Discipleship Goals | Jason Martin

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

We hope this message will light up your day.

What's the difference within a Christian and a disciple? You

remember that, we all remember that. What's the difference within

a Christian and a disciple? How many say there's a difference?

How many say there's no difference? Okay, now I got

another question.

Right?

Are all Christians disciples? Are all disciples Christian? So first

first one, right, are all Christians disciples?

How many say yes? How many say no? Well? I

thought you see it is the same.

There's no difference between Christians and disciples.

Right.

So I don't want to put you all on the

spots for too long, but that was the gist of.

What I was sharing.

You know that there should not be a difference between

Christians and disciples, right.

And sometimes we.

Christians give the word Christian a bad rap, because what

are Christians? Christians are little Christ, little Christ meaning we

have to behave as how Jesus did, right, And the

word Christian was given by actually non Christians.

When they saw.

Believers of Jesus behaving a certain way, they called them

little christ. They called it as a way of mocking them.

You know, And that's how the word Christians came about.

But right now we are so used to watering down

the word Christian. So if you go to church once

a year, are you a Christian? Or you've got church

every weekend of the year, are you a Christian? Trick question, right,

Because what a Christian is It's supposed to be a

disciple of Christ, right, And that's what we want.

We are here to claim back.

We are here here to claim back the title of

being a Christian, all right, Because an example I gave

last time was that how many of y'all were stopped

by the police before for driving in a certain way

or or not wearing your seat belt or stuff like.

So is it only me?

Maybe it's only me, or maybe there's some of you

all as well, but all you most likely would have

heard testimonies about this where someone gets stopped by the police.

The police stops them and.

Says that, hey, you know you have I have to

summon you because you're not wearing your safety belt or

you're on the phone or whatever it is. And then

the police guy says like, hey, so do you want

me to help you?

And then the person who's sharing the testimony says that.

I cannot. I'm a Christian. So because I'm a Christian,

I'm not allowed to pay or give money. And then

the police says, oh you're Christian, Okay, next time, don't

do it.

Then let's you go. You've heard testimonies like that before,

and you.

Know the world evaluates us and gives much more weight

to what is it like to be a Christian, you know,

rather than us ourselves. And that is this year we

are focusing on disciples first, right, So that's why we

want to understand what is it again and want to

claim it back.

So a brief recap the first.

Light, A brief recap or what a disciple is is

someone who learns from Jesus, lives like Jesus, and tells

others about Jesus. That's what a disciple is. So it

has nothing to do wtther how many times you go

to church. It has nothing to do whether in your

ic it's put as Christian, It has nothing to do

like on all that. But it's we are supposed to

learn from Jesus, live like Jesus, and tell others about Jesus.

All right, So the title of two days sermon is

this next line, discipleship goals. So now you know what's

a disciple. You know what's a disciple? Right, So what's

a disciple?

Again?

Learn, live, tell, learn from Jesus, Live like Jesus, Tell

all this about Jesus. That's what's a disciple. So that's

a definition that helps me. Okay, it's not the one

all definition, but that's the definition that helps me.

Okay.

So now today's sermon, I wanted to talk about discipleship goals.

Okay.

How many of y'all have set goals before? How many

have achieve goals before? Some?

Okay? How many has set New Year resolution goals before? Okay?

How many have a chief New Year resolution? How many

on track on track now? August? Now it's August, right, January?

You said right now August on track and not first

time on track?

Wow? Awesome. You need to get tips from waiting on

how to be on track.

I think most of us left our New Year goals

at Chinese New Year.

Right then?

You set Chinese New Year resolution goals, all right? And

most of the times, why do you think it's very

difficult for us to achieve our goals? You know, how

many of us have set goals to lose weight. Okay, right,

so we set goals to lose weight. Why is it

difficult to lose weight? No will power, someone temptation? All right,

there's many reasons why it's it's very difficult to lose weight.

So I take this example.

