Reviving Discipleship | Pr Dr Daniel Kong

You're listening to a message to go from acts church.

We hope this message will light up your day.

So let's return to scriptures. Matthew John eight. Of course

we noticed very very well. Okay, let's look at this.

Can you bring up the verses the Greek commission. Okay, brilliant,

So it says here the word says that there were

then the eleven disciples. One of them unfortunately did not

make it. Okay, bad joke, I know, but yeah, the

disciples went to Galilee. Tough crowd today after anyway, you

get the joke late later, okay. Anyway, the eleven disciples

went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told

them to go verse seventeen. When they saw him, they

worshiped him, but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them

and said, all authority in heaven and on earth has

been given to me. And of course this part here

talks about Jesus refrained himself, and they says, therefore, then

everyone who have to go right. Everybody say go go right,

go go means go go means not stopping right. And

because of that, and this is amazing, because this is

exactly what we're called to do. We are called to

go and make disciples right. And that's the thing if

you do not quite understand, it's actually part and parcel

of discipleship. And so today's message is titled Reviving Discipleship, okay,

and I have a little bit of a little sub

point at the bottom and it states there growing in

spiritual maturity of others. So that is exactly what reviving

discipleship is, because discipleship is not just like a matchmaking

service or a mentoring service, but really it is for

the of then growing and maturing with others in the process.

K So far, Hey, next slide, wanted to just state

what discipleship isn't. And the first thing I'm to say

is that discipleship isn't a practice. Like I said, it's

not a program, but more it is a gospel compelled

act of defiance. I'll explained to you what that actually

means at the end. So in other words, it's not

play player, okay, it is actually quite serious. And let

us dive a bit deeper into this. But if you

can just recall the last time I was here two

weeks ago, what did I share about do you remember?

Also in revival? But most explicitly I talked about reviving devotion, right, yeah,

I see Penny drop ready, Okay, And this whole thing

about devotion simply means that we are meant to be

devoted people, and when we are devoted to some thing,

we align our desire towards that devotion. Remember, and then

whatever you do, even in your personal space and also

in the external where we meet other people, is aligned same, same,

no different from what you do behind closed doors and

what you do outside as well. And this transsitions to

this part about discipleship, because that is the continues or

second part of that particular growth. Because discipleship should be

aligned with this why not just for the sake of

the gospel, not just because of the good News, but really,

this is what Jesus has told us, and I think

in we've covered this in lengths last year, but just

for interest, for the purpose of those who may not

necessarily be with us or maybe been around the whole year,

just in case you miss it. Let's just go through

a little bit about discipleship and then we will go

into the to the main thing that we cover today.

Are okay, so what is discipleship. Let's unpactice a little bit.

So what is disciples ship is the question here. Discipleship

in the most simplistic sense is literally, as Jesus say,

follow me. That is what it is, right, and to

be more specific, it's actively following Jesus. How by submitting

to his teaching. I've got the words, the words up there,

seeking to live in accordance to his example, and also

positive participating in his mission. Jesus was clear in his mission,

and it's so very serious in the mission. In fact,

he was the one that actually pushed the agenda. So

if that is what he does and live and also

focuses on, I bet this is something that we are

to take a bit more seriously. And therefore, like I said,

the simplest definition of being a disciple of Jesus is

to exactly do what he does, right, to go and

make disciples that he called called us to or in

some sense or simplet sense, just helping people to get there.

To What this is is also actively following Jesus. And

the word active is very important because otherwise, yeah, what

is the fruits of it? Right? So again, submit to

his teachings, seeking to live according to his example and

participate in his mission, and that is what a disciple does.

Let's go a bit deeper, all right, and just told

me the helmles stories. I always tell stories. Yeah, otherwise

it's all boring. Anyway. You know my firstborn, right, Zach,

he's uh turning fifteen this year, right, but I remember

twenty eleven was an interesting year because that was when

my firstborn was born. Okay, uh, and he's he's he's

there's many years ago anyway. But there's something that is

very special. Is the most amazing experience for those of

who are expecting. You know, it's nothing you can replace.

And it's the first It always very special. You know,

you remember the firstborn more than the second, or those

of you more. I don't know. But yeah, I'm so sorry, exture,

but but this is the truth. Uh, but you know,

all kids are amazing, let me say that, but firstborn,

firstborn is special. Guess firstborn is special. You're like, oh wow,

there's the most amazing thing. So mind blown. And he

was born beautiful, right, he was born beautiful, even though

now that I think back, what earth is like a maggot,

you know, but but but you know, they're born beautiful.

