that was really asking 00:07:02.690 --> 00:07:04.540 what should the focus of a church be? 00:07:04.540 --> 00:07:06.050 Should it be on making disciples 00:07:06.050 --> 00:07:08.260 or should it be on preaching the gospel 00:07:08.260 --> 00:07:09.960 and getting people saved? 00:07:09.960 --> 00:07:13.260 And I think it's very evidently clear in the Bible 00:07:13.260 --> 00:07:16.590 that God would want us to focus on getting people saved. 00:07:16.590 --> 00:07:18.530 And really, if you're making disciples, 00:07:18.530 --> 00:07:21.110 that's what a disciple does, and we'll get to that too. 00:07:21.110 --> 00:07:25.970 But the title being "He Cannot Be My Disciples" 00:07:25.970 --> 00:07:29.070 because being a disciple is one of those things 00:07:29.070 --> 00:07:31.990 where I don't know that I even put much thought 00:07:31.990 --> 00:07:35.520 to the fact of how rare it is to actually be a disciple. 00:07:35.520 --> 00:07:40.130 How rare it is to be willing to forsake all that you have 00:07:40.130 --> 00:07:42.750 to like, yay, your own life. 00:07:42.750 --> 00:07:44.820 And it says, "He cannot be my disciple." 00:07:44.820 --> 00:07:47.170 And it's very strong language. 00:07:47.170 --> 00:07:49.900 It really, you know, and we know just going out 00:07:49.900 --> 00:07:51.830 and, you know, we got no salvations today. 00:07:51.830 --> 00:07:54.660 That does happen where we'll get nobody saved 00:07:54.660 --> 00:07:55.890 or maybe one person saved. 00:07:55.890 --> 00:07:58.520 So we know that even just preaching the gospel, 00:07:58.520 --> 00:08:00.570 it's a free gift, it seems easy. 00:08:00.570 --> 00:08:03.440 It seems like people would just be lining up to say yes, 00:08:03.440 --> 00:08:04.930 but not many people do. 00:08:04.930 --> 00:08:07.610 So not many people get saved even. 00:08:07.610 --> 00:08:09.890 And it's even fewer that would actually be able 00:08:09.890 --> 00:08:11.770 to call themselves a disciple. 00:08:11.770 --> 00:08:15.170 You know, the standard for Jesus to be a true disciple, 00:08:15.170 --> 00:08:16.770 like a New Testament sense is somebody 00:08:16.770 --> 00:08:20.450 who is a hearer of the word, but a doer of the word also. 00:08:20.450 --> 00:08:22.670 Somebody who learns the word of God 00:08:22.670 --> 00:08:24.420 and seeks to obey the word of God, 00:08:24.420 --> 00:08:27.050 seeks to obey Christ, follow after him, 00:08:27.050 --> 00:08:30.520 does what the Master says, seeks to be that perfect Christian 00:08:30.520 --> 00:08:33.500 and not that they're walking on water like Jesus as we know, 00:08:33.500 --> 00:08:34.840 but somebody that's complete, 00:08:34.840 --> 00:08:36.970 somebody that would be just willing, 00:08:36.970 --> 00:08:38.570 here am I Lord, send me, 00:08:38.570 --> 00:08:41.830 somebody that is just willing to do the work. 00:08:41.830 --> 00:08:43.650 'Cause ultimately that is what we do 00:08:43.650 --> 00:08:45.360 out of the local church. 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:48.660 We go to the local church to be sent out to work. 00:08:48.660 --> 00:08:52.160 Kind of like we go out to a job to get in a worldly, 00:08:52.160 --> 00:08:54.350 in the world sense, to get our paycheck 00:08:54.350 --> 00:08:55.580 and to earn the money. 00:08:55.580 --> 00:08:57.930 You know, yeah, we could earn rewards here, 00:08:57.930 --> 00:09:00.490 but we come to the church to be sent out 00:09:00.490 --> 00:09:02.340 to do the work of God. 00:09:02.340 --> 00:09:05.170 And so we are learning to be a disciple here 00:09:05.170 --> 00:09:08.810 as long as we're taking the words in that we hear preached 00:09:08.810 --> 00:09:10.930 and when we're going out and actually doing them. 00:09:10.930 --> 00:09:13.830 We're going out and living it out in our life. 00:09:13.830 --> 00:09:17.200 We are thinking about the things of God on a daily basis. 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:19.290 Right, the Bible says to pray without ceasing. 00:09:19.290 --> 00:09:21.390 And I do think that's something that is attainable 00:09:21.390 --> 00:09:22.630 because it's not something that like, 00:09:22.630 --> 00:09:24.220 where you're just down on your hands and knees 00:09:24.220 --> 00:09:26.600 and you're constantly just kind of running through 00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:28.630 necessarily the whole prayer list. 00:09:28.630 --> 00:09:31.220 Yes, should you set aside time to do that, yes. 00:09:31.220 --> 00:09:34.870 But I think throughout the day most people do talk to God. 00:09:34.870 --> 00:09:37.620 They're asking God things just within their head 00:09:37.620 --> 00:09:39.110 because we're filled with the Holy Spirit 00:09:39.110 --> 00:09:40.580 so we have God living within us. 00:09:40.580 --> 00:09:43.530 So we do pray without ceasing 'cause that's what prayer is. 00:09:43.530 --> 00:09:45.720 You're praying out and speaking to God. 00:09:45.720 --> 00:09:47.950 You're asking God things, you're talking to God. 00:09:47.950 --> 00:09:51.490 And I do believe that a lot of people, myself included, 00:09:51.490 --> 00:09:55.150 throughout the day do feel like I am constantly running things 00:09:55.150 --> 00:09:57.300 by God, constantly trying to bring thoughts 00:09:57.300 --> 00:09:58.790 into subjection to Him. 00:09:58.790 --> 00:10:00.280 Or if I have a thought that I'm like, 00:10:00.280 --> 00:10:02.270 why did I, I'm thinking about that, Lord. 00:10:02.270 --> 00:10:04.500 You know, God help me with that or something. 00:10:04.500 --> 00:10:06.330 Because throughout the day, you know, 00:10:06.330 --> 00:10:07.880 just living life can be a struggle. 00:10:07.880 --> 00:10:12.570 So we do have to ask God and talk to God throughout the day. 00:10:12.570 --> 00:10:15.630 But the Bible says, you know, when we preach the gospel, 00:10:15.630 --> 00:10:17.820 it says, whosoever calleth upon the name of the Lord 00:10:17.820 --> 00:10:18.650 shall be saved. 00:10:18.650 --> 00:10:21.040 And we tell people, hey, that means anybody. 00:10:21.040 --> 00:10:22.620 That means any, it means you, 00:10:22.620 --> 00:10:24.350 it means my soul-willing partner. 00:10:24.350 --> 00:10:27.650 God just wants anybody to be saved, right? 00:10:27.650 --> 00:10:30.670 But is that what it means in these verses too? 00:10:30.670 --> 00:10:33.430 Where it says, whosoever does not bear his cross 00:10:33.430 --> 00:10:36.270 and come after me cannot be my disciple. 00:10:36.270 --> 00:10:39.980 Whosoever he be of you, it says, 00:10:39.980 --> 00:10:42.420 that forsakeeth not all that he hath. 00:10:42.420 --> 00:10:44.770 He cannot be my disciple. 00:10:44.770 --> 00:10:47.150 So I was thinking, man, am I even a disciple? 00:10:47.150 --> 00:10:51.590 I mean, am I willing to forsake all that I have? 00:10:51.590 --> 00:10:54.800 It's a pretty high cost, and the Bible in this chapter 00:10:54.800 --> 00:10:57.260 is saying that you do need to count the cost. 00:10:57.260 --> 00:10:58.710 To be able to call yourself a disciple, 00:10:58.710 --> 00:11:00.950 you have to be willing to count the cost. 00:11:00.950 --> 00:11:04.020 You can't be easily shaken, right? 00:11:04.020 --> 00:11:06.960 Whosoever does mean everybody. 00:11:06.960 --> 00:11:09.050 It doesn't change in those verses. 00:11:09.050 --> 00:11:11.730 And so a vision of a church should be, 00:11:11.730 --> 00:11:13.300 if it's to multiply disciples, 00:11:13.300 --> 00:11:16.000 but not necessarily get a bunch of people saved, 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:19.420 I would say that that would not be a very sincere way 00:11:19.420 --> 00:11:21.010 to look at things if you're really looking 00:11:21.010 --> 00:11:22.010 at what the Bible says. 00:11:22.010 --> 00:11:24.520 And I think that we're sort of in a time right now 00:11:24.520 --> 00:11:26.070 where there's a bit of a wet blanket 00:11:26.070 --> 00:11:27.700 being put on soul winning. 00:11:27.700 --> 00:11:29.290 I mean, I think that's why we wanted 00:11:29.290 --> 00:11:31.800 to come to churches like our church, 00:11:31.800 --> 00:11:34.930 is because we were all seeking for that church 00:11:34.930 --> 00:11:37.850 that goes soul winning, that does the things of God, 00:11:37.850 --> 00:11:41.390 that actually is seeking to create disciples, 00:11:41.390 --> 00:11:44.110 'cause we had that yearning to be a disciple. 00:11:44.110 --> 00:11:46.590 That is why I'm even in talking to people 00:11:46.590 --> 00:11:48.540 when I first came to Sure Foundation, 00:11:48.540 --> 00:11:51.040 and of course, what my wife and I were looking for 00:11:51.040 --> 00:11:53.710 is we were looking for a church 00:11:53.710 --> 00:11:55.870 that actually had disciples in it. 00:11:55.870 --> 00:11:57.910 And it's an incredibly rare thing, 00:11:57.910 --> 00:12:00.680 and that's why I think you'll see that the Bible's saying 00:12:00.680 --> 00:12:01.970 that that shouldn't be the focus, 00:12:01.970 --> 00:12:04.360 because that is something that is internal, 00:12:04.360 --> 00:12:07.190 that you can't really give to somebody necessarily, 00:12:07.190 --> 00:12:09.620 or you definitely can't force it on somebody. 00:12:09.620 --> 00:12:12.570 It's something that has to be within you to want to do that, 00:12:12.570 --> 00:12:15.680 and you have to be willing to make all those right choices, 00:12:15.680 --> 00:12:17.470 you know, to be able to, you know, 00:12:17.470 --> 00:12:20.700 be in that upper echelon of Christianity category, 00:12:20.700 --> 00:12:22.140 'cause that's exactly what that is. 00:12:22.140 --> 00:12:25.070 It's not just your normal Christian. 00:12:25.070 --> 00:12:27.800 And God wants everybody to be saved. 00:12:27.800 --> 00:12:30.420 He's not willing that any should perish. 00:12:30.420 --> 00:12:31.880 So the focus on soul winning 00:12:31.880 --> 00:12:33.890 definitely should be the priority, 00:12:33.890 --> 00:12:35.760 because that is what's easiest to do. 00:12:35.760 --> 00:12:39.090 That is why we don't see a lot of people that we get saved 00:12:39.090 --> 00:12:41.090 come back into a church, 00:12:41.090 --> 00:12:44.480 because they don't necessarily want to be a disciple. 00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:46.250 But it is good to travel the country, 00:12:46.250 --> 00:12:47.430 knock on random doors, 00:12:47.430 --> 00:12:48.770 present the gospel to people 00:12:48.770 --> 00:12:51.190 that you just end up leaving, right? 00:12:51.190 --> 00:12:53.190 And moving on to the next town. 00:12:53.190 --> 00:12:54.010 That's what we do. 00:12:54.010 --> 00:12:54.830 We fill out a map 00:12:54.830 --> 00:12:57.270 that Brother Alex gets prepared for us. 00:12:57.270 --> 00:12:59.470 You know, once we get all that area knocked, 00:12:59.470 --> 00:13:02.750 we move to the next area of the town that we're in, right? 00:13:02.750 --> 00:13:03.960 It's exactly what God wants to do. 00:13:03.960 --> 00:13:06.320 Turn to Matthew chapter four. 00:13:06.320 --> 00:13:10.950 Matthew chapter four. 00:13:10.950 --> 00:13:13.620 So the dictionary calls a disciple 00:13:13.620 --> 00:13:20.030 a follower or student of a teacher, leader, or philosopher. 00:13:20.030 --> 00:13:22.550 Look at verse 18. 