Making Disciples

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the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive

right in. What it means to make disciples. Making

disciples. Last week we looked at disciples.

What it means to be a disciple. This week we'll

be looking at making disciples. Praise the Lord.

So we said that from last week, we read Matthew

Matthew 28 · chapter mention

chapter 28, which is also our key scriptures

for today. Matthew 28, from verse 18 to 20. So

Jesus came and said to them and spoke to them

saying, All authority has been given to me in

heaven and on earth. Go and make disciples of

all nations, baptizing them in the name of the

Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching

them to observe all the things I have commanded

you. And, Lord, I am with you always, even to

the end of the age." So we said that everyone

who believes Everyone who believes in Christ

should start learning immediately. Everyone who

believes in Christ should start learning immediately.

Because this is a command that Christ has given

to us. There is a place of learning. Learning

the things that has been, or learning the reality

that we have, which we looked at in the later

part of the sermon of that day. Learning the

reality of who we are. learning this new life

that we have in God or learning this new life

that we have in Christ. So everybody who has

believed, everybody who has believed the gospel,

there is need to be a learning process because

we don't want to live a contradiction. We don't

want to live a life that is not our identity.

We don't want to live a life that is not our

identity. We want to live a life that it shows

that truly we are children of God. Truly something

has happened to us. Truly we carry the spirit

of God in the inside of us. So everybody who

believes should start learning immediately so

that they don't leave their former life or they

don't leave a contradiction. We looked at that

when he says to teach, he's giving an instruction

or implies an instruction to people. That is,

he's telling them to teach. us to teach a little

child to teach a student praise the lord so he

tells them to teach right you should teach them

to observe all the things that he has commanded

them and lo he is with them always even to the

end of the age and we also looked at the word

disciple and which we said in reference to someone

who learned from another praise the lord somebody

who learns from another Somebody who learns from

another. We looked at examples of how the disciples

of John and the disciples of Jesus were learning

from them. The disciples of John learned from

him. They learned how to fast. The Pharisees

as well fasted. We also saw that the disciples

of Jesus were also learning from him. Part of

the things they learned from him, apart from

the way he lived his life and how he moved, was

also that they learned how to study the scriptures.

they witnessed him properly explain the scriptures

how to study the scriptures how to understand

the scriptures so they saw that they saw how

jesus explained the scriptures so they learned

this technique of explanation of the scriptures

reasonable and so it's in the same learning on

how to read the scriptures that they were able

to teach others So they learned and they gave

it to others. They learned and they continue

this tradition or they continue in the doctrine

of how Jesus taught. So they learned how to understand

the scripture. So they understand how Jesus explained

the scriptures because they were with Jesus.

So they were with Jesus and they had all this

experience. They were his audience. so the way

he explained the scriptures is how he explained

the scriptures so jesus giving command to them

to go and make disciples of all nations because

he knows that they have learned what it means

to make disciples because they have learned from

him they have learned firsthand from him what

that is like they are qualified students or they

are qualified people to transfer this knowledge

to other people praise the lord and so To teach,

so they were to teach, that is make disciples

of all nations, because they were disciples themselves.

They were disciples themselves. So making disciples

also, we saw that it was an important fact, or

it was an important factor of the early church.

The church in Acts, there were people who were

making disciples. There was increment in them.

There were more disciples that were coming to

them. And we also said that our reality in Christ

is enough. Our reality in Christ is enough. So

there is no need for conformity. Our reality

in Christ is enough. That we should let God influence

our life. We should let God influence our life

or how we live our life. We should stay true

to our realities and not be conformed to the

system or the pattern of the world. or to let

the enemy deceive us or confuse us in regards

to how we should live our life. Praise the Lord.

So today as well, in this same Matthew chapter

Matthew 28 · chapter mention

28, we also see that he's telling them to make

disciples, to make disciples, to make disciples.

So what does he mean to make disciples? What

does he mean by telling them they should go and

make disciples of all nations? He's telling them

that this is the responsibility as a disciple

that you have, or this is a responsibility as

a child of God that you have. This is a responsibility

that is settled on you as a result of the life

that you have in God, or as a result of the life

that you have in Christ. This is your responsibility.

