The Biblical Assignment of Christ’s Church - Matthew 28:19-20.

Thank you for joining us at Key Life Fellowship for our Pulpit

Ministry Podcast. Each sermon on this podcast is

from our 11:00 AM Sunday service.

We are glad that you have joined us digitally, but would love to

see you in person on Sunday mornings at either 9:00 AM or

11:00 AM. Now let's open God's word and

ask Him to reveal His truths for our lives.

Turn to the Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Matthew, and go ahead

and flip all the way to the end to Chapter 28 as we are

continuing our series that we began a couple of weeks ago when

we began to talk. About Christchurch, the dearest

place on earth and isn't it? Look around you.

This is the dearest place on earth, the body of believers, to

which Christ is the head. I wake up, as I told you last

week, every Sunday morning, excited about seeing each and

every one of you to receive those handshakes, those hugs to

have people just simply say this.

I love you and I'm praying for you this week.

What a blessing it is to know that we are a part of such a

wonderful, wonderful group of blood bought believers in

Christ. We are continuing to talk about

the dearest place on earth. As we began, we talked about in

the last few lessons, the basic attributes of the Church.

What should the true church look like?

But this week we're going to switch gears a little bit and

and. Leave the attributes of the

Church. And look at the biblical

assignment. Of the Church.

We're leaving the basic attributes, the characteristics

that we all ought to possess as individuals that make up the

whole, and the whole ought to possess those characteristics.

We looked at that in depth the last couple of weeks, but today

we're going to look at the biblical assignment of

Christchurch. What are we here to do?

How many people are confused about this?

Why? Why do we exist?

Do we exist because we just want to be a part of the club?

Do we exist because we got nothing better to do?

Nothing else to do? We exist because people are just

bored and want to get together. There's so much more to it than

that. We have an assignment, and Jesus

makes that assignment very clear in the two verses that we're

going to look at today. But before we get to that

assignment, what I want to tell you first is this.

And I want you to write this down because so many people in

our day are confused about this. So many socalled churches are

confused about this. I want us to look at before we

move into the biblical assignment of Christchurch, what

he commanded us and told us where we are to do while we are

left here on this earth. But have you ever wondered why

are we left here? We're left here for a purpose.

Because if we didn't have a purpose, the the moment that you

were saved, you would have just gone ahead and taken you home.

But you're left here with a purpose I don't want.

To tell you what that purpose is not, as the church write this

down, the Church's assignment is not to fix all of the social

social problems or social injustices in this fallen world.

This world is tainted by sin. In fact, Romans chapter 8 says

Romans 8 · chapter mention

the very earth the world is groaning.

For redemption. That's not the church's job.

When Adam fell, the whole world fell into chaos.

And our job as the Church is not to fix the chaos of this world.

All of the social injustices and all of the things that so many

people spend all of their time doing in the name of the.

One day Jesus Christ will return and he will make sure that

everyone receives a justice. And everything is going to be

restored back to the Eden type state that it was in before the

fall of man. But until then, the earth is

going to become progressively worse.

There's nothing you can do about it.

This earth has a death sentence upon it, because when Adam fell

to sin, death entered in upon all men and upon this earth.

There's nothing you can do to rewind that or fix it.

Many people in the socalled church spend their whole lives

trying to fix social injustices. It's not our job as the church.

It's not our assignment. Jesus is going to make our

assignment very clear and concise and simple in just a

moment. But secondly, it's not to make

Pagan sinners feel accepted. Many people think that the duty

of the Church, the assignment of the church, is to make pagans

feel accepted, to to embrace all sorts of of immorality and

idolatry and paganism and just act as if it's okay.

It's not okay. In fact, the Church is called to

abstain and to avoid even the very appearance of evil.

How could the Church ever fall into the trap of thinking that

their job was to make every Pagan idolatrous Sinner

accepted? It's not our job.

It's not our duty when a person comes in.

It's not our job to make them feel comfortable on their way to

hell. It is our job to tell them the

truth that they are on their way to hell.

Yes, and that is a fact. Apart from Jesus Christ, we are

all condemned already. Unless God graciously intervenes

and saves their wretched soul, they will be judged for all

eternity. I know people get upset when you

talk that kind of biblical. Talk these days.

But our assignment is not to make people feel comfortable on

their way to hell and accept it. Because, you know, in this

world, the church can make those people feel accepted all that

they want, but they're never going to be accepted into God's

eternal Kingdom apart from Jesus Christ.

It's high time we let them know that.

So it's not to. Make the Pagan center feel

accepted. It's not to fix social problems

or injustices in this fallen world.

You know what else is not the assignment of the church that

we're seeing so often and so-called church circles today

in the culture that we live in. And that is to blend in with the

culture in a non offensive way, right?

Change the church into a rock concert so that the lost world

won't be offended. Right.

Cut all the lights, get a smoke machine, make it look like a

rock concert, and everybody's coming.

And they will. That's not the assignment of the

church. Make people feel like they're

out of a heavy metal concert. Make the people feel like

they're at something worldly just so that they'll stick

around a little while. That's not our assignment.

Not only that, our assignment is not to change the world into

being a better place. As I've already said, world in

the state that which she is in right now will never be a better

place. Not until Christ returns.

He destroys the earth as we know it by fire and he recreates it

back to what he intended for it to be.

Also, the church and her assignment is not to be

inclusive. Not to be inclusive.

I just the other day my wife was in a conversation with a lady at

the grocery store who was asking about church.

He had a Christian T-shirt on and the lady asked about shirt

church. You know, lady?

Let her know well, I go to this church because they include

everyone. Now we know what.

That means in today's society, don't we?

They include everyone. That means they're an all

inclusive church, and the lady began to tell her they accept

the L GB, TQ Plus community, as if my wife was going to somehow

be impressed with that type of immorality.

And she let her know real quickly, that way we were part

of this church because they're inclusive, right?

Because the church in today's messed up church culture, thinks

that we have to be inclusive. We have to include everyone and

everything, right? They had that conversation

shortly before her same sex partner showed up to reveal why

she was thankful that she had a church that was all inclusive.

Can I insert this at the risk of offending everyone?

The church is exclusive, not inclusive.

It is only for those who are in Christ who have been saved,

ushered out of darkness. I don't care what lifestyle of

darkness it was. You have come out of that

lifestyle of darkness. You have been ushered into

marvelous light, and that light is Christ.

It's exclusive. The church is exclusive to the

believers. If you're here today and you dub

yourself, please don't a seeker. You have no place in his church.

You're not seeking anything. In fact, the Bible is very

clear. There's none righteous.

No, not one. No one seeks after him.

Stop being deceived and deceiving yourselves.

You're not seeking God, you're seeking something else.

Because when a person is truly born again and saved it as God

who seeks them out of their sin, no one seeks him.

We seek self indulgence. We seek self fulfillment.

We seek. Pleasure for our flesh and sin.

So our duty is not to be inclusive as our assignment.

Nowhere does Jesus say go ye therefore and be all inclusive.

But no, it is an exclusive place.