00:13:22.550 --> 00:13:24.590 It says, "And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, 00:13:24.590 --> 00:13:26.970 "saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, 00:13:26.970 --> 00:13:30.190 "and Andrew's brother casting a net into the sea, 00:13:30.190 --> 00:13:33.020 "for they were fishers, and he saith unto them, 00:13:33.020 --> 00:13:37.360 "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:40.370 And they straightway left their nets and followed him. 00:13:40.370 --> 00:13:42.460 So it sounds like they were prepared to be disciples, 00:13:42.460 --> 00:13:43.910 right, they didn't even think about it. 00:13:43.910 --> 00:13:46.520 They straightway left it and followed him. 00:13:46.520 --> 00:13:51.030 But again, if a disciple, somebody who's following somebody, 00:13:51.030 --> 00:13:54.140 that leader or teacher, then the disciple 00:13:54.140 --> 00:13:56.920 is going to be a fisher of men very clearly in the Bible. 00:13:56.920 --> 00:13:58.960 And again, I think we all knew that 00:13:58.960 --> 00:14:01.710 when we started coming to churches like ours, right? 00:14:01.710 --> 00:14:06.450 You can't say that we're not here to get people saved 00:14:06.450 --> 00:14:08.230 and then call yourself a disciple. 00:14:08.230 --> 00:14:12.450 We are here to get people saved as a disciple. 00:14:12.450 --> 00:14:15.950 And yeah, we're here to develop followers of Jesus Christ, 00:14:15.950 --> 00:14:18.270 but that is somebody that is going to go out 00:14:18.270 --> 00:14:19.560 and be a fisher of men. 00:14:19.560 --> 00:14:20.880 That's somebody that is going to go out 00:14:20.880 --> 00:14:22.270 and preach the gospel. 00:14:22.270 --> 00:14:27.110 And really, that is what God sees as most important. 00:14:27.110 --> 00:14:29.350 'Cause really, if you do, even if you tried to say, 00:14:29.350 --> 00:14:31.920 "Oh, my focus is on making disciples, 00:14:31.920 --> 00:14:33.180 "not necessarily on going out 00:14:33.180 --> 00:14:34.650 "and getting a bunch of people saved." 00:14:34.650 --> 00:14:36.710 Well, then you are, year over year, 00:14:36.710 --> 00:14:40.040 just by default, gonna increase your soul winning numbers. 00:14:40.040 --> 00:14:42.650 Because if a disciple is a fisher of men, 00:14:42.650 --> 00:14:44.760 then you're just gonna be creating more people 00:14:44.760 --> 00:14:46.130 that are gonna go out there 00:14:46.130 --> 00:14:47.470 and be zealous for soul winning. 00:14:47.470 --> 00:14:50.770 But that's a tough thing to do. 00:14:50.770 --> 00:14:52.490 It's a tough thing to get people 00:14:52.490 --> 00:14:54.960 to consistently go out soul winning 00:14:54.960 --> 00:14:56.520 and be zealous to do that. 00:14:56.520 --> 00:14:58.120 Because that, again, that is something 00:14:58.120 --> 00:15:02.080 that, you know, that fire has to be within you to do that. 00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:04.570 And I think if you're willing to humble yourself 00:15:04.570 --> 00:15:06.760 and follow after a man of God, you know, 00:15:06.760 --> 00:15:10.810 that is living that out and have good people in your life, 00:15:10.810 --> 00:15:13.680 then yes, you can be that disciple as well. 00:15:13.680 --> 00:15:14.940 And should you disciple people? 00:15:14.940 --> 00:15:17.170 Of course, you know, but really, 00:15:17.170 --> 00:15:18.790 we barely have enough time in the day 00:15:18.790 --> 00:15:21.720 to do all the things that we try to get done anyways. 00:15:21.720 --> 00:15:24.280 You know, and so discipling the people closest to you 00:15:24.280 --> 00:15:26.930 obviously makes the most sense within your household 00:15:26.930 --> 00:15:28.540 or maybe a few close friends. 00:15:28.540 --> 00:15:30.930 Because you couldn't just disciple everybody 00:15:30.930 --> 00:15:33.160 you get saved at the door, it'd be impossible. 00:15:33.160 --> 00:15:36.670 It wouldn't be a very fruitful venture to do that. 00:15:36.670 --> 00:15:39.300 Because those people, I mean, how many times 00:15:39.300 --> 00:15:42.820 have you all been told, oh yeah, I'll come to church? 00:15:42.820 --> 00:15:44.680 I've been told a ton of times. 00:15:44.680 --> 00:15:45.800 And did they come? 00:15:45.800 --> 00:15:48.830 I mean, I think maybe one person ever did that said it. 00:15:48.830 --> 00:15:51.020 But I've had tons of people say that they were going 00:15:51.020 --> 00:15:52.680 to come to church. 00:15:52.680 --> 00:15:55.280 Because, you know, they have to be the one 00:15:55.280 --> 00:15:56.370 to decide to do that. 00:15:56.370 --> 00:15:58.950 You know, you can't force that on anybody. 00:15:58.950 --> 00:16:01.790 If you ever try to force-disciple somebody, 00:16:01.790 --> 00:16:02.780 it just doesn't work. 00:16:02.780 --> 00:16:04.870 It's just not going to be a good idea. 00:16:04.870 --> 00:16:06.390 You know, my son found that out recently. 00:16:06.390 --> 00:16:09.500 He says, OK, if I tell this, he goes a faithful word. 00:16:09.500 --> 00:16:12.510 And he is in a situation where he needed a roommate, 00:16:12.510 --> 00:16:13.920 because he's just like, it's getting 00:16:13.920 --> 00:16:15.120 expensive to live out there. 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:16.520 I think we all know that, too. 00:16:16.520 --> 00:16:18.990 And he wanted a roommate to kind of ease the rent. 00:16:18.990 --> 00:16:22.220 So he was trying to-- he said, I want a Christian. 00:16:22.220 --> 00:16:24.950 I want-- you know, he tried to post it to where, you know, 00:16:24.950 --> 00:16:26.840 he attracted somebody that was a believer, 00:16:26.840 --> 00:16:28.400 but it just wasn't panning out. 00:16:28.400 --> 00:16:30.230 Nobody was taking the bait. 00:16:30.230 --> 00:16:34.160 So he finally just got a guy that 00:16:34.160 --> 00:16:36.240 was willing to still abide by the rules. 00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:39.080 But then once he did that, he sort of 00:16:39.080 --> 00:16:40.560 tried to force-disciple him. 00:16:40.560 --> 00:16:43.140 You know, he was kept trying to preach the gospel to him. 00:16:43.140 --> 00:16:44.170 And he was just trying to get him saved. 00:16:44.170 --> 00:16:46.040 He invited him to church and kind of put pressure on him 00:16:46.040 --> 00:16:48.870 to go and, you know, was really putting the clamps down on him 00:16:48.870 --> 00:16:49.670 while he was there. 00:16:49.670 --> 00:16:51.900 And the guy just kind of freaked out about it, 00:16:51.900 --> 00:16:53.490 to the point where we went and visited 00:16:53.490 --> 00:16:55.400 and he was complaining to Bobby and I, 00:16:55.400 --> 00:16:56.790 and we just had met the guy. 00:16:56.790 --> 00:16:59.780 Like the second Tino wasn't around, you know? 00:16:59.780 --> 00:17:01.890 And so he realized that that's not a good idea 00:17:01.890 --> 00:17:04.410 to try to force something on somebody 00:17:04.410 --> 00:17:06.710 because they have to want to do it, right? 00:17:06.710 --> 00:17:09.020 They have to want to be, 00:17:09.020 --> 00:17:10.780 first they have to want to believe and get saved, 00:17:10.780 --> 00:17:13.730 but they also have to want to be a disciple. 00:17:13.730 --> 00:17:18.480 And so yeah, you have to really make sure 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:19.680 that you're using your time 00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:21.600 that we have on this earth wisely. 00:17:21.600 --> 00:17:26.120 And I think that like seeking to get people saved 00:17:26.120 --> 00:17:29.220 is what the focus should be. 00:17:29.220 --> 00:17:30.370 If you're still in Matthew chapter four, 00:17:30.370 --> 00:17:33.420 look at verse 21. 00:17:33.420 --> 00:17:35.070 It says, "And going on from thence, 00:17:35.070 --> 00:17:36.210 he saw other two brethren, 00:17:36.210 --> 00:17:38.090 James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, 00:17:38.090 --> 00:17:41.070 in a ship with Zebedee their father, 00:17:41.070 --> 00:17:43.180 mending their nets, and he called them. 00:17:43.180 --> 00:17:44.860 And they immediately left the ship 00:17:44.860 --> 00:17:46.080 and their father and followed him." 00:17:46.080 --> 00:17:49.850 Again, showing that this is why they were the disciples. 00:17:49.850 --> 00:17:52.920 They're clearly fit in that willing to forsake all, 00:17:52.920 --> 00:17:56.130 willing to just, you know, father, mother, brother, 00:17:56.130 --> 00:17:56.940 it doesn't matter. 00:17:56.940 --> 00:17:59.200 They're willing to just everything let go 00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:02.760 to give to Christ and be a disciple. 00:18:02.760 --> 00:18:05.190 But that isn't what most people do, right? 00:18:05.190 --> 00:18:14.590 And it says, wait, I must have put something wrong here. 00:18:14.590 --> 00:18:25.380 Turn to Matthew chapter 19. 00:18:25.380 --> 00:18:28.350 Yeah, most people don't really count the cost. 00:18:28.350 --> 00:18:30.880 They don't understand what it means to be a disciple. 00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:32.680 I think a lot of people in a church, 00:18:32.680 --> 00:18:34.120 maybe they go consistently 00:18:34.120 --> 00:18:36.040 and maybe they serve a little bit here or there, 00:18:36.040 --> 00:18:38.820 would probably think that they're a disciple. 00:18:38.820 --> 00:18:41.860 But man, it's a tough category. 00:18:41.860 --> 00:18:44.320 It seems like the elite of the elite, really, 00:18:44.320 --> 00:18:48.020 to actually be considered a disciple. 00:18:48.020 --> 00:18:51.550 Matthew 19, look at verse 17. 00:18:51.550 --> 00:18:53.090 It says, "And he said unto them, 00:18:53.090 --> 00:18:54.730 "'Why callest thou me good? 00:18:54.730 --> 00:18:57.390 "'There is none good but one, that is God. 00:18:57.390 --> 00:19:00.340 "'But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.' 00:19:00.340 --> 00:19:02.870 "He saith unto him, 'Which?' 00:19:02.870 --> 00:19:04.660 "Jesus said, 'Thou shalt do no murder, 00:19:04.660 --> 00:19:07.290 "'thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, 00:19:07.290 --> 00:19:09.310 "'thou shalt not bear false witness, 00:19:09.310 --> 00:19:10.880 "'honor thy father and thy mother, 00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:14.870 "'and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.' 00:19:14.870 --> 00:19:16.340 "The young man sayeth unto him, 00:19:16.340 --> 00:19:19.100 "'All these things have I kept from my youth up. 00:19:19.100 --> 00:19:21.060 "'What lack I yet?' 00:19:21.060 --> 00:19:24.690 "Jesus said unto him, 'If thou wilt be perfect, 00:19:24.690 --> 00:19:28.230 "'go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, 00:19:28.230 --> 00:19:30.650 "'and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, 00:19:30.650 --> 00:19:33.100 "'and come and follow me.'" 00:19:33.100 --> 00:19:35.840 So he's saying, does this guy wanna be a disciple, right? 00:19:35.840 --> 00:19:38.620 This guy, as we're gonna find out, has a lot of money, 00:19:38.620 --> 00:19:40.410 and he tells him to give to the poor. 00:19:40.410 --> 00:19:41.760 Now, giving to the poor, 00:19:41.760 --> 00:19:43.510 that might not be something financially 00:19:43.510 --> 00:19:44.980 we could do for everybody, 00:19:44.980 --> 00:19:47.760 but what we can do is give them the gospel, 00:19:47.760 --> 00:19:49.140 'cause that is what that chapter, 00:19:49.140 --> 00:19:50.350 what we read was saying, 00:19:50.350 --> 00:19:51.480 they were going out to the poor, 00:19:51.480 --> 00:19:52.700 they were going out to the lame, 00:19:52.700 --> 00:19:54.230 they were going out to the maimed. 