Discipleship-Going Deeper | Dr Jill

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

We hope this message will light up your day. So

today's message is from the angle of going deeper as

a disciple of Christ. Yeah, the last time I ap

preached here, I felt like it was a while ago,

because I mean sent to different places. I remember talking

about how as a disciple of Christ, one way of

going deeper is to let Him manage our fears because

we all have different fears in life, young or old,

we all have our own fears, and one of the

key areas that God wants to transform in our lives

as his disciple is to set us free from our

a spirit of fear. Okay, So I talked about that

the last time, So today I'm going to touch on

an angle which is also still about going deeper in

disciples with Christ. Okay, now let's move on today. I

have three points, and so this is point number one.

But I won't sort of like release the point yet,

So just flow with me. Today We're gonna read quite

a bit of God's word and then draw out the

learning points from God's word. Yeah, so today's message will

be more of like a Bible exposition style for those

of you who are yeah, you know, Bible scholars, Yeah, yes, okay,

all right, so we're gonna read the Word of God

and see what he wants us to draw from there. Okay.

So does everybody have your Bible with you? Yes? Okay,

give me a wave if you have your Bible, yeah, okay,

give it a wave, all right, lovely? Okay, cool. Now

let's all turn to the Book of X chapter nine,

Book of X, chapter nine, and we are going to

zoom into Versus thirty six to forty two Acts Chapter nine,

thirty six to forty two. Okay, are we there yet? Yes? Okay,

So allow me to read this portion of scripture out

for us. Verse thirty six. Now there was in Joppa

a disciple named Tembita, which translated means Dorcas. She was

full of good works and acts of charity. Wow. Do

you know someone like a Dorcas in our church? Full

of good works, always helping you and someone else? Verse

thirty seven. In those days she became ill and died. Wow,

quite drastic, right. And when they had washed her, they

laid her in an upper room Verse thirty eight. Since

Lyda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there,

sent two men to him, urging him, please come to

us without delay verse thirty nine. So Peter rose and

went with them, And when he arrived, they took him

to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him,

weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made

while she was with them verse forty But Peter put

them all outside and knelt down and prayed, and turning

to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise, and she opened

her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up

verse forty one, and he gave her his hand and

raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he

presented her alive verse forty two. And it became known

throughout all Jopa and many believed in the Lord Amen. Amen.

So in this portion of scripture we read that Peter,

which was one of Jesus's disciples, was also called to

raise someone from the dead, and by following in the

footsteps of Jesus and having faith, he raised that woman

from the dead, doctor or Tabitha. Right. So this is

a summary of this portion. Now I'd like us to

turn to the Book of Mark. Okay, let's go two

books back and let's go to the Book of Mark

chapter five, Mark chapter five. Are we there yet? Yes? Okay,

So Mark chapter five, I want you to run your

fingers and eyes all the way down to verse twenty

two until twenty four. First, okay, verse twenty two to

twenty four. Okay, So in verse twenty two, it's written,

Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Gyrus

by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet

and implored him earnestly, saying, my little daughter is at

the point of death. Come and lay your hands on

her so that she may be made well and live.

And he went with them. Okay. So here Gyrus's daughter

was very sick, probably dying, and he asked Jesus to

come with him to heal her before she died. Okay.

Now let's go down to verse thirty five of the

same chapter. While so okay, before we read the verse.

So what happened was after Gyros called on Jesus to

heal his daughter that was very sick and dying, a

lot of things happened in between. So after Gyros called

on Jesus, there was a woman with the issue of

blood that was bleeding for twelve years, and Jesus encountered her,

and Jesus healed her. So that big healing drama happened

while he was on the way to Gyrus's house. Okay,

so now he has reached Gyrous's house. Okay, almost there.

Let's look at verse thirty five. While he was still speaking,

there came from the ruler's house some who said, your

daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further verse

thirty six. But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to

the ruler of the synagogue, do not fear, only believe.

While again, I mean, the crux of today's message is

not talking about fear. But Jesus knows that we humans

are so prone to fear. So many times he reminds

his disciples and reminds us, do not fear, but only believe. Carrie,

do not fear, but only believe. Amen. Bammies, do not fear,

but only believe. Ninya, do not fear, but only believe. Right.