It is the place of the elect those were purchased by the

precious blood of Jesus Christ. I don't say that to be arrogant.

I say that to be biblically true.

This is. An assembly of blood bought

spirit filled Christ followers and no one else should feel at

home here, but blood bought spirit filled Christ.

So the assignment of the church is not to make everyone feel

included. In fact, if you go back to the

New Testament church, at times they were excluding people for

open immorality. They were removing them from

fellowship. They were disciplining them

because of their waywardness. I would say things like mark

them and have nothing to do with them because of their

immorality. That's the New Testament church.

The problem is, in America, we don't even know what a New

Testament church really is supposed to look like.

I'll give you a hint, go back to the New Testament and read it.

Stop throwing your opinions and your ideas out there and go look

at what the scripture says the church really is.

It's when we look at the assignment of the church, the

biblical assignment we must go back to when it was given.

When we go back to Matthew chapter 28, what we know as the

Matthew 28 · chapter mention

Great Commission, where Jesus is about to ascend into heaven

after he was here on this earth where he died, he was buried.

He rose again. He spent some days on the earth

teaching his disciples all the Old Testament scriptures that

pointed to him, teaching them things that even John said.

If I wrote them all down, there wouldn't, there wouldn't be

enough room in the world to hold all the books.

But now Jesus is about to ascend into heaven.

And he gives them their assignment.

Here's what I am leaving you here to do.

Look at this. If you would with me in Matthew

Matthew 28:19

chapter 28, verse 19, we will look at 2 verses today and then

these two verses. Let me just go ahead and tell

you this, there is a lot there. Unfortunately, many times we

skip over it and miss the Nuggets of truth that are here.

We will not do that today. Verse 19 it says therefore.

Go and make disciples of all nations.

That, therefore, is because He has told them that I'm giving

you authority to go. Do this.

Therefore go and do it. Therefore go and make disciples

of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of

the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey

everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you.

Always to the very end of the age.

Oh, there's so much there that we have to jump in quickly and

talk about this. But before we do, I want you to

see something here that that if you would pay close attention to

this, this will change these two verses to where you don't just

read over them and think that there's not a lot there.

You read them and say this is the last request in the

assignment given to the Church by Christ him cell and in this

text when he says make disciples.

In those two verses, that is the only direct command.

In this whole statement known as the Great Commission, it is in

the imperative mood. In the Greek language it says

make disciples. It's not optional.

It is the command. Now, what Jesus does with the

rest of these surrounding words and the rest of this text, He

uses present participles such as go.

Baptize, trust, teach. He uses those present

participles to show these disciples just how they are to

go and make disciples. He gives them the resources to

accomplish the assignment that He's given them right there in

this text. And that's what we're going to

look at today. He doesn't just say make

converts. Most of the time that I've spent

in a certain denomination, all they would do when you got to

the Great Commission was talk about making converts.

Then they have a bunch of little infant Christians running

around, tossed to and fro from every wind of doctrine, some of

them standing in pulpits delivering pep.

Talks each week. That's not the assignment of the

Church. The assignment of the church is

not go make converts to Christ, though.

That's a part of it. We're going to see that the

assignment of the church is make.

Disciples. That is the command here.

This is the imperative here. Make disciples.

I want you to focus on that in this whole lesson today.

There's one strict command here. Make disciples.

And so if you knew this as a follower of Christ, because we

know this, that if you love him, you're what obey him, you ought

to be asking the question immediately.

What do I have to do to make disciples?

So that I can be obedient to the command of the Lord to make.

Disciples, what must I? He includes it in this so

graciously, and I'm thankful for the way Jesus laid this out for

us, so that we don't settle for making converts focusing on only

the go part, but that we make disciples in accordance with His

will and obedience to His command.

He's simply telling them. To make disciples.

And here's how. And This is why this is so

important. John MacArthur rightfully calls

disciples of Christ, believing, learners and learning.

Believers. Isn't that what we are?

Believing, learning learners and learning believers?

That's what a disciple of Christ really is.

We're believers who continue to learn and we're learners who

continue to believe. And so when we look at that

basic definition of make disciples, we have to ask

ourselves, are we making believing learners and learning

believers? Because that is the biblical

assignment of the church. It's to make disciples.

And today what we're going to do is we're going to unfold exactly

how we are to do that. And why is that important?

Am I preaching this message because we are not a church who

makes disciples? No, I'm preaching this message

to say thankfully we are a church who makes disciples.

But I'm also aware of this. A church who forgets what their

assignment is will quickly run down the wrong path and end up

not making disciples. Did you know that?

At a horrible and astounding rate, churches across our

country in the last three years have began to padlock their

doors. No longer making disciples, they

have lost sight of what they are supposed to do, who they are,

and what Jesus. Has given them as their

assignment. People ask all the time.

Why do you think key line fellowship grows when other

churches don't? Because we're making.

Disciples. We're making disciples.

We're not just making converts, We're making disciples.

And you know what? When we make disciples, you know

what disciples do? They make more disciples.

And you know what happens to those disciples?

They make more disciples. That's what we see by design.

Because 2000 years ago when Jesus gives this assignment,

these men were obedient to this assignment.

I stand here before you today saying we too must be obedient

to this assignment. Why?

Because if the Lord tarried 2000 more years, and I hope that he

doesn't and it doesn't look like he could, that's all up to him.

But if he tarried 2000 more years.

I pray that we would make disciples, true disciples who

make true disciples. You make true disciples.

I pray that you dads would become a disciple maker in your

home. That you would disciple your

wife and you would disciple your children together.

That you would teach them the truth of the word of God.

Teach them the importance of what we're going to see today.

Any organization that calls themselves a church that isn't

making disciples is not a church at all.

They're a social group. They're a Country Club.

They're an organization. They're gathering.

But don't dare call them a church.

Why? Because the church will be on

assignment. And what is that assignment?

It is to make disciples. Let's learn how this morning as

the master teacher, the Lord Jesus teaches us and how we do

this. He says this in verse 19.

As we break this text down, he says, therefore go and make

disciples. Therefore go.

I want you to pay attention to this part because this is an

important part of making disciples.

There has to be a going if you're going to make disciples.

There must be a going. Go here is not, as I've already

said, a direct command. It's a present participle.

It is a given. Jesus isn't commanding them to

go. He's communicating to them that

I know that you're going to be going.

How does he know that? Because he knows us.

We go, go, go, go, go. Don't we?

Some of you have a hard time sitting in the church service.

Listen to me preach for 30 minutes or so.

Because you want to go, right? I'll give you a sermonette if

you want one, but it'll do neither one of us good.

You want to go? You want to move, You want to do

something, right. We understand that he's making.

An emphasis here to the fact that they are going to be going

right when you get done here, you're going, where are you

going? Come on.

You're going to lunch. I don't know where you're going,

right. You're the reason that when I

get there an hour and a half later, everything's already out.

He's talking about the fact that we're going to be going.

He's not giving a command here. He's given a given and as we

are. Going we have a responsibility.

And what is that responsibility? That responsibility is the

gospel. The gospel.