It's an assignment that you should carry on to

do. You should make the cycles of organization

to replicate the same thing that has happened

to you, to do the same things that have occurred

in your life, right? That place of training,

because they were with Jesus for three and a

half years. They saw the things that he did.

There was a place of training. So they were under

training. They were under... to touch you. Praise

the Lord. So he's telling them that they should

go as well and disciple other people. Teaching

them. And he said he should command, like teaching

them to observe the things I commanded you. And

lo, I'm with you always to the end of the age.

Praise the Lord. So in this teaching, as we said,

we said it's a place to instruct. It is training.

To make disciples is to train. Praise the Lord.

is to instruct is to a let someone learn from

we say a disciple is somebody who a disciple

is somebody who learned from another right so

you make disciples you don't look for disciples

praise the lord so the instruction of jesus is

to make disciples and not look for disciples

so for example you you know there are several

instances where people maybe start a church And

then instead of training or looking for people

that are not going to church, they will go and

get people that are going to church because they

want to fill their auditorium or they want to

ensure that their church is full or they want

to attract people from other places. That's not

the mind of God. That's not the way God wants

us to do it. He wants to make disciples. The

same way that people... the same way that the

disciples came and from beginning they knew nothing,

they just followed God and over time there was

a place of training, there was a place of maturity,

there's a place of growth and there's a place

where they have come to a place where they resume

leadership positions and that's why they are

known as apostles. So they have come to a place

of responsibility, it's the same way we should

also go about making disciples. He said, do not

go to look for people who are already in church,

right? Or people who are already established

in a church. Go and look for people who are not

in any church, who have no knowledge of the things

of God, who has no understanding of the things

of God. Praise the Lord. So it is a place to

make, making disciple is not, is not a, is an

instruction to labor. It's an instruction to

labor in the lives of people. It's an instruction

to pay a price in the life of people. That is,

teaching them the things concerning Jesus, teaching

them the things concerning the life that they

have. Praise the Lord. So, the same way that,

as I explained, the disciples were somewhere

else. There was a particular time before they

met Jesus, there was a state of... of mind they

have or a state of belief or their level of growth

but as a result of their work with jesus as a

result of the many teachings that jesus was teaching

them because primarily they were they were the

audience of jesus right they were with him everywhere

he went so they learned from him they received

training from him they received instruction from

him he said i've given you all authority they

should go and preach the word they will go go

and get me this they'll go and get him go and

do this go and preach the word or go on and heal

the sick they will go right teachings concerning

their lives we saw that there were people who

have been influenced who have been taught is

the same price or is the same price that we have

to pay praise the lord is the same price we have

to pay because so at some point we were somewhere

praise the lord at some point we were somewhere

where we had no understanding of these things

We have no understanding of what it means to

know God to the level which we know God now.

A good example is that there was a time in my

life that I was not praying in tongues. And I

don't know how to fake things. Until I received

training or I received a teaching consigning

it, I was not going to do it. Until I understood

it or scripturally it is explained to me. There

was no way I was going to do it. Praise the Lord.

And somebody asked me, how did you pray for?

I mean, we used to do all night meeting. I don't

know how I was praying, but I was there. Praise

the Lord. And I was sure my prayer was answered.

I was very sure of those. So, but in those areas

of praying in tongues, there was a need for teaching.

There was a need for explanation via the scriptures.

If I didn't see it, I was not going to pray.

Praise the Lord. And by the grace of God, I saw

it in the word of the Lord. It was not forcefully.

It was not just say it, right? It was a proper

explanation of the things that I have in God.

And it's something that is freely given. And

I came to the knowledge of it to be able to begin

to manifest in it. Praise the Lord. So it's the

same way that the person who taught it was gracious

enough. He didn't say, come on, you should know

this by now. Or this or that, right? It took

their time to explain. Praise the Lord. So the

same grace that you received in the place where

you had no knowledge, you had no understanding,

you were immature, the same way that somebody

was gracious to you, or your teacher was gracious

to you to teach you, to instruct you, to guide

you, gradually and gradually, and you came to

this point where you are, and you're continuing

learning, is the same way we should also go about

making disciples. Praise the Lord. To give grace,

to be patient, right? To explain, to give time

to explain. Praise the Lord. So the disciples

of Jesus were with him always, all the time,

or most of the time, they were with him. So they

learned from him, right? He was gracious to them.

