Disciple Goals | Jason Martin

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

We hope this message will light up your day.

How many of us have set New Year resolution for

twenty twenty five? Anyone set New Year resolution for twenty

twenty five? How many of y'all are on track on

track to achieving your twenty twenty five goals? Wow? Slightly?

Slightly is okay? Okay? So how many are probably left

your twenty twenty five goals at Chinese New Year? All right?

Sometimes right when we set goals, setting goals is good.

We set goals because we want to achieve something. But

why is it very difficult to achieve our goals? Why

is it very difficult to achieve our goals us? So,

for example, some of us set goals to lose weight.

You want to lose weight? Okay, you say that, Hey,

I want to lose weight, and so I want to

set goals. What are some ways you can lose weight?

Eating less anything, cardio, anything else, diet, fainting anything else, discipline,

But you know you can also lose weight by you know,

there's some people who are aneroxic, So you know it's

aneroxic that after they eat, they threw up that's all.

You can lose weight. So when you set your goals,

and if your goal is purely to achieve something, there

are a couple of weight in which you can achieve them.

One way is the good way. The good way is

you diet, you exercise, you eat well, and then you

lose weight. The bad way is now, there's a new

drug called ozembic. Have you heard of ozembic. It's quite

a popular drug now in US. Okay, So people take ozembic.

So what it causes them to do. It causes them

to lose their appetite. Because they lose their appetite, they

eat less because they eat less, then they lose weight.

Did they achieve their goal? Yes? But are they healthier?

So a person who is healthier would eventually lose weight,

But a person who has lost weight is not necessary healthier.

Right.

And another example is maybe how many of us say,

I want to read the entire Bible in a year?

How many had this goal before? I want to read

the entire Bible in the year? Okay? How many of

you all thought it's very easy? Is it easy? Once

you reach Levetticus, I tell you, And they talk about

all the different ways to sacrifice and blood offering and

all the different kinds of offerings. You get lost, you know.

So we set the goal to say, hey, I want

to read the Bible in one year. It's a good goal.

It's it a good goal. Of course, it's a good goal.

But sometimes it's very difficult to achieve it. But what

if the way we set goals is this way. Instead

of saying I want to read the Bible, this the

entire Bible this year, you set the goal saying I

am a person who delights in God's word. Wow. So

it's not about achieving something, but it's about becoming something.

You become a person that loves God's word. So you

know you have the U version app. How many you

have the U version app? You know you have the

Bible streak, and you have the streak there right, So

I was doing the Bible app and I have the

street there.

Wow.

The street reached like forty something days non stop reading

the Bible app. And then there was one day I

was reading my Bible offl like okay. Then suddenly I

missed the streak. So next day I launched my app.

It went down to zero. I was like, man, I

feel like giving up already because my goal was the streak.

My goal was not that I wanted to become a

person that loves God's word. Okay. Another example is, hey,

I want to pray for an hour every day. How

many of y'all think it's a good goal? Is it

a good goal? I want to pray for an hour

every day? Okay? Is it easy? No? But what if

you become a person who wants to constantly connect to God?

So when you say that, hey, I want to be

a person that constantly connects to God, you're not focused

on the one hour. You constantly connected to God. Meaning

when you're in the traffic jam, you pray. When you're

at work, you're praying, after work, you're praying, when you're

looking for a parking spot. You're praying. And that is

becoming who God wants us to be, instead of achieving

a goal itself. Another one is, hey, I want to

memorize ten verses of Scripture a month. Also a very

good goal, But why why do you want to memorize

ten verses of Scripture a month? Instead of setting that

as a goal, why don't we become a person who

treasures God's word in our heart? Suddenly it becomes easier.

It's like, hey, I want to treasure God's word in

my heart. I believe his word is important. It gives

me life, so I want to learn more and more

about him. Maybe another one like for uh parents? So

this one, this one hit me hard as well a

bit so for parents, our goal usually is I want

to raise well behaved kids who love the Lord. Right,

that might be your goal. I want to raise raise

well behaved kids who love the Lord. How many of

you all think it's a good goal, right? I mean

it's a good goal, right. I want to achieve that.

But then what if we say I want to become

a parent that models faith, integrity, and love and raising

children who know how to follow God. So it's not

about your kid, but it's about you, us becoming who

God wants us to be instead of us achieving a goal. Right,

if we achieve our goals without becoming the person who

God wants us to be, we won't be able to

hold on to it. Okay, So there was this like

there's a lot of us say that, hey, we want

to be a multi millionaire. The goal is to be

a multi millionaire. You know who was the richest man

in the Bible? Who was Solomon? Solomon was the wisest,

he was the richest man in the Bible. But if

that is our goal, Solomon had it all. But do

you know that he still drifted away from God. Another

person Saul, You know, Saul king? Saul is I want

to be a king, I want to be the boss.