Because you can't make disciples without the gospel.

Isn't that square one? We have to share the gospel as

we go. You're going to leave here in

just a little while. You're going to go to lunch.

You can go to lunch and you can talk about how horrible the

sermon was. And when I walk in, stop

talking. I would probably agree with you.

Just let me in on the conversation or what you could

do is this. You can understand that Jesus is

teaching here. As you are going, you need to be

proactive in your attitude and sharing the gospel.

A proactive attitude and sharing the gospel.

What is that? It's a willingness to at any

place and anytime share the gospel.

That's what proactive means. It is a proactive attitude where

you say I'm going to do what Paul told Timothy and Second

2 Timothy 4:2

Timothy chapter 4, verse 2, where he told him to preach the

word in season and out of season.

When it's popular, when it's not popular all the time, be ready

to share the gospel. So now life begins to look

different as you go from this place as you have been reminded

that you are what light and you were going out into.

Now you go out into the darkness, shining the light of

Jesus Christ because you were going anyways.

And when you go to that particular place, that

restaurant where you're going to eat, that home that you're going

to eat with friends, let there be a willingness to share the

gospel at all times, in season and out of season, when you

think. It will be accepted when you

think that it won't, when it's popular, when it's unpopular.

We as Christians have to be active in sharing the good news

of Jesus Christ. Why?

Because by design. Did you know it's by design.

And I didn't design it. I didn't make it up.

I just attempt to follow it. It is by God's design that we

have been entrusted with the method and the means to make

disciples. The first thing is to evangelize

the lost as we go. And that comes with a

willingness to at every turn all times share the glorious gospel

of Jesus Christ. Why?

Because he designed it this way that we get to preach the gospel

that we have received. Well, if the gospel means

something to you, if when you were saved you heard the gospel,

and in the gospel you know that God used that to rescue you from

judgment and wrath and hell, If you really understand that, how

can you keep someone else from hearing that message?

In fact, Romans chapter 10 tells us this is God's design for it

Romans 10 · chapter mention

as we go. He says in verse 13 to chapter

10 for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

We love that verse. We leave it by itself all the

time. Don't.

For everyone who calls in the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Yes. Watch what he says next.

How then can they call on the 1:00 they have not believed in?

How can they call on the 1:00 they have not believed in?

How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?

And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

I know what you do now. You say, yeah, preaching, that's

your job. No, that's your job.

Go back and study Romans. He's riding to the entire church

and he's letting them know that as you are going, as the Lord

told us you would be, make sure that you are diligent and

preaching the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the

Sinner. He goes on to saying, how can

they preach unless they are sent?

He said, well, I'm not sent to preach every week.

Go preach that message. You're sent to preach.

Your pastor sends you out every week.

Go be the light in darkness. And when they ask what are you

to do, when they ask and they inquire about the hope that you

have, what do I tell you? Week after week after week,

share with them the glorious gospel because Rome is 116, says

it is the power of God unto salvation for all who.

Without Jesus there is no hope and there's only hope in Jesus.

And they must repented their sin by faith, trust in Jesus and

Jesus alone, and trusting in Christ and Christ alone.

They are then freed from the wrath, judgment of God and they

have been given eternal life. Oh, you have eternal life.

What person who really, truly understands eternal life would

withhold that from anyone else? Be they friend, be the enemy.

Share with them the good news. Preach to them the gospel.

And should be ingrained in our lives.

Proactive attitude and sharing the good news.

A lifestyle of looking for every opportunity to share that

glorious message that we have been entrusted with.

What a treasure, you know, Scripture says he's entrusted

that treasure and jars of clay were nothing.

But the message of the gospel that we carry around with us is

everything. Share that with others.

Be proactive in your attitude and sharing the gospel.

It will also be marked not only by proactivity in your attitude,

but also by a passionate appeal to those who were lost.

You will be passionate about seeing sinners saved.

In fact, you will seek them as you're going.

You go to that restaurant that we spoke of earlier.

You sit down at your table. You ask the waitress, and I hope

you do. I hope you don't treat them as

slaves. I hope you treat them as souls.

But as you ask that waitress, how's your day going?

Pay attention to what she says. She begins to complain and she

begins to tear up and tell you how horrible her life is right

now. Nothing seems to be going right.

You know what she needs? She needs an ear at that moment

in time to hear where she is so that you can then turn and share

the gospel with her. Because what the world's going

to do, the world's going to hear her.

The world's going to say, hey, why don't you come over tonight

we'll have a party and and we'll we'll get some booze and we'll

liquor it up and feel bad together.

We have the glorious message of the gospel and what we can do in

that situation. When she says my life's falling

apart, you can actually, kindly and gently speak to her about

the fact that you know what? You may feel like your life is

falling apart, but the reason that you feel that is because

your life is really no life at all.

There is no life apart from Christ because he is the way,

the truth, and the life. He's the true life.

And you began to share with the same individual about Jesus

Christ and what he did for you at the cross and how he rescued

you from your miserable state. Being just a wicked Sinner

scoundrel or for you females, a scoundret.

I think that's the female version of a scoundrel.

Just share with her how there is hope beyond this life, beyond

the agony that we face in this world, beyond just the daytoday

struggles. If you passionately share that

with her, share the message of Christ.

In doing this, you mirror Christ in the apostles.

Christ himself said in Luke chapter 19 verse 20 that he came

Luke 19:20

to seek and to save that which was lost.

I'm so thankful for the people in my life who sought that which

was lost and poured in the gospel to me, whether that was

was the preaching of the gospel from the pulpit, or the

preaching of the gospel from from dinner tables, or the

preaching of the gospel when we were driving in vehicles.

Wherever it was, I'm thankful for those obedient disciple

makers who, as they were going passionately, appeal to this

lost Sinner calling me to faith and.

Repentance and Christ and Christ alone.

And so as we look at this. Going as a part of making

disciples as you're going, be proactive in your attitude and

sharing the gospel. Be passionate in your appeal to

those who are lost. Approach every soul as if it is

your dearest loved one who will perish and spend an eternity in

hell. Because wouldn't you want that

someone to do that for your loved one who you love so much?

Of course you would. And then let that approach be a

practical approach. As we are going, there must be a

proactive attitude ensuring the gospel, passing an appeal to

those who are lost. But also a practical approach.

Approach this thing practically. Don't complicate it.

This is evangelism 101 Dash Easy.

Pay attention to it. Be practical in your approach.

It's just simple. Everywhere God sends me How many

of you believe in the providential hand of God?

Raise your hand. You believe that you were here

this morning. Not by coincidence, not by

accident. You were here this morning

because God providentially made sure that you were here.

How many of you believe that? If you don't believe that, I

would encourage you to study the scriptures.

You will find out very quickly that nothing happens that he

doesn't cause or allow. He's sovereign and in control of

everything. But if that be the case, let's

keep our end of it very practical and very simple.

Everywhere I go, God sends me, and everywhere I find myself I

have a message and a mission. That message is the gospel, the

death, the burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The fact that He atone for sinners on the cross 2000 years

ago. That He stood in the place of

wickedness, my wickedness, and He bore the wrath of God upon

his back that belonged upon my back.

