Answering the Summons

Matthew 4:18-22

This is the first Sunday in September and we shift into a new series.  This is the third series on our core values we have talked about family, stewardship and now we will over the next few weeks talk about discipleship.  Discipleship is at the very center and the very core of what we are about. Jesus said in his great commission at the end of Matthew, “Go and make disciples of all nations…” we are to go and make disciples. The thing is, to make disciples we must first be disciples. Right?

I have some questions for you to ponder. I don’t want you to answer just think about them. How many of you are “Americans”? I suspect most of you. When did you decide to be an American? I suspect that most of you have been Americans all your life.  What is an American?  A native of the continents and islands of North and South America.  But that isn’t what people mean when they say they are “Americans” is it? Think about what that word means to you. What are the best qualities of what it means to be an “American?” For you, what are the defining characteristics of an American? Think about that for a minute…

Even if we all agree that we are talking about citizens of this nation as defined by the borders of the United States of America, we are talking about a very diverse group of people.  It is impossible to choose characteristics of an American outside the legal definition for citizenship.

Now think about this, what makes a great American?

I’m guessing some faces or names of people in American history came to mind.  We may not all agree on that lists but they have characteristics that make them great.  These are the characteristics that we want to develop in ourselves.

How many of you are Christians? I suspect that since we are in a Christian worship service that most of you are.  But I don’t take that for granted! There have been at times and I have been one of these people that come to a church well before they have faith in Jesus Christ just to see what this is all about.  There are people that come to worship because they are brought by a family member.  There are some who come because they have heard they can find help for the problem that they are having.

Story: “I’m just looking for a friend.”

For those of you who are Christian, when did you decide to be a Christian?  Many people have been Christians all their lives, participate in the Christian community and rest assured of their eternal salvation.  Romans 10:9 says “Because of you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

What is a Christian? A Christian is someone who follows Jesus.  Jesus had some particular ideas about what it meant to “believe” in him. I have found no evidence that Jesus taught that believing in him was just about a feeling you have. From what I understand, believing in Jesus is an inner conviction, a trust that connects me to him as the source of life and, as a result, compels me into action.

Peter was with his brother Andrew when Jesus called him. He left his nets.  He decided to leave his net and follow Jesus.  Much is made of this moment but that wasn’t even close to the hardest thing that Peter would have to face in his walk with Jesus.

Jesus decided to follow Jesus but he still needed to be “discipled.” He needed to learn; he needed to grow; he needed to serve; he needed to spend time in Jesus’ presence so that he could be transformed in to the man that Jesus needed him to be. He was constantly surrounded by the other disciples learning, serving and growing alongside each other.

<Peter’s time with Jesus>

                Great confession then comes Jesus rebuke.

                Attempt to be like his master and walk on water, then the failure.

                His words of loyalty, then his betrayal.

                Started as a fisherman turned disciple then returned to fish after Jesus’ death

                Preached the first Christian sermon brought others into the family of God.

Imagine now if Peter had that encounter with Jesus alongside the sea and Peter gave his heart to Jesus with heartfelt emotion, felt assured that he would go to heaven someday when he died and never actually followed Jesus.  All that experience between that day at the sea and the day of Pentecost when he brought thousands into relationship with God is what formed Peter into the great apostle he is.

 I asked you earlier to think about great Americans. Now I want you to think about someone you know who really lived out their Christian walk.  Someone that was a really good example of what it means to follow Christ. What are those characteristics that they have? How did they come to be such a good example?  I can think of a few really good examples.  The thing is, the people I am thinking of had some pretty big flaws.  They weren’t perfect but they let Christ in and they let Christ transform their lives.

Jesus has called each one of us to something better.

Many of you have decided to follow Christ. You have met him at the lakeshore and he has called you name. We are more than just the people who have decided. We are meant to be a people who are disicpled.  It’s not just a decision and a warm feeling. It is a decision that leads to a transformed life.

This month we will be talking about discipleship. The discipleship team has very diligently and intentionally developed a process for people who decide to participate, for spiritual growth and maturity.

No matter where you are on you path you can benefit from this process. In fact it is not intended to be a temporary program but rather the way we will function as a church from this point forward.  Over the next few weeks we will explain fully the process that we have developed. In summary it is a process of intentional discernment of your needs and your growth edges and pairing you with a mature brother or sister in the faith to encourage you and guide you into deeper relationship with Jesus Christ through worship, service and education, all with the support of a small group of believers to encourage you along the way. In short we want the decided to be the discipled. 

It’s the great spiritual Journey. It’s the path of Peter. We follow Jesus, imitate Jesus and when we boldly fail we are picked up by Jesus and supported by our fellow travelers.  

If you are interested in this process, a process which does we need to have a conversation.  I am not going to put out a sign-up sheet.  This is much deeper than that.  Please see me after worship.

Like I said we are all going to move from being the decided for Christ to the discipled by Christ. 

But first things first.  To be discipled we must first decide right?

So I want to invite you today to drop the barriers you have built up to Christ having authority in your life.  Perhaps you do not yet believe, perhaps you cannot remember a time when you did not believe.

Wherever you are in your life; whatever your circumstance, no matter what you have done, Jesus is standing in this place with us inviting you to follow him.  

God who created and sustained the earth set aside a people to be his people.  From those he chose to become one of them, Jesus of Nazareth, God in the flesh walking among us healing, feeding and teaching us what God is like.  Jesus died for our sin; defeated death and lives forever. Through Jesus we have eternal life.

We are standing at our nets. There is a long journey of growth ahead of us. We don’t have to understand everything right now but trust in our lord to show us the way.  Let today be that day.