Discipleship: Implanted by Pastor Abidan Shah

June 22, 2018 By in Bible, bible study, Christian Life, Discipleship, Holy Spirit, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Discipleship ImplantedIf you have been following this series on discipleship, you know that we have been working through the acronym WATER, which stands for Witnesses, Accountable, Together, Established in the Word, and Reproducing. This series has given us fresh eyes on the concept of discipleship and what it really means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. I have been so blessed and so encouraged by your comments and messages about how this series is changing your perspective. Know that as I’m preaching, my heart is being changed as well!

This weekend, we turn our attention to the importance of the Word of God being implanted in our hearts. When we memorize Scripture, we hide God’s Word in our hearts to keep us focused on Him when life tries to steal our attention. The implanted Word within us responds to the external Word when we sit under biblical teaching and preaching. Likewise, the external Word stirs the implanted Word within us and calls us to action. This weekend’s message is titled “DISCIPLESHIP: IMPLANTED.”

It is so crucial to not only read God’s Word, but to treasure it, study it, memorize it, and interact with it daily. The implanted Word within us helps us to stay focused upon Him and to share His Word with others. Are you spending time in Scripture? Is the Word of God dwelling within you, calling you to respond when you hear it preached or taught? Invite your friends and family this weekend as we learn the importance of the indwelling Word of God!

Pastor Shah

Discipleship: Rooted by Pastor Abidan Shah

June 14, 2018 By in Bible, bible study, Christian Life, Discipleship, Paul, scripture, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

DISCIPLESHIP – ROOTED by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Discipleship RootedIntroduction: Last weekend, several of the guys in our church came out to help me with our yard. A major reason for that is that in the past two years we had 4 white pines to fall in our yard. The first one fell parallel to the house during a thunderstorm. The second one fell on top of the house during a snow storm. Thank God there was no damage. There were two still standing on the south side of the house and since I’m no arborist or tree expert, I decided to call one from the State to help me figure out what was going on. He came, looked at the trees, and told me that the white pines do not grow very well in our soil here. Although they do have a tap root system, the lateral root development is far more extensive, which means more roots grow horizontally close to the surface than into the ground. He told me that it was a matter of time before the two standing would fall as well. So, I paid a guy to take them down before they could do any serious damage. What does this have to with our message on discipleship? Just like those white pines, many Christians never develop a deep tap root system in their lives. They have more of a lateral close to the surface root system. It looks impressive but it’s useless when the storms of life begin to come. Unless they are rooted and built up in Christ and his Word, it’s a matter of time before they will fall. If I may add, they do a lot of damage when they fall. True disciples are rooted in the Word of God.

Colossians 2    4“Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.5For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see yourgoodorder and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.6As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,7rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught…”

Question: Paul was concerned about the Colossians because they were being deceived by persuasive words. He reminded them to stay rooted, built up, and established “as you have been taught.” What have you been taught? Solid biblical teaching is a must for every disciple of Jesus Christ. Without it, you will fall when the storms of life come. Are you a disciple? Are you saved?

Context:To quickly summarize – the goal of discipleship is WATER = WITNESSES + ACCOUNTABILITY + TOGETHERNESS + ESTABLISHED IN THE WORD + REPRODUCING DISCIPLES. To achieve these things, we need certain disciplines – Evangelism, Confession, Weekly Church Attendance, Daily Bible Intake, and Discipling. They’re not the end but simply a means to the end. People ask “What’s the next step?” Last weekend, in a message titled “Pathways,” I explained that true discipleship cannot happen in isolation. You need others to become a disciple. Preaching is vital to your growth but it’s not enough. Sunday School or Small Groups like Clearview Circles are also important but they’re enough. These settings are too large and too diverse. True discipleship happens when you are in the Inner Circle. Jesus modelled this by moving people from the Crowd to the Congregation to the Community to the Inner Circle. An Inner Circle is a 3-5-member gender specific, closed group that exists by invitation only to believers and meets on a weekly basis for a determined period of time. This is where individuals study the Word, memorize the Word, hold each other accountable, pray for each, and, in the process, they learn to be conformed to the image of Christ. When the determined time period is over, they replicate, as God leads. By the way, here’s some exciting news – Last week, many of you informed me that you have begun inviting people to join you in an Inner Circle! That’s awesome!If you’re still wondering how the Inner Circle works, go back and listen to the last message where I explained “How to start an Inner Circle?” and “What do you do when you meet as the Inner Circle?”