Okay, So but actually, right, you also can hit your

target very easily. And you know, have you heard of

people who are aneroxic?

You know? So what people who are aneroxic?

They have this condition where they always think they are

too fat, okay, and because of that, whenever they eat something,

they will immediately try and throw up. And because of that,

they lose a lot of weight. Do you think they

hit their weight goals? They hit they hit their weight goals.

You know.

But that's the thing. Is that the way that you

want to hit your goals? Or how many of y'all

want to earn more, save more so that you can

spend more?

Okay?

Yeah, all right, give to missions?

Right?

So you want to do that, right? And it's a goal, Okay,

it's a goal. It's a legit goal. All of us

want that. How many of y'all are on track to

achieve that?

Again? Very easy?

All you have to do is rob a bank. You

hit your goal, right, because that goal is just a number.

How you hit that goal is the thing that is

more important hitting the goal. Hitting the number can be

done anyway. You know you're going to rob, you're going

to collect donations or different things you know, or even

like for example, reading the Bible in one year. We

read the Bible in one year. Set that goal. I've

set that goal many years, every time reached LEVITYUS. It

seems very tough, right, But if I want to hit

that goal, it's very easy. I just play the audiobook.

You can you can do that als all right, You

play the audiobook. You just listen. Whether you whether it

goes in or not, it doesn't matter. But I've done it.

It's a checklist I've completed. But does that help me

grow at all? No. So one of the reasons why

I realized that the way that I set goals does

not make sense is because it's just a number, or

it's just a box that I need to check. It

does not move me into the person that I want

to become if I'm not careful. So, for example, if

you want to lose weight, instead of saying that, hey,

I want to lose tan kg. For example, why not

set a goal saying that I want to live healthier.

When you live, say you want to live healthier. Every

choice you make goes towards that. What you eat, what

you do with your free time, how you spend your money,

everything goes towards it.

And it's it's an.

Infinite game because you can get healthier right forever. I mean,

there is no there's no cap. You can only get

healthier the more you invest in it, you know. Or

if you're saying that you have a dollar figure that

you want to hit, why not set a goal that

I want to be able to manage my money wisely

so that I have the freedom to do whatever God

calls me to do. So in terms of that, then

I have to exercise wisdom in how I spend my money,

how I save my money, where do I invest my money?

And that goal changes who I am. You know the

game show Biggest Loser? Have you long time ago?

Biggest Loser? You know? Where?

So for those who are too young to remember that show,

it's about it's a game show where whoever loses the

most amount of weight wins. So a lot of people

want but do you know that after a while they

put it back on because they just wanted to hit

that number. But after that game was over, they went

back to their own lifestyle. And that's us as well.

You know, when we set our goals, we want to

hit something. Once we hit that thing, if we don't change,

we will go back into who we were, all right,

So in line with that, what do you think.

That the goal of discipleship is?

Thisson should be quite easier. What's the goal of disciples ship?

To follow Jesus? Right, because that's the first slide word.

You're supposed to learn from Jesus, live like Jesus, tell

others about Jesus. That's the goal of discipleship. Okay, Then.

Next slight, So what is Jesus' goal?

If your goal is to follow Jesus, what is Jesus's school?

Make disciples of all nations? Okay? That's one?

How many here has been a Christian for more than

one year? Tough question? It's not a tough question. I'm

just getting us to think, because right, if our goal

is to become more like Jesus, okay, then we have

to know where is Jesus? What is Jesus's school? And

I didn't say what was Jesus' school. It's what is

Jesus' school? Okay, what is Jesus's school? So let me

take us to some scripture. Thanks John, chapter six, verse

thirty eight four. I have come down from heaven to

do the will of God who sent me, not to

do my own will. Jesus' goal is to do whatever

God tells him to do.

That was Jesus's goal.

Because when I shared it in Clang previously, some of

them said, oh, it's to die on the cross for us, great,

But why did he have to die on the cross?