He explained time again and again, right? He

was also saying, oh, you should know this by

now. How is it that you are not able? Even if

he makes statements. of maybe they're not understanding

he still goes on to explain praise the lord he

doesn't just brush them off and then move forward

so it's the same way that we should go about

making disciples so the same patient that we

had is the same thing we should because we have

seen our maturity is a result of training praise

the lord our maturity did not just come because

maybe you know we're just moving on our own it

was as a result of training it was as a result

of receiving instruction okay praise the lord

so you make disciples and you train them right

that is the root of church growth so how a child

grows or how the church he become all that god

wanted to become is by training and by teaching

praise the lord It is from a place of training

and by teaching. So you make disciples, you train

them. This is how the church grows. Praise the

Lord. So you preach the word to somebody and

the person believes there's a place of training.

In NECF, we have put some infrastructures around

the training to ensure that people come to a

place of maturity. So there's a place of training

in that we know that the church will grow. That's

how you know that the church is growing, not

numerically. It's not by the numbers of people

in church. Maybe we had 100 people in church.

On average, we're having this. This is not how

the definition of church grows, right? According

to the will of God. That is not what he wants.

He wants people to grow, people that are trained,

people that can train others, people that have

been trained, people that have been taught so

that they can teach others. Praise the Lord.

So that they can teach others. And so this is

not just beginning. We didn't just see making

disciples. It didn't start from Matthew 28. But

we also see it in Exodus. Praise the Lord. We

also see this practice in Exodus. So Exodus chapter

Exodus 18 · chapter mention

18. Exodus chapter 18. Exodus chapter 18, verse

Exodus 18 · chapter mention Exodus 18:13

13. And so it was on the next day that Moses

sat to judge the people. And the people stood

before Moses from morning until evening. So when

Moses' father -in -law saw all that he did for

the people, he said, What is it that you're doing

for the people? Why do you sit alone and all

the people stand? before you morning till evening.

And Moses said to his father -in -law, because

the people come to me to inquire of God, when

they have difficulties, they come to me. I judge

between one and another and I make known the

statutes of God and his law. So Moses' father

-in -law said to him, this thing that you are

doing is not good. But you and these people who

are with you. will surely weary yourself out.

For this thing is too much for you, and you are

not able to perform it by yourself. Listen to

my voice. I will give you counsel, and God will

be with you. Stand before God for the people,

so that you may bring the difficulties to God.

Then you shall teach them the statutes. and the

law and show them the way in which they must

walk and the work they must do moreover you should

you shall elect you shall select from all the

people able men such as fear god men of truth

hating righteousness such place such over them

to be rulers over thousands rulers of hundreds

and rulers of fifties and rulers of times and

let them judge the people at all times then it

will be that every great matter they shall bring

to you and every small matter they shall judge

they shall themselves judge so it will be easier

for you that you would bear the burden that they

will bear the body with you if you do these things

god so command you then you shall be able to

endure and all the people will be able to go

to their place in peace and then he said moses

heeded to the voice of his father -in -law and

did all that he has said praise the lord so we

see here that moses was doing something for the

people of god and what he was doing is that he

was he was the judge that was judging every matter

he was doing many things for them praise the

lord so he was doing he was Leading them. He

was doing many great things for them. And his

father -in -law was just observing what he was

doing. Praise the Lord. He was observing the

things that Moses was doing. So the people came

to him to judge all matters. And he was there

from morning to night. And he was alone. Just

by himself. And he was doing this thing. And

he told him that you be wary. And you and these

people be wary of yourself. Because it is too

much for you to do. Praise the Lord. In as much

as you are receiving the... You are receiving

the counsel or these difficult matters. You're

explaining the will of God and the statutes of

God, or you are receiving the counsel of God

concerning their life. So you're judging what

is going on between their life. It is going to

be too much for you. This is not ideal. It's

not supposed to be so. It is not supposed to

be happening this way. So he was doing many things

for these people, right? Morning till night.