In today’s message, I want to focus on Getting Rooted in the Word.Listen again to Colossians 2    6“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,7rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught…”Both individually and in your Inner Circle, you have to become rooted in the Word, the Bible, in order to be true disciples. This requires 3 things: 1. Read the Word. 2. Understand the Word. 3. Apply the Word.

  1. READ THE WORD – Here people ask me “what’s the best Bible version?” Most Bible translations coming out of trusted mainline Christian publishing houses are good. There have been a couple in the past two decades that have some translational biases towards gender inclusive language that you need to be careful about. If you have any concerns, please check with me. I’ll be more than glad to guide you. The main point is “start reading the Bible systematically every day.”
  2. UNDERSTAND THE WORD – Here people say things like “the Bible is hard to understand” or “you gotta have a theological education to understand the Bible.” Yes, there are many portions in the Bible that are hard to understand. I’ve been studying the Bible academically since 1995, that’s 23 years, and I still don’t understand some portions of the Bible. Having said that, most of the Bible is not beyond comprehension. Yes, you do need pastors and teachers to help you study the Bible but you can still study much of it by yourself with the help of the Holy Spirit. Listen to I Corinthians 2:12“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.”

How does this work?Couple of years ago I did a series on how to study the Bible. It was intense. In fact, there’s a whole field of study known as “hermeneutics,” which deals with the proper study and interpretation of the Bible. People spend their whole lifetime working in this field and there are thousands of books on the subject. But, there are certain basic principles that can help an average person study the Bible and understand most of what it is saying. I have condensed them in 4 words which if you can remember each time you study the Bible, they will help you tremendously:

  1. Exegesis – think about the word “exit.” It means “coming out.” Exegesis means “to lead out.” It means that when we study the Bible, we are to lead the meaning out of the text rather than “eisegete,” which is bringing my personal meaning and superimposing it on the text.
  2. Context –have you ever said something that was taken out of context? It feels very frustrating. The Bible gets taken out of context a lot. It is critical that we read the verses before and after the verse or passage we are studying and get the whole context. The more you read, the better chance you have of interpreting correctly.

Let me give you 2 examples of exegesis and context:

Old Testament –2 Chronicles 27    1“Jothamwas twenty-five years old when he became king…2And he didwhat wasright in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah had done (although he did not enter the temple of the LORD)…” If I were preaching a message on the importance of having our kids come to church, that would be a perfect passage. Here’s the problem – That’s not what the writer meant! If you read the previous chapter, Uzziah had actually messed up by entering the temple in his pride and offering incense on the altar, which only a priest could do, and he was struck with leprosy by God! Jotham actually had godly fear and didn’t do that!

New Testament – Philippians 4:13“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”I’ve seen people make this their life verse and athletes tattoo this on their arms. What Paul really meant is very different – 12 “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” Paul is really talking about contentment!

  1. Harmony –The Bible does not contradict itself. If you come up with an interpretation that totally contradicts what most of the Bible is saying, then think through your interpretation again.2 Timothy 2:15“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
  2. Goal– The Goal of the Bible is the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.

This brings us to the third thing in being rooted in the Bible –

  1. APPLY THE WORD – James 122“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;24for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continuesin it,and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”

Are you rooted in the Word? Are you a disciple?

Train Up a Child (Article) by Abidan Paul Shah

June 10, 2018 By in children, Christian Marriage, Family, Father's Day, Fathers, kids, Marriage, Mother, Mother's Day, Parenting, parents, Relationships, Relationships, Uncategorized, young generation, young people Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

TRAIN UP A CHILD (Article) by Abidan Paul Shah

(Published in the newspaper Daily Dispatch, Henderson on March 31, 2018)

Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he (she) should go, and when he (she) is old he (she) will not depart from it.”

Train Up a Child (1)The world is upside down. We have become W.B. Rands’ “Topsy-Turvy World” where “three times one was nine…the pony rode his master…the cats were afraid of the mouse…and the mamma sold her baby.” Now right is wrong and wrong is your right. The good guys are the bad guys and the bad guys are the heroes. Sin is freedom and morality is intolerance. As the late pastor Adrian Rogers would say, “sin that use to slink down the back alley now struts down the main street.”

As bad as all that is, we’ve hit a new low when children are being made to lecture adults on what’s right and what’s wrong! Now kids are being held up as spokespersons and activists against time-honored foundational values. There are some who are celebrating this but I believe that it will prove to be devastating to our kids as well as to our society and future. It is no different than giving those same kids a wire-stripper and setting them loose in an electrical panel or giving them a scalpel and letting them do critical surgery.