He didn't do not fear but only believe, Jill, do

not fear but only believe, Amen, and verse thirty seven.

And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter

and James and John the brother of James verse thirty eight.

They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue,

and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly.

And when he had entered, he said to them, why

are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is

not dead but sleepy. And they laughed at him. But

he put them all outside and took the child's father

and mother and those who were with him, Yeah, Peter,

James and John right, and went in where the child

was verse forty one. Taking her by the hand, he

said to her, Talita to me, which means little girl,

I say to you, arise verse forty two. And immediately

the girl got up and began walking, for she was

twelve years of age. And they were immediately overcome with amazement. Amen.

So here we read of how Jesus was called to

heal and to raise a girl that was sick, and

then she finally died. Now, if it's possible, I want

you one finger to be at X chapter nine and

the other finger you are at Mark chapter five. Can

you do that? And that's why it helps to have

a physical Bible, because physical Bible you can do an

e Bible. I'm not sure how you can split the screen. Okay, Hey,

I really want to encourage us, right, Church, I'm going

to sidetrack a bit to really really invest in and

take pride in a physical Bible, because not only can

you be in two places at one time, ah, but

I tell you I personally, naturally, I think the likelihood

of God speaking to us by just us opening up

to a particular portion of scripture is higher with a

physical Bible than an e Bible. Okay, why I can

say so? Just two days ago on my birthday, that morning,

before I read all the different messages from different ones

of you, I told myself, I want to read God's

what zcept to me first? Ah. So I started my

day not by checking my phone, but I checked my

Bible and I say, God, what is your birthday message

or wish for me today? And then I just turned

one time and then God brought me to Isaiah for

the tree, which was his birthday message and wish for me,

and I read it out over my life and even

I kid you not. Yesterday when I was preparing for

today's word, I said, God, what do you want me

to speak to your people? You know what your people

are going through You love them, you have a way

forward for them. I turned one time, and straight away

I found what I was supposed to look for for youall.

And so really, really I want to encourage you. I

want to challenge you. You know, really, let's get back

to reading our physical Bible, because you know amazing how

God can sally just cause you to open one time,

and that is what He wants to speak to you. Digital.

I think it's a bit harder because how are you

going to randomly just scroll until the right place? Right? Not? Try? Not? Yeah,

So I want to encourage you. Let's get back to

our physical Bible because it's a powerful way that God

speaks to us, even by the turning of pages. Okay,

all right, that was ever disimond Now come back. There

was ever dismand for the word of God, now come back. Okay.

So one finger at X chapter nine, one finger at

mark chapter five. Okay, next line, Let's do a analysis

or comparison of both portions. Uh, because both Peter and

Jesus also raised the date. Let's look what is similar

or what is different? But today I want to capitalize.

I want to focus on the similarities. Okay, so let's

see what is the first Wait, I don't reveal that, Okay, Okay,

this is answer. Okay, I mean first one. Okay, So

the first similarity between both Peter and Jesus. In the

case of Peter, a woman by the name of Tabitha

or Dorcas had died. In the case of Jesus, a

young girl her name was not disclosed, had died. So

that is one seemilarity. Now can someone tell me, just

reading the passages chronologically, what is another similarity that you spot?

It's not spot. The difference is spot the same Now

they chase the people away. Yes, you're right, Valerie, Yeah,

truly a lawyer can remember. Wow with not flipping can

remember who? Yeah, it's true. Okay, who hold that first?

So I would reveal some more points later. But I

agree with what Valerie shared that both Peter and Jesus

they should the people away right in the world of

God is written they put them all outside. Yeah, okay,

what other similarities? Maybe from this center area someone shouted

out for me, brought by someone very good, Darren. Yes,

in both stories Jesus and Peter, they were brought by someone.

Someone actually had to go and call them and they

went right. Okay, very good, Thank you, Darren. Okay, how

about this side one similarity that you spot between both passages.

They both called them to a rise. That's right, excellent,

Thank you, Christine. Both Peter and Jesus said to the

woman and little girl, arise right, okay, very good. Now

I'm looking for one more one more point, one more point.

