Hello COTR- talk about being a Christian.
Today’s message called- No Christians Allowed.
What do I mean by that? Let me ask a question ...
When you hear the word dog- what think about?
What about when you hear the word cat?
What do you think when you hear the word Christian?
Republican, Democrat, Mother Teresa, tele-evangelist?
Video Clip- Interviews on a College Campus
Word- Christian- meant different things over the years
1950- people had positive thoughts about Christians.
Today people have varied thoughts- neg, pos, neutral.
2000 years ago- the very first time the phrase …
Acts 11:25-26
Christianos- follower of Jesus Christ
Acts 26:28 Agrippa replied to Paul, " In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian." NASU
Pagans- making fun of Christ Followers.
Christians versus Disciples
Jesus never invited anybody to be a Christian.
Lk 14:25-27
He cannot be my what? My disciple!
If you want to be a disciple of Jesus- you must love Him more than your own family/your own life.
Christian has become- those w/belief system, regardless of how live it out.
Lk 14:28-33
Jesus warns us to count the cost of being a disciple.
85% of Americans- 247 million- call themselves Christians- yet same 85% are just as likely to …
get divorced, abort babies, as non-Christians,
The term has lost its real meaning of following, pursuing Jesus, the Lord of all.
If you want to be a disciple it is going to cost you.
The bible promises you will be persecuted.
Jn 15:18-20
What is it going to cost you? For some, it may cost …
your job- unwilling to do something unethical
promotion because you are a Christian
relationships- family does not understand
popularity- do not act like everybody else
You are not going to look like, act like, be like the rest of the world because you are not of this world.
You are of another world, the Kingdom of God.
In parts of- world being a disciple- cost you your life
What does it mean to be a disciple?
Disciple- Gk- learner, pupil, follower, student.
He is Lord- we follow, pursue Him, do what He did.
Acts 2- good picture of the early church and disciples.
Plug for our House Churches- we meet in homes just like people did in Acts 2.
I encourage everyone- attend a House Church- learn what it means to be a disciple?”
Three things Jesus did and we will do as disciples
A disciple touches lepers
What does that mean?
When you go to a gym and work out- come home you are smelly- people do not want you to touch them.
Lepers are about as unlovely as they get.
Mk 1:40
According to OT- Lev 13- when a leper would enter a village they would yell out- Unclean! Unclean!
It was a warning so everybody could run.
Leprosy- horrendous disease- it would …
cause oozing sores all over their bodies
make their hands and feet stubs
lose feeling- fall asleep- rat- gnaw off a finger
A disciple touches those who others won’t touch.
Mk 1:41-42
What did Jesus do- He touched the man and immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.
Jesus was moved with what?
Compassion- GK- it is a painful word.
it means to have the bowels yearn
from your inside, you ache with compassion
Literally-you hurt so much- you are moved to action.
Movie Hotel Rwanda- based on a true story- racial battle between the Tutsi’s and the Hutu’s. The manager of a hotel was protecting a certain group at the risk of his own life and his family. He was talking to a reporter and he said this.
Paul Rusesabagina: I am glad that you have shot this footage and that the world will see it. It is the only way we have a chance that people might intervene.
Jack: Yeah and if no one intervenes, is it still a good thing to show?
Paul Rusesabagina: How can they not intervene when they witness such atrocities?
Jack: I think if people see this footage they’ll say, "oh my God that’s horrible," and then go on eating their dinners.
We all watch TV- see things- That’s horrible. Click.
A disciple - hurts so deeply that they cannot not help.
They are full of the same love Jesus- moved to action.
Who are the lepers in your world?
people dying of AIDS- how did they get it?
the person in jail that no one visits
the smelly street person
the obnoxious person in your House Church
A disciple touches lepers.
A disciple befriends prostitutes
Mtt 9:10
Who did Jesus hang out with?
woman at the well who had slept w/many men,
woman caught in adultery that the religious folks wanted to stone and kill,
tax collectors that everyone else hated,
prostitute who threw herself at the feet of Jesus
As Christians we often lose touch w/those people.
The kind that smoke, drink, watch R-rated movies, tattoos, body piercing in all sorts of weird places.
Is this not the type of person that Jesus came for?
Pharisees, they were ticked off …
Mtt 9:11-12
Disciples, befriend prostitutes.
When is the last time you did something w/someone who was that kind of person?
We were- that kind of person, who needed Jesus.
A disciple touches lepers and befriends prostitutes.
A disciple offends Pharisees
Pharisees -those that forgot the reason Jesus came.
Lk 13:10-14
When did Jesus heal? On a Sabbath.
This is the day you do not do any kind of work.
Jesus put his hand on her and healed her.
Is that good/bad? Depends on who you ask.
If ask a disciple- good, praise God, awesome!
If ask a Pharisee- they are going to ask why?
more interested in the letter of the law.
In Mtt 12:9- Jesus again heals on the Sabbath.
A man’s hand was withered up, Jesus healed it.
Pharisees- went and plotted how they could kill Jesus.
Cannot heal on Sabbath- but you can plot a murder.
The closer that we get to the true heart of Jesus, the more offensive it will be to the critical, judgmental
To engage today’s society we must go where they are,
speak their language.
Statistically- takes 100 church members to get one person saved and baptized per year.
We have made discipleship more about information than transformation- who must change? We must!
Are you ready to be a disciple?
Consider the cost- it is going to cost you something.
Conclusion
I do not want COTR to be a safe place for people to come and hide and feel good about themselves.
I do not want to be a Christian in the sense of what it has come to mean- I want to be a disciple.
Josh 24:15 "If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." NASU
Prayer
We have called ourselves Christian, but we have not always been disciples.
He came for people like us, sinners who are in need.
Time- surrender my life to- One who gave all for me.
Jesus, who is He?
the Son of God, who was born without sin.
who lived a sinless life to die on a cross
to shed His blood so we could …
be forgiven and made whole
be filled with the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead
live a life empowered by God to please Him, following His Son.
Not as a church member, Christian, but as a disciple.
Commitment
Perhaps you are recognizing right now that you have not been a disciple- but you are ready to be.
Those of you who say, Yes, I don’t care what it cost, I want to follow Jesus- I want to be His disciple.
Please pray this prayer with me …
Heavenly Father, I am ready to give it all to You, to love You more than anything else, including my life. I admit I am a sinner with a deep need for Your forgiveness. Forgive me, Jesus. Make me brand new. Make me like You, Your disciple. Because You died for me, I want to follow You, to live for You. Fill me with Your Spirit so that for all my days, I may be Yours. Take my life. In Jesus’ name I pray.
(Material for this sermon comes from Pastor Craig Groeschel of LifeChurch.tv)