And then what he did in that great exchange change we know as

grace. He then imputed his

righteousness to me, He bore my sin, imputed his righteousness

to me, and I am in right standing with God.

And He took the punishment for my sin.

And by trusting in Christ and Christ alone, I am completely

washed of all of my defilement, all of my wickedness.

I am granted a place at the table of God for all eternity,

and I will live in His presence forever because of what Jesus

Christ did for me at the cross. That's the message that we have.

And you're mad because you're going to be late to work now.

That's the message we should share everywhere we go.

Looking for the opportunity to share that message.

And when you break down on the side of the road with the.

Could God ever let this happen? And the triple-A man shows up

with his tools that you didn't have in your car?

Perhaps you didn't know how to change a flat, and instead of

seeing it as this big inconvenience, maybe you should

start seeing things. If you're a disciple maker

following the assignment of Christ, saying that you believe

in the providential hand and guidance of God, and do you

believe in that in all situations?

So when you have a flat on the side of the road, guess what?

God providentially allowed you to have a flat for what?

Joe, the mechanic who works for triple-A, who pulled up.

He gets out of his car. You know what?

Joe's lost and he's on his way to hell.

And he can never believe. He can never hear the truth

unless a preacher tell him. And there you are on the side of

the road. Oh, if you are truly

understanding Jesus assignment here as you were going

practically share the gospel before Joe leaves that day,

you're going to come to your senses and you're going to

realize that God left you on the side of the road, stranded.

Why? Because he loved Joe so much.

That he would even inconvenience you with a flat tire so that Joe

could hear the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ and be saved

right there on the side of the road.

Is that what Kirk? Does that happen?

Yes. You continue to share the

gospel. I will make you this guarantee

that will happen. That's my God's design.

How well they know. Let's the preacher tell them,

oh, we ought to be practical in that, looking for every

opportunity to share the gospel, realizing that every moment of

every day we are on a mission. And what is that mission?

The mission is to make disciples.

It starts with sharing the gospel with them.

Look for those opportunities, they are all around you all the

time. Be a part of Jesus assignment

making disciples as you were going, share the good news.

Share the good news of Jesus Christ because we know the world

has plenty of bad news. Share with them the good news

that there's hope beyond this life.

There's hope beyond this world. There's hope beyond the grave.

There's hope in Christ and Christ alone.

The second thing that we look at here in Jesus teaching us how to

make disciples and assigning us that task.

He says therefore go and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of

the Son and of the Holy Spirit. That's not some formula or serum

that you use to baptize. There's many people who argue

about it. Should we be baptized in Jesus

name? Should we be baptized in the

name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit?

Here's the thing, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are

always in agreeance. It doesn't matter what terms you

use. If you're baptized into Christ,

you're baptized into the Father. You're baptized into the Holy

Spirit. You're baptized into the Son.

If you're baptized in the name of Jesus, you're baptized into

the name of the Son, the Father, and the Holy Spirit.

They are one working together. They always have.

They always will. So let's not get caught up in

all of those silly discussions. What we realize is what Jesus is

saying here. The emphasis here is baptizing

them. Wait a second, Kirk.

We we always have approached baptism as if it's just some

secondary option. Not if you believe what Jesus is

teaching here. Jesus is saying this as you're

going make disciples, so as you're going share the gospel.

That's where it starts, right? It is the power of God unto

salvation for all who believe. Then he goes into baptizing them

in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

This is their first act of obedience.

You are actually pointing this new convert.

To obedience in Christ. Why?

So that they don't abuse, grace their whole Christian life.

You were showing them. Now that you are a Christian,

here's what Christians do. You know what a Christian does?

First, he or she publicly professes Christ.

And how do they do that? Baptism.

Go back all the way to Acts. Chapter 2, verse 41.

Acts 2:41

The day of Pentecost. Holy Spirit came upon those who

were there. Many were saved.

In fact, thousands. And it says this in verse 41.

Those who accepted his message were baptized and about 3000

were added to their number that day.

All 3000 who were added to their number were baptized.

Why? That is their public profession

of Christ. Now, in our time, no big deal.

We're going to see some people in just a moment, They're going

to publicly profess Christ and they're going to walk out the

door and their life is seemingly going to be the same.

I hope not internally, but in the culture that Jesus is

addressing here, he knew this. When they publicly professed

Christ, they're going to be disowned by their family

members. They're going to be disowned by

their friends that the Roman persecution was coming.

They were going to be tortured and even killed by the Romans

for openly, publicly professing Christ.

Now baptism just became a big deal, didn't it?

Why is baptism such a big deal? Because it is an introduction of

the Saint into the visible church.

The introduction of the Saint into.

The visible church. Through public profession of

Christ, We do this through baptism.

I say this boldly An unbaptized individual cannot be a member of

the local visible church. Why?

Because we have no idea if they're truly saved.

You ever seen anyone get saved? No, you haven't.

You seen people come forward. You never seen anyone saved.

Why? Because it's a transaction that

you can't see. In fact, John Chapter 3, Jesus

John 3 · chapter mention

made this very clear. It's like the wind.

When when one is born of the Spirit, the wind comes in.

You don't see the wind. You see what the wind does or

what the wind causes. The first thing that the wind

ought to cause in the true disciple of Christ, it ought to

cause them to publicly profess Christ in baptism.

Why? Because that's what they're

commanded to do, that first act of obedience through that public

profession known as baptism. It is in that ordinance.

That person is saying I'm no longer of the world, I'm of the

blood bought Church of Jesus Christ.

I have left the world and I am now in the church.

They're offering themselves to be held accountable, to be

loved, to be encouraged, to be admonished, to be exhorted, to

be reproved by the church. It is in baptism that we

recognize that, because that is the only way that we can see if

a person was saved, they say to the world.

As we ask them, and they will be asking a moment, you announce

sin and Satan, and they say yes, they've turned, they've

repented. Who is Jesus Christ?

He's my Lord and Savior. It is a visible recognition of

an invisible thing. Your positional baptism is

invisible. Water baptism is visible.

And so we see not only is it an introduction of the Saint into

the visible church, it's an invisible reality expressed.

Water baptism is expressing the reality of positional baptism

that we have in Christ. We have been immersed in Christ,

right? That word.

Baptizo in the Greek, That's what it means.

Immersed. We have been immersed in Christ

through his death is burial in resurrection.

That is why when we baptize people, we don't sprinkle them.

They've not been sprinkled into Christ positionally.

They have been immersed into Christ.

And so we immersed them. As a symbol of that recognizing

the death of the burial and the resurrection of Christ, and that

belief in that being applied to that person who is professing

Christ publicly, it simply expresses this that we died with

Christ, we were buried with Christ, and we've been raised to

new life with Christ. In fact, Romans chapter 6 verse

Romans 6 · chapter mention

three says this. Or do you not know that all of

us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his

death? We were therefore buried with

him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was

raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may

live a new life. Our baptism is identifying with

Christ. If we're going to follow Christ

in the assignment of making disciples, we will encourage

those who profess Christ to publicly profess Him in baptism,

where that invisible reality is expressed in a visible way.