00:19:54.230 --> 00:19:55.400 They weren't necessarily trying 00:19:55.400 --> 00:19:57.610 to find the greatest workforce there. 00:19:57.610 --> 00:19:59.940 When Jesus is saying to go to those types of people, 00:19:59.940 --> 00:20:01.090 it was going to the people 00:20:01.090 --> 00:20:02.920 that probably wouldn't be a great workforce, 00:20:02.920 --> 00:20:05.530 because God just wanted people to be saved. 00:20:05.530 --> 00:20:07.820 But it says, if you keep reading, it says, 00:20:07.820 --> 00:20:10.220 but when the young man heard that saying, 00:20:10.220 --> 00:20:13.970 he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 00:20:13.970 --> 00:20:17.040 And Jesus said unto his disciples, verily I say unto you, 00:20:17.040 --> 00:20:18.620 that a rich man shall hardly enter 00:20:18.620 --> 00:20:20.180 into the kingdom of heaven. 00:20:20.180 --> 00:20:22.210 And again, I say unto you, it is easier for a camel 00:20:22.210 --> 00:20:24.050 to go through the eye of a needle 00:20:24.050 --> 00:20:26.960 than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:28.370 This is something that pastor brought up 00:20:28.370 --> 00:20:30.110 in his sermon today. 00:20:30.110 --> 00:20:32.490 Because when you think you have it all, 00:20:32.490 --> 00:20:34.520 you know, and really, it's not even necessarily 00:20:34.520 --> 00:20:35.330 somebody rich. 00:20:35.330 --> 00:20:38.060 There can be people that aren't really super rich 00:20:38.060 --> 00:20:39.550 that can still think they have enough, 00:20:39.550 --> 00:20:44.560 or have enough to not necessarily want to seek after God. 00:20:44.560 --> 00:20:47.520 And this guy said he was following the commandments, right? 00:20:47.520 --> 00:20:49.560 But he wasn't ready to be a disciple. 00:20:49.560 --> 00:20:51.780 And I think that there's a lot of people in churches today 00:20:51.780 --> 00:20:54.230 that they do want to follow the commandments. 00:20:54.230 --> 00:20:55.950 They want to try to be as best a Christian 00:20:55.950 --> 00:20:57.520 as they possibly can be. 00:20:57.520 --> 00:21:01.480 But they're not really ready to actually be a disciple. 00:21:01.480 --> 00:21:04.010 Again, I mean, I think that every one of us 00:21:04.010 --> 00:21:06.200 that has made our way into a church like this, 00:21:06.200 --> 00:21:08.150 we did have a point in our lives where we're like, 00:21:08.150 --> 00:21:10.220 you know what, I want to be a disciple. 00:21:10.220 --> 00:21:11.850 We might not have said it that way, 00:21:11.850 --> 00:21:14.260 but it was that yearning to do more. 00:21:14.260 --> 00:21:16.550 It was that yearning to go out soul-winning. 00:21:16.550 --> 00:21:18.240 It was that yearning to be somewhere 00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:21.020 where people were zealous for the things of God, 00:21:21.020 --> 00:21:22.870 not just sort of, you know, 00:21:22.870 --> 00:21:24.850 chalking things off the list, you know. 00:21:24.850 --> 00:21:27.300 Church is just a something you chalk off the list, 00:21:27.300 --> 00:21:29.380 or it's a social thing or something. 00:21:29.380 --> 00:21:33.340 You know, it should be that we have that desire. 00:21:33.340 --> 00:21:35.780 And you know, having a goal to multiply disciples is great 00:21:35.780 --> 00:21:39.680 because again, they're all going to be soul-winners. 00:21:39.680 --> 00:21:44.010 Now, skipping that chapter to verse 29, 00:21:44.010 --> 00:21:46.000 'cause this is where the rubber met the road for this guy, 00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:49.060 I'm actually being a disciple. 00:21:49.060 --> 00:21:50.500 'Cause it says in verse 29, 00:21:50.500 --> 00:21:53.100 "And everyone that hath forsaken houses, 00:21:53.100 --> 00:21:56.020 "or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, 00:21:56.020 --> 00:21:58.940 "or wife, or children, or lands, 00:21:58.940 --> 00:22:01.860 "for my name's sake shall receive in hundredfold 00:22:01.860 --> 00:22:04.520 "and shall inherit everlasting life." 00:22:04.520 --> 00:22:08.830 Go back to Luke chapter 14 where we started, 00:22:08.830 --> 00:22:13.940 but that's a high cost to think that you're forsaking 00:22:13.940 --> 00:22:15.660 your house and your brethren and sisters. 00:22:15.660 --> 00:22:17.820 And I think a lot of people have been in situations 00:22:17.820 --> 00:22:19.670 where that has actually happened. 00:22:19.670 --> 00:22:21.420 I've seen it happen even in my own life. 00:22:21.420 --> 00:22:24.430 There's been lots of things that we go through 00:22:24.430 --> 00:22:26.920 that are difficult, but you have to be willing 00:22:26.920 --> 00:22:30.220 to count those types of costs and still stay in the fight 00:22:30.220 --> 00:22:33.450 and not let that be something that would shake you out of it 00:22:33.450 --> 00:22:34.960 if that is your desire. 00:22:34.960 --> 00:22:38.630 Because again, nobody can instill that desire into you. 00:22:38.630 --> 00:22:41.900 You can put yourself in the best position, 00:22:41.900 --> 00:22:43.590 hang around the right type of people, 00:22:43.590 --> 00:22:45.920 not be around people that don't want to do 00:22:45.920 --> 00:22:49.380 the things of God, not listening to maybe 00:22:49.380 --> 00:22:51.730 preachers or pastors that would discount 00:22:51.730 --> 00:22:54.680 the things of God, or put a wet blanket on soul winning, 00:22:54.680 --> 00:22:57.310 or put a wet blanket on coming to the house of God, 00:22:57.310 --> 00:23:00.090 to church, because again, church is where 00:23:00.090 --> 00:23:01.200 we are sent out to work. 00:23:01.200 --> 00:23:03.090 If you don't want to work, then you probably 00:23:03.090 --> 00:23:04.880 won't make church a priority. 00:23:04.880 --> 00:23:07.340 That's the reality of it, because it isn't true 00:23:07.340 --> 00:23:09.810 that everybody just gets all the same rewards 00:23:09.810 --> 00:23:11.720 no matter what the work you do is. 00:23:11.720 --> 00:23:14.340 That's ridiculous, and I think that's already been 00:23:14.340 --> 00:23:16.410 proven sermon after sermon. 00:23:16.410 --> 00:23:19.090 Pastors talked about it, and so I won't go there. 00:23:19.090 --> 00:23:23.250 But Luke chapter 14, you look at verse 12. 00:23:23.250 --> 00:23:25.810 It says, "Then said he also to him that bade him, 00:23:25.810 --> 00:23:27.800 "When thou makest a dinner for a supper, 00:23:27.800 --> 00:23:30.010 "call not thy friends nor thy brethren, 00:23:30.010 --> 00:23:32.040 "neither thy kinsmen nor thy rich neighbors, 00:23:32.040 --> 00:23:34.810 "lest they also bid thee again, 00:23:34.810 --> 00:23:37.340 "and a recompense be made thee. 00:23:37.340 --> 00:23:40.440 "But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, 00:23:40.440 --> 00:23:44.330 "the maimed, the lame, the blind." 00:23:44.330 --> 00:23:46.190 Again, it doesn't sound like the greatest workforce 00:23:46.190 --> 00:23:48.630 he's looking for, right? 00:23:48.630 --> 00:23:50.970 What he's asking them is to find the ones 00:23:50.970 --> 00:23:53.780 that aren't necessarily gonna work 00:23:53.780 --> 00:23:55.990 'cause he just wants people to get saved. 00:23:55.990 --> 00:24:01.350 Turn to 2 Timothy chapter four. 00:24:01.350 --> 00:24:03.220 And again, we have to be willing to stay the course. 00:24:03.220 --> 00:24:05.610 I know there's always some sort of drama, 00:24:05.610 --> 00:24:07.000 some sort of thing going on, 00:24:07.000 --> 00:24:09.320 but the thing is, the Bible's filled with that. 00:24:09.320 --> 00:24:11.410 That is what separates people that are willing 00:24:11.410 --> 00:24:13.910 to be disciples or people that just really 00:24:13.910 --> 00:24:16.140 are trying to find any sort of excuse 00:24:16.140 --> 00:24:19.020 to not do the things of God. 00:24:19.020 --> 00:24:21.810 And really, that's for the individual 00:24:21.810 --> 00:24:23.560 to sort of, you know, that shouldn't be something 00:24:23.560 --> 00:24:25.890 we look at and try to judge within people. 00:24:25.890 --> 00:24:27.560 You just gotta focus on yourself. 00:24:27.560 --> 00:24:29.990 But you know in your own heart, 00:24:29.990 --> 00:24:32.040 whether you are running that race to win, 00:24:32.040 --> 00:24:34.030 whether you're fighting the good fight, 00:24:34.030 --> 00:24:35.600 that's what Paul said he was doing. 00:24:35.600 --> 00:24:38.400 If anybody had a chance to complain about drama, 00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:39.240 it would have been Paul, 00:24:39.240 --> 00:24:41.760 but I didn't hear him complaining about it all. 00:24:41.760 --> 00:24:43.230 He discussed some of it. 00:24:43.230 --> 00:24:45.410 He called some of it out, but you know, 00:24:45.410 --> 00:24:47.720 he said, hey, I've run my course. 00:24:47.720 --> 00:24:50.380 He's running that race to win it. 00:24:50.380 --> 00:24:52.040 And he was fighting the good fight 00:24:52.040 --> 00:24:55.800 throughout his entire life in ministry. 00:24:55.800 --> 00:24:58.250 Even having people leave him and forsake him, 00:24:58.250 --> 00:25:02.600 like we see here in 2 Timothy chapter four at verse 10, 00:25:02.600 --> 00:25:04.460 says, "For Demas hath forsaken me, 00:25:04.460 --> 00:25:06.520 "having loved this present world." 00:25:06.520 --> 00:25:08.030 And that's the case with a lot of people 00:25:08.030 --> 00:25:10.000 that end up leaving church 00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:11.890 or not putting an importance on church, 00:25:11.890 --> 00:25:14.230 is that they actually love the world a little bit more 00:25:14.230 --> 00:25:15.500 than they love church. 00:25:15.500 --> 00:25:18.320 And that's just the reality of what that would be. 00:25:18.320 --> 00:25:20.940 And it says, "And is departed unto Thessalonica, 00:25:20.940 --> 00:25:23.840 "Cretians to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. 00:25:23.840 --> 00:25:25.310 "Only Luke is with me. 00:25:25.310 --> 00:25:26.890 "Take Mark and bring him with thee, 00:25:26.890 --> 00:25:29.560 "for he is profitable to me for the ministry. 00:25:29.560 --> 00:25:32.090 "And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. 00:25:32.090 --> 00:25:35.380 "The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, 00:25:35.380 --> 00:25:37.400 "when thou comest, bring with thee in the books, 00:25:37.400 --> 00:25:39.040 "but especially the parchments. 00:25:39.040 --> 00:25:41.720 "Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil. 00:25:41.720 --> 00:25:44.570 "The Lord reward him according to his works, 00:25:44.570 --> 00:25:47.380 "of whom be thou aware also, 00:25:47.380 --> 00:25:50.930 "for he hath greatly withstood our words." 00:25:50.930 --> 00:25:53.140 And there's a lot of people that greatly 00:25:53.140 --> 00:25:56.220 have withstood the words of even preachers within, 00:25:56.220 --> 00:25:59.160 you know, our pastor or other good men of God, 00:25:59.160 --> 00:26:01.220 where they're just completely contradicting 00:26:01.220 --> 00:26:04.040 the things that they might have even believed in the past. 00:26:04.040 --> 00:26:07.860 And it says, in verse 16, at my first answer, 00:26:07.860 --> 00:26:11.170 "No man stood with me, but all men forsook me. 00:26:11.170 --> 00:26:14.250 "I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge." 00:26:14.250 --> 00:26:16.320 And that's a great attitude to take too, 00:26:16.320 --> 00:26:18.430 that it might not be laid to their charge. 