They were very dependent on him. They were very

dependent on him. Without him, they were not

going to do anything, right? They were very dependent

on him, praise the Lord. And so we see here that

he's pointing to him that this is not a great

way to go about it. This is not a great way to

go about your leadership, praise the Lord, because

he sits alone. So he tells him that you're supposed

to raise men. You're supposed to raise men, right?

You're supposed to raise men. You're supposed

to train men so that they are able to handle

some of this responsibility. You're supposed

to train people so that they are able to handle

some of this responsibility. If there are big

matters, they will bring it to you. If there

are small matters, they will deal with that themselves.

And then verse 17, he said to him that, he said,

so his father -in -law said, the thing that you

are doing is not good. Praise the Lord. So he's

not saying to him that the things that you're

doing is not good. That is what he says he's

doing. He said, I make known the statutes of

God and his laws. That's not what he's saying

is not good. Praise the Lord. By teaching them

the word or by teaching them the statutes of

God is good. But the fact that he's doing it

alone is not good. Praise the Lord. This thing

that you're doing is not good. He's not talking

about his teaching. He's not talking about the

laws. He's not talking about what Moses is judging.

He's just saying that the way he's going about

it, that he's doing it alone, from morning to

night, him alone. Everybody will come to him.

That practice is not good. Praise the Lord. That

practice is not good. Because he's doing it alone.

He's standing alone. Right. Because he was alone

in this thing. Right. So because he does not

have people like him. So there is nobody else

like Moses. Right. Because there is no training.

There's nobody who has been trained to be like

Moses. So the things he's doing is not good because

there's nobody like Moses who can judge outside

from him. Praise the Lord. So he needs to train

people like him so that they are able. To also

instruct or they are able to give the people

counsel or to give the people the will of God

consigning different situations and different

circumstances that surrounds them. So he said

he should make people like you, right? Like I

said, do not look for somebody else. He's saying

to them that he should make more people like

him. He should make more people like him. Don't

look for... Maybe establish people. So in your

ministry work. Is to make people like you. Because

you have received. You have been trained. So

you can train other people. Praise the Lord.

So people like him. Making people like him. Or

people like you. So that they are able to spread

the word. They are able to make disciples as

well. They are able to spread the word. They

are able to make disciples. So that you are not

doing it alone. Praise the Lord. The intention

is not for you to carry the body alone, but that

other people as well are trained so that they're

able to train and share the word. And so we also

see that in the examples of Jesus, he primarily,

as we know, he trained and gave instruction to

the 12. The 12 did not just go and they were

just teaching. What I mean teaching is maybe

they're just preaching to people and they repent

and they move on. They spend time to teach people

so that those people are able to also teach other

people. Praise the Lord. So they spend time to

teach people and to train them. They spend time,

we see Paul, we see Peter, they spend their time

in a particular place to train people. They are

reasoning with them, discussing with them, teaching

them doctrines and teaching them the will of

God so that these people are equipped enough

to be able to teach other people. Praise the

Lord. so that the world is able to spread more.

So they didn't go about saying, okay, maybe they

talk now as they have it, to say, okay, which

other people do we have that maybe are like us,

that, you know, let's go and associate with them.

Praise the Lord. So we saw even that as a result

of their, when they became too much in one place,

persecution arrived so that they would Go to

different places and do the work they are supposed

to do. Praise the Lord. Because they have gathered

themselves in one place and they stayed in one

place. But if you want them to go to different

places and make disciples. So to make people

like you. So that is the job of the discipler.