That's similar, at least at least one more point. Very good,

Thank you, teacher Kathy. That's why she's teacher Kathy. Excellent.

There was the answer, the final answer I was looking for.

That both of them actually handed their hands to the

woman and the girl, yes, and pulled them up. Okay,

let's reveal all the answers. Okay, so one by one.

The next line, Okay, hold first. Yeah, So in both

stories there were there were ladies who died, okay. And

in both stories they were called to come to the

ladies who had died, and thankfully Peter and Jesus went.

They didn't refuse the call. Next, both stories, Peter and

Jesus put the people outside. They shoot them in the

words of very yeah, they put them outside because sometimes

the voices of people can distract us. Do are you

having any voices of people in your lives that are

distracting you from your breakthrough with God? Do you have

people laughing at you? Like how some laugh at Jesus?

Are you having some people who are crying with you?

Crying seems like the right response, but even the wailing

can drown out what God, God wants to say to

us and do in our lives. So imagine yourself like, yeah,

are you? Are you? Is there someone in your life

or a group of people that is whose voices are

distracting you from your breakthrough in God. They could be

laughing at you, they could be crying with you, They

could be giving you a lot of good advice, but

it's all distracting you from what God wants to say

and do. Put them outside for a while, Okay, so

that you can meet with God face to face and

receive your breakthrough. Right? Okay? Next? Yes, So Peter said

Tabitha or dogcas arise, and he gave her his hand

right and Jesus, he put his hand on the little

girl and said, little girl, arise Talita to me. Can

you see the similarity. Both laid hands, both prophesies over

the date, and finally, both raised the date up more

similarities than differences in both these accounts. Wait, hold on,

well yet, Yeah, And so I read this during our

forty day fast and prayer that we did recently, and

God really spoke to me through this passage because when

I read about Peter raising doctors, I mean, I've read

this portion of scripture quite a number of times, but

it was in the recent time that the Holy Spirit

reminded me that, hey, Jesus did exactly the same before this,

and so I decided to go back and study it.

And today I wanted to share this with you that

this is an example, a living example of discipleship. Everyone

say discipleship. We know that Jesus is the discipler, the master,

and we know Peter is his follower, his disciple. Can

you see that the disciple follows the discipler. Remember early

on I highlighted to you, right that Jesus only allowed

three of his disciples to follow him into the room

where the girl had died. Who are they? Peter, James John.

So Peter was there firsthand experiencing how Jesus raised the

girl from dad. And I don't think, honestly like he

would have you know, had time to really take all

the notes or how did Jesus do it? How did

he do that? But because he was there to witness

and experience, it really went deep into his life. And

I don't think any of us will ask God, God,

give me someone date to raise? How many of us here, Well,

we have such great favor and you're fearless, and we

say God, in my journey of life and serving, you

give me someone date to raise. I wouldn't ask for that,

and I don't think Peter will ask for that. Okay,

he probably didn't expect that one day he would have

to raise someone from the date. But thankfully he had

been with Jesus, so I'm sure by the time his

time came to raise someone from the date, he was like,

oh man, this is a crazy, impossible situation, nothing anyone

will ask for. But because I saw my master raise

someone from the date, Okay, let me recall what did

my master do? What did Jesus do? And he follows

step by step. He remembered, oh, when Jesus received the

news that the girl had died, he dropped everything and went, Okay,

I'm going to do the same. Then he remembered, okay,

when he reached the place, got all kinds of voices,

happy voices, not happy voices, sneering voices, crying voices, voices

of good advice, tons of voices. What did Jesus do?

He put them all outside? Okay, I'm going to put

all of them outside as well. And then okay, what else?

Now that I met this, this girl's bits like, what

else did my master do? Oh? I remember he put

his hand and he prophesied over the day to a rise. Okay,

I'm going to try the same. I'm going to try

the same. And up to this point, Lord, I don't

fully know whether this will work, but because I seen

my Master do it, I'm just going to do it anyway.

Because I see my Master do it, I'm just going

to do anyway. The outcome is in your hands, God.