And but That's when I thought to myself, this is

the first stage, but he will obviously now he's a

lot grown to a different stage now. But you know,

I knew even at that time there was going to

be a progression. One day, He's not gonna think it's

cool anymore to be near me. So move from baby

to toddler to I don't know, young young kid to teen.

He's turnteen. In fact, he's moving towards that when it's

the age that they tend to be called mature. Right.

He was just reminding me because I was telling I

was telling him, Hey, I got this mid life crisis.

I was wanted to always get a motorcycle license, and

they say that for me. Next year, I go with you.

We go to do motorcycle license together, and I'm like, oh,

it's really greatting already anyway. Yeah. So so the reason

why I'm selling his story is because I remember very

clearly when he turned thirteen two years ago in twenty

twenty four, I was sort of preparing him to move

towards a teenage year and there is a mouthstone at

least for his parents, right, And I was like, gosh,

this is a big moment. You all, he's all grown up,

so what should I do? You know, I was thinking

it's it's good to celebrate it, but not in the

birthday and a sense. But I wanted to celebrate it

with you know, think him some form of like trust

or even celebrate his maturity to some extent. So I

know this is a bit strange, but I actually gave

him a knife to use. I means trust him in

the kitchen to use a knife. That's a big step,

by the way, big step. I don't know your parents.

Really this is strange knife on thirteen years old, but

it is in a lot of cultures, right, In a

lot of cultures they actually have a like a ritual

to signify maturity. We were based in Melbourne for a

while that time. We had a lot of juice and

the Jews they actually have this bar Mitzvah thing where

they celebrate thirteen years and they have a whole ceremony

to to to signify adulthood. Of course here we don't

really have that kind of a thing. So I gave

him a knife to no. No, no, I gave him I

give you I trust and trusted him by just doing

some simple cutting. I don't know whether he still remembers it,

but he still does it very well these days. But yeah,

so it's a significan more for me at least. And

of course I'd explained to him what that trust is

all about, and I say, hey, you are now becoming

a man, right, Sometimes when I leave the house, I say,

is that you're the man of the house now because

I'm leaving the house, So take care of the family,

mummy and all that kind of thing. But yeah, it's

important that we understand this process of and trusting and

also maturing into that. Now why do I strive all

this because sometimes a lot of men do not come

to this stage of transitioning from let's say, what's the

term not so mature to a place where it's supposed

to be an adult. Okay, some people even when they're

third twenty two, thirty three, they still behave like kids.

And we know some people like that, right, it's because

they've never ever actually gone and matured them. So what

I'm trying to say is that you may be born

into this world as a male, but being a man

is actually a choice. Oh yeah, it doesn't mean that

if you if God gives you with some interesting parts

that makes you a man, right. It is a choice

to be a man. And in some cultures, like I said,

they celebrate being a man. Okay. And you know, you know,

in this church, we are a ray big on guys, maturing,

guys being what they're called to do or what they are.

You know, what God intended for males to do, not males, sorry,

men to do. Okay, of course you can change a

lot of females. You know, you're also called to do

greater things as well. But what I'm trying to say

is that there is an intentional progression, okay, And this

is the progression that I'm talking about. At least when

it came to my son turning thirteen, I wanted to say, hey, dude,

you're a man now. I trust you. This is not

a toy by the way, you know, don't play with it.

You'll hurt yourself. But there is a certain level of

trust and responsible it'smos like giving a person a key

to something that he may not be able to understand

or understand the powers fully. But I think it's time

to do that because that trust has to happen. So

I allowed him to handle knife, and of course, as

I mentioned, earlier. Even for Christians. You know, we can

be born into a Christian family, but you are not

a Christian until you decide to become one, okay. Or

let me be more specific, you are only a disciple

when you choose to become a disciple. Okay. Now why

do I say that. It's because sometimes if you look

at the other side, we look at discipleship in a

similar fashion. Right, or of course there's no right or

passage kind of thing. But sometimes we neglected, say in

church or the persons already accept the Christ. He's already here,

so let's just leave it to chance for the Christian brother,

the new Christian brother or sister to then become a

discipler or disciple in Christ. Sometimes we do that, right,

we do not take it further. Just because he's born again,

he's in the system. That's it done. Check. I don't

do anything else. And that's not quite right as well,

because sometimes I think we need to understand and focus

that just because they're in the environment, it doesn't mean

that they are disciples of Christ. Right. Similarly, what I

said earlier, just because a male boy or a male

boy is born as a male, it doesn't make them

a man by choice. Right. So similarly, as a Christian,

it doesn't mean that you our disciple and you need

to make the choice to be a disciple. We got that,

So I have this hitting Christians are born, but disciples

are made, okay, and that's a choice they got to

you got to take yourself. So in other words, you know,

we are really saved by God's grace, but if you

understand that as well, you can't really tap into that

that power in that sense. You can't save somebody by grace.