00:26:18.430 --> 00:26:20.270 'Cause again, we should just be focusing 00:26:20.270 --> 00:26:21.620 on ourselves anyways. 00:26:21.620 --> 00:26:25.520 Not on any extra drama here or there, you know? 00:26:25.520 --> 00:26:27.390 I mean, I know sometimes you can't help, 00:26:27.390 --> 00:26:29.070 but have it shoved into your face 00:26:29.070 --> 00:26:32.090 if you like at all get on your Facebook or whatever. 00:26:32.090 --> 00:26:35.390 But it shouldn't be anything that you use personally 00:26:35.390 --> 00:26:38.810 as an excuse to knock you out of what you need to do 00:26:38.810 --> 00:26:40.390 or want to do for God. 00:26:40.390 --> 00:26:42.740 But again, you have to wanna do that. 00:26:42.740 --> 00:26:45.670 If it's fake, then you are probably just gonna find 00:26:45.670 --> 00:26:48.370 an excuse to get out of the game, so to speak, 00:26:48.370 --> 00:26:50.250 to get out of the fight, you know? 00:26:50.250 --> 00:26:54.060 But, you know, if it is something you really wanna do, 00:26:54.060 --> 00:26:55.620 none of that stuff should shake you. 00:26:55.620 --> 00:26:58.690 That's what it means to be steadfast and unmovable. 00:26:58.690 --> 00:27:00.330 Verse 17, it says, "Notwithstanding, 00:27:00.330 --> 00:27:02.150 "the Lord stood with me." 00:27:02.150 --> 00:27:04.090 And that's all we should be in need. 00:27:04.090 --> 00:27:05.870 You know, we should only need, 00:27:05.870 --> 00:27:08.350 we have a friend in Jesus, the Bible says, right? 00:27:08.350 --> 00:27:10.990 But as long as he's standing with you, 00:27:10.990 --> 00:27:12.960 then nobody could be against you anyways. 00:27:12.960 --> 00:27:14.800 And it says, "And strengthened me, 00:27:14.800 --> 00:27:17.580 "that by me the preaching might be fully known, 00:27:17.580 --> 00:27:19.290 "and that all the Gentiles might hear. 00:27:19.290 --> 00:27:20.950 "And I was delivered out of the mouth 00:27:20.950 --> 00:27:22.050 "of the lion. 00:27:22.050 --> 00:27:24.410 "And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, 00:27:24.410 --> 00:27:27.060 "and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom, 00:27:27.060 --> 00:27:29.430 "to whom be glory forever and ever, amen." 00:27:29.430 --> 00:27:30.670 And that's the way I see it too. 00:27:30.670 --> 00:27:33.020 I see, hey, if my heart and desire 00:27:33.020 --> 00:27:35.110 is to seek to be a disciple, 00:27:35.110 --> 00:27:37.240 I do believe that God will deliver me 00:27:37.240 --> 00:27:38.760 from every evil work too. 00:27:38.760 --> 00:27:41.670 Yeah, life has been tough in certain regards, 00:27:41.670 --> 00:27:42.510 but you know what? 00:27:42.510 --> 00:27:44.300 God has delivered me from evil, 00:27:44.300 --> 00:27:46.570 and I believe he will continue to do so. 00:27:46.570 --> 00:27:49.140 And you know, and as long as God is with me, 00:27:49.140 --> 00:27:50.320 and God is standing with me, 00:27:50.320 --> 00:27:52.740 that is what strengthens me. 00:27:52.740 --> 00:27:54.790 Yes, it is great to be in a church 00:27:54.790 --> 00:27:56.260 where the people wanna serve God, 00:27:56.260 --> 00:27:58.250 because your brothers and sisters in Christ 00:27:58.250 --> 00:28:01.450 can really strengthen you as well. 00:28:01.450 --> 00:28:02.910 I'm gonna read, you don't have to turn there, 00:28:02.910 --> 00:28:04.760 but John chapter 8.31 says, 00:28:04.760 --> 00:28:07.370 "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, 00:28:07.370 --> 00:28:10.560 "if ye continue in my word, 00:28:10.560 --> 00:28:13.570 "then are ye my disciples indeed. 00:28:13.570 --> 00:28:14.620 "He shall know the truth 00:28:14.620 --> 00:28:16.690 "and the truth shall make you free." 00:28:16.690 --> 00:28:19.550 Again, like continuing in his word, right? 00:28:19.550 --> 00:28:22.470 Being able to fight the fight 00:28:22.470 --> 00:28:25.480 and not be shaken outside of that fight 00:28:25.480 --> 00:28:27.690 and being able to continue 00:28:27.690 --> 00:28:30.250 and be steadfast and unmovable. 00:28:30.250 --> 00:28:32.950 Yeah, continuing in his word is hard, 00:28:32.950 --> 00:28:35.490 but it says, "Then you are my disciples indeed." 00:28:35.490 --> 00:28:37.170 That's what Jesus said. 00:28:37.170 --> 00:28:39.710 And when you're willing to sacrifice at that level, 00:28:39.710 --> 00:28:41.940 you won't be prone to being tossed to and fro 00:28:41.940 --> 00:28:44.480 by every wind of doctrine or things changing 00:28:44.480 --> 00:28:47.060 or little stupid things that wouldn't shake you, 00:28:47.060 --> 00:28:49.240 little disagreements, you know. 00:28:49.240 --> 00:28:51.600 Hey, Paul in those other verses I read said, 00:28:51.600 --> 00:28:53.110 "Demis have forsaken me." 00:28:53.110 --> 00:28:55.410 He's like, hey, let the Lord reward them 00:28:55.410 --> 00:28:56.730 according to their works. 00:28:56.730 --> 00:28:59.830 Let certain things not be laid to their charge. 00:28:59.830 --> 00:29:02.000 You know, he had a good attitude about it 00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:04.640 because there are going to be disagreements 00:29:04.640 --> 00:29:05.460 and things like that. 00:29:05.460 --> 00:29:08.200 But you know, hey, God's gonna handle all that. 00:29:08.200 --> 00:29:10.670 God is, you know, it's not for us to really worry about. 00:29:10.670 --> 00:29:13.220 You know, let us just continue to love one another, 00:29:13.220 --> 00:29:15.600 fellowship like we had the great time of fellowship 00:29:15.600 --> 00:29:18.710 with the food, and you know, still want to seek 00:29:18.710 --> 00:29:21.410 and save the lost and get out and get into these towns, 00:29:21.410 --> 00:29:23.960 going from town to town, preaching the gospel. 00:29:23.960 --> 00:29:27.090 We don't want to be shaken from doing that, right? 00:29:27.090 --> 00:29:33.100 We want to be able to, to continue. 00:29:33.100 --> 00:29:36.290 And then, you know, that's how we can be good disciples. 00:29:36.290 --> 00:29:38.400 You know, if that's what you want to be. 00:29:38.400 --> 00:29:39.790 Now, you know, sometimes we're, you know, 00:29:39.790 --> 00:29:40.670 we're going through seasons. 00:29:40.670 --> 00:29:42.820 Sometimes people go through seasons where, you know, 00:29:42.820 --> 00:29:45.730 you don't necessarily get to, you know, 00:29:45.730 --> 00:29:47.200 do all the things that God that you want to do, 00:29:47.200 --> 00:29:48.830 or you have a lot of kids and stuff like that. 00:29:48.830 --> 00:29:51.460 It's always amazes me when these families go out there 00:29:51.460 --> 00:29:54.710 with all their kids to go knock doors, but hey, 00:29:54.710 --> 00:29:57.770 God will, I'm sure God has an extra special blessing 00:29:57.770 --> 00:29:59.320 when you are able to do that. 00:29:59.320 --> 00:30:02.080 But again, that's not something that you're always able to do. 00:30:02.080 --> 00:30:04.560 It's probably a lot easier when you're not dragging, 00:30:04.560 --> 00:30:06.740 you know, five or six or more kids around. 00:30:06.740 --> 00:30:09.770 But you know, you still want to be in a church 00:30:09.770 --> 00:30:13.200 that does put that as an importance, right? 00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:15.980 You have to, you can't get to a situation where, 00:30:15.980 --> 00:30:19.010 you know, church isn't important or that, you know, 00:30:19.010 --> 00:30:21.380 you only go when you kind of feel like it 00:30:21.380 --> 00:30:24.390 or when it's convenient, you know, it's just, you want to, 00:30:24.390 --> 00:30:26.030 if you really want to be a disciple, 00:30:26.030 --> 00:30:27.670 that will be a priority. 00:30:27.670 --> 00:30:29.720 Because again, this is where, you know, 00:30:29.720 --> 00:30:31.490 you're about your father's business. 00:30:31.490 --> 00:30:33.290 Cause we have a father in heaven. 00:30:33.290 --> 00:30:36.000 This church is, you know, it's run decently in order 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:39.510 for a reason because it is like the business of God. 00:30:39.510 --> 00:30:43.100 It's like where God is setting up things for us to do. 00:30:43.100 --> 00:30:45.730 And it is where we go to work and where you can learn 00:30:45.730 --> 00:30:47.930 to be a disciple if you're willing to be, 00:30:47.930 --> 00:30:49.820 put those things into practice, right? 00:30:49.820 --> 00:30:51.230 That's why he gave those instructions 00:30:51.230 --> 00:30:53.820 to the Jews that believed, right? 00:30:53.820 --> 00:30:57.400 But most will not choose to be disciples, you know, 00:30:57.400 --> 00:30:58.980 after they get saved from going to hell. 00:30:58.980 --> 00:31:01.400 But you know, and it's the same then as it is now. 00:31:01.400 --> 00:31:03.060 There's no new thing under the sun. 00:31:03.060 --> 00:31:04.250 There's not gonna be a lot of people 00:31:04.250 --> 00:31:06.820 that choose to be a disciple. 00:31:06.820 --> 00:31:09.430 But again, that shouldn't be where anybody, 00:31:09.430 --> 00:31:11.630 including any other preacher or pastor, 00:31:11.630 --> 00:31:14.290 would put a wet blanket on soul winning 00:31:14.290 --> 00:31:16.450 or sort of discount, you know, 00:31:16.450 --> 00:31:20.140 the fact that there's churches that want to do that, 00:31:20.140 --> 00:31:22.210 want to go out and go on missions trips. 00:31:22.210 --> 00:31:24.490 You know, like we have the Alaska trip coming, 00:31:24.490 --> 00:31:29.150 you know, and that is should be what the priority is, right? 00:31:29.150 --> 00:31:31.230 Because again, this is why we, I believe, 00:31:31.230 --> 00:31:34.060 came to churches like Sure Foundation, 00:31:34.060 --> 00:31:35.770 like, you know, First Works, 00:31:35.770 --> 00:31:37.250 which the name of the church alone 00:31:37.250 --> 00:31:40.560 tells you what the priority should be, soul winning, right? 00:31:40.560 --> 00:31:42.890 And all these things that we see happening 00:31:42.890 --> 00:31:45.080 should just make the Bible come alive 00:31:45.080 --> 00:31:48.490 because the Bible does talk about a great falling away. 00:31:48.490 --> 00:31:51.660 And I think that, you know, you could say we're in that, 00:31:51.660 --> 00:31:53.830 you know, and people are asleep at the wheel, 00:31:53.830 --> 00:31:56.520 but like, you know, it's not just that, 00:31:56.520 --> 00:31:58.790 sometimes there's just like pictures of that happening. 00:31:58.790 --> 00:32:01.650 It might not necessarily be that there's a falling away 00:32:01.650 --> 00:32:03.830 and this is that falling away 00:32:03.830 --> 00:32:05.500 that it's talking about in the Bible, 00:32:05.500 --> 00:32:07.250 but it is gonna happen. 00:32:07.250 --> 00:32:10.320 And that just sort of kind of pairs things out. 00:32:10.320 --> 00:32:12.150 It kind of gets, it separates the people 00:32:12.150 --> 00:32:14.440 that do want to focus on the things of God 00:32:14.440 --> 00:32:16.770 and be a disciple. 00:32:16.770 --> 00:32:19.040 And it is a rare thing though. 