To make people like him. So that they are able

to do the same thing. Praise the Lord. Because

you cannot be in Cyprus and be in Nigeria. That's

why as a church, we have the training center,

we have friends somewhere, and then the plan

for you is not, let me just find a way that I'm

going to have fellowship, which is important,

but also that the things that you have learned,

the thing that the trainers are taking them to

train you is the same thing you should pass on

to other people. Praise the Lord. So that those

people are able to still pass on the same things

to all that. Verse 18 of that Exodus now said,

he said, but you and these people who are with

you will surely weary yourself out for the things

is too much for you and you're not able to perform

it by yourself. Praise the Lord. So you're not

able to be everywhere at the same time. You're

not able to do it. You're going to weary yourself.

Right? You're going to probably start up a church.

Start a ministry that if you are no longer there,

nothing will happen. Praise the Lord. So there

needs to be a training. There needs to be a training

and a discipleship that should keep going. Worry

yourself and the people that are with you. So

a person that has a... He made the disciples,

people that were with him, so that they would

be like him. We saw that in Acts chapter 11,

Acts 11:26

verse 26, where they were first called Christian.

And the observation is that these people were

behaving like the Christ. Praise the Lord. So

he made people like him so that they are able

to spread the word. They have the same mannerism

of how they understood. Like I said, when the

first part of his preaching. that the disciples

understood the way Jesus explained the scriptures.

So they explained it the same way that he explained

it. Praise the Lord. So people are able to see

similarities that, oh, these people must be Christians.

They are like Jesus, or they are like Christ,

or they are little Christ of Exodus chapter 18,

Exodus 18:19

verse 19. He said, Listen to my voice and I will

give you counsel and God will be with you. Stand

before God for the people so that you may bring

the difficulties to God. So he said, let me teach

you. We see that Jethro, a man who is coming

from a foreign place, is coming to give Moses

an instruction. And this instruction is divine.

Praise the Lord. So we see a man who, Moses was

the man who was before God. He was the same God

he used to face. But we see a man who comes from

a different land. He was not even part of their

group. But he came from a saint place and he's

giving them a counsel. And this counsel is the

will of God consigning Moses and consigning the

children of Israel. It's the same will that we

see also in Matthew chapter 18, 28. So we see

Matthew 18 · chapter mention

a man who comes and he's giving Moses instruction.

And this instruction came from a man who came

from a far country, right? So we see the wisdom

of God manifesting itself in this man. And Moses

heeded his voice, right? And this counsel has

been something that has come from one, has continued

for generations and generations. Praise the Lord.

In that same verse, in verse 20, he said, And

you shall teach them the statutes of the Lord

and show them the way in which they must walk

and the work they must do. Praise the Lord. He

says, and you shall teach them. So this word

teach here is slightly different from the usual,

we know, the usual word for teach, right? In

the Hebrew word for teach, right? So this word

for teach is the word zaha, right? It's the word

zaha. It's not just the usual one we know, maybe,

okay, it might imply teach, it might imply instruction,

right? But this one, the word zaha, it means

to be liked. It means to be liked. And it has

many things to eat as well. It means also to

be, to educate, right? It means to warn. It also

means to show examples, to show example, right?

To show the way to do it. Praise the Lord. So

it's not just, it's to be light, to educate,

to warn, to show the way to do it. So the person

who is making disciples is showing the disciples

how to do it. Praise the Lord. So it's a, What

do you say? It's not theory. Praise the Lord.

There's practicality to it. Praise the Lord.

So the disciples learn practically what it means

to preach the gospel, what it means to explain

the gospel, because they are seeing it practically.

Praise the Lord. What it means to heal the sick,

what it means to manifest the gift of the Spirit,

what it means to prophesy, what it means to...

So the disciple is able... to see it. So that

is the word here we see for teach, right? So

it's to educate, to warn, to show a way to do

it. That is to be an example, to be liked. Praise

the Lord. It's the same word that we see in 2

2 Kings 6:10

Kings 6, verse 10. There it is used as warning,

right? We also see it in 2 Chronicles 19, verse

2 Chronicles 19:10

10. It's also used as warning there. So it's

the words Zahar, to teach, to show by example.