Let me be very clear on this before we move on from this

topic. We are not regenerated due to

baptism. We are baptized due to

regeneration. Because we have been

regenerated, we now have a new hunger and a new thirst in us to

be obedient to Christ. And the first thing that Christ

commands is to be baptized. So the ritual of baptism is not

a work that saves you. That's very clear.

Throughout all of the New Testament, we are saved by grace

alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and not in any

work that we could ever do or that anyone could do for us and

so to. Reconcile the arguments that

have taken place throughout the ages about this particular

subject. It is because we have been saved

that we follow the Lord in believers baptism.

We don't follow the Lord in baptism so that we can be saved.

But I have a hard time believing that a true convert will not

publicly profess Christ in baptism, right?

Wouldn't there be a spiritual problem?

They're still existing. If someone said yes, I know

Jesus died for me. I know that he was buried for

me. I know that he rose again for

me. But I don't want to let everyone

else know that we got a problem there, don't we?

And here's the problem. The problem is the teachings of

Christ. When we go back to the teachings

of Christ, we find a problem with that.

What did Jesus teach? You said, if you're ashamed of

me on this earth, I'll be ashamed of you before my Father

who is in heaven. You can't rewrite that.

You can't make that say anything else.

That is exactly what Christ says.

And when we enter into the baptismal pool and we are

identifying with the death, the burial, the resurrection of

Jesus Christ, we are saying that we are different because of

Christ. And we are not ashamed of that.

And we are publicly professing that and obedience to what?

The Lord. Has commanded he has saved us

and we are identifying with Christ.

It's invisible reality expressed in a visible way.

It's also an identifying mark distinguishing the believer.

An identifying mark distinguishing the believer from

what, but from many things. Just as circumcision was an

identifying mark under the old Covenant to Israel, right?

Remember Abram? He was commanded, circumcised

his children. The generations followed after

with that why it was to set them apart, to distinguish them from

the rest of the Pagan world. And just as that sign of

circumcision was an outward expression of a God-given

covenant, baptism is the same thing.

It is that outward expression of an invisible.

God-given covenant through the work of Jesus Christ.

Baptism distinguishes you. Please know that if you're a

socalled believer here today, and you haven't been

distinguished through a public profession through baptism, you

need to be distinguished. You can't figure out why the

world doesn't think there's any difference between you and them.

You've not been distinguished yet.

Be obedient to Christ. Today be distinguished, said

identifying Mark. Or you going together in public

with the assembly of the Saints, and you openly say this.

I am now a new creation in Christ.

Hold me to that. I am identifying with Christ,

make sure that I look like that, and I live like that.

It's a distinguishing mark distinguishes the believer from

the unbeliever, the Pagan from the Christian, the world from

the Church. The Sinner from the Saint is

baptism that distinguishes us. It identifies us as being

cleansed not by the water of baptism.

This Carrie Underwood and error sang about baptismal

regeneration is the heresy. It has been for hundreds upon

hundreds of years. It's not the water that cleanses

you. Go read the rest of scripture.

It is the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses you.

It is the water that symbolizes that cleansing.

Where would we be without the blood of Jesus?

That baptism identifies that we have been cleansed through the

washing of the water, through the Word, through the sacrifice

of Jesus Christ, through faith and acceptance of the truth of

the gospel. X-238-A verse that's many times

taken out of context and become the topic of much controversy,

even in the Church, which it shouldn't be.

It's beautifully laid out. This is, Peter replied.

Repent and be baptized. I love the order of that repent.

Depend is that turning from sin and self and turning to Christ.

It says and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus

Christ. Now these people who jump into

this baptized in Jesus Christ name, they don't understand

unity among the Trinity. They say see there it says Jesus

Christ. Well see there.

Matthew 28 says Father, Son, Holy Spirit, what's going on

here? When Jesus speaks, the Father

speaks. When the Father speaks Jesus

speaks. When the Spirit speaks, they all

three speak as one everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ

for the forgiveness of your sins and you will be, will receive

the gift of the Holy Spirit. I've heard people many times

take this and say, see, you're baptized for the forgiveness of

sin. Yeah.

And what you reveal there is that you don't really understand

the original language and you don't really even understand

English. What he's saying here is this.

Pay attention. Very closely, he says be

baptized everyone, repent, and be baptized everyone of you in

the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.

Now if we were to take that and we were to say okay for the

forgiveness of sins, I have to be baptized so that I can be

forgiven. There are many people in

Scripture who are in deep, deep trouble, aren't they?

Yes, Steve on the cross being one of them, and I know well,

that's an exception. There are no exceptions.

God doesn't make exceptions. There's a hole in your theology

there. Oh, here's what happens here.

He's saying this, if you will pay close attention.

He's saying to be baptized because of the forgiveness of

sins. Remember what happened first.

Repentance and faith. And in faith and repentance,

you're forgiven of all your sins and because of that be baptized.

Now, because you have been forgiven, show the world, Show

the Church publicly that you've been washed through the blood of

Jesus Christ, that you are forgiven.

We are baptized because of the forgiveness of sin.

You say, well, why would they use for?

Well, think about this for a moment.

I'm married to Brandy. I'm married to Brandy.

For I love her. Oh, you would think there was

nothing wrong with that if I didn't use the word, because you

would understand very quickly that the reason that I devoted

myself to her was because I love.

Her For I love her be baptized. For because of the forgiveness

of sin. Now when we interpret it

correctly, then everything else in all of Scripture lines up.

It is now grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, and

not works that we do or that others do for us.

So we see that baptism is very important to making disciples.

Why? It's their first act of

obedience. The true church will point to

those who have been saved to identify with Christ publicly.

Why? So that the invisible becomes

visible, so that all will see in just a moment some are going to

be baptized. What they are saying is this and

this has been explained to them. They're saying I'm a new

creation in Christ Church. I publicly profess in Christ, as

many of you have, and I need you to hold me accountable.

I need you to lift me up in prayer.

I need you to be my family and my support on this earth as we

walk through darkness together, shining the light of Jesus

Christ. That's what baptism is.

It's important that in making disciples we point people to

baptism. And then he goes on and he says,

this verse 20 He says, and teaching them to obey everything

I have commanded you, and teaching them to obey everything

I have commanded you. He tells his disciples, if

you're going to make disciples, you got to teach them right.

And this discipleship doesn't happen by proxy.

Discipleship doesn't happen by osmosis.

You can't just take your Bible and go lay your head on your

Bible at night while you sleep, and it's going to be somehow

transferred into your mind. So if we're going to follow the

Lord's assignment in making disciples, He includes teaching

them, teaching them. How do we teach them?

Through scriptural exposition, Expository teaching, strengthens

and matures. The Church doesn't make carnal

or worldly sense, I know that. It doesn't make sense how a man

can get up here and take the scriptures and and squeeze them

for everything that they have in them and that go out into your

ears, into your mind, into your heart, and then be used by God

to transform you. It is supernatural.