You know, he had to die on the cross so

that we may have eternal life. But it's because that

is God's plan. So whatever it is, Jesus came down

because it was God's plend And this is the will

of God that I should not lose even one of

those that He has given me, but that I should

raise them up at the last day. For it is

my father's will that all who see his son and

believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise

them up at the last day. So Jesus' goal, he

is very clear of his goal, you know. And our

goal is to follow Jesus, which means our goal has

to be the same as what jesus.

Goal is. Right next light John chapter eight.

So Jesus said, when you have lifted up the son

of Man on the cross, then you will understand that

I am he do nothing on my own, but say

only what the Father taught me. For the one who

sent me is with me. He has not deserted me,

for I always do what pleases him. Jesus' goal was

to do what pleases God. You know that is his goal.

To do what pleases God, to do God's will, and

to do what pleases God.

Okay, next Matthew chapter three.

But Jesus said it should be done, for we must

carry out all that God requires. So John agreed to

baptize him. After his baptism, as Jesus came up out

of the water, the heavens were opened, and he saw

the spirit of God descending like a dove and settling

on him, and a voice from heaven said, this is

my dearly loved son, who brings me great joy. In

another version is this is my beloved son in whom

I am well pleased. So God was already pleased with Jesus,

and this was at a baptism. How many miracles did

Jesus do at this point? Nothing yet, Jesus the water

turned to wine was the first miracle, and that only

came after that. Jesus did not heal the sick, he

did not heal the blind, he did not raise the death.

He did nothing yet.

But God was already pleased with him. So it's not

about what we do, but it's about the relationship that

we have with God. So when we are disciples, it's

not about a checklist. I will attend church, I will

give tides an offering, I will self. But if I

don't have a relationship with God, then God will not

be pleased.

No, okay.

And then there was another person. You're saying that, okay,

this is Jesus. Of course God is pleased with Jesus.

How you compare me to Jesus. But there was another

person that pleased God that was mentioned in the Bible.

Do you all know who he is? A clue? Is

this guy never died anyone? Okay? Hebrews eleven.

It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to

heaven without dying. He disappeared because God took him before

he was taken up.

He was known as a person who pleased God.

It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who

wants to come to him must believe that God exists

and he rewards those who sincerely seek him. And then

in Genesis fIF Enoch lived three hundred and six sixty

five years. This is not three hundred and sixty five days.

Three hundred and sixty five days means one year old.

He's three hundred and sixty five years old walking in

close fellowship with God. That was why God was pleased

with him. He walked in close fellowship with God. Then

one day he disappeared because God. To Kim, so that

is the goal of discipleship, the goal of discipleship is

to please God.

Right, So that's that was actually my first point. What

is Jesus' goal?

Okay, so my second point probably XTV can help me

jump to slight thirteen. Slight thirteen. So how should we live?

We should live fully p easing to him. This is

not easy. And so I give you an example. Right

if you say that, hey, uh, am I supposed to

take this job?

Or not? Am I supposed to? Uh?

There's an example when it's talking to some of the teens.

They were saying, hey, can vapor not?

Can vap not?

The Bible say cannot wap one? No, hey, the Bible

didn't say cannot. Wait, it's like vaping didn't exist. Then

of course it's not in the Bible, you know. Or

during the when we're doing the teens small group, one

of them asked me, Hey, so can take can do

tattoo or not?

Then I drove back to the question the.

Dumbla because the they're asking, so, what do you think

you can do tattoo? O?

No?

Then say, but the tattoo is I love Jesus, you know,

or Jesus rock or whatever it is?

So ken cannot then I said.

Then I turned to their parent, the parents nearby, Hey,

your daughter is asking me they can that?

Do not? So what do you think? So?

The parents said, after we are after you turn eighteen,

then we talk about it. Now you're eighteen, you're under

my roof. Then you follow my rules. No, but these

kind of questions is like can or cannot?