Only God can do it, right, and you can't take

that away from God. And that's why Jesus said, I

think make disciples of all nations, and because he understands

that there's only so much we can do. But what

we can do, we can replicate the discipleship. Right. So again,

just because you're born again doesn't mean your disciple. So

let's focus on it. So the question I wanted to

start off today, and this might be a little bit

hard on some people, but if someone came up to

you and ask you this question, can you this me

or disciple him or her the person who comes to you,

what would you say to the person. I'm just curious

think about it. Have you ever thought about that? I

mean some leaders maybe you have a bit more experience,

but just as Christians, right, if someone comes to you,

can you disciple me? What would you say you'd be like?

Or another way to ask it is like, can you

help me to become a disciple because the person is

passionate or I read about this, I need to be

a disciple of Christ. Can you show me how to do?

Show me the ropes? What would you do? Now? Many

of you will be like, come to church, talk to

pastor dy or something like that. You know you probably

do something like that, right, but that shouldn't be the way, right,

can't be the only way. Otherwise, how are we going

to do this whole book of acting? You know, there's

only so many people there that can you know, we

need to be part of this and that's why as

a huge part. No, don't get me wrong, the church

community plays a role making disciples. But at the same time,

you can't just leave it to a certain select group

to do it. So we need to just go beyond

even the church community. Right, you need to take honesting

me and say yes, everybody has a part to play,

and it's not just talking about, you know, being comfortable here,

enjoying worship together. You may do things, or let's read

the Bible together, let's teach him how to pray, or

him or her to pray, et cetera. But it goes

beyond that, right. You just said this as well, right,

and everyone has to go and make disciples, right, not

just a select few like I said, not and on

a sudden with this whole thing, right, the Great Commission

is not optional, it's actually essential. Right now, many of

you who are seated here today must understand that if

two o thousand years ago in the early Church, revival

did not happen and people did not take the Great Commisition,

and seriously, we wouldn't miss thing here today. Fact right, fact.

And that's why I started early earlier to say that

discipleship isn't just an empty practice because if it's just that, yeah,

you you, it doesn't compel you to go further because

it's just ritualistic. It needs to be an act of defiance.

Let me explain. Okay, now it's gonna be a very

short sermon today, I promise you all. But yeah, let's

look through four points and now I'll let you go

so what is the context of discipleship? And in in

Mark and Sorry Matthew twenty eight, we know the Gospels

quite quite quite quite quite a minute. The Gospels right

there is Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and all talks

about the account of Jesus and talks about, you know,

Jesus at birth, then how he went into baptism, uh,

how he began his ministry, and of course he talks

about the part where he walks with people. Then he

also invites people into being a part of what he

was doing as well. That's the key important thing about

the Gospels. And of course you know he dies at

the cross and they say, oh my gosh. The people

there there say, oh my gosh. All over now abyss

Like what we're all trying to say is say dieala,

you know, die gone. But surprise, surprise, he came back

a few days later. And then it solidifies what he

he promised where he's prophesied, and then of course he

gave the great commission, right and then after he left

and what do you do? He left us with the

Holy Spirit, and that's where we are asked to then

go and make disciples of all nations with the power

and with the companion that's still left here. But that

is a fascinating thing, right, because of what they've done,

and people took it seriously. And therefore, like I said,

we're here today. So let's come back to this. What's

the context of the the dicipleship. You'll turn to Mark

one fourteen. This is Jesus announcing the good news. Okay,

So after John was put in prison, Jesus went to

Galilee and proclaiming the good news of God. The time

has come. He said, the Kingdom of God has come near.

Repent and believe the good news. Okay, so repent, But

why why repent? Why do you think they repent or

they will call to repent because the Kingdom of God

has come near? Right, So amazing. And of course, if

you read on the next part, it talks about him

walking by the say gallley that he called up and

this is the famous line that says, come and follow me,

the one that comes after that. Right. But that's how

discipleship began and how discipleship should be modeled. And that's

why I say it's very important to understand the context

of discipleship. It's actually meant to be Okay, Before I

go there, let's put up a photograph. Okay, If I

would ask you, what do you think discipleship is? Most

people think of something like that, right, where people have fun,

come together, have coffee, do Bible study like a home

setting at a cafe, et cetera. Mutual interest, love love love,

pray for each other, and then go home. Most people

will think that's what discipleship is. Am I right? Right?