00:32:19.040 --> 00:32:21.480 That's why I said, "He cannot be my disciple," 00:32:21.480 --> 00:32:23.120 is the title because it's strong language 00:32:23.120 --> 00:32:25.780 by Jesus to be using, you know, 00:32:25.780 --> 00:32:29.600 especially when you look at what He said right before it. 00:32:29.600 --> 00:32:31.910 What you have to be willing to do. 00:32:31.910 --> 00:32:34.950 Turn to John chapter two. 00:32:34.950 --> 00:32:37.160 It's kind of like, you know, you wouldn't like, 00:32:37.160 --> 00:32:39.920 people that give money to like some lazy bum 00:32:39.920 --> 00:32:41.430 who doesn't want to work, right? 00:32:41.430 --> 00:32:43.790 Or they give them a sandwich or something, you know, 00:32:43.790 --> 00:32:45.780 they don't sit there after they give them the money 00:32:45.780 --> 00:32:48.010 and say, okay, now we're going to do a seminar 00:32:48.010 --> 00:32:50.760 on how you can be the best possible employee 00:32:50.760 --> 00:32:51.840 that you could be. 00:32:51.840 --> 00:32:54.420 You know, I'm going to train you on how you can just be, 00:32:54.420 --> 00:32:57.210 you know, you're never going to not be able to, 00:32:57.210 --> 00:32:59.880 you know, you won't ever lose a job again 00:32:59.880 --> 00:33:01.590 with this training, right? 00:33:01.590 --> 00:33:04.690 And they would look at you like, no, I just want a dollar. 00:33:04.690 --> 00:33:06.160 I just want a sandwich, right? 00:33:06.160 --> 00:33:09.640 It'd be like us trying to force discipleship on somebody. 00:33:09.640 --> 00:33:11.620 I'm just using that as an analogy of somebody 00:33:11.620 --> 00:33:14.510 that just like, hey, that's not what they want to do. 00:33:14.510 --> 00:33:16.090 Otherwise they wouldn't be standing there 00:33:16.090 --> 00:33:17.990 just not doing anything anyway. 00:33:17.990 --> 00:33:19.940 People we knock on their door and they're like, 00:33:19.940 --> 00:33:21.140 ah, can you make it quick? 00:33:21.140 --> 00:33:23.590 You know, I'm kind of playing a video game or I'm like, 00:33:23.590 --> 00:33:27.730 you know, they don't care about the work of God necessarily, 00:33:27.730 --> 00:33:29.840 but don't we want them to go to heaven anyway? 00:33:29.840 --> 00:33:30.920 Of course we do. 00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:33.350 But that's why being a disciple 00:33:33.350 --> 00:33:35.810 would mean that you would want to be a fisher of men. 00:33:35.810 --> 00:33:38.180 And it's why the getting somebody saved 00:33:38.180 --> 00:33:40.340 would be by far the more important thing 00:33:40.340 --> 00:33:42.890 that you should spend your short amount of time 00:33:42.890 --> 00:33:44.670 that you have on this earth on. 00:33:44.670 --> 00:33:46.680 Because our life is like a vapor. 00:33:46.680 --> 00:33:49.280 And if God says, even in that chapter we read 00:33:49.280 --> 00:33:51.750 that he's gonna reward us bountifully 00:33:51.750 --> 00:33:54.950 for the things that we do, like getting people saved, 00:33:54.950 --> 00:33:56.700 then that would still make more sense too. 00:33:56.700 --> 00:33:58.260 I mean, you're just, it just, 00:33:58.260 --> 00:34:00.820 all of it just makes more sense. 00:34:00.820 --> 00:34:04.620 And you know, if you tried to force some, you know, 00:34:04.620 --> 00:34:06.210 some bum that you gave a dollar to, 00:34:06.210 --> 00:34:08.670 to come to your training on how to be a good employee, 00:34:08.670 --> 00:34:10.390 they'd probably give you a dollar back. 00:34:10.390 --> 00:34:12.560 I mean, 'cause they don't wanna work, right? 00:34:12.560 --> 00:34:14.840 It's just like, they, or they would just make 00:34:14.840 --> 00:34:17.620 a bunch of excuses as to why they, you know, 00:34:17.620 --> 00:34:20.030 oh yeah, maybe come back to this corner next week, 00:34:20.030 --> 00:34:21.010 and you know, and then they're gonna go 00:34:21.010 --> 00:34:22.830 and find another corner, so hopefully 00:34:22.830 --> 00:34:25.010 that you don't, you know, come back. 00:34:25.010 --> 00:34:29.730 But look at John chapter two and verse 23, 00:34:29.730 --> 00:34:31.880 and it is biblical to do that, 00:34:31.880 --> 00:34:35.360 to just get people saved, right? 00:34:35.360 --> 00:34:39.170 Don't necessarily focus on the discipleship side 00:34:39.170 --> 00:34:42.530 until they come into a church or they're in your life. 00:34:42.530 --> 00:34:44.900 John 2, 23, it says, "Now when he was in Jerusalem 00:34:44.900 --> 00:34:47.080 "at the Passover, in the feast day, 00:34:47.080 --> 00:34:49.230 "many believed in his name, 00:34:49.230 --> 00:34:51.830 "when they saw the miracles which he did. 00:34:51.830 --> 00:34:54.410 "But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, 00:34:54.410 --> 00:34:56.780 "because he knew all men, and needed not 00:34:56.780 --> 00:34:58.060 "that any should testify of man, 00:34:58.060 --> 00:34:59.790 "for he knew what was in man." 00:34:59.790 --> 00:35:02.120 So even Jesus, they're believing on his name, 00:35:02.120 --> 00:35:04.500 so that's what it takes to be saved, you know? 00:35:04.500 --> 00:35:07.780 But Jesus knew that he wasn't gonna commit himself 00:35:07.780 --> 00:35:10.840 unto them to necessarily make them disciples right there, 00:35:10.840 --> 00:35:12.840 because he knew what was in their heart. 00:35:12.840 --> 00:35:14.790 You know, just like, we don't know what's in people's hearts, 00:35:14.790 --> 00:35:17.700 so we're not supposed to judge that, but God does. 00:35:17.700 --> 00:35:20.070 We do try to, as you get better at soul winning, 00:35:20.070 --> 00:35:23.020 invite them to church, or answer more of their questions, 00:35:23.020 --> 00:35:25.240 or tell them the importance of baptism. 00:35:25.240 --> 00:35:27.070 You know, tell them about the King James Bible, 00:35:27.070 --> 00:35:28.110 when you give them a Bible, 00:35:28.110 --> 00:35:30.760 why we believe you should be reading that, 00:35:30.760 --> 00:35:34.620 as opposed to the version they probably have. 00:35:34.620 --> 00:35:36.660 And, you know, we do tell them, 00:35:36.660 --> 00:35:39.810 get into a church like this, here is our service times, 00:35:39.810 --> 00:35:41.560 but they have to want to do that. 00:35:41.560 --> 00:35:43.670 They have to want to be the disciple. 00:35:43.670 --> 00:35:46.740 You know, you're not going to be able to, 00:35:46.740 --> 00:35:48.640 you know, teach them everything at the door, 00:35:48.640 --> 00:35:50.580 because you are supposed to make disciples. 00:35:50.580 --> 00:35:52.520 You are supposed to teach people all things, 00:35:52.520 --> 00:35:53.900 but those are the people, 00:35:53.900 --> 00:35:57.720 those are like the people that are like we were 00:35:57.720 --> 00:35:59.600 when we wanted to come into a church like this 00:35:59.600 --> 00:36:01.570 and hear the preaching and then go out and do it. 00:36:01.570 --> 00:36:06.240 Turn back to Luke chapter 14, starting chapter. 00:36:06.240 --> 00:36:09.730 I'm going to read Matthew 28, 19. 00:36:09.730 --> 00:36:11.400 "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, 00:36:11.400 --> 00:36:12.970 baptizing them in the name of the Father 00:36:12.970 --> 00:36:14.630 and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, 00:36:14.630 --> 00:36:16.810 teaching them to observe all things, 00:36:16.810 --> 00:36:17.950 whatsoever I have commanded you, 00:36:17.950 --> 00:36:19.520 and lo, I am with you always, 00:36:19.520 --> 00:36:22.270 even unto the end of the world. Amen." 00:36:22.270 --> 00:36:23.510 So again, like I said, 00:36:23.510 --> 00:36:25.830 we do want to teach people to observe all things, 00:36:25.830 --> 00:36:28.430 but we can't teach them that at the door. 00:36:28.430 --> 00:36:29.930 You know, those are the things 00:36:29.930 --> 00:36:31.830 that people have to want to do. 00:36:31.830 --> 00:36:34.840 And it's pretty rare, it's pretty rare. 00:36:34.840 --> 00:36:37.030 You know, just like it would be rare 00:36:37.030 --> 00:36:39.140 for somebody to want to get off the streets 00:36:39.140 --> 00:36:42.010 and actually take somebody up on the offer of, 00:36:42.010 --> 00:36:43.400 "Hey, I'll get you out of this. 00:36:43.400 --> 00:36:46.230 I'll give you the money to get you off the streets 00:36:46.230 --> 00:36:49.260 and provide you with the training, the job training, 00:36:49.260 --> 00:36:52.290 and get you off drugs and get you in a rehab program 00:36:52.290 --> 00:36:53.800 and do A, B, and C." 00:36:53.800 --> 00:36:55.990 Hey, there's tons of people that offer that 00:36:55.990 --> 00:37:00.580 to homeless people all the time, but most people say no. 00:37:00.580 --> 00:37:01.960 Most people say no, it's sad, 00:37:01.960 --> 00:37:04.080 but that's the choice that they're making. 00:37:04.080 --> 00:37:07.180 But, you know, and I'm not trying to draw that analogy 00:37:07.180 --> 00:37:09.630 to disciples and bums and Christians and stuff like that, 00:37:09.630 --> 00:37:11.730 but I'm just showing that picture. 00:37:11.730 --> 00:37:13.550 It's the same sort of thing. 00:37:13.550 --> 00:37:16.160 If you were to put all your efforts 00:37:16.160 --> 00:37:17.690 into doing something like that, 00:37:17.690 --> 00:37:20.220 it'd be just as much of a waste of time, honestly. 00:37:20.220 --> 00:37:23.890 If your focus was just to say, "My goal is just to make 00:37:23.890 --> 00:37:25.340 "as many disciples as I can." 00:37:25.340 --> 00:37:28.070 If you can do that, great, 'cause really, again, 00:37:28.070 --> 00:37:30.740 you'll just be making more and more fissures of men. 00:37:30.740 --> 00:37:32.850 Your numbers from last year and soul winning 00:37:32.850 --> 00:37:35.600 won't be down, they'll be up every year 00:37:35.600 --> 00:37:36.970 if that was your focus, right? 00:37:36.970 --> 00:37:39.360 It would just be by default. 00:37:39.360 --> 00:37:41.350 In Mark two, it says, "Go ye into all the world 00:37:41.350 --> 00:37:43.760 "and preach the gospel to every creature." 00:37:43.760 --> 00:37:45.600 Didn't say not to go disciple every creature. 00:37:45.600 --> 00:37:49.770 It says, "Go into all the world 00:37:49.770 --> 00:37:52.020 "and preach the gospel to every creature." 00:37:52.020 --> 00:37:55.010 'Cause everybody that gets saved can preach the gospel. 00:37:55.010 --> 00:37:56.950 It's pretty easy to, 00:37:56.950 --> 00:37:58.330 you should be able to preach the gospel 00:37:58.330 --> 00:38:00.720 if you understood the gospel and got saved. 00:38:00.720 --> 00:38:01.790 Now, is it hard to do? 00:38:01.790 --> 00:38:04.680 Yeah, it is hard to do when you first start out, you know? 00:38:04.680 --> 00:38:06.880 But you can still go as a silent partner, 00:38:06.880 --> 00:38:09.890 but you still can get a lot more people involved 00:38:09.890 --> 00:38:11.520 in going out and preaching the gospel, 00:38:11.520 --> 00:38:12.950 like the Great Commission says, 00:38:12.950 --> 00:38:16.060 than to go out and actually teach them all things 00:38:16.060 --> 00:38:17.010 in the Bible. 00:38:17.010 --> 00:38:18.440 'Cause most people don't even know enough 00:38:18.440 --> 00:38:20.130 of the Bible to do that anyway. 00:38:20.130 --> 00:38:22.530 You know, that's where we come to churches like this 00:38:22.530 --> 00:38:24.900 and hear the preaching and then we take what we learn 00:38:24.900 --> 00:38:27.650 and we go do what the Bible says that we should do. 00:38:27.650 --> 00:38:31.560 That's when we have that heart to be that disciple. 