Can or cannot?

But what if we change the question too? Does this

please God or not? Then right, it will not be

a cannot cannot? How much is too much?

You know, like.

When we do campus ministry and you're talking about BGR

boygirl relationship. He can hold had not can touch holder

not can Then it goes they're trying to see how

close you can get to the line, you know. But

then it's if you ask that kind of questions, it's

it's more in terms of what can I get away with?

Instead of am I doing this to Is what am

I doing pleasing to God? That is a good way

to ask you a question. Should I take this job

or not? Is this job pleasing to God? Should I

How should I handle this business transaction?

You know?

Am I doing what is pleasing to God? Am I

being kind to this person although this person has wronged me?

Is my action pleasing to God? That's a very good

way to gauge. So I share with you an example

in my life. So when I was preparing this, I

was actually this sermon I prepared earlier this year, earlier

this year. So at that time, right when I was

preparing this, and I was asking, Okay, so God, how

can I live my life pleasing to you? So at

that time, we were all having our performance appraisal, performance evaluation. Okay,

So I came to my turn. Then I had lunch

with my boss. Then she told me my rating, you know,

and when she told me my rating, I was a

bit disappointed because it wasn't what I expected it to be.

Then she tried to justify and say that, hey, you know,

I know you did a good job. You have all

these recommendations, but we have this bell curve. Have you

all heard a bell curve, the dreaded bell curve? Right,

If you have not heard of bell curve, you are

living the good life. But if you are, if you

are heard of bell curve, if you're not heard of

bell curve, let me introduce it to you.

So bell curve, it's a bell, It's a shape of

a bell. Okay.

Majority of the people will be in the middle of

the bell, okay, and that's why I sat. Very few

people will be high performer and unfortunately, there will also

be a group of people who will be rated low

performers because this is just how they want to falst

fit everyone into the bell curve.

Okay.

So although I felt that I did a good job,

I hit my targets, but she said, unfortunately, this is

this is the rating. So I was like, then I

think she was waiting for me to like to like

react react, But I chose to respond because I was like, okay,

I'm going to preach on pleasing God. So I was like,

I said that, okay, all right, so this is the rating. Okay,

I accept it. I mean, you can't really change it. Honestly,

I tell you, you can't change you. Okay, there's no negotiation.

All right, it's already confirmbunt. So how you how you

respond and react at that time will show your character.

So I decided, hey, I want to choose the right

way to respond. How do I response? I said, Okay,

I accepted. Of course I'm a bit disappointed, but okay,

what can I do to improve or do better?

You know? And I just took it and that's about it.

And then I continued delivering as what I want I.

Needed to deliver.

So I did not allow that rating to affect my

quality of work, you know, because a lot of times, right,

I have seen where a lot of my colleagues, if

they so the bell curs, right, is, sometimes they will

rotate one one year, you're good, this year. Sorry that

you have to take the you have to it's your

tend to get it, you know, and then when you

see that, right, these people will get really disappointed, upset,

and then the attitude towards work changes and they start

being very critical and very territorial. I will only do this.

Anything else is not part of my job. But I decided, Okay,

I'm just going to do what pleases God. Man may

have me this, but I know whatever I'm doing, and

I'm doing until God. So just this past mid year,

mid year or so, we have another half year checkpoint, right,

So then the rating came back and my boss put

there that, hey, thank you for stepping up for taking

covering for a lot of your colleagues during this time

and stuff like that. So I'm like, Okay, no problem,

because that's what I want to do, regardless of how

you rate me, because I am working. God is my CEO,

you know, and that's what I decided. So it is

very easy to do what pleases God when things go right,

But if things go wrong, will you still do what

pleases God? For example, Daniel, he did what was right.

He was thrown into the lions. Then I don't think

that's very fairly, but that's life. But he still chose

to do what pleases God. Shattered Michek Emerding goal. They

choose to do what pleases God. They were thrown into

the burning furness, but they still chose to do what

pleases God. And those are what God calls as disciples. Right,

So there is a scripture next, so Matthew twenty five.