Not just me right right right, But I mean it,

don't get wrong. This is part of it, but there's

more to that. That's what I'm trying to say. Right, Coffee,

Bible fellowship is important, but more to that, there is

a mission. There is kingdom, and I talked about this.

There's a bit of fight for it. So let's talk

about the resistance a little bit. And again not down

playing this, but if I could explain what discipleship is,

I'm going to use a movie to describe it. Okay,

have you seen this movie? That's not just yeah, amazing stuff.

Okay if you do not know the context is a

great movie based on a true story. I like the

guy's name, Daniel No, No, Daniel C. Daniel creg of

course you know he's an action action film. Guy. My

wife always say that I only watched all this nonsense,

nonsense movie. I like action movies anyway. Yeah, but more

than that this in this story, he's not the typical

action role. Of course, that's a bit of action as well,

but it talks about him as part of uh, some

brothers okay, coming there and they were living in Europe

at that time, in a place called Belarus, okay. And

again this is part based on a true story. So

at that time they were taken over in Nazi Germany, okay.

And because of that they were Jewish. So there it

tells you what they were, what type of calamities they're

going to face. They were being killed left right center,

the people just because they of their of their skin,

of their of their race, of their origin, their Jewish.

And of course we all know what happened in the Holocaust, right.

If you do not know, I'm going to talk to me.

I'll share more about it later on. But I don't

think we're also oblivious to that, Okay. But this guy,

these people, the brothers, said no, I will not let

this happen. I would do something about it, okay, And

hence the title Defiance Okay, So they created pockets of resistance, okay,

that were they were trying to rescue people from the

Germans from being killed. Okay, and they say let this Westors. No, no,

because they didn't say that, but you know, like they

they they they let an act to them defy of course,

defying uh Nazi Germany. Then they say about twelve hundred people,

twelve hundred Jews, four people, just because they said that

I will not give in. I will do something about it.

But sometimes for many people when we come to this stitution, ever,

it's just like, oh, let's bunker down and wait for

things to pass, wait for the storm to pass, right

fromer pandemic, bunker down, right, And a lot of times

in wars, so it's like that they bunker down just

they put you, don't go out, don't don't do anything,

just hope they don't find us. Kind of a thing.

And that's sometimes how we take on disciple push it.

We bunker down, hope for the best till Jesus comes

or till Jesus returns. And we do not remember it's

actually meant to be an act of defiance. What do we

act of defiance? Okay, it is a Christian duty to

think of it as an act of defiance. Even cs

Lewis said this, okay, let's put it on the screen. Discipleship. C.

S Lewis. You know cs Lewis right, okay's simp easy

to understand. Uh, children's books as well. Right, he said, this,

discipleship is a campaign of sabotouch against the kingdom of darkness.

All right, let me see understand that it is the

role of Christians to defy and sabotouch against the kingdom

of darkness. Powerful powerful words. So if you think of

discipleship that way, right, you will not see discipleship as

the previous photograph over there, that's just coffee, Bible study,

you know, guitars and all that, because we're actually meant

to help people who do not know Christ actively fighting

against the kingdom of darkness. Sabotouching. You know what, sabotouch

is very intentional. It's not by change actually sable touch something,

you know, no such thing. It's very very intentional bringing

change to the worlds. And a way to put it. Now,

are we all like that? Maybe again not? We look

at this pushim and that I know it's a it's

a pyramid scheme, right, trying to convince you to to

to jump on this. No, it's not. It's meant to

be more than that. Allosians says this. I'll put out

the scripture over there. We've been sent, we've been rescued

out of the kingdom darkness and brought into the brought

into the kingdom of light. So it says here we're

part of this new kingdom as you're read earlier. Right,

So again it's not just a Bible study. You're brought

into the light. And when you're brought into the light,

what do you do? You want to bring people more

into the light because you have tasted it, you know

what it is. You've you've had this breakthrough. And it's

not just I know somethings very passionate about hiring the

greatest break through of some food they've discovered. But this

is beyond that. Okay, that chuck with that will not

get the person saved, all right, although yes it probably

cost a person that in the hospital. Too much of

it anyway, every moderation, but in all in all seriousness, yeah,

we're meant to it's meant to be act of defiance,

and this is what the dicipus is what you mean

by defian defiance in the context of we need to

resist the world. We need to resist temptations, right, resist

things that are of this world that's not aligned with God.

In that sense, it doesn't mean you go in bad

mouth what people do, but you need to be firm

in what you believe in, because why we are new

people in Christ. Right, We're already new people in Christ,

and therefore we are supposed to follow the new way.