He achieved his goal, but he missed God's plan for

his life. So if we focus a lot on our

goal and not on what God has in store for us,

we might achieve the goal but miss the mark. Okay,

So why goals fail? It's because it focuses on what

you need to do instead of becoming who you need

to be. So that speaks to me. Some of my

New Year's resolution goals also fail because I focus on

the goal of what I need to do instead of

becoming who I need to be. So it leads me

to my title. So the sermon title for today is

disciple ship goals. So what is the goal of a disciple?

What is the goal? Wait, don't change first, what is

the goal of a disciple? Can against? Next? Okay? What

is our goal as a disciple of Jesus? You know,

our team is this disciple? First? But why is the

goal anyone be like Jesus? See from the pounds of babes. Correct,

So our goal as a disciple is to be like Jesus. Okay,

So next question, next life? What is Jesus' goal? That's

like going around in the goles? But anyway, what is

Jesus's goal? H No, it's not a wrong answer. You

know some of us might have answer this. What is

Jesus's goal? Because if our goal as a disciple is

to become more like Jesus, then what was Jesus's goal?

Die on the cross? Okay? Dying on the cross is

an action, is an action, like how we say that, hey,

I want to lose weight. Losing weight is an action.

Dying on the cross was an action? Any other thoughts?

What was Jesus' goal? Okay, pay off the debt? Let

me show you next life. So this is John chapter six.

For I have come down from heaven to do the

will of God who sent me, and not to do

my will. So Jesus' goal was to do God's will.

So and if we are to be a disciple of Jesus,

it means we have to do as Jesus did and

do God's will. And this is the will of God,

that I should not lose any even one of those

he has given me, but 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, and I will raise them up

on the last day. That was God's will for Jesus.

So Jesus' goal was to do God's will for him,

and God's will for him was to come down to earth,

to die on the cross, and to save every single one. Okay.

So the question is then we need to find out

right what is God's will for me? Okay. But before

we go into that question, next line 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 here. I do nothing on my own, but

say only what the Father taught me. For the one

who sent me is with me, and he has not

deserted me, for I always do what pleases him. So

Jesus' goal is to do God's will, and Jesus' goal

is to do what pleases God. Okay. And we see

that in Matthew chapter three next. So this was when

Jesus was going to be baptized, so Matthew chapter three says,

but Jesus said it should be done for me. We

must carry out all that God requires, so that John

agreed to baptize him. After his baptism, as Jesus came

out of the water, the heavens were open, and we

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 other versions is this is my beloved son in

whom I am well pleased. So Jesus came to do

God's will and to please God. And you see, when

Jesus was going to be baptized, God said that this

is my son in whom I am well pleased. And

what did Jesus do that God was pleased with him? Obey?

You know at this time, right, Jesus didn't do any

miracle yet. He didn't raise anyone from the dead yet,

he didn't heal any blind person, He didn't make any

leper walk, he didn't feed the five thousand. In fact,

before this we have no idea what Jesus's childhood was like,

except that he got lost when he went to the

temple at twelve years old. I tell you he didn't

get lost, loved the parents lost him. Right. But at

thirty years old, before Jesus did anything, God was already

pleased with him. So it is not about accomplishing anything,

but it is about doing the will of God and

pleasing him. When we do that, God will be pleased

with us. Okay, so there was not Then you say, oh,

Jesus R. Of course Jesus is the son of God.

Of course God is pleased with him. There was another

person in the Bible who God was pleased with. They

all know who is that person. So this person didn't die.

This person didn't die was Enoch, so Hebrews eleven. It

was faith. It was by faith that Enoch was taken

up to Heaven without dying. He disappeared because God took him.

For before he was taken up, he was known as

a person who pleased God. And 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 reading from Genesis chapter five.

Enoch lived for three hundred and sixty five years. Wow,

that's a long time. It's not three hundred and sixty

five days. There's one year old on Na. Okay, three

hundred and sixty five years walking in close fellowship with God.

Then one day he did disappeared because God took him.

So how did enough please God? He walked closely with

God day by day. He walked closely with God day

by day, and because of that he knew God's will

and he did what pleases God. Okay. So the goal

again of discipleship is to please God, to do the

will of God, and to please God. So what happens

when we please God? Next light, This is the second point.

When we please God, we bear fruit. When we please God,

we bear fruit. Okay, all right, So do you know

that God is the one that creates fruit? You know,

if you just say that, hey, I want to create

fruit on my own, it's impossible. God is the one

that will create fruit. So let me give us a

few verses. Okay. So first one Collosians one, verse nine.