So in raising leaders, you don't just teach them,

but you show them, right, how to teach and also

how to be a leader. Praise the Lord. So in making

disciples, you're not just teaching them. You're

not just teaching them this, teaching them the

word, teaching them doctrine, but you're also

showing them how to teach. so how do you teach

the word of god right how do you explain these

scriptures you're showing them how to be leaders

praise the lord you're showing them how to lead

other people how to be leaders of church or how

to be a pastor right or how to be a minister

or how to be a leader of a group so practically

they learn some of these things okay so that's

what he says in verse 20. Instead, you teach

them the statutes and the law of God and show

them the ways in which they must walk in. So

you're showing them practically, okay, this is

what you should do. This is what you should do.

So the disciple knows, right? So in making disciples,

you let them know the do's and the don'ts. Praise

the Lord. When you see this, this should be,

what do you say, a red flag for you. when you

see this you know that so practically you are

able to show them what to do praise the lord

so that you don't you don't have people that

are around you and you have said many things

and then you find out that they have started

making a lot of mistakes because nobody has told

them what you should do praise the lord or maybe

you assume that maybe somebody has told them

before or where they are coming from they have

received these instructions before So you practically

show them what to do. You show them the things

they should do. So that means that your teaching

ministry should not just be informative, right?

But it should also be transformative. So it means

that the people's lives are also changing. You're

not just giving information, right? It's not

just informative, but it's transforming as well.

In verse 20 again, that you show them the way

they must walk. Right? Show them the ministry

things. What does it mean to pray? Right? Why

do we pray for a long time? Why do we pray like

this? What does it mean to fast? What is fasting?

What does it mean to manifest the things of the

Spirit? Right? What does prophecy mean? So it's

to show them, we see them. Instead of teach them

and show them the way they must walk. And the

walk they must do. So there is an instruction

in their own walk. Okay, this is what you should

do. Do this walk or do that. So in making disciples,

there is a place of instruction. This is the

way it should be, right? But this is the things

you must also do. Praise the Lord. Verse 21,

that's it, of Exodus chapter 18. Moreover, you

Exodus 18 · chapter mention

should select from all the people, able men,

such as fear God, men of truth, hating, covetousness,

place such over. They should do the things that

they should do. And now they are able to then

lead, able to go and make disciples. It's the

same thing that we see here. So after these people,

after generally, so he's saying to them that

when you come, he's saying to Moses, the instruction

to Moses is that he should teach the people,

right? He should teach the people. And then as

he's teaching, in the process of teaching the

people, then you select men. Praise the Lord.

So there's a place of training, there's a place

of teaching, then there's selection to responsibility.

Praise the Lord. And it's not the other way around.

So a good example is that you have planted a

church or you have a church or you have a building

that you want to be holding your church service.

And then you're looking for people that should

be leaders in your church or to be handling one

responsibility or the other. It's not to go and

give them the responsibility. It's to first teach

them. It's to first instruct them. It's to first

teach them. It's to first instruct them. It's

first to train them, right? Train them. And in

the process of training, you are then able to

now select men. And select men that... The selection

of men, he says, in verse 21, he says, he said,

such as fear God, like men of truth, hating covetousness.

So these people that he's selecting is people

that have gotten a hold of what he's doing. Praise

the Lord. So the selection is people that have

gotten a hold of what is happening. They have

gotten a hold of the training. Praise the Lord.

But the first thing, like I said, is teaching.

So you do not start a church looking for pastors.

You don't start a church looking for pastors.

You raise men to start churches. Praise the Lord.

You do not start a church looking for pastors,

right? You raise men to start churches. Praise

the Lord. Your goal of... Preaching and teaching

is not that they will remain with you forever.

That they will stay, they will finish, they will

continue. No. It's that the world has to spread.

The kingdom has to spread. So you don't start

a church and looking for pastors, but you raise

men. You disciple men so that they are able to

start churches. Praise the Lord. You disciple

men so that they are able to start churches.

So who are the people that you are training in

your church? Who are the people that you're training

in your church? So when training is not happening,

different people get invited to come and teach

the church many things. So when there's no training,

we need a pastor to come. to get invited either

from US, from Nigeria. That would be the need

of the church. Or we'll get a music minister

to come in, to fly into the island and sing.

