Moving From The Throngs To Being A Discipler of Disciples

Public Reading: Luke 6:12-19

•    This passage outlines four reasons why folks gather around Jesus

o    To be taught and learn truth
o    To be healed
o    To be set free from bondage I their lives
o    To be close and touch Him

•    This is basically the reasons anyone anywhere comes to Jesus and church
•    The other thing that this passage shows is that there are three groups of people surrounding Jesus

o    There were the crowds or throngs who were coming from all over
o    Then there were the followers of Jesus – “large crowd of his disciples”

*    The 70 or the 120 that we hear about later in the Gospels
*    These were the folks who had already committed to following Jesus

o    The Twelve

*    From within the disciples, Jesus choose 12 whom he would call “Apostles” or “Sent Ones”

•    While each person for all three groups came for a reason, at some point there has to be a transition between a throng mentality and a multiple of disciples mentality.
•    Likewise, there was to be a transition between the multiple of disciples to one of the 12
•    Part of our goals as followers of Jesus and a church is to help folks move from one group to the next – to run after Jesus with everything within them.

First Circle: Throngs

•    The first group is the crowds or the throngs
•    The throngs are mainly ‘consumers’ who come to get
•    They came to be taught, to be healed, set free and to be close to God
•    Each of us were part of this crowd at some point in our journey

o    We all had needs that to be met because until we receive, we don’t have anything to give

•    For most people, Sunday morning is time to receive

o    It is there way of going to the mountain like the crowds following Jesus

•    We have to be welcoming to these folks as we can frighten them away

o    Church is scary!
o    They don’t know what to do or where to sit…
o    Where’s the bathroom…what to do with their kids, etc…
o    They don’t know if we can be trusted

•    Come as you are

o    This is why we have worked hard to create a ‘come as you are’ culture that doesn’t judge anyone on looks, smells, or anything
o    Is doesn’t matter if you have shorts and a tank top or a three piece suit!
o    We want folks to feel comfortable coming to church after getting off the tractor or doing chores that morning.

Second Circle: Multitudes of Disciples

•    These are the people who have make the shift from a throng mentality and a multiple of disciples mentality
•    This is where folks become serious about their faith and living for Jesus
•    They say:

o   “I want to be taught so I can teach. I want to be healed so I could be an instrument to heal others. I want to be set free so I might lend a hand to help others be set free from their bondage and addiction. I want to be close to Jesus so that I can usher others into the Lord’s presence. I want to get in order to give, not just to get.”

•    Higher level of commitment
•    Disciples learn the values of who we are as a church body
•    Small group members

o    this is where we are able to get to know each other and learn to walk with Jesus
o    we pray together and seek God together

•    Volunteers

o    Those who are getting to give

Third Circle: The Twelve Disciples

•    The 12 where there to help disciple the other disciples
•    For us, this is the ministry leaders who pour out their lives into others

o    Youth
o    Pantry leaders

•    A high bar

o    Life style and values

•    Must walk with us as a member of the crowd, then a disciple before moving into this circle

Sermon notes were draw from insights on the passage by Tri Robinson, my mentor and sending pastor from the Vineyard Boise. The above concepts are flushed out further in his book  “Revolutionary Leadership , including the addition of a fourth circle, which I left out due to the size and culture of the PRV.

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