Right when we are born again, we died our old self.

We have a new life. And when you have a

new life, you ought to live as though you have

new life. If not, what's the point? Same old, same? Oh?

All right, And Jesus came along to ensure that we

understood this point. Right, remember the garden Eden, right, familiar

with that? Right? What happened then is when sin entered

the world and destroyed humanity. Do you know God's original

plan was for us to communis him every single day?

That was his plan? Right? But I mean, of course

we can argue that we messed up humans, but also

Sin came and distorted or impacted their relation. It destroyed it.

And you know that people, right, all these are still

trying to come back to the original design of how

God intended it. We are striving, they're doing all we

can till this day, we're still trying to do that,

or restore to what God has given us. So essentially right,

it's like you had it, We had it, but we

somehow lost it, and now we're trying so hard to

get it back right. And if it wasn't because of

Christ coming along, right, I don't think there's any way

that we can restore back. But you know, what has

happened in the garden has happened. What has happened the

garden will also continue to happen if you're not careful, right,

Because God is God, he will always have that level

of standard Jesus has made away. But men also be men, right.

The flesh is very strong. Right, just because you are

praying a lot, just because you're reading the Bible more

than others, it doesn't mean they're not susceptible to it.

So it's ongoing resistance, ongoing defiance of what your flesh

the world tells you to. And that's what it means

by it is a resistance that you need to or defiance,

act of defiance actively not just once you've done it

once and then there's it, okay, anti right. A theologian

says this, when Jesus announced the Kingdom of God, he

was not offering people a new religion, but a new

way of being human under God's reign. Powerful words, powerful

powerful words. So essentially he's saying, discipleship is about learning

a new way to become human or a new way

to live. That's what discipleship is. Again, it's not just

walking in somebody, mentoring somebody. That is part of the process,

but this is living a new way. It's actually discipleship,

not how we used to live, but how we are

to live. And that's why it's say it takes an

act of defiance. And look, I'm not saying go and

become critical, judgmental of your the people around you. No,

that's not what I'm saying. But i what I'm trying

to say is that you need to stand firm on

your ground. It makes you not going against them, but

you can't all right, put it, you can't operate in

the grade as well. You need to stand firm or

where you are because you are already a Christ, follow

your new being already, and that's why I say you

have to defy, you have to be become this act

of defiance because you are now a new light in

this world. And you forget that, then you might as

well just join the darkness. Right There's there's no there's

no point in that. And that's why I said earlier

this push it is not a passive thing. It's an

active thing. You got to keep doing it. We've learned

at homes that waiting is also active, right, this why

it's even more active. Bro say, yes, you cannot do

this without being active. So it's not about being quiet.

Lovers of God's would pray rem my Bible every day,

and I think you know you have to stand and

remain strong where you are, and not just on Sundays,

not just put up put up this front on Sunday,

but then on the rest of the week you can't.

So yeah, we're all resistance. We're all quote unquote rebels

for God because that is what we're called to do,

all right. So that's the context of discipleship. That okay,

next one, the point of discipleship was the purpose, the

point of discipleship right now? Of course we are called

to be Christians and if you don't know, Christians is

actually followers of the way, right, you're following Jesus because

you just said grow me right now? Not uh not

believers of the way, because believing is just here, but

doers followers right actual action, okay, And so otherwise your

faith is just merely up here. And if your faith

is just up here, right, it will only go it

only stay there. Right, You need to understand that something

has to happen here and then the fruits of it

has to come out, and then only you can really

be a follower of Christ. Did you know that the

original term Christian, the og term Christian was uh the a.

It's a word that was used to insult the followers

of Christ. It actually means little Christians because they were

seen as mimicking or following the behavior of Jesus, and

that's why they were called little christ or Christians. But

of course, even in the Bible and New Testament, you

only hear read of the word Christians being used about

three times, only three times, but disciples or disciplers disciples

were used two hunds seventy times specifty times sorry in

the New Testament. So again I don't think it's a coincidence.

I think we are meant to be disciples or disciples

of Christ or making disciples of Christ, and not just

being Christians. Of course, they are synonymous in some way

as well, because once you do that, you are following

Christ and therefore you are Christians. So let's move quickly

about discipleship as the point of it. The point of

it is really to grow into spiritual maturity. That's why

we are doing this quote unquote program so all of

us can grow together as disciples of Christ. And we're

doing it with others. It's not a solo mission. No,

it's not a solo quest. Right, you reach level ninety nine,

then that's it. It's a collective quest. We support each

other in the process. Right. So if you, if everybody

do not understand this, right, then I think there'll be

some people left behind. And that's the problem here, right.