That's God's intended way, wasn't it?

Jesus himself and John 1717 who said Lord sanctify them by

truth. Your word is truth.

What is the truth of the Word of God?

When it is taught, when it is preached, it is the truth of the

Word of God that begins to set you apart from the world.

It is that exposition of Scripture.

That's why Paul reminded Timothy and Second Timothy chapter two.

He said do your best to present yourself good as one approved

presenting yourself to God. A Workman who does not need to

be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

One who correctly handles the word of truth.

You don't just pull something out of context to preach

whatever topical message you decide You want to preach that

Sunday. You know what you do.

You diligently study the scriptures and you exposit those

truths. You take Matthew 28 versus 19

and 20, and you look at everything that's there for the

believer and knowing what their assignment is, and that

assignment is to make disciples. How do you do that?

You teach, You teach. You teach the scripture verse by

verse, word by word, line by line.

What a sad state the socalled church is in when this consumer

driven culture. Has exchanged the expositing of

scripture for entertaining the sinners in the socalled church.

Oh, I don't want to go to that church because all they do, I've

heard it is teach the Bible. What do you expect them to do?

Well, I want to know how this affects my life.

And that you reveal your ignorance.

The life of the believer will be affected tremendously through

the exposition of the word of God.

When you see these truths and these truths come alive, your

mind is renewed through those truths, and you leave your

humanistic, practical, worldly way of thinking, and you begin

to exercise the mind of Christ, which you've been given.

Oh, we need to in the church. I'm thankful that we're part of

the church who's committed to the exposition of scripture.

Everything that we do in our Bible studies, men's studies,

ladies studies, the pulpit, enriched Bible studies that are

going on right now. Your children, the ministries

that they're in, you know what your children are not getting

right now? Flashy lights and jumpy games.

They're having the scriptures talk to them.

In their proper context, in the proper way, as they are written

to whom they are written to exactly what they mean according

to the word of God. And in that you're making

disciples. You're not making a bunch of

people who just want to jump around for Jesus a bunch of

hype. You know what happens to those

people that grow up and they become adults and they go into a

church where? There's a expository preaching

and they say, well, it's kind of boring.

I want to go back to the rock concert I used to go to when I

was in youth group. Well, you know what our students

are going to do here? 7th through 12th grade?

There's going to be a teacher, a man who stands before them, who

exposes the word of truth week in and week out, verse by verse

by verse, teaching them what it means, how to apply it to their

lives. Scriptural exposition is very

important in teaching, but also sound doctrine and theology.

I'll move quickly, I promise Sound doctrine and theology,

Titus, 19, Paul tells Titus And his pastoral pistol, he says.

He must hold talking about the elder or the overseer of the

Bishop, he said. He must hold firmly to the

trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can

encourage others by watch this sound doctrine and refute those

who oppose it. And Titus, chapter 2, verse one.

Titus 2 · chapter mention

He says this again to Titus you must teach what is in accord

with sound doctrine. First Timothy chapter 4, verse

1 Timothy 4:16

16, Another pastoral epistle riding to young Timothy.

He says watch your life and doctrine closely.

Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both

yourself and your hearers. This is for all those people who

refuse to be interested in doctrine and theology.

I just want Jesus. Why do we have to have doctrine

and theology? You can't separate Jesus and

theology. He is God, and the doctrines

that surround Christ are truth. That's why they are called sound

doctrines. And in the two pastoral epistles

that I have mentioned here today, Titus and First Timothy,

and both of those pastoral epistles, he encourages them to

dedicate and devote themselves to sound doctrine, sound

teaching, sound theology. Why is that important?

Weak theology makes weak disciples.

You want to be a weak disciple? Go to some place where they

water it down. It's not even milk.

It's water. Go there.

No produce weakness if they produce anything at all.

Learn sound doctrine. Be willing to endure sound

doctrine and theology. Why?

So that you can use it in making other disciples.

I told you, this is our assignment.

Make disciples. And if in order to make

disciples we have to exposite description, we have to be

dedicated to sound doctrine and theology, not only that solid

application. Teach others how to apply what

they have learned. True biblical teaching always

leads to holy living. You can write that down.

True biblical teaching leads to holy living.

Why? Because a good teacher is not

only going to tell you what, they're going to tell you how.

Here's how you do this. This is what Jesus is doing here

in this text. Make disciples.

Here's how you do it. Go as you're going.

Share the gospel, point them to follow the Lord in the public

profession known as baptism, and then teach them everything I've

commanded you. Continue to exposit the truth.

That I have given you. Show them those things in that

you will make disciples. Solid application requires that

we live in consistency with what we teach and what we preach.

That's why. New Testament is full of

instruction and warnings to those who would teach letting

them understand that you are going to be held to a higher

standard. It's important that you know

that and teaching you're held to a higher standard.

You have to live a life that is above reproach.

Blameless. Why?

Because you are actively showing others how you are to obediently

live out the things that scripture.

Teaches First Timothy chapter 4, verse 12.

1 Timothy 4:12

He tells Timothy this Don't let anyone look down on you because

you are young, but set an example for the believers.

Watch what he says, what area in speech, what you say, how you

say it in life, where you go, what you do in love, how you

love others, in faith, how you trust God, and in purity,

holiness. He tells Timothy, hey, devote

your life to being an example of what you teach, good doctrine

and good theology if it's really good doctrine and good theology

always results in holy living, because you will see God more

clearly and you'll see how holy he is and you cannot then stand

unholiness in your life. In fact, First Corinthians

1 Corinthians 9:27

Chapter 9, verse 27, The Apostle Paul and using the analogy of

boxing, he says so he doesn't abuse his freedom that he's been

given. By grace, your faith in Jesus

Christ, he says, I beat my own body into subjection.

I discipline myself to the point that I am obedient.

Why? You know what his thinking was

So that I'm not disqualified. What did he mean by that?

So that when others look at me, they don't see that I practice

differently than what I preach. They don't look at me and say.

Hey man, what a quack. What a hoax.

He says one thing, but he lives another thing.

You're going to be effective in disciple making.

You have to give solid application.

And you give solid application by living it, not just teaching

or preaching it. In fact, parents, I want to give

you a freebie this morning. Don't tell your children how to

live. If you're not willing to live

that tell your children to live godly lives.

If you're not willing to live a godly life, you're going to

confuse them. If you're going to make

disciples, show them the application.

Here's what I taught you, and here's how we apply it in life.

Sit them down. Walk them through it.

This is Deuteronomy 6. When God gave the commands to

Moses, he told them to teach the people this, to impress them

upon their children. That means to emboss them into

their children. That comes with consistency,

That comes with time, that comes with effort.

It's you being constant in your walk with Christ.

Not not. We walk for cry with Christ for

a season and we jump back in the world.

And then we get tired of the world and we walk for Christ for

a moment, with Christ for a moment and in the church.

And then we jump back in the world again.

There's no consistency there. You know what's going to happen

to the next generation? They're not going to step into

Christ at all. Why?

Because you didn't tell them and teach them the truth.