And then maybe we'll get somebody to talk about

finances and so many things like that. Praise

the Lord. Because training is not done. Because

when training is done, people will come to that

place of responsibility. Praise the Lord. When

training is done, people will come to the place

of responsibility. So invitations becomes the

order of the day because training is not there.

Because the man of God cannot trust his people

to be able to do those things that he has invited

people because there's a lack of training. They

have not grown. They have not become all that

or come to a place of maturity. Praise the Lord.

So Jethro told him to train men, right? He should

train men and then select them for leadership.

So in the process of training, in the process

of training, leadership selection is being done,

not the other way around. So when leaders are

not trained, the church cannot grow. When is

there a place of training? When is there a place

of discipleship? The church cannot grow. When

there is no place of training, the church cannot

grow. You train them, teach them, and in doing

that, you will now look around. Who are the men

that are fearing God? Who are the men that are

of truth? Who are the men that have understood

this training they were doing? Who are the men

that are without covetousness? Which are the

men that are qualified? feed for these goals

and responsibilities, not the other way around.

Not first, who feeds this thing? Maybe we say,

okay, we're looking for ushering leader. So let's

look for somebody with a serious face, a tall,

maybe brother or sister, you know, that is a

bit skinny, likes to wear corporates, right?

And then we'll select you based on that. Afterwards,

we'll ask, okay, come and start training. Praise

the Lord. So your evaluation of people being

brought into leadership is not by looks or is

not by physical qualities, but rather training

first comes and then selection is done. How was

then Joshua chosen? We also see Joshua here.

How was he chosen? What made Moses choose Joshua?

God made Moses choose Joshua. Exodus chapter

Exodus 17 · chapter mention

17. Exodus chapter 17, verse 9. Verse 9 says,

Exodus 17:9

Moses said to Joshua, choose us some men and

go out and fight the Amalek. Tomorrow I will

stand on top of the hill with the rod of God

in my hand. Praise the Lord. Exodus chapter 24

Exodus 24:13

verse 13. Exodus chapter 24 verse 19. 19 says,

So Moses, Exodus chapter 24 verse 13. So Moses

Exodus 24:13

rose with all, with his assistant Joshua, and

Moses went up to the mountain of God. Praise

the Lord. So we see here that Joshua, He was

always with Moses. He was always with Moses all

the time. He was there serving Moses. He was

a servant of Moses. He puts it as a sister. He

was a servant of Moses. So he was serving Moses.

Praise the Lord. He was always with Moses. And

then when Moses was about to die, then Joshua

was selected. So there's no training that is

done in absentia. In this kingdom, if you want

to grow, there's no training that is done in

Ascension. You're somewhere. You're attending

it online. What you did is that you were watching

it. You were watching the program. You did not

receive any training. You were just watching

it. Praise the Lord. So there's no training that

is done in Ascension. Joshua moved with Moses

everywhere he was going. Exodus chapter 33. It

Exodus 33 · chapter mention

was with Moses everywhere he was going. Exodus

Exodus 33:11

chapter 33, verse 11. So the Lord spoke to Moses

face to face as he speaks, as a man speaks to

his friend, and he returned to the camp, but

his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man,

did not depart from the tabernacle. Praise the

Lord. And then, Acts chapter 1. Acts chapter

Acts 1 · chapter mention Acts 1 · chapter mention

1. Acts chapter 1 verse 21. Acts chapter 1 verse

Acts 1:21 Acts 1:21

21. Let's start with 20. Speaking of Judas Iscariot.

So for it is written on the book of Psalm. Let

his dwelling place be desolate and let no one

live in it. Let another take his office. Therefore,

of the men who have accompanied us all the time,

that the Lord Jesus Christ went in and out among

us, beginning from the baptism of John to that

day when he was taken off from us. One of these

must become a witness with us of his resurrection.