And you are not in a context or in an

environment of discipleship. You are placed there intentionally. It's not

a coincidence that you are where you are, So please

be intentional about it. Third point, promise you and real quick.

The cost of discipleship. Now I've covered this in greater

detail last year. You can look it up. I actually

looked at the date of when I shared this. You

look at the MTG, it will be twenty five uh

in March the thirtieth. But we just to cover a

little bit about it today, the cost of Descerptionshi. So

I'll tell your story again, because stories are the ones

that help. Okay. So when when my second born son

I was at time, solla okay esua, Okay, I remember

when he was young. Uh he got about I think uh,

I think it was probably a four or five or

sixty or something that younger. He was given a HIGHERD

bucks by his grandfather father. Okay, and uh, yeah, there's

a lot of money, by the way for a six

five six years old. Okay, he probably thought it was

Bill Gates or or somebody great at the time. Or

when I can buy a yard, I can travel the

world as a six year old. Uh in gosh, and

let's understanding of that's a lot of money for a

six year old, right. So I remember we brought him

to uh a pyramid to go and buy something with

that with that money, and we venture into the legal store.

Uh you know where this goes, right, it's a very

sneaky places Lego Store because they always say, oh, it's

free to play. You know, there's a play herea there.

He put some blocks together and then you know, of course,

when you want to start buying stuff, you realize the

hundred bucks bring it doesn't go very far, right, especially legos. Right,

So being the Asian that the m it's like, okay,

I'm going to be uh good stewards of what your

grandfather gives you. I walked them to the Asian Avenue

around the corner into the Oem section of the Lego store. Yeah,

I repent, Lord, I'm so sorry, but yeah, in case

you don't understand that, there's like the the not so

legal Lego Legos anyway, the Oem Oem Legos Asian Avenue.

So then you still started picking up stuff, right, I

don't know why he picked that. I think like Minecraft

or whatever. I picked up a few things, uh, and

then he saw this, I think, a more interesting largest set,

maybe a thousand pieces something, and you're like, oh, I

want to get that on right then, But he can't

get that on because obviously it's a few smaller ones

he already and the reason for the story is, right,

you have to realize, right, once you have a lot

of things in your hands, right you your resources are

so finite finite, you got to let go of some

things to to get that on. I can't remember that

they actually got it. Not excuse me, but we did

get him. We did top up a bit as well.

But but eventually he he he. One friend says that

he realized that he can't have everything, and just like Christ,

Christ is not an accessory that you just pick up.

You have to let go of things. Uh, you know

the whole thing about denying yourself. Yeah, you gotta lego

of that. Otherwise you're just like a kid in the

Legos on the oem Lego store, holding onto everything. And

then I still want I want that, I want your

blessings or I want you to take care of me,

but you can't. You can't. You need to deny yourself,

pick up the cross and follow me. Okay, so if

you kick I understand that limitation six year old you

know Bill Gates at the time. H yeah, deny yours yourself,

pick up the crossing for me. I mean sometimes I

read there that's probably the worst pr campaign ever. Like, Lord,

why do you use this? Go and talk to some

of the pr people to try to spin it around

and make it sound a lot better. Right, deny yourself humans,

we are not conditioned to to to sacrifice or deny ourselves, right,

So it's not enticing at all. So what I'm trying

to say is that you're so much recognize that it's

definitely gonna cost you something. Discipleship is not easy, right,

There needs to be something that you've got to let go.

Right if you're following Jesus. Oh, they put this way,

if you're following Jesus very closely and it doesn't cost

you anything so far, I think also you're not probably

not doing discipleship wella you can say, right, right, if

you're following Jesus very closely and it's not costing you anything,

something is not right. Also not saying the area that

has to lead to that. But I think most of

us who's been around for quite some time, yeah, you

know that it usually costs you something. Right. You enjoy

the church, enjoy the community. Ah, you know, but the

community here can only bring you so far as beautiful people,

don't get me wrong, But can you bring you so far?

Because you can still do that but not become a

disciple of Christ. And the worst thing that could happen

is that when you get to have and then you're like, oh, sorry,

you didn't get it right. And that's a scary thing. Anyway,

Let's let's go back to this. It's going to cost

you something. And I put up this next slide over there,

thank you. It's going to cost you. Now, what is

it going to cost you? It's going to cost you

control over things, like you will not be able to

control your life anymore, right, because why we are saying

Lord take over, you are in control. That is the

couse of disciplesh it right. It's going to cost you

some comfort. That just means that it's not gonna be

comfortable all the time. Right. Sometimes we I may always say,

I pray that you know you have peace and comfort

in your soul, but let us not be too comfortable

on where we are seated in the house, because again,

like I said, if you are too comfortable, maybe something

it's also not quite right because Jesus or God did

say you know there will be discomfort. The word you

may use is tribulation. I think Elder Elder Road shared

last week tribulation. Tribulation is a bigger word than just discomfort, right,

because when you follow Jesus, you have to be very counterculture.