By your life. True Church will be constantly

teaching those who have been saved.

They'll be teaching them the full counsel of the word of God,

that not only are we to learn and to know these truths and

these principles, but we are to apply them actively in our daily

lives. Last thing you say, Last thing I

thought we were done. Yeah.

This is the one that so many times we miss.

He is therefore go and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of

the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have

commanded you. Watch what Jesus says next, and

surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.

Surely I'm with you. Always to the very end of the

age. What is Jesus teaching here?

What is He showing us? He's showing us that in making

disciples we must trust and teach others the trust in the

promises of God. Surely I am with you always.

We must first trust and to teach others to trust in the promise

and the presence of the Lord. Right.

The Lord is just giving them this big task.

What did he say? Carry on what I've started.

Did they have big shoes to fill? You bet.

And he's saying carry on what I've started as you're going.

Carry on when I've started. Remember when I was baptized And

there you witness my baptism right?

The Spirit descending like a dove.

The Father speaking from heaven. This is my Son who I am well

pleased. The three working in one accord.

Wow, that's Trinitarian, isn't it?

He said. Baptize these disciples.

Name the Father and Son and Holy Spirit, letting them know that

we're still working in one accord.

And then teach them everything that I have commanded you.

Continue to expose it the truths from the Scriptures and teach

them. But also remind them to trust in

my faithfulness. Jesus said, you have a big task

ahead of you, heavy task, but I'm not leaving you by yourself.

I'm so thankful that in this life and what I do, what we do

as believers and sharing the gospel, we are never alone, he

says. I'm there with you.

I must trust in that. I must teach others to trust in

that right? The new believer who struggles

for the first time as a new believer.

I don't know what's happening. I was.

I was saved. I was baptizing.

It seems like nothing's getting better.

He's there with you. He's going to carry you through

this. He's never going to leave you.

Who's never going to part from you.

He's never going to forsake you. Hasn't left you as an orphan.

Trust. Keep trusting.

He has not ever, and he will not ever abandon any of his

children. You want to make disciples?

Teach people to trust in that. Trust in that young believer

person who was just baptized last week.

Trust in that God is with you when you go back to school

students, because I know some of you have just recently been

baptized. Last week we baptized many.

When you go back to school and things are dark and things are

difficult, remember this trust in Christ.

He's there with you. He's not abandoned you.

He's walking the halls with you. Trust in the promise of his

presence. How is he always present?

Well, it's a mystery that we can't even hardly wrap our brain

around. But He's present through the

power of the Holy Spirit, living in those of us who are truly

believers. In fact, John chapter 14.

John 14 · chapter mention

When we were back in the Gospel of John, we learned this verse

15 If you love me, you will obey what I command, Jesus said, and

I will ask the Father and he will give you another counselor.

He's talking about the Holy Spirit to be with you forever,

the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept Him

because it neither sees him nor knows Him.

But you know Him, for He lives with you.

Watch us and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans.

I will come to you before long. The world will not see me

anymore, but you will see me because I live.

You also will live. On that day you will realize

that I am in my father, and you are in me, and I am in you all

working as one. There again, what is he saying

in the near picture for them? He's saying I'm going to rise

from the grave, but the bigger picture was this.

He's going to indwell them through his Holy Spirit forever.

He's going to live in the true believer.

In fact, Romans tells us that if you're in Christ, the Spirit

lives in you. The Spirit doesn't live in you.

You're not in Christ. That's for all the people who

want to try to say that the Holy Spirit is second blessing.

If you got the Holy Spirit, let me just help you out.

You got saved, then you receive the Holy Spirit of salvation

according to the word of God. We need to remind people of the

power of the Holy Spirit. I know that's when those of us

who believe what we believe theologically, we kind of get

weird and go, oh, if we talk about the Holy Spirit too much,

people are going to think we're charismatic and don't dare call

him the Holy Ghost, because that's when things just get

really weird. Scripture calls him both.

We can't just forget about the power of the Holy Spirit that

lives in us. We have to teach young

believers, as we're making disciples, to trust in the power

of the Holy Spirit that indwells them.

He is the promise that counselor that Jesus gives in John 14

John 14:26

verse 26. But the Counselor, the Holy

Spirit and the Father will send in my name, will teach you all

things and remind you of everything I have said to you.

He is that Counselor and that Teacher who lives and abides in

us. Don't forsake the Holy Spirit

just because you're afraid of being charismatic.

Walk in the power of the Holy Spirit according to the word of

God and you'll never be charismatic.

You'll only be charismatic in the true sense of the Word,

which means gifted. You operate in the gifts of the

Spirit, bringing glory to God. The power of the Holy Spirit

must be trusted. Going to make disciples.

Teach people to trust in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Why? Because they need to make more

disciples. Don't think.

Aren't you thankful that others have trusted in the power of the

Holy Spirit to make disciples throughout the ages?

Right. Because Jesus said in Acts

chapter one. What did he say?

Verse eight. He said, But but you will

receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.

And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and

Samaria into the ends of the earth.

I am thankful that they were obedient to that.

Because the apostles who have long been in the presence of God

in heaven, they are still making disciples through their message.

Because they were obedient to Christ, both the Lord delay

another 2000 years. May the people of key life

fellowship still be making disciples 2000 years from now.

How do we do that? Just as we've seen today.

We go, we share the good news to point others to obedience and

identifying with Christ through public profession.

We then teach them everything that the Lord has commanded.

And then we continue to teach them by teaching them to trust,

trust in the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is the Holy Spirit who will give you the power to be my

witness. I've heard it time and time

again that young. Believer who goes in an

evangelism class to learn how to show their faith that I just

thought that I can talk to people and they go out on the

streets. It's like this person has now

been a. Totally possessed by the Apostle

Paul. They're they're shucking the

corn and sharing the gospel, and people are turning their hearts

and faith to Jesus Christ. And you're going, what got into

them? The power of the Holy Spirit.

We taught them to trust in the power of the Holy Spirit.

You're not going to have the words to say, but he's going to

give you the words to say. Open your mouth and watch.

Because whatever you shake when you open the lid, whatever's in

there's coming out. When you open that lid, the

gospel's going to come out. The truth of the scripture is

going to come out and people are going to be saved.

Why? It's it's God's design and

making disciples. He didn't mess up.

It's a perfect design. Trust in it, Trust in the Holy

Spirit and empowering you to do it.

Not only that, when we look at the topic of trusting as part of

making disciples, we've seen the promise and presence of the

Lord. We must remind people of that to

trust in that. The power of the Holy Spirit.

Trust in that. But also the preordained plan of

God. The preordained plan of God.

Where do you get that in this text?

Pay attention to what Jesus says here.

He goes on and he tells him this.

He says that I'm with you always.

And then he says this to the very end of the age.

What was he talking about? He's talking about the end of

the church age. Did you know this?

Contrary to popular belief, Jesus is coming back.

