Resurrection Life Church
050519 | From Conversion to Commission | Jacob Hickman
What is the state of discipleship in the church today?
Locations & Times
Resurrection Life Church Picayune Campus
795 Memorial Blvd, Picayune, MS 39466, USA
Sunday 10:00 AM
- we’ve exchanged the call to make disciples with a push to make converts.
- our country is in turn confused and reeling from a lack of discipleship.
Eg: In the United States,
- 73% identify as Christian
- But, only 35% say they’re born again
- And only 7% agree with Evangelical statement below
- our country is in turn confused and reeling from a lack of discipleship.
Eg: In the United States,
- 73% identify as Christian
- But, only 35% say they’re born again
- And only 7% agree with Evangelical statement below
Born again: Have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in their life today and believe that, when they die, they will go to heaven because they have confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their savior.
Evangelical Christian: Meet the born again criteria plus seven other conditions. These conditions include saying their faith is very important in their life today; believing they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs about Christ with non-Christians; believing that Satan exists; believing that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth; asserting that the Bible is accurate in all that it teaches; believing that eternal salvation is possible only through grace, not works; and describing God as the all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect deity who created the universe and still rules it today. Being classified as an evangelical is not dependent upon church attendance or the denominational affiliation of the church attended. Respondents were not asked to describe themselves as “evangelical.”
Evangelical Christian: Meet the born again criteria plus seven other conditions. These conditions include saying their faith is very important in their life today; believing they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs about Christ with non-Christians; believing that Satan exists; believing that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth; asserting that the Bible is accurate in all that it teaches; believing that eternal salvation is possible only through grace, not works; and describing God as the all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect deity who created the universe and still rules it today. Being classified as an evangelical is not dependent upon church attendance or the denominational affiliation of the church attended. Respondents were not asked to describe themselves as “evangelical.”
- We’ve grossly undersold what it means to follow Christ, both what it entails and its benefits.
-The next Great Awakening will not be a preacher’s revival nor will it be a church’s revival; but it will be the disciple’s revival.
A Convert views the world and his Christianity in a completely different way than the Disciple does.
-The next Great Awakening will not be a preacher’s revival nor will it be a church’s revival; but it will be the disciple’s revival.
A Convert views the world and his Christianity in a completely different way than the Disciple does.
Our response is often the same as theirs was: v33 “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been enslaved to anyone...”
We say, “I’m not a slave; i don’t need freedom.”
- yet, we are as enslaved as any generation in history:
• Drugs: opioids, to wake up, to sleep, to be happy, when we’re sick.
• Food
• Bondage to fear and anxiety: anxiety is one of the leading health issues in today’s society and a leading cause of suicide.
• Bondage to Hatred: unforgiveness among governments, families, and individuals
• Addicted to Lust: pornography is everywhere; TV shows are racy
• Addiscted to Our Phones: average American spends 4.5 hours per day looking at their phone.
We say, “I’m not a slave; i don’t need freedom.”
- yet, we are as enslaved as any generation in history:
• Drugs: opioids, to wake up, to sleep, to be happy, when we’re sick.
• Food
• Bondage to fear and anxiety: anxiety is one of the leading health issues in today’s society and a leading cause of suicide.
• Bondage to Hatred: unforgiveness among governments, families, and individuals
• Addicted to Lust: pornography is everywhere; TV shows are racy
• Addiscted to Our Phones: average American spends 4.5 hours per day looking at their phone.
- In a culture of craziness, it only makes FREE PEOPLE stand out all the more!!!
The path to freedom is discipleship, and this scripture gives you the A, B, C’s.
A) “Continue in My word...”
- continue: meń-o: to stay (in a given place, state, relation, or expectancy), to abide, to dwell, to be held continually, to live
•Doesn’t mean you’re constantly reading the Bible, it just means you’re always meditating on His word.
B) “You will know the truth...”
- you’ll not only know what it says, you’ll understand what it means.
- The Holy Spirit is here to help; John 16:13
- Not about gaining knowledge; it’s about knowing the TRUTH
John 5:39
C) “the truth will make you free.”
- when we continue in His word and are intimately acquainted with the truth, the truth inside of us does its work to make us free, without our own effort.
- once you’re free, you become the best testimony for who Jesus is: freed people free
A) “Continue in My word...”
- continue: meń-o: to stay (in a given place, state, relation, or expectancy), to abide, to dwell, to be held continually, to live
•Doesn’t mean you’re constantly reading the Bible, it just means you’re always meditating on His word.
B) “You will know the truth...”
- you’ll not only know what it says, you’ll understand what it means.
- The Holy Spirit is here to help; John 16:13
- Not about gaining knowledge; it’s about knowing the TRUTH
John 5:39
C) “the truth will make you free.”
- when we continue in His word and are intimately acquainted with the truth, the truth inside of us does its work to make us free, without our own effort.
- once you’re free, you become the best testimony for who Jesus is: freed people free
3 Caveats
1) Everybody has to start somewhere
Luke 2:46
- Even Jesus started out listening and asking questions. You need to find a mentor or take the initiative to mentor someone else and help them grow in their faith.
2) You won’t know it all at once
John 6:51-53;66-68
- Jesus is disciples didn’t understand the statement at first, but they continue to follow him and not only did they understand it later, they partook of it.
- There will certainly be some things you don’t immediately understand at first; keep going!
3) Anybody can get discouraged
Matthew 11:2-6
- Jesus call John the Baptist the greatest among those born of women, but even he had a moment of doubt.
- In John’s moment of doubt, Jesus gave a direct quote from Isaiah 35 and Isaiah 61. He pointed John back to the scriptures!
- His words will sustain you through difficult times!
1) Everybody has to start somewhere
Luke 2:46
- Even Jesus started out listening and asking questions. You need to find a mentor or take the initiative to mentor someone else and help them grow in their faith.
2) You won’t know it all at once
John 6:51-53;66-68
- Jesus is disciples didn’t understand the statement at first, but they continue to follow him and not only did they understand it later, they partook of it.
- There will certainly be some things you don’t immediately understand at first; keep going!
3) Anybody can get discouraged
Matthew 11:2-6
- Jesus call John the Baptist the greatest among those born of women, but even he had a moment of doubt.
- In John’s moment of doubt, Jesus gave a direct quote from Isaiah 35 and Isaiah 61. He pointed John back to the scriptures!
- His words will sustain you through difficult times!