Matthew 6:9-13 - After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom
come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive
our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever. Amen.
The Sermon for This Week is: The Discipling Ministry Of Jesus - Matthew 4:18-22 - And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren,
Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their
nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son
of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately
left the ship and their father, and followed him.
INTRODUCTION
1. We saw where the public ministry of Jesus involved preaching...
a. Proclaiming the need to repent, for the kingdom of heaven was at hand - Matthew 4:17 - From
that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
b. Taking this message to synagogues throughout the land - cf. Matthew 4:23 - And Jesus went
about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness
and all manner of disease among the people.
2. His ministry was not limited to preaching; it also involved discipling...
a. In which He called select individuals to follow Him
b. Creating His own group of disciples
1) Just as John had his disciples - Matthew 9:14 - Then came to him the disciples of John, saying,
Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
2) Even the Pharisees had their disciples - Matthew 22:15-16 - Then went the Pharisees, and
took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples
with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou
for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.
3. We read of Jesus calling His first disciples in our text...
a. The call of Peter and Andrew - Matthew 4:18-20 - And Jesus, walking
by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they
were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they
straightway left their nets, and followed him.
b. The call of James and John - Matthew 4:21-22 - And going on from thence, he saw other two
brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father,
mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
4. Throughout His public ministry...
a. Jesus would call others to become His disciples - cf. Matthew 9:9 - And as Jesus passed forth
from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow
me. And he arose, and followed him.
b. Jesus would spend much time with His disciples
c. Jesus would end His time on earth with a command for them to make more disciples - Matthew 28:19-20
- Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the
world. Amen.
[Such an important subject to our Lord naturally raises some questions. For example...]
I. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BECOME JESUS’ DISCIPLE?
A. THE WORD “DISCIPLE”...
1. The word “disciple” literally means a learner
2. According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary Of New Testament Words, it denotes “one
who follows another’s teaching”
3. But a disciple was not only a learner, he was also an adherent
4. For this reason disciples were spoken of as imitators of their teachers
-- When Jesus told Peter, Andrew, James, and John to “Follow Me” (Matthew 4:19 - And
he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.), it meant more than
to just physically follow Him!
B. THE GOAL IN BECOMING HIS DISCIPLE...
1. Stated by Jesus on this occasion: “I will make you fishers of men”
a. Just as they had worked in going after fish, now they would be going after men!
b. As indicated in the Great Commission, they would be making disciples - Matthew 28:19 - Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost:
2. Stated by Jesus on another occasion: to be like their teacher
a. Those perfectly trained will be like their teacher - Luke 6:40 - The
disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
b. Just as Christ sought to save men and make them disciples,
so His disciples were to seek and save the lost
[A disciple of Jesus, then, is one who desires to imitate Jesus. Since He was concerned for the lost,
His disciples would be also! Another question...]
II. HOW DOES ONE BECOME JESUS’ DISCIPLE?
A. JESUS SAID “FOLLOW ME”...
1. This command He gave to His future disciples - Matthew 4:19 - Go
ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
- Matthew 9:9 - And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of
custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
a. They would spend three years following Jesus around Palestine
b. During that time they would listen to what He said, observe what He did
c. Eventually they would be told to carry on His work - cf. Matthew 28:19-20 - Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world. Amen.
d. Their success was related to this time spent with Jesus - cf. Acts 4:13 - Now when
they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they
took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
2. To be a disciple of Jesus, then, requires that one:
a. Follow Him
b. Spend time with Him
c. Carry on His work
-- But how can we do this when He is no longer with us on earth?
B. JESUS SAID “ABIDE IN MY WORD”...
1. This He said to those who believed in Him - John 8:31 - Then said Jesus to those Jews which
believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
a. By learning and observing what He taught, they would truly be His disciples
b. As Jesus would say later, future disciples would be made as they were taught “to observe all
things that I have commanded you” - Matthew 28:20 - Teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
c. It would begin with baptism, for He had just commanded His disciples to make disciples by baptizing
them - Matthew 28:19 - Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: - cf.
Mark 16:16 - He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth
not shall be damned. - Acts 2:38 - Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you
in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
2. To be a disciple of Jesus, then, requires that one:
a. Be baptized (having repented and confessed one’s faith in Jesus)
b. Follow Jesus by doing what He taught His first disciples (the apostles)
-- By continuing steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine (i.e., their gospels and epistles), we can
be Jesus’ disciples today! - cf. Acts 2:41-42 - Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and
the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly
in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
[To follow Jesus by abiding in His word implies some degree of effort and cost. This leads to our next
question...]
III. WHAT DOES IT COST TO BECOME JESUS’ DISCIPLE?
A. HIS FIRST DISCIPLES LEFT “ALL” TO FOLLOW JESUS...
1. They left their business and family - Matthew 4:20-22 -And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called
them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
2. As Peter would say later: “we have left all and followed You” - Matthew 19:27 - Then
answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
B. JESUS EXPECTED THE SAME OF OTHER DISCIPLES...
1. That He must come before family - Matthew 10:37 - He that loveth
father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
- Luke 9:59-62 - And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord,
suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but
go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them
farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to
the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. - Luke 14:25-26 - And there went great multitudes
with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea,
and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
2. That one must be willing to suffer hardship - Matthew 10:38 - And
he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. -
Luke 9:57-58 - And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said
unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have
holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man
hath not where to lay his head. - Luke 14:27
- And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
3. Simply put, to forsake all to follow Him - Luke 14:33 - So likewise,
whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
C. JESUS EXPECTS THE SAME OF HIS DISCIPLES TODAY...
1. To seek first the kingdom of God - Matthew 6:33 - But seek ye first
the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
2. As illustrated in The Parable Of The Great Supper, family and business
cannot come before accepting the call of the gospel! - Luke 14:15-24 - And when one of them that sat at meat with
him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom
of God. Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to
make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me
excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray
thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry
said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed,
and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded,
and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges,
and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
CONCLUSION
1. In calling people to repent, Jesus was also calling people to become His disciples...
a. But like John the Baptist before Him, Jesus expected that people “bear fruits worthy of repentance”
- cf. Matthew 3:8 - Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
b. As He would say later, “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will
be My disciples.” - John 15:8 - Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much
fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
2. For those willing to accept His call, along with the cost, there is promise of great blessings...
a. As Jesus told Peter - cf. Mark 10:28-30 - Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left
all, and have followed thee. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man
that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the
gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children,
and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
b. As Paul would encourage the Christians at Corinth - cf. 1 Corinthians 15:58 - Therefore,
my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your
labour is not in vain in the Lord.
3. Have we accepted the call and responsibility of discipleship, or do we just “go to church”?
a. Which comes first, our families, our businesses, or Jesus Christ and His kingdom?
b. Are we busy building our lives, enjoying our retirement, while the Lord’s church suffers?
c. Do we spend more time on fishing and other forms of recreation, than we do on fishing for men?
-- How we answer such questions reveals much as to whether we are truly the disciples of Jesus! May we
all be open to the call of Jesus: “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Matthew 28:19-20 - Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Mark 16:15-16 - And
he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Prayer:
Lord I truly thank You for giving me the opportunity to present these words to my brethrens. I pray that You will
give them Your eternal blessings and accept them into Your heart - this I pray
in the name of Thy Son, Jesus, the Messiah, Your only begotten son which Ye sent to save mankind from themselves. Amen
Peace
be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace
be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen. - Ephesians 6:23-24
This sermon is in the Public Domain - Free for all to use with the only requirement: That it never
be used for profit.