So I think this we are quite familiar with this parable,

parable of the talents. So again, the Kingdom of Heaven

can be illustrated by the story of a man going

on a long trip. He called together his servants and

entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He

gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of

silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last,

dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left

on his trip.

Okay, So when I was when I read this.

Long time ago, right, I'm like, hey, this doesn't seem

very fair, because if you're saying that all of us

are given different abilities, some people are given more abilities,

some people given less abilities.

Why is that so?

Because God, you create, You are the one that created

all of us. You know, I had those kind of questions.

But then as I was preparing this, I think God

revealed to me a different perspective. So the perspective that

he revealed to me is that, hey, yes, God created

all of us, but who do you think was closest

to him out of this tree servants? Who do you

think was closest to him? So then when God sort

of revealed it to me, he's like the one with

the five talents. Because the one with the five talents

works closely with the Master. He knows exactly what the

Master wants, he can deliver, and because he delivers, he's

always He's always given more. His ability increases because he

follows exactly what the Master tells him to do. Because

of that, his ability develops even more. He's entrusted to

even more, and because of that he can deliver even more.

And God continuously blesses him even more. And the person

with three talents God still blesses, but probably might not

be as close. He delivers, but maybe not as much

as the first. But God is a good God. He

does not force. You know, it is up to us

how close we want to draw near to him, how

much are we willing to do what pleases him. If

we are willing to go all the way, he will

go all the way. He's able to give us more

than what we can handle. So I guess there's a

There's another story that happened recently.

This was in clang So. In ex clang.

So, one of our homie she works as insurance agent.

Okay, she she is doing very well.

She she has a cancer survivor and she has brought

so many people to christ. Uh and on top of that,

she is doing very well in her job. You know,

she's doing very well in her job. And then recently

she was sharing with me because we work in the

same company. I'm doing markeating, She's doing the sales STA,

so she's sharing me. She lost she lost a deal

which cost her a lot. Somebody even and poached it,

like undermined her, you know, and then she lost it,

but she said, I'm still going to give God my best. Okay,

so she continued, and you know what she actually the

company was having a lucky draw, you know, she won

a tesla.

She like texted me, it isn't I want a tesla?

Like what in the world, you know?

But the thing is right, more is given to more,

that to the one who God can trust because right

with that car, right, you know what she did. Her

influence grew. She is bringing ten of her non Christian

colleagues for our homes carry Island.

Ron Ashley trip.

So because she is the salt and light in the marketplace,

she's doing so well. She's like, Hey, I can bring

her ten people extra to carry Alan. I'm like, I

think that's more than the kids. But maybe Kena, you know.

But you see, God is able to.

Her.

Life is a testimony of testament of someone that is

living to please God and because of God was able

to give the increase because he knows he can trust

her with that if you know, Like for if a

kid gets a driving license at seventeen, seventeen years old,

gets a driving license, first car you buy him Ferrari's what.

Do you think will happen? Do you think you love

the kid or you hate the kid?

Because most likely the kid cannot handle that car, and

that car will be the destruction of him. So the

closer you are to God, the more he builds your abilities,

the more he will.

Entrust with you.

But it all starts with the detail desire of wanting

to please him. So the next line, the Master was

full of praise. Well done, my good and faithful servant,

You have been faithful in handling this small amount. So

now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together.

Can you imagine if this was God speaking to you,

Well done, you are good and you are faithful. That's

what it is to be a disciple. When we live

to please God, God will look at us and say,

well done, my good and faithful seven. All right, And

my last point is this, when we please God, we

bear fruit. So when we please God, we bear fruit,

just like how the tree servants. You know, they bear

fruit because they did what the Master told them. They

followed exactly, and God brought in the increase.

So let me.

See the few verses, so collisions one. So we have

not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you.