So we have not stopped praying for you since we

first heard about you. When 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 of good fruit. All the while you will

grow as you learn to know God better and better. Okay,

So how do you produce fruit? By doing what pleases God.

So when we do what pleases God and we walk

closer to God, the Holy Spirit is working in us

and it changes us to become more and more like Jesus.

It's either you become more and more like Jesus or

you become more and more like the world. If you

become more and more like the world, the fruit that

you are showing is the fruit of the world, and

the fruit of the world if you look at it right,

the world instead of beginning become kinder, it's becoming crueler,

instead of becoming more generous, is becoming more selfish. Instead

of being polite, it's more rude instead of honoring. It

is about tearing people down. And that's the fruit of

the world. But when we walk close to God and

we do his will God, we become more and more

like Jesus because the Holy Spirit is changing us and

because of that we have the fruit of the spirit.

So the Holy Spirit is the one that causes the

fruit of the Spirit to manifest in our lives, to

come out in our lives. What's the fruit of the spirit? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,

and self control. Right are our lives? If somebody were

to evaluate us, do we have this fruit of the spirit.

Because if we are walking close to Jesus and we

are doing what pleases him, all this fruit automatically appears

because Jesus was all of this. So we need to

walk closer to Jesus and do what pleases him, and

the Holy Spirit will cause us to bear fruit. We

can't bear fruit on our own. We need the Holy

Spirit to help us bear fruit. Okay, next light, this

is a very famous verse which we like to quote

a lot of times. Matthew six. So don't worry about

this thing saying what will we eat, what will we drink?

What will we 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. So you say, hey,

if your goal is only to please God, what about

my own goals? What about my own goals? I want

to have six packs. If you walk and please God,

you will say my body is the temple of the

Holy Spirit, and you're taking care of your body. Right.

If you say that you want to please God, how

will you manage your finances? You will invest wisely, you

will give generously, and in turn, God will bless you

even more. So when we set our goals, if our

number one goal is to please God, everything else will

come in line, because God's plans and purposes for us

are even greater than what we could ever plan for ourselves.

So and the next one, do you trom me eleven?

So?

This one is for parents. Again, this also spoke to

me as well. He says, do you trow me eleven?

Twenty eight? Be careful to obey all my commands so

that all will go well with you and your children

after you, because you will be doing what is good

and pleasing to the Lord your God. So when you

please God, God will take care of your children. When

you please God, God will take care of your family.

And when you please God, your children can see how

who you put as priority and they will in turn

follow you. And these are God's promises. God's promises are

always yes and amen. So I wanted to share a story.

So there was this pastor. This pastor, he's a very

prominent pastor in the US. So God gifted him with

the talents of writing and speaking. So he wanted to

publish his own book. I wanted to publish his own book,

and he wanted to do it with a Christian publisher. Okay,

So he and a Christian publisher approached him and said that, hey,

I will sign you this contract. Okay, I will give

you this book deal. All you have to do is

write your book and I will give you upfront payment

of so much money. So this Christian pastor went to

God and said, God, what should I do? Should I

sign with this Christian publisher and not, because as much

as I want my book to be published by a

Christian publisher, I also want my material to be given

out for free. But when I sign up to a

Christian publisher, then I have to sell my books. Right.

So God told him, whatever choice you choose, I'm okay

with it. And then how would we respond? Think about it?

How will we respond when if God tells you you're

given this choice. On one choice, a Christian publisher already

promised you so much money to write your book. On

the other hand, you say that you want to give

it for free. And when you ask God God, God said,

I'm okay with either choice. What would you choose what

this pastor chose? Was that? God? I'm I know you're

okay with it, but what pleases you? Woow what pleases you?

He asked God. God, I'm not happy with just being okay.

I want to do what pleases you. And then God said, okay,

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

sign that book deal. So he actually gave up that

book deal. Again. Was that book deal wrong? It's not wrong.

God was okay with it. Two days later, he received

a check for forty thousand dollars from someone overseas, and

then when he received the check, God told him, because

you do what pleases me, I will provide all your needs.

You don't have to strive for that money. If you

took that money from the Christian publisher, although it's not wrong,

you are committed to that person and you have to deliver.

But when you submit it to God and do what

pleases God. God will provide for your needs. Right, So

that's an example. So let's that's why when Jesus was baptized,

God said this is my son in whom I'm well pleased.

He didn't say this is my son in whom I'm

okay with. Are you okay to be okay with God?

Or do you want God to be pleased with you? Right?

Which leads me to my last point. So my last

point is this, how should we live? We should live

fully pleasing to him. When we choose to live fully

pleasing to him, then you know what's an example it'd be.