00:38:31.560 --> 00:38:34.880 Luke 14, look at verse 16, says, 00:38:34.880 --> 00:38:37.650 "Then said he unto him, a certain man made a great supper 00:38:37.650 --> 00:38:40.730 "and bade many and sent his servant at supper time 00:38:40.730 --> 00:38:42.290 "to say to them that were bidden, 00:38:42.290 --> 00:38:44.450 "come for all things are now ready. 00:38:44.450 --> 00:38:48.540 "And they all with one consent began to make excuse. 00:38:48.540 --> 00:38:52.510 "The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground 00:38:52.510 --> 00:38:54.410 "and I must needs go and see it. 00:38:54.410 --> 00:38:56.700 "I pray thee have me excused. 00:38:56.700 --> 00:38:58.670 "Another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen 00:38:58.670 --> 00:38:59.850 "and I go to prove them. 00:38:59.850 --> 00:39:02.220 "I pray thee have me excused. 00:39:02.220 --> 00:39:04.080 "Another said, I have married a wife 00:39:04.080 --> 00:39:05.800 "and therefore I cannot come. 00:39:05.800 --> 00:39:08.840 "So that servant came and showed his Lord these things. 00:39:08.840 --> 00:39:11.670 "Then the master of the house being angry." 00:39:11.670 --> 00:39:13.580 See God does get angry at us, right? 00:39:13.580 --> 00:39:16.560 "Said to his servant, go out quickly into the streets 00:39:16.560 --> 00:39:19.390 "and lanes of the city, bring in hither the poor 00:39:19.390 --> 00:39:21.630 "and the maimed and the hulk and the blind. 00:39:21.630 --> 00:39:24.030 "And the servant said, Lord, it is done. 00:39:24.030 --> 00:39:27.300 "As thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 00:39:27.300 --> 00:39:30.280 "And the Lord said unto the servant, 00:39:30.280 --> 00:39:31.820 "Go out into the highways and hedges 00:39:31.820 --> 00:39:36.160 "and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." 00:39:36.160 --> 00:39:38.770 So here the Bible is making it very clear 00:39:38.770 --> 00:39:43.420 that God's priority is to go out and bring people in, right? 00:39:43.420 --> 00:39:46.410 It actually doubled it up on saying to bring in the poor 00:39:46.410 --> 00:39:49.090 and the lame and the maimed, you know, again, 00:39:49.090 --> 00:39:51.740 not bringing in the workforce type, 00:39:51.740 --> 00:39:54.730 not bringing in necessarily the disciple, 00:39:54.730 --> 00:39:56.480 just going out and going to the doors 00:39:56.480 --> 00:39:58.970 and getting people saved because people, you know, 00:39:58.970 --> 00:40:00.560 people still get saved. 00:40:00.560 --> 00:40:03.310 People still believe the gospel when we preach it to them. 00:40:03.310 --> 00:40:07.030 And we need people that still want to do that. 00:40:07.030 --> 00:40:10.210 And God will send you to them, you know? 00:40:10.210 --> 00:40:11.740 And again, though, when somebody, Lord, 00:40:11.740 --> 00:40:13.310 you should tell them how great your church is, right? 00:40:13.310 --> 00:40:14.920 We shouldn't just tell them, hey, you know, 00:40:14.920 --> 00:40:16.250 you're probably at a great church, you know, 00:40:16.250 --> 00:40:17.090 just stay there. 00:40:17.090 --> 00:40:18.160 'Cause if they didn't know how to get saved, 00:40:18.160 --> 00:40:19.600 they're probably not at a great church. 00:40:19.600 --> 00:40:21.780 We should tell them they should be in a church like ours. 00:40:21.780 --> 00:40:24.370 That's why when they get baptized, 00:40:24.370 --> 00:40:27.020 the pastor says they're raised to walk in newness of life, 00:40:27.020 --> 00:40:29.860 but they have to want to walk in that newness of life. 00:40:29.860 --> 00:40:32.910 So even getting, you know, baptized, 00:40:32.910 --> 00:40:36.800 it's not really a requirement obviously for salvation, 00:40:36.800 --> 00:40:39.060 but you know, it is saying you want to walk 00:40:39.060 --> 00:40:40.930 in newness of life, right? 00:40:40.930 --> 00:40:42.760 You want to be a Christian. 00:40:42.760 --> 00:40:46.230 You want to be a disciple is what I see that as saying. 00:40:46.230 --> 00:40:49.190 I want to walk in newness of life. 00:40:49.190 --> 00:40:50.840 Most people though, even in a Baptist church, 00:40:50.840 --> 00:40:52.570 don't really understand what they're saying 00:40:52.570 --> 00:40:55.620 if they think that they're a disciple though. 00:40:55.620 --> 00:40:58.520 You don't have to turn them to read Romans 10, 14, 15. 00:40:58.520 --> 00:41:00.750 It says, "How then shall they call on Him 00:41:00.750 --> 00:41:02.090 in whom they have not believed, and how 00:41:02.090 --> 00:41:04.150 shall they believe on Him in whom they have not heard, 00:41:04.150 --> 00:41:06.180 and how shall they hear without a preacher, 00:41:06.180 --> 00:41:09.800 and how shall they preach except they be sent." 00:41:09.800 --> 00:41:14.200 And again, we're sent out of the church to preach the gospel. 00:41:14.200 --> 00:41:17.170 And the Bible says, "As it is written, 00:41:17.170 --> 00:41:19.870 how beautiful the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace 00:41:19.870 --> 00:41:23.610 and bring glad tidings of good things." 00:41:23.610 --> 00:41:31.750 So you know, turn to John chapter 14. 00:41:31.750 --> 00:41:33.740 It's sad that these pastors, 00:41:33.740 --> 00:41:36.120 they have to deal with so much backstabbing. 00:41:36.120 --> 00:41:39.210 You know, you got pastors that used to be our friend 00:41:39.210 --> 00:41:42.660 that now say that they're just trying not to hate you. 00:41:42.660 --> 00:41:46.160 I mean, putting wet blankets on, soul winning. 00:41:46.160 --> 00:41:50.190 It's a tough thing to be a pastor, right? 00:41:50.190 --> 00:41:54.820 I don't know, that's why it's a pretty admirable calling. 00:41:54.820 --> 00:42:00.140 But man, I could see why not that many people do it. 00:42:00.140 --> 00:42:03.950 I told you to go to John chapter 14, I meant to read John 13, 34. 00:42:03.950 --> 00:42:08.970 It says, "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another as I have loved you, 00:42:08.970 --> 00:42:10.760 that ye also love one another. 00:42:10.760 --> 00:42:19.610 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have loved one to another." 00:42:19.610 --> 00:42:25.260 So that's a pretty big thing too, that showing that you love your brethren is how God's going 00:42:25.260 --> 00:42:26.960 to know his disciples too. 00:42:26.960 --> 00:42:28.260 And where are you going to show that? 00:42:28.260 --> 00:42:32.580 I mean, more than likely, you're showing that a lot at church, right? 00:42:32.580 --> 00:42:36.990 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth 00:42:36.990 --> 00:42:42.470 me shall be loved of my father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself in him. 00:42:42.470 --> 00:42:47.050 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself 00:42:47.050 --> 00:42:50.620 unto us, and not unto the world? 00:42:50.620 --> 00:42:55.410 Jesus answered and said unto him, oh, I'm sorry, that is, we're in 14, I meant to tell 00:42:55.410 --> 00:43:01.290 you to, that was, we're at verse 23 at this point now, because I told you to turn there. 00:43:01.290 --> 00:43:06.450 Jesus answered and said unto him, if a man love me, he will keep my words, and my father 00:43:06.450 --> 00:43:10.780 will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him. 00:43:10.780 --> 00:43:15.110 He that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings, and the word which ye hear is not mine, but 00:43:15.110 --> 00:43:17.130 the Father's which sent me. 00:43:17.130 --> 00:43:20.750 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 00:43:20.750 --> 00:43:24.080 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall 00:43:24.080 --> 00:43:29.000 teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said 00:43:29.000 --> 00:43:30.990 unto you. 00:43:30.990 --> 00:43:34.160 Skip to chapter 15. 00:43:34.160 --> 00:43:40.170 So here, we have the benefit of having the Holy Ghost within us, but we still have to 00:43:40.170 --> 00:43:41.360 want to read our Bible. 00:43:41.360 --> 00:43:45.410 We still have to be willing to be taught, but to be a disciple means you're taking those 00:43:45.410 --> 00:43:50.420 things also, where God puts it into remembrance to you. 00:43:50.420 --> 00:43:55.750 You're going out and still doing what the Bible tells you to do, and one of the biggest 00:43:55.750 --> 00:44:02.980 things the Bible just continuously is telling us to do is go out and preach the gospel. 00:44:02.980 --> 00:44:09.720 I told you to skip to 15, verse 8 says, "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much 00:44:09.720 --> 00:44:11.710 fruit. 00:44:11.710 --> 00:44:14.200 So shall ye be my disciples." 00:44:14.200 --> 00:44:20.580 So bearing much fruit is how you're a disciple of God too, and what does much mean? 00:44:20.580 --> 00:44:27.720 In Mark 420 it mentions that, it says, "And these are they which are sown on good ground, 00:44:27.720 --> 00:44:32.500 such as hear the word and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, 00:44:32.500 --> 00:44:33.770 and some a hundred." 00:44:33.770 --> 00:44:40.260 It sounds to me that if you're a good disciple then you're going to be counting some numbers. 00:44:40.260 --> 00:44:45.290 That's why we count the numbers here, we say, "Hey, how many got saved out soul winning?" 00:44:45.290 --> 00:44:48.360 Because God cares about the numbers too, or He wouldn't be telling you, giving you an 00:44:48.360 --> 00:44:51.670 example of what it means to bear much fruit. 00:44:51.670 --> 00:44:55.460 He's telling you, "Hey, nothing wrong with tracking numbers. 00:44:55.460 --> 00:44:56.850 It gives glory to God. 00:44:56.850 --> 00:45:00.280 We're not trying to give glory to ourselves by those things. 00:45:00.280 --> 00:45:01.640 At least you shouldn't be." 00:45:01.640 --> 00:45:06.870 We all know people that have done that, where they have these crazy numbers and they probably 00:45:06.870 --> 00:45:12.530 really weren't getting people saved, but hey, it's biblical though to bring forth fruit 00:45:12.530 --> 00:45:14.290 and show those numbers. 00:45:14.290 --> 00:45:17.850 It tells you 30-fold, 60-hundred. 00:45:17.850 --> 00:45:19.240 It's good to set goals like that. 00:45:19.240 --> 00:45:21.540 It is good to keep track of your soul winning. 00:45:21.540 --> 00:45:23.440 It's good to see maybe you have some holes. 00:45:23.440 --> 00:45:26.280 Maybe you have some things that you need to study more in the Bible. 00:45:26.280 --> 00:45:28.600 Maybe you need to have some answers for the area that you live in. 00:45:28.600 --> 00:45:34.710 And if it's high Muslim, high Jehovah's Witness or Mormon population, you know, but most people 00:45:34.710 --> 00:45:37.550 aren't taking the time to do that. 00:45:37.550 --> 00:45:43.650 And so therefore then they start putting a wet blanket on soul winning because of it. 00:45:43.650 --> 00:45:49.150 You want to stay away from that type of crowd because not many people are disciples. 00:45:49.150 --> 00:45:52.650 But you know, even somebody that's working part time, I'll just call it, can still greatly 00:45:52.650 --> 00:45:56.660 contribute to a lot of people getting saved, you know. 00:45:56.660 --> 00:46:01.540 It's tough to fit in consistently the soul winning with all the things that we are required 00:46:01.540 --> 00:46:07.420 to do in our life, but you know, it is what God wants to focus, what the focus should 00:46:07.420 --> 00:46:08.450 be. 00:46:08.450 --> 00:46:11.730 And I think it's like overwhelmingly clear in the Bible. 