Train Up a Child (2)Don’t think for a moment that I am talking down about children. To the contrary, I am repulsed by the adage – “Children are to be seen and not heard.” Jesus welcomed children. He compared the reception of his kingdom to the humility of a child. He threatened those who would hurt children with the severest punishment. Repeatedly, the Bible commands us to treat children with the utmost respect and care. This requires that we understand that what they truly deserve and desire from us is right training. Proverbs 22:6 lays out the 4 non-negotiables in this process:

  1. The Child – The Hebrew word is “nahar,” which can mean anywhere from an unborn child to a young person. From the context, it is obvious that the training has to begin as early as possible. Delay in training will diminish the promise. Children are like a garden. The longer you let it go, the harder it is get it back.
  2. The Way – There are only 2 ways in life. The first is God’s Way and the second is the Sinful Way. One leads to life and the other to destruction. Once on the right way, you cannot keep going back to the wrong way and still expect to get to your destination.
  3. The Training – Read Deuteronomy 6:6-9. It is not a one-time event but a 24/7 job. It is not accidental but intentional. It is not irrational but logical. It is not authoritarian but empathetic. It is not cherry picked but balanced. It is not harsh but firm. It is not disheartened but patient.
  4. The Trainer – Training is more caught than taught. In other words, it’s not enough to just preach at your kids. You have to practice what you preach. Doing immoral and unethical things and warning your kids not to does not work. Dropping your kids off at church as you squeal your tires out of the parking lot does not cut it. As someone wisely said, “whatever you do in moderation, your children will do in excess.” You want your kids to follow Christ, then you follow him. If you do those 4 non-negotiables correctly, then only the promise is that those kids may lose their way but they will be back.

If Neil Postman was right that “Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see,” what message are we giving to our kids? I see a bright future ahead as more and more parents are rising up and taking their rightful roles as trainers and models to their kids.

Discipleship: Pathways by Pastor Abidan Shah

June 7, 2018 By in Bible, Christian Life, Church, Discipleship, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

DISCIPLESHIP – PATHWAYS by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Discipleship Pathways

Introduction:  Every summer I speak at a camp in Bryson City, near Cherokee, to the western part of our state. Our kids have been going to this camp for about 16 years and many of our church kids now go every year. It’s a beautiful place in the Smoky Mountains! While there, the kids get to choose an outing like horseback riding, gem mining, tubing, hiking, etc. Several years ago, I decided to join the kids and go hiking up Alarka Falls. It’s a gorgeous 200 ft tall water fall that cascades down the mountain. The hike is up the side of the falls. If you’re a hiker, it’s moderately difficult. It’s not bad but they didn’t tell me that it would get steep towards the top. I was in the back of the group and we were getting closer to the top. I stopped to get some pictures and then when I got back on the climb, everybody was gone. I could hear them but I could not see them. Then it happened – I got stuck. My feet starting slipping on loose rocks and I had to dig my fingers into the dirt to hang on. All I could think of was Cliff Hanger with Sylvester Stallone but it was nothing like that. Finally, one of the counsellors realized that I was missing and she came back to check on me – “Do you need any help Mr. Shah?” My answer – “Oh no, I’m just resting. But, just in case, how did you get up there?” She told me to put my foot here and pull here and so on. I said – “I guess that’s one way to get up there.” Long story short – I made it and it was well worth it! Here’s the point – “I needed someone to show me the pathway on how to climb to the top.” So also, when it comes to discipleship, it’s not enough to know the goal and importance of discipleship. We also need to know the pathways on how to get there.That’s the message today.

2 Timothy 2    1“You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

Question: Paul told Timothy to show others the pathways of how to walk with God. Who do you have in your life who has or is showing you the pathways of how to walk with God? Do you know the pathways of discipleship? Who are you helping on the pathways of discipleship? Are you a disciple? Are you saved?

Context:As you know, Jesus commanded us in the Great Commission in Matthew 28 to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” We created the acronym WATERto represent what a disciple looks like – WITNESSES + ACCOUNTABILITY + TOGETHERNESS + ESTABLISHED IN THE WORD + REPRODUCING. When all 5 of these work in tandem, we are the disciples Jesus called us to be. Unfortunately, there are obstacles. We need certain disciplines to overcome these obstacles. Last weekend, we looked at 5 such disciplines: Discipline of Evangelism, Discipline of Confession, Discipline of Church Attendance, Discipline of Daily