And he's letting his followers know this, that as you are

waiting for my return, as you are waiting for his return, you

have an assignment. That assignment is to make

disciples. And in making disciples, we must

trust in the preordained plan of God to the very end of the age

that at one time in the future my prayers is in the near future

the consummation of all things surrounding the age of the

church will end, and Christ will return for His Bride.

And what a glorious day that is going to be.

We have to trust that. We have to teach others to trust

that. That this time on earth as the

Church, is just a moment in the large redemptive plan of God.

But the whole time that you were here, as the church in this

world, suffering as you may, struggling as you may, facing

trials as you may, you have this promise.

And God's plan is bigger than all this.

And the Christ is with you until he comes to rescue you and your

face to face with him for all eternity, wiping every tear from

your eye, taking every sorrow away from you, eliminating death

once and for all. I'm going through a difficult

time. You must trust and teach others

to trust in the preordained plan of God.

That's part of making disciples to teach them trust God.

You don't. Keep trusting may be difficult,

but you're not deserted. Oh.

Isn't that what the Apostle Paul said?

We're perplexed, hard pressed, beat down, but never forsaken.

Oh, what promise? Never forsaken.

He's always there with us and he will be with us in this entire

age, known as the age of the Church.

That is that span of time. We don't know what it is.

So far. It's been roughly 2000 years

from the ascension of Christ into the return of Christ, and

we are in that in between time. And what are we doing that in

between time? Right?

When you turn on the news and everything's falling apart,

rejoice. Why?

Because Christ is with you, and he will always be with you, and

he will return and he will rescue you just as he promised

and make disciples point others to that.

We don't even hear about the return of Christ being preached

in the pulpits or taught in any classes anymore.

We get to it. We all Let's just don't talk

about this. It's kind of controversial.

Is it really? Christ is coming back.

I don't care what side of the eschatological calendar you lay

on where you land. Christ is coming back.

True believers will all agree on that.

At some point in time. He's coming back.

Let's rejoice in the fact that when this age is over, Christ

will return and point others to trust in that.

You want to make disciples. Give them hope.

Beyond this life. Who is the hope beyond this

life? Christ and his return.

We're making disciples. We'll be teaching people to

trust in that. The preordained plan of God,

that he's already worked everything out in accordance

with his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Why don't you grow when you hear those things?

I clip with this. This is a letter that I

received. Don't even know who I received

it from. Thankful for it sits on my desk

every day to remind me stay the course and teaching the word of

God and to making disciples. It says this dear Kurt, the Lord

has put you very heavy on my heart the last few days.

I'm not sure why, but I'm sure there are no coincidences.

Me too, When it comes to the sovereign hand of God.

Think that's a growing, maturing believer?

You bet it is. They're no coincidence When it

comes to the sovereign hand of God, I believe it has put you on

my heart so I may provide some encouragement to you.

I've contemplated not writing this note to you.

So glad that the Spirit won. But if I know the good I ought

to do and do not do it, it is sin for me.

Think that's a growing, maturing believer?

Disciple. Yeah.

They understood. If I don't encourage you, the

Spirit has prompted me to encourage you.

I'm in sin, so I'd like to be obedient to the Lord and

spurring you on as my pastor. Thank you so much.

I'm not the slightest clue the amount of pressure you are under

week to week. I can only imagine the enemy's

attempts at having a field day with you because of your

faithfulness and declaring thus saith the Lord week in and week

out. I will never in my life know the

weight of standing behind the pulpit, but I thank you for

bearing that weight for this flock.

As one of your sheep, I want to thank you for sticking your neck

out and saying what needs to be said.

The pulpit should be the creator of anxious hearts.

I know I'm saved, but I would be lying if I said I haven't left

on a Sunday or many with a heavy heart burden to look more like

Christ. You think this is a growing,

maturing believer wanting to look more like Christ?

The word of God. You have been so bold and

preaching cuts to my very soul. Mine too, and I thank you for

your faithfulness, and that I know you don't preach for the

applause of men for the Amen, but I thank you anyway for

fearlessly preaching the word of God.

The Lord has definitely used you to grow me in my walk with him,

and I am thankful to God. He brought me to key life

fellowship. My soul now craves the deeper

truth of Scripture. When all the church growth

experts tell you that in order to make disciples you you got to

get away from the Bible a little bit, me let it be a little more

entertaining. Let it be more appealing to

their flesh. That's the world's tactics.

This believer here is saying no. Because of the dedication to

preaching the truth of the Word of God, I've grown deeper in my

walk. I don't want milk alone like I

once did. I know there's absolutely

nothing good within Kirk Hall. You're 100% right about that,

but rather Christ in you. Yes, he's the only good in me.

I can't help but be filled with a burning thankfulness to God

and his goodness and using you for this king, his Kingdom.

I know it is far from easy or glamorous, but please do not

grow weary. Keep your spiritual fervor.

Keep preaching Christ and him crucified.

Keep calling sin out for what it is.

Us sheep need good shepherds like you to constantly point us

to the Good Shepherd. You are in our prayers Solely

Dale Gloria then. If you didn't think that this

was a growing and maturing Christian, they then quote

Spurgeon to prove it. They wrote at the bottom.

Never was a man blamed in heaven for preaching Christ too much,

Ch Spurgeon. Don't say those things to

highlight Kirk Hall, because Kirk Hall is not worth

highlighting as this person already notated.

Thank you so much, whoever you are.

Say those things because we are a church who is faithful and

making disciples who get it, you say.

Well, Kirk, if you're a church who's faithful and making

disciples, you get it. Why are you preaching us this

message? So that we don't forget, So that

we don't forget. We as humans are prone to forget

what brought us to where we are so quickly.

May we be ever diligent, see the assignment that Christ has given

us, and may be forever. Go make disciples, baptizing

them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

and teaching them to obey everything that Christ has

commanded us. While we trust He will never

leave us and never forsake us until he returns to rescue us,

let's pray together. Father, in the name of Jesus, we

thank you so much for your word because it is truth.

And I pray for the soul who's here today who is not a disciple

of Christ. They have never surrendered

their life to Christ. I pray today that they heard the

gospel as it was proclaimed in this message that Lord, you

would draw them to receive Christ as Lord and Savior today,

saving them and washing them and cleansing them and God.

I pray for each believer here today that they would examine

their life in light of this. They would simply ask that

question. Am I obeying the assignment, the

biblical assignment that Christ has left for the members of this

church to accomplish? Am I making disciples?

But I pray that you convict hearts.

I pray that you break and that you mold, and that you humble.

Because I know in that the balm of Gilead Christ will then be

applied into their lives. That you will heal them.

That you will raise them up strong disciple makers for your

glory. That the next generation will

hear about Christ and will receive the gospel and the

teachings that you taught. As your Word is proclaimed, as

your Holy Spirit is trusted and your will be done, we give you

all the glory for it. In Jesus name, Amen.

Thank you for listening to the Key Life Fellowship Pulpit

Ministry Podcast. If you would like to talk with

one of our pastors, please e-mail us at

[email protected] or call us at 281-689-1604.

You can also visit our website at www.keylifefellowship.com.

We hope and pray you have a blessed week and remember you

are light. In the buildings.