00:46:11.730 --> 00:46:22.920 Turn to Luke chapter 6, 2 Corinthians I'll read, verse 5, 18 to 20 says, "And all things 00:46:22.920 --> 00:46:28.030 are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the 00:46:28.030 --> 00:46:31.030 ministry of reconciliation." 00:46:31.030 --> 00:46:36.480 So again, it's saying that God wants us to reconcile people to himself, and how do we 00:46:36.480 --> 00:46:37.470 do that? 00:46:37.470 --> 00:46:42.110 And you get them saved, you know, and then from then on, they can decide if they want 00:46:42.110 --> 00:46:46.010 to be his disciple, if they want to be closer to God, if they want to be called a friend 00:46:46.010 --> 00:46:48.400 of God. 00:46:48.400 --> 00:46:53.100 That's something that they have to have the desire to do, and then you can be a part of 00:46:53.100 --> 00:46:57.220 that with somebody that does, but a lot of times that's just within your local church 00:46:57.220 --> 00:46:59.700 as well. 00:46:59.700 --> 00:47:05.730 But there will be a lot of people, as we see in Luke chapter 6, verse 46, that says, "Why 00:47:05.730 --> 00:47:09.560 call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" 00:47:09.560 --> 00:47:13.780 So God does want us to do the things that he says, "Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth 00:47:13.780 --> 00:47:19.340 my sayings, and doeth them," I will show you whom he is like, "He is like a man which built 00:47:19.340 --> 00:47:22.890 a house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock. 00:47:22.890 --> 00:47:26.530 And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not 00:47:26.530 --> 00:47:30.450 shake it, for it was founded upon a rock. 00:47:30.450 --> 00:47:36.190 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built a house 00:47:36.190 --> 00:47:41.760 upon the earth, against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell. 00:47:41.760 --> 00:47:45.010 And the ruin of that house was great. 00:47:45.010 --> 00:47:50.030 So here you have a contrast of two people, two people that are still, they're both probably 00:47:50.030 --> 00:47:55.460 saying, Lord, Lord, but one has their foundation on, like we're sure foundation, right? 00:47:55.460 --> 00:47:59.260 They have their foundation on the rock, they're looking at Christ, they're looking at him 00:47:59.260 --> 00:48:03.670 as the example, they want to be a Christian, they want to be a disciple. 00:48:03.670 --> 00:48:09.900 And that person, his house is on a rock to the point where when floods arise, like they 00:48:09.900 --> 00:48:14.000 did all throughout the state and probably still are right now, you know, they're going 00:48:14.000 --> 00:48:15.190 to be safe. 00:48:15.190 --> 00:48:20.130 God is going to protect them when the storms of life are beating on them, you know, it's 00:48:20.130 --> 00:48:24.540 the stream beat vehemently upon that house and the Bible says it could not shake it, 00:48:24.540 --> 00:48:26.620 you know, because it was founded upon a rock. 00:48:26.620 --> 00:48:31.410 But when you don't hear, when you're somebody that, you know, you hear the word and you 00:48:31.410 --> 00:48:36.240 don't do it, it says then doeth not, then you're going to be somebody whose wound might 00:48:36.240 --> 00:48:37.210 be great. 00:48:37.210 --> 00:48:41.370 You know, and can't blame God for that because we all get to decide if that's what we want 00:48:41.370 --> 00:48:42.360 to do or not. 00:48:42.360 --> 00:48:45.440 We all get to make the decision of what we're going to place as the priority. 00:48:45.440 --> 00:48:47.810 Turn to John chapter 6. 00:48:47.810 --> 00:48:53.120 To me, the safer bet is to put your foundation on the rock, right? 00:48:53.120 --> 00:48:59.050 You don't want to be on the sifting sands or, you know, you want to dig deep. 00:48:59.050 --> 00:49:03.880 But again, it doesn't mean you're not going to have those storms because I mean, both 00:49:03.880 --> 00:49:08.120 of these two individuals are going through the same storm where there's a flood arising. 00:49:08.120 --> 00:49:13.010 There's, you know, the streams being beating vehemently against the house. 00:49:13.010 --> 00:49:14.690 But one was not shaken. 00:49:14.690 --> 00:49:19.250 One didn't use that as a reason to make an excuse, you know, oh, I got to go go do this 00:49:19.250 --> 00:49:21.360 or I got to go do that. 00:49:21.360 --> 00:49:22.510 No. 00:49:22.510 --> 00:49:28.330 And you know, eventually, I what I believe is that if God has put it on your heart to 00:49:28.330 --> 00:49:33.260 be that type of an individual that does want to be a disciple, and then you just buck against 00:49:33.260 --> 00:49:39.610 that or you start to find excuses or you start to just, you know, lend your ear to somebody 00:49:39.610 --> 00:49:43.870 who is preaching things that are putting a wet blanket on soul when you're something 00:49:43.870 --> 00:49:44.870 like that. 00:49:44.870 --> 00:49:48.770 You know, these are the times when you could be tempting God to where you put yourself 00:49:48.770 --> 00:49:53.980 in a position where that ruin could be great because God is very long suffering and merciful. 00:49:53.980 --> 00:49:59.690 But like, he also knows when he has somebody that can be a great contributor to the kingdom 00:49:59.690 --> 00:50:01.080 of God. 00:50:01.080 --> 00:50:05.260 And I do see that we have churches that do have a lot of people that have that heart 00:50:05.260 --> 00:50:09.170 to be a great contributor to the kingdom of God because they want to, because they love 00:50:09.170 --> 00:50:12.150 God, because they do want to be a disciple. 00:50:12.150 --> 00:50:16.850 Not because they want to look good for other people or just try to have the praise of men. 00:50:16.850 --> 00:50:20.490 They want to give the glory to God who deserves it. 00:50:20.490 --> 00:50:24.340 God deserves all the glory, but it is in their heart to do that. 00:50:24.340 --> 00:50:29.190 And it's those people like, you know, like Jonah, you know, Jonah didn't necessarily 00:50:29.190 --> 00:50:33.670 want to do it, you know, and Jonah could have had a tough life because of it too. 00:50:33.670 --> 00:50:36.960 He was, you know, he had to, he had to deal with some things too, I'm sure, because he 00:50:36.960 --> 00:50:39.520 didn't really want to go, but he still did go. 00:50:39.520 --> 00:50:44.620 We don't know exactly how the story ended for Jonah, but you know, he definitely was 00:50:44.620 --> 00:50:47.020 kicking and screaming all the while through. 00:50:47.020 --> 00:50:52.000 But the people that do have that heart, the people that I know, I've, I've ran into people 00:50:52.000 --> 00:50:56.030 in our church for a long time now, some of them are gone now, but some of them showed 00:50:56.030 --> 00:51:00.940 that same desire and you wonder did they just have like something they, you know, they got, 00:51:00.940 --> 00:51:05.090 they got taken up by the fact that they did have a desire to be a disciple, but they really 00:51:05.090 --> 00:51:06.850 hadn't counted the costs. 00:51:06.850 --> 00:51:12.110 They really didn't count the cost and realize how difficult it actually can be having to 00:51:12.110 --> 00:51:17.260 deal with drama, having to deal with different things coming up or contending for the faith. 00:51:17.260 --> 00:51:18.970 It can be, it can wear on you. 00:51:18.970 --> 00:51:23.160 It could be the storms of life that you would rather not be partaking in. 00:51:23.160 --> 00:51:27.570 But you know what, as long as you're built on a foundation, God is always going to protect 00:51:27.570 --> 00:51:28.560 you. 00:51:28.560 --> 00:51:29.540 He's always going to get you out of it. 00:51:29.540 --> 00:51:33.220 And He wants you to keep focused and look at the big picture of it. 00:51:33.220 --> 00:51:40.310 John chapter 6, look at verse 60, it says, "Many therefore of His disciples, when they 00:51:40.310 --> 00:51:46.340 had heard this, said, 'This is an hard saying, who can hear it?'" 00:51:46.340 --> 00:51:51.550 And when Jesus knew in Himself what His disciples murmured at it, He said unto them, "Does 00:51:51.550 --> 00:51:53.270 this offend you?" 00:51:53.270 --> 00:51:57.280 You know, and this is when Jesus had just given them a hard truth that they didn't really 00:51:57.280 --> 00:51:58.270 understand. 00:51:58.270 --> 00:52:02.470 But I just like how Jesus gives them a hard truth or a hard thing to hear. 00:52:02.470 --> 00:52:04.610 He's like, "Does this offend you?" 00:52:04.610 --> 00:52:11.050 But that's true today, too, because sometimes, you know, the real meat of the Word can separate 00:52:11.050 --> 00:52:16.500 people that aren't willing to really stick it out, because they are looking to be offended. 00:52:16.500 --> 00:52:21.290 They're looking to have any sort of reason to get them knocked off the Course. 00:52:21.290 --> 00:52:25.790 You know, any reason to justify really what would be more of a spiritual laziness. 00:52:25.790 --> 00:52:28.580 "Does this offend you?" 00:52:28.580 --> 00:52:29.560 Good. 00:52:29.560 --> 00:52:31.240 We should be offended every now and then. 00:52:31.240 --> 00:52:34.340 There should be things that we hear that offend us. 00:52:34.340 --> 00:52:40.590 Verse 66, it says, "From that time, many of his disciples went back and walked no more 00:52:40.590 --> 00:52:42.320 with him. 00:52:42.320 --> 00:52:46.580 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, 'Will ye also go away?'" 00:52:46.580 --> 00:52:50.770 You know, I'm telling you, people started out in the new IFB really on fire when I was 00:52:50.770 --> 00:52:55.490 first coming to Sure Foundation, but you know, people fizzle out because they didn't count 00:52:55.490 --> 00:52:56.480 the cost. 00:52:56.480 --> 00:52:58.610 They didn't run the race to win, right? 00:52:58.610 --> 00:53:01.850 They didn't run the race to be steadfast. 00:53:01.850 --> 00:53:06.590 And you know, if it happened in Jesus' time when he was, they were seeing the miracles 00:53:06.590 --> 00:53:10.780 and they were walking with him and he says some hard truths to them and they get offended 00:53:10.780 --> 00:53:15.160 and they walk no more with him, I mean, of course it's going to happen to men of God 00:53:15.160 --> 00:53:16.680 in our day and age. 00:53:16.680 --> 00:53:17.660 This was Jesus. 00:53:17.660 --> 00:53:20.830 This was God in the flesh and they'd walk no more with him. 00:53:20.830 --> 00:53:23.520 I mean, you'd think, how could that even happen? 00:53:23.520 --> 00:53:24.920 How was that even possible? 00:53:24.920 --> 00:53:29.710 God is here on the earth and they're like, I can't hang with that because they didn't 00:53:29.710 --> 00:53:33.170 count the cost because it's very difficult to be a disciple. 00:53:33.170 --> 00:53:38.920 So Jesus said, if you're not willing to do, forsake everything that you have, you cannot 00:53:38.920 --> 00:53:39.900 be my disciple. 00:53:39.900 --> 00:53:51.680 Turn to Luke chapter nine, you know, a lot of people want to check off things off their 00:53:51.680 --> 00:53:52.670 bucket list. 00:53:52.670 --> 00:53:55.880 You know, I wanted to run a marathon, but I don't ever want to run one again. 