It must be very radical. But sometimes I think it's

because we are not radical enough, and that's why we

may not have that discomfort yet convenience, it's going to

cost you convenience. Guys, you think coming the prayer service

is easier. Hey, I also wrestle. I know every Tuesday

prayer service I wrestled. But I know when I get there,

it's all good. Right, it's your pastor telling you that

you now, right, it's going to cost you something. It's

going to be an income, convenience. You know when we

first started this church, right, some of you who have

been with us, journey with us, you know that there

was a lot of a lot of inconvenience. We're part

of another slot which was more convenient. This was an

inconvenience slot, but we still did it because that is

the cost of discipleship. And look where we are today, right. Yeah,

So if it's not convenient, there must be a reason.

It might be a reason for it. God might have

a reason for it. Right, Yeah, going out to the

missions its inconvenient, it's but or you might say, why

are we doing this here in subang or in the

urban company. It's so expensive to run a church. Who

says it's about convenience? Right now, I know it costs

a lot. I'm just gonna move on to the positive stuff.

Another way to put about think about it? Right, have

you considered the cost if you do not become a disciple?

The total opposite? That's another alternative universe. Right? What it

cost is one thing, But what will it cost you

even more if you do not? Right? But here's the thing.

If you follow Jesus, I can tell you one thing

for sure, you're actually receiving certainty, contentment, and courage. And

I have those things out there because yes, it's gonna

cost you, but it will give you something else. And

one of these things certainty. How many people hear us

one certainty in your life? Always want that? I want

God to I want this. I want that. I want

to be absolutely sure before I do anything. And people

out there who do not know Christ, they're all freaking

out all the time. Durmer the pandemic, they were all

freaking out. I mean we were also freaking out a

little bit about We're not as freaked out right because

we know who holds everything together. Right, we know how

things are gonna end anyway to some extent, so we

are not so paranoid because there's some certain because we're anchored.

And that's what it will cost you something, yes, but

it also anchors you. Right, he will make all things

new revelation. It's a promise. That's why certainty is. I

don't know. I rady live with certainty than to live

with yeah, not having it. Contentment, Now, contentment is a

very big thing, and the thing is people humans. I

also read somewhere that you know, nothing is ever enough.

If you're a multi billionaire, you get multi billionaire times

two is to not enough. If you have good health

still want more. You know, it's always humans are like that.

There will never be they'll never be content. But when

you are, you're more and more of Christ. Right, you

are content regardless of all other. Status is whether you

receive your next payers or not, you get your bonus

or not, whether you get the girl you want or

a relationship, or your early possessions, it doesn't quite matter.

You're content in the Lord because you must understand one thing.

Contentment for humans at least will never be able to

satisfy because whatever continment comes from the outside in is

never sufficient. But contentment that comes from inside outward. That

means if God feels you you're contented. Yeah, whatever outside

is not so important. So that's what you will get.

You will give you once you follow and do this

push well. The last point over here is courage. You know,

this world is always fearful things. I said this many times, right,

and scripture reminds us that God did not give us

a spirit of fear, but the spirit of power and

of love and of a sound mind. Amen. I don't

want to say much about it. I think that's already done. Courage,

you can face anything. Last point, the goal of discipleship.

What is the goal of discipleship. It's the goal of

being a disciple. Get at some percentages smaller, okay, but

the actual goal is actually making disciples more than because

why God said, couldn't make disciples not go and be disciples?

Sorry he said, I didn't say anything, Okay, blame him.

Now tell your story in two thousand and four, don't

show the thing first. In two thousand and four, there's

in Athens. There's this guy called Matthew Emmons, USA. He's

in this fifteen meter rifle final shooting. You do not

rifle this. So he was so far ahead in his

points right that he actually was destined to win goal

even if he hit some random the smallest points in

the target. As long as you shoot hit some target,

he will win go all the day, okay. So all

he need to do, like I said, is just to

shoot the target. And he didn't need a bulls eye anywhere.

It was fine. So he steps up, he took a shot,

he took aim. He shout bullseye four points, I mean

four points, that's what he thought, la, and then the

buzzer went off. Okay, and then this was what happened.