We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his

will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then

the way you live will always honor and please the Lord,

and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit.

All the while you will grow as you learn to

know God better and better.

So see it's very clear.

The way you live will always honor and please God,

and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit.

Do you know that.

Have you tried to create fruit on your own? You can't, right,

The only thing you can do is plant the seed.

You cannot bring forth growth. Only God can bring forth growth.

But we have to plant the seed. We have to

plant the seed of a my life.

I am dying, you know.

Unless a seed falls to the ground and dies, it

will not bear much fruit. And that's our lives. If

our lives, we are living it for ourselves. We are

not dying to self. Then God cannot bring forth the growth.

But we have to say that God, I'm going to

live for you, honor you. Then God will bring forth

the growth.

Right and Matthew chapter six.

So don't worry about these things, saying what we will eat,

or what we will drink, what we will wear. These

things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers. But your heavenly Father

already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God

above all else, and live righteously, and he will give

you everything you need. Living righteously means living as how

God intended you to live, living right with God, and

that is living to please God. Okay, And even as

I draw towards the close, I just wanted to share

this other story. So there's this prominent pastor in us.

So he was led to write a book. God asked

him to write a book. So he wanted to write

a book. But you know, to write a book, you're

probably writing a book is it's a lot of work,

you know, you have to you have to give up

a lot of time, effort, and stuff like that. So

when he wanted to write a book, a Christian publishing

company approached him and say that, hey, why don't you

sign with us? Will sign with us and then we

will pay you to write this book. So it sounded

like a good deal. But he felt led that, Hey,

I've been called to write this book, but I want

to give this book away for free. God led him

to do that, you know, but if he signs for

the Christian book publisher, he can't give the book out

for free. You know, it has to be sold. So

he prayed and asked God, God, what should I do?

Should I sign with the Christian book publisher or should

I just publish it independently?

You know?

And God replied to him, I'm paraphrasing. God replied to him,

I'm okay either way. I'm okay either way. You know,

it's whatever you choose, God is okay with it. You know,

how would we respond in this situation if you pray

to God and God you just feel that He actually anyway,

or so you feel the peace, you know to go,

how would you respond?

You know how? This pastors on it.

This parcel told replied to God and said, God, I

know you're okay with it, but what pleases you? And

that was a different question, what pleases you? And God said, okay,

if you want to do what pleases me, then don't

sign with the Christian publisher.

Again, is it wrong to sign with the Christian publisher?

He's not wrong. It's not wrong.

God can God works either way. We can't restrict God's

hand on but if he signs, if he doesn't sign

with a Christian publisher, means he won't get the money

and then he will have to fuck out a lot

of money to develop the book, pay for himself, and

then publish it independently. But he said, God, if this

is what pleases you, then this is what I'll do.

So he did that.

Two days later, he received a check in the mail

for forty thousand from somebody from a different country who

says God has led me to bless you with this.

And when he received it, God spoke to him and

said that you see, if you signed with the Christian Publisher,

then you would have to work it out. You have

to put in your own effort and deliver it, you know,

because you are indebted. But now I am providing for

your need. So you can do what I have called

you to do. Don't worry about your needs. If you

do what pleases me, I will provide for your needs.

And that is exactly what this scripture is. Seek first

the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously

and he will give you every time that you need.

So even as I draw to close, get the band up.

So what is the goal of discipleship is to live

pleasing God, because that's how Jesus led his life, you know,

Jesus on the cross. Jesus, before he went to the

cross in the garden of Gethsemany, he says, Father, if

you can remove this cup from me, please do so,

but if not, he will go through with it. And

he still chose to do what pleases God although he

knew what was at stake, and because of that God

honored him and said, this is my beloved son in

whom I am well pleased. It's not about what we do,

but it's about the relationship we.

Have with God.

When we have that relationship with God and we say, God,

whatever it is, I want to do what pleases you,

we can't go wrong.

Man.

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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