00:53:55.880 --> 00:53:59.100 You know, and I think sometimes people are part of something like this because they want 00:53:59.100 --> 00:54:04.010 to feel what it feels like, but then once they do, okay, I did that. 00:54:04.010 --> 00:54:09.030 Now let me just kind of go to like Lazy Bee Baptist and, you know, be a part of that and 00:54:09.030 --> 00:54:14.360 not, you know, have a difficult life and deal with all this drama and all these others, 00:54:14.360 --> 00:54:17.060 these controversies and these contendings of the faith. 00:54:17.060 --> 00:54:21.980 But you know, hey, don't hate on people that want to be a disciple then. 00:54:21.980 --> 00:54:26.380 You know, don't try to take down churches that want to do good things for God. 00:54:26.380 --> 00:54:27.980 That doesn't make any sense. 00:54:27.980 --> 00:54:31.990 Don't try to, you know, bite and devour one another and stab people in the back. 00:54:31.990 --> 00:54:36.770 I mean, I just don't understand how people can make their ministry not a ministry of 00:54:36.770 --> 00:54:41.830 reconciliation but a ministry of like creating chaos and dissension and, you know, getting 00:54:41.830 --> 00:54:43.650 people out of the cause. 00:54:43.650 --> 00:54:47.000 I mean, it makes no sense. 00:54:47.000 --> 00:54:51.360 Luke chapter 9 verse 57 says, "And it came to pass that as they went in the way, a certain 00:54:51.360 --> 00:54:56.410 man said unto them, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 00:54:56.410 --> 00:55:00.640 And Jesus said unto them, Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the son 00:55:00.640 --> 00:55:02.740 of man hath not where to lay his head." 00:55:02.740 --> 00:55:04.920 He's like, "Are you sure you want to do this?" 00:55:04.920 --> 00:55:06.760 And he said unto another, "Follow me." 00:55:06.760 --> 00:55:09.970 But he said, "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father." 00:55:09.970 --> 00:55:15.280 Jesus said unto him, "Let the dead bury their dead, but go thou, and preach the kingdom 00:55:15.280 --> 00:55:16.830 of God." 00:55:16.830 --> 00:55:21.360 And another also said, "Lord, I will follow thee, but let me first go bid them farewell, 00:55:21.360 --> 00:55:23.120 which are at home at my house." 00:55:23.120 --> 00:55:28.330 And Jesus said unto him, "No man having put his hand to the plow, and then looking back, 00:55:28.330 --> 00:55:30.560 is fit for the kingdom of God." 00:55:30.560 --> 00:55:31.590 And that's how we have to be. 00:55:31.590 --> 00:55:36.870 We have to be not willing to look back, right? 00:55:36.870 --> 00:55:43.860 But you know, to say that it wouldn't be what God wants to get people saved as opposed to 00:55:43.860 --> 00:55:49.010 making disciples and, you know, just not leaving them at the door and stuff like that, just 00:55:49.010 --> 00:55:55.520 wouldn't be, it just can't be sincere because the Bible just, it talks about this a lot, 00:55:55.520 --> 00:55:56.730 this kind of thing. 00:55:56.730 --> 00:56:04.100 Acts chapter 8, I'll just read that, says, you all know the story. 00:56:04.100 --> 00:56:08.840 And Philip said, "If thou believest with all thine heart," so he got saved, "thou mayest," 00:56:08.840 --> 00:56:12.900 he's talking about getting baptized, "and he answered and said, 'I believe that Jesus 00:56:12.900 --> 00:56:14.220 Christ is the Son of God.' 00:56:14.220 --> 00:56:18.760 And he commanded the chariot to stand still, and they went down bolt into the water, both 00:56:18.760 --> 00:56:21.030 Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized them. 00:56:21.030 --> 00:56:25.520 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, 00:56:25.520 --> 00:56:29.830 that the eunuch saw him no more, and he went on his way rejoicing. 00:56:29.830 --> 00:56:34.620 And Philip was found at Azotus, and passing through, he preached in all the cities till 00:56:34.620 --> 00:56:35.930 they came to Caesarea. 00:56:35.930 --> 00:56:40.670 So it sounds exactly like what I've heard say is not a good idea. 00:56:40.670 --> 00:56:43.980 It's like you get somebody saved, you leave them at the door, and you go to the next town. 00:56:43.980 --> 00:56:46.660 It's exactly what the Spirit of the Lord had him do. 00:56:46.660 --> 00:56:50.220 He just had him get him saved, and then he saw him no more. 00:56:50.220 --> 00:56:55.060 So we're not holier than God, and the Spirit of God said that was a good thing. 00:56:55.060 --> 00:56:56.050 Get this man saved. 00:56:56.050 --> 00:56:58.070 I know that this guy is going to get saved. 00:56:58.070 --> 00:57:01.810 Sometimes we have these divine appointments where we're like, it's amazing when you talk 00:57:01.810 --> 00:57:05.370 to somebody that they're like, I can't believe you're at my door. 00:57:05.370 --> 00:57:09.350 And I've had that happen so many times, too many times to count, where God just sets something 00:57:09.350 --> 00:57:14.870 up like this eunuch here, where God just wants you to get there, get that person saved. 00:57:14.870 --> 00:57:15.890 And do you try to get him to church? 00:57:15.890 --> 00:57:16.960 Of course you do. 00:57:16.960 --> 00:57:22.180 But I haven't seen some of these people that I had an experience just like this almost. 00:57:22.180 --> 00:57:23.170 Not exactly like this. 00:57:23.170 --> 00:57:31.080 I didn't get carried away by the Holy Ghost, but I did have them just shocked that I was 00:57:31.080 --> 00:57:32.070 there. 00:57:32.070 --> 00:57:36.830 I was just talking about this, and I know you've all had the same thing happen. 00:57:36.830 --> 00:57:39.350 Turn to Matthew chapter 12. 00:57:39.350 --> 00:57:43.400 So we have these moments, and if the Spirit of the Lord was willing to catch them away 00:57:43.400 --> 00:57:49.550 where He saw them no more, God's okay with us not sitting there and making them a disciple. 00:57:49.550 --> 00:57:52.940 Because that eunuch has to decide to be that disciple, and then He's going to go find 00:57:52.940 --> 00:57:57.050 them a good church just like we did, and He's going to read His Bible, He's going to be 00:57:57.050 --> 00:58:02.150 disciplined to the things of God, He's not going to take His good church for granted. 00:58:02.150 --> 00:58:06.140 Because that's how, I think that's what happens, it's like we find these good churches and 00:58:06.140 --> 00:58:12.320 then all of a sudden you realize, "Oh, they're human beings too, they have faults, they don't 00:58:12.320 --> 00:58:18.860 say everything perfect, they tell you to silence your vehicle, they make mistakes, they do 00:58:18.860 --> 00:58:20.780 things wrong sometimes." 00:58:20.780 --> 00:58:24.770 But that shouldn't shake you, that's actually a pretty mild thing. 00:58:24.770 --> 00:58:30.380 That's not really a storm, so to speak, of life that you're having to deal with. 00:58:30.380 --> 00:58:33.420 We have to be able to be not easily shaken. 00:58:33.420 --> 00:58:37.710 God's looking for, you know, He is looking for like that special forces type of people. 00:58:37.710 --> 00:58:41.430 And we're the ones that really, you know, we're the ones that are going to be able to 00:58:41.430 --> 00:58:45.220 stick it through when the great tribulation actually happens. 00:58:45.220 --> 00:58:48.210 But if you aren't training to be that, you won't. 00:58:48.210 --> 00:58:53.950 You know, if you're not keeping the things of God as the utmost of priority and importance, 00:58:53.950 --> 00:58:57.930 you probably aren't going to be the one to get saved through those situations to where 00:58:57.930 --> 00:59:04.020 you're able to be protected by God and used by God because He knew even when things were 00:59:04.020 --> 00:59:06.640 a lot easier, you still were steadfast. 00:59:06.640 --> 00:59:12.350 Even when maybe the trials were difficult but not on that type of level, you were able 00:59:12.350 --> 00:59:14.600 to handle them no problem. 00:59:14.600 --> 00:59:18.860 It wasn't even a question. 00:59:18.860 --> 00:59:24.060 You know your disciple, they used to have that, how do you know you're a redneck? 00:59:24.060 --> 00:59:27.310 And they'd say some things like, well how do you know you're a disciple? 00:59:27.310 --> 00:59:32.360 Well probably nobody in your house has to say are we going to church today? 00:59:32.360 --> 00:59:34.700 Because the answer's always yes. 00:59:34.700 --> 00:59:38.940 If it's ever that then you're probably not a disciple if somebody ever has to ask that 00:59:38.940 --> 00:59:39.930 in your house. 00:59:39.930 --> 00:59:43.570 And obviously I'm talking about being sick and things like that. 00:59:43.570 --> 00:59:47.840 Or if they don't ask at all because they know you're not going, then you're definitely 00:59:47.840 --> 00:59:50.230 not a disciple, right? 00:59:50.230 --> 00:59:57.370 Matthew chapter 12, look at verse 46, it says, "While he yet talked to the people, behold 00:59:57.370 --> 01:00:01.500 his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. 01:00:01.500 --> 01:00:05.090 Then one said unto him, 'Behold thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring 01:00:05.090 --> 01:00:06.330 to speak with thee.' 01:00:06.330 --> 01:00:12.160 But he answered and said unto him and told him, 'Who is my brother and who is my brethren?' 01:00:12.160 --> 01:00:17.430 And he stretched forth his hand towards his disciples and said, 'Behold my mother and 01:00:17.430 --> 01:00:22.750 my brethren, for whosoever shall do the will of my father which is in heaven, the same 01:00:22.750 --> 01:00:25.780 as my brother and sister and mother.'" 01:00:25.780 --> 01:00:32.420 So God is putting a clear priority and importance on a disciple, but again, there's not many 01:00:32.420 --> 01:00:36.250 people that are actually going to be a disciple. 01:00:36.250 --> 01:00:40.660 It's something that we should strive to be, and it's something that we should pray for 01:00:40.660 --> 01:00:47.240 the people that are, and we should love the brethren because that's how God says He knows 01:00:47.240 --> 01:00:53.500 that other people know that you're His disciples, but nothing should ever be done to put a wet 01:00:53.500 --> 01:00:55.040 blanket on soul winning. 01:00:55.040 --> 01:01:01.570 It seems to be something again that is happening way too often right now, but we have to be 01:01:01.570 --> 01:01:07.320 able to stay the course and you know we have to be able to be steadfast and unmovable. 01:01:07.320 --> 01:01:11.400 If you want to be a disciple, all I'll say is it's a difficult thing to be asking to 01:01:11.400 --> 01:01:15.320 do and you have to really make sure that you count the costs. 01:01:15.320 --> 01:01:16.320 So let's pray. 01:01:16.320 --> 01:01:18.920 Dear Heavenly Father, I just thank you Lord for the word of God and thank you for the 01:01:18.920 --> 01:01:20.560 people of our church too. 01:01:20.560 --> 01:01:24.080 Pray that you would bless them and their families and their lives and help them Lord if they 01:01:24.080 --> 01:01:26.580 want to be a disciple. 01:01:26.580 --> 01:01:29.640 I pray that you would always help and protect them and help them to be able to live that 01:01:29.640 --> 01:01:33.840 out in their lives Lord and get past any storms of life Lord. 01:01:33.840 --> 01:01:35.840 We just love you and pray this in Jesus name, amen.