His face was like this, what on earth happened? Okay?

And what happened next? That was the picture that you

can see. His name is Matthew Emnza. You see her

nothing but she shot a bull's eye. So after what

he realized what had happened, he actually fired. He got

a bull's eye, but he was in lane two by

he shot in lane three. So bulls eye, yes, wrong target. Okay.

Now here's the thing sometimes for us in church, right

ass like this right, we have been maybe focusing on

the wrong targets for quite some time. It seems as

though you hear the bull's eye. You know a lot

of times in church's let's bring more people to church.

You let's fill the seats. To get me wrong, those

are all good things, make the building full. But is

that what's more important than making disciples? Right? And the

worst thing here if you go to heaven heard Jesus,

well done, Sorry you miss, because that's not the actual goal, right,

because I'm happy for you, yes, But the actual target

is actually making more disciples. So what's the target? Guys,

go and make disciples? Because Christianity without the commission or

the Great commission. Yeah, it's just like this. I heard

this being said once before. If it's almost likened to

being seated in a car without the engine. Very comfortable,

but you'll get you nowhere, right. Anybody is sending a

car without engine, no matter how comfortable it is, get

you nowhere, and it's lost its purpose. Right, So again,

circle back. I'm ending here already, circling back. And that's

why it's not the stampership. It's not about empty practices.

It's a gospel compelled act of defiance. Extreme can come

up already. So a couple of questions I wanted to

just leave you with today we're gonna flash up on

the screen. So it's similar to the one I asked

you before. If somebody were to observe your life, what

would they say? You're a disciple of or a disciple

of rather? And we can put a lot of things there,

because we can be chasing the wrong things that are

not perhaps not as God intended. It might be your career,

you might be becoming the best parent in the world,

even well those are who good things. Don't get me wrong,

but are you setting or are you doing what you're

supposed to be doing if someone were to observe your

life from the outside, and that's very hard sometimes, you mean,

if the person view yourself, it's hard, right because we

are meant to go and make disciples. Second question is

that what do you need to do in this season?

I know we've talked in lengths last year, but how

many of us are actually thered this year? And that's

why to say, is a revival that happens needs to

happen in this whole area discipleship because we're not done yet.

You still have a second third goal. You know that

guy this is now. I show you two thousand and four. Guy,

he went on to still win many championships. He didn't

just give up. But there needs to be something for

you to do to grow discipleship. But firstly you have to,

like I say, it's a choice. You can choose to

be a man or not. Best choose to become disciples

Now how do you do that? Because find a disciples discipler.

It's the first thing you can do. We also have

a lot of programs that teaches you about what discipleship

is about. Go and listen to the resources that we've

recorded the whole of last year, every church plan fourteen,

maybe even more plants these days. I don't know how many. Now,

there's so much of things that you can pick up

from there. And then, of course more importantly, you take

those and put it into practice. Anybody been hiking before.

If you're going to hide for three days, what do

you do? You read what you need to do to

survive for three days. So that knowledge is important so

that you can prepare and then do the necessary So, yeah,

pick it up. Pack yourself with the right things to

ensure discipleship is done right. Because truthfully, your junior discipleship

with Christ or true Christ is not an easy one.

You need to prepare yourself well because it's going to

be a long journey. Right. And the last question I

have for you is that who can you help to

become a disciple of Jesus in twenty twenty six? Why?

Because you're not just called to be a disciple, but

to make a disciples. So who can you help? I'm

quite sure somebody Jesus do drop the name to you,

pray about it and make it work. Who can you help?

Who can you walk alongside? If you don't not do it,

walk along somebody, ask find a disciple of first work together.

If anything, he will work. So, as I close, before

we pray, I want us to catch this church. Jesus

didn't say go and make us all church attenders. He

didn't say go and make people who simply believe in

the right things. But really he said, go and make disciples.

So what I follow us follows me to surrender to yourself.

You walk, as I mentioned earlier, in a new way

as God intendent That's why when we chose Christ, Yeah,

we walk a new way. And then, as I mentioned earlier,

you need to be actively participating in this mission. It's

not passive. So if that's you today, if you have

believed in Jesus, but I've never truly followed Jesus. Thus

far can I encourage you to consider this and not

just be around Christians but really who and disciple others

as well, because just not attending me to attend something

only as you sung earlier, we said today Jesus, I'll

follow you right. We sung that song. If you follow him,

you'll do this right.

We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more

information on our church, please visit as church Org. We

are also active on Facebook and Instagram. We're believing that

this week is going to be a good week, a

hit for you. God bless