For example, it'll be like, hey, should I smoke? You know,

because the Bible they don't say cannot smoke. I think

secrets are not invented at that time anyway, So some

people they will say that, hey, I think God is

okay with smoking, you know all I think God is

okay with me with alcohol or with vaping or with

anything else. But that is not the right question. The

question we should ask is is God pleased with it?

If you really want to know what God things, then

ask is God pleased with it? Should I take this

job or that job? God? What pleases you? Should I

serve or not because I don't have any more time?

What pleases you God? When you ask that question, then

all the excuses following, Then we know that what is

important to God, and then he will open the flood

gates of heaven. He will bless us abundantly. So next light,

I give you an example. So Matthew twenty five, I

think we know this parable of the talents. Okay, 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 proportions to their abilities.

He then left on his trip. Okay, let's stop here first. Okay,

so we know this story and we know that so

last time, when I was reading this story, right, it's like, God,

how come you're not being very fair? You give five

to one, two to one, and one to one, and

you said you're giving it based on their ability. But

even as I was preparing this, I feel God revealed

to me, is this all three servants served the same master.

But which servant do you think was most pleasing to

the master? We servant do you think walked closest to

the master? Yep, the first one, the first servant. Because

he walked closer to the master, his ability increased. Because

his ability increased, God was able to the Master was

able to give him more. So the first servant walked

closer to the master, he did what pleased the master,

and in return, and his ability increased. When his ability increased,

the Master then entrusted him with more. 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. So think about it. Do you think this

master told this servant, well done, my good and faithful servant.

The Master was well pleased with this servant because this

servant walked close to the master, understood what the master required,

did what the master required, and in return, the Master

was pleased with him. So Church this morning, even as

I draw towards the close, as I was sharing this right,

I also let me share a short story of mine

as well. So as I was preparing for this sermon,

I was preparing about how am I going to please God?

Because for me it was quite a revelation saying that

whatever you do, does it please God? So last week

I had my performance evaluation. Okay, I had my performance

evaluation last I think it was just on Monday, just

a few days ago. Oney, So when I had the

performance evaluation, so I went for lunch with my bos

and then cut the long story shots. I did not

get the evaluation that I was hoping for, you know.

And then so she was saying, oh, because there's the

bell curve. You know, you have a bell curve. For

those of yours who are not familiar with a well curve,

thank god you don't have to you're not familiar with it.

But for those of us in the corporate, what does

a bell curve mean? So, a bell curve means that

no matter how good some people are, there will always

be some people who will be forced into the lower quadron,

and there will always be some majority will be in

the middle, and very very very few will be at

the top. This is a bell curve, So a boss it,

you know, because of the bell curve, I fought for you.

I was trying to justify and all this, but unfortunately

this was your rating. So how do I feel? Of

course I felt down. I was disappointed. But at that point,

because I was preparing for this sermon, I was saying,

what would please God in this moment? What would please

God in this moment? Because if not right, I can

just go and argue with my bosler. You know how

much I've done. You know I've done all this, you know,

And then I go also argue with God. God, I'm

serving you, I've done everything. But then you see you

don't come true for me. But I told myself, God,

you are in control. I serve you, and I want

to do what pleases you. So at this point of time,

you direct my path. So I told myself, Okay, I'll

do what pleases God. I will take this graciously. I'll

say that, Okay, what do you need me to do better?

Or how can I improve? And at the same time,

I told myself, I'm not going to carry these emotions

home because when you get this kind of thing right,

it's a whole year of work. You've done a whole

year of work, and it comes down to that fifteen

minutes that somebody evaluates you and tells you whether you've

done a good job or not. But I told myself, God,

I know what I've done. I've given you my best,

and I will do what pleases you. So I told myself, Hey,

I'm not going to go home and take it out

on my kids or my wife. So when I went home,

that's why I told Jess, Okay, this is what happened.

But I told myself, I'm not going to I'm not

going to give in to it. And if you want

to look for the testimony of what happened after that,

there's nothing. It's a journey because it's easy to please

God when things go right, But what happens when things

don't go your way? Would you still walk in a

way that is pleasing to God? And I've told myself that, Hey,

no matter what man may say, God, I will still

do what pleases you. Man. So even as I get

the band up the last light. So what is the

goal as a disciple of Jesus? The goal as a

disciple of Jesus is to live to please God. When

you live to please God, he will supply all your

needs according to riches in glory. And He's at the

end of it, he will say, well done, my good

and faithful servant. So let's not just be too hung

up by what the world deems a success, but let's

shoot towards the goal of pleasing God in everything that

we do. Man, let's just rise even as we seek God.

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

information on our church, please visit as Church do RG.

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