I'm just going to follow the example and the pattern

shown by my discipler. The fruit and the power will

come from you. And then, okay, God, let's see if

this works or not. And then it worked. It worked. Wow,

following what my master did works? It works. Wow. Can

you imagine, Peter, what a moment if I was Peter Man,

I think my spirit will jump out to heaven and

come down again because like man, it works, it works,

it works, yes, And then you know, later on we

read Paul also raising someone from the date. In the

world of God, very few people actually raise others from

the dad. Elijah is another one otherwise, right, very few

men of God have raised someone from the dead. It

is like the ultimate miracle to raise someone from the

date and to be raised from the date. I know

we've spoken before. No other God has been raised from

the date except our Lord. Overcoming death is like the miracle.

Not even healing of cancer or sally, you know, clearing

of death, all those are big miracles, but really overcoming

death is like the biggest miracle you can experience in life.

And so this is what discipleship is all about, you know,

having that example or pattern to follow after and trying

it out and seeing that it works, that it works. Amen.

You know in homes. How many of you are in

homes the last week? This week, Yeah, we learned about

discipleship is about learning the better way, the better way

to live life. And here Jesus showed the better way

to raise someone from the dead, and Peter learned and

followed and tried it out, and he to experience the

better way. And so this one angle of discipleship right,

and we'll go to the next point. So Peter followed

Jesus fully in pattern or another word for pattern is

example and fully in faith. Pattern or example can also

be works. So Peter followed Jesus fully in works and

in faith. And that's what discipleship is about. We don't

just follow in faith, but we follow in works. We

don't just follow in works, but we follow in faith

because to God we need both. Faith without works is

did right. But the key word here is fully. It's

not even the pattern of faith, it is fully. Peter

followed Jesus fully in pattern slash examples, slash works and

in faith, and discipleship is about us growing. Maybe not

there yet, but we are growing to follow our disciple,

who is the man or woman that God has put

over our lives in this church in this time and season,

and we want to grow to follow them fully in pattern.

So the pattern here is the DNA that God has

given our church that is based on His word and

Holy Spirit leading and in faith. And so when we

do this I puship here in ex church, we are

encouraging you to follow the discipler that God has put

in your lives in both the ex church DNA that

is based on the Word of God, inspired by the

Holy Spirit. It's not some serum teaching. It is founded

on the Word of God. It is inspired by the

Holy Spirit. And we also encourage you to follow your

discipler in faith. So how does your discipler live out

their lives, not just in church, but out of church,

not just on Sundays, but from them Mondays to Saturdays.

Do life with your discipler. Observe how they live their lives.

Learn from them, and learn what is the example or

pattern of their lives, and catch their faith level as well,

because one day you will be put to the test

in your own life, and I pray that you will

recall how your discipler set an example through the pattern

of their lives and how their faith rose up in

that situation or challenge. All right, Okay, so this is

one thought that I want to leave with you. Discipleship

is about us growing to follow our discipler fully in pattern,

not not when we say pattern is not like the

way you look or the way you talk that but

really it's in the DNA that God has given ex church,

based on the World of God, based on the Holy Spirit,

and in faith as well. Amen. Amen. Okay, Now we

want to go on to the second point. Okay, yeah,

we're going to the second point number two. Yes, okay,

second point. Now, did you know that Jesus wasn't just

a master, but he was also a follower. Jesus didn't

just make disciples, but Jesus actually was someone else's disciple too.

Did you know that. Let's turn two before we put

a slide. Let's turn to John chapter four, verse nineteen

to twenty one. John chapter four, verse nineteen to twenty one.

And this was the portion of scripture that yesterday I

turned one time and got straight away brought me to

this portion. I was searching for X chapter nine and

Mark chapter five, but I wasn't searching for John chapter four.

But at one turn, straight away my eyes caught this portion,

and I knew for sure, this is what God wants

to speak to us. Okay, John chapter four, verse nineteen

to twenty one. Okay, I'm going to read it for us.

So Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you,

the son can do nothing of his own accord, but

only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the

Father does, that the son does likewise, For the Father

loves the son and shows him all that he himself

is doing. And greater works than this will he show him,

so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises

the dead and gives them life, so also the son

gives life to whom he will amen. And so from

here we learn that whatever Jesus did, he did it

because he saw Father God do it. Whatever Jesus did,

he saw Father God do it. This tells us that

Jesus followed Father God. Jesus is actually Father God's number

one disciple, because this scripture says, whatever God the Father does,

Jesus got the son follows. He doesn't do anything out

of himself, but he imitates what Father God does. Oh sorry,

sorry John, Oh John chapter five. Sorry, I'm so sorry.

Please forgive me, thank you, Olivia, Yes, John chapter five,

verse nineteen to twenty one, type O there, please forgive

me okay John, chapter five, thank you, Yes. And so

here it shows us that really even Jesus himself is

a disciple. He doesn't just ask us to be his

disciples or make disciples, but he himself lifted out. He

is Father God's disciple son. But disciple means he follows

whatever Father God does, he also does the same. And

so we too should also have that same humble spirit

to follow after Jesus and his men and woman that

he places in our lives. Because if Jesus, son of

God can humble himself to follow Father God, what's more

about us? Right? Amen? So I was very very blessed

to read this portion of scripture to know that Jesus

himself didn't do anything out of his own wisdom or strength,

but he follow the example, the pattern the power set

by Father God. Amen. And I thought, wow, this is

so encouraging. Okay, now number three third point, and this

is the final point for today. Let's all turn to

Matthew chapter twenty eight, verse eighteen to twenty. Matthew twenty eight,

eighteen to twenty. And I think some of us can

memorize it, quote it by heart. Yes, amen. This morning.

Also Priscilla, you know, declared it as well when she chat. Okay,

Matthew twenty eight, verse eighteen to twenty. And Jesus came

and said to them, all authority in heaven and on

earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make

disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of

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

teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

And behold, I am with you always to the end

of the age. Amen. And the part of the scripture

that I want to highlight to us today is all authority, say,

all authority, all authority about Peter raising the day he

was living this out because he knew that he shared

in the same authority of Jesus. Jesus already said all

authority on earth and in Heaven has been given to me.

Do we really believe that all authority has been given

to our Lord Jesus? And do we really live it

out or do we sometimes live like, oh, yeah, God,

you can you have authority in this, but maybe not this.

You have authority in healing me of a flu, but

maybe not of cancer. You have authority of you know,

healing me of the sickness, but not raising me from

the date. Do we believe that Jesus has all authority,

all authority on earth and in heaven. That means every

circumstance and challenge that you're going through right now, Jesus

actually has all authority to give you breakthrough. There is

no problem on Earth that Jesus has no authority over.

There's no human problem on Earth that he has no

authority over. There's no environmental problem on Earth that he

doesn't have any authority over. There's no problem in this

whole universe that he has no authority over. There's no

spiritual problem in heaven or down under that he has

no authority over. There is no problem since the beginning

of time or in eternity that Jesus has no authority over.

He has all authority over heaven and Earth and all

of time. And this is the closing word that I

want to share with us that as his disciples, he

wants us to be aware that we share in that authority.

We share in that authority. And Peter knew the secret.

Paul knew the secret. That's why they could raise the date.

Now shall we tap into this open secret as well?

How are we going to live our lives knowing that

we share in that all authority has been given to

Jesus here on Earth and in heaven. Is there a situation?

Is there a challenge? Is there a problem? In your

life that feels really quite impossible. A sickness that man

says cannot be turned back, or a debt that is

too big that you can never repeat even if you

work until hundred and one years old. Or is there

a relationship too broken that cannot be mended? Or is

there a struggle in our minds that is just too

dark that cannot be lifted? Is there? What are you

going through today? My friends, my brothers, my sisters. I

want to close in this time of getting us to

pray with the all authority that Jesus has, and I

want us to prophesy and pray into our lives like

how Peter did it for that young girl. He knew

and he tapped into the all authority that has been

given to Jesus. So are you going to also know

and tap into the all authority has been given to

Jesus into that challenge in your life because all authority

has been given to him. Amen. Amen, We hope you've

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bless