And they proposed two, Joseph called Barnabas,

who was so named Justice, and Matthias. And they

prayed and said, You, O Lord, who have known

the heart of all, show which of these two have

you chosen to take part in the ministry and the

apostleship. from which Judas by transgression

fell, that he might go to his place. And they

cast lots, and the lot fell on Matthias, and

he was numbered with eleven apostles. Praise

the Lord. So we also saw here, we also saw in

Exodus, that Joshua and both Matthias and these

people have been with them. They have been in

the training, they have been in that place. Praise

the Lord. They have received what they have received

with them. So they have been together. He was

with him all the time. He did not know that he

would succeed Moses. So his moving around with

Moses was not a succession plan. That was not

it. He did not know any of those things. All

he was doing, he was serving the Lord from his

heart. All Matthias was doing was also serving

the Lord from his heart. They were not doing

it because they were going to succeed anyone,

but because they were serving the Lord. And that's

how they succeeded both Judas and Moses. So what

is your plan to teach the world? What is your

plan to teach the world? What is your plan to

make disciples? What is your plan to teach the

world? Do you plan to teach the world or consign

yourself with other matters happening around

the body of Christ? Or other things that are

happening around? 1 Peter 4, verse 14. He said,

1 Peter 4:14

Give your reproach for the name of Christ. Blessed

are you, for the spirit of glory and of God rests

on you. On their part, he's blasphemed. On your

part, he's glorified. But let none of you suffer

as a murderer, as a thief, as an evildoer, as

a busybody in others' matters. If anyone suffers

as a Christian, let him not be ashamed. But let

him glorify God in this matter. Praise the Lord.

So he's saying, to them that if they are suffering,

let our suffering be because they are doing the

work of the Lord. Not because they were talking

about other things, or because they were murderers,

or because they are doing evil. Praise the Lord.

So we also see an interesting word here called

busybody. I don't know how to call the Greek

word. It's very long. But it means to belong

to another matter. Or you are overseeing somebody

else's work. You're doing somebody else's work.

You're concerning yourself with other matters,

with other people. If you are suffering because

of it, that is not the will of God. That's not

what should be happening to you. But you should

concentrate rather on making disciples to suffer

as a Christian. If you are suffering, For we

are seeing other people's work. It is not the

will of God. So do not concern yourself about

other people's work. Do not concern yourself

about other people's ministry. Do not concern

yourself about other people's pastors or posts.

But rather, concentrate on the work that is in

front of you. Concentrate on the work of making

disciples that is right in front of you, that

is given to you. Let others be doing what others

are doing. Praise the Lord. Whether they are

teaching correctly or not teaching correctly,

it is not your work to correct the body of Christ.

It is your work to make disciples. Praise the

Lord. It is your work to make disciples. It is

your work to make disciples. If you have 20 people

in your church, they cannot grow without training.

Your church will remain 20 if there is no place

of training. Because when that training comes,

there will be more discipleship and people, the

church will grow. 1 Peter 5, verse 1 to 2. So

1 Peter 5:1–2

the elders who are among you are exalted. I who

am a fellow elder and a witness of the suffering

of Christ and a partaker of the glory, I will

be revealed. He says, shepherd the flock which

is among you, serving as overseer, not by compulsion,

but willingly. Not for dishonest gain, but eagerly.

Not as being Lord over those who are entrusted

to you, but be an example to the flock. Praise

the Lord. So he's saying to mind your business,

the things that are in front of you, right? To

be, to disciple, to shepherd the flock among

you. Do not concern yourself about what is going

on somewhere else, but to disciple men, to continue

to preach the word, to mind your work. So your

job is to focus on the flock, right? And those

who you are raising. Your job is to focus on

the flock and those you're raising. If you stop

looking at other matters or other people and

begin to look into your flock, you discover that

there's only a lot that is happening. Praise

the Lord. If you begin to look internally, you

find out that many things are happening around

you that needs more of your attention. Praise

the Lord. There are many, many things that are

happening around you. that need more of your

attention there's a lot of work to be done around

you there's a work there's a lot of work of discipleship

that should be done around you that you should

focus your mind on it rather than focusing on

what other people are doing praise the lord so

the lord has called us to make disciples to make

disciples and that's how the church will grow

praise the lord So I pray that you will bless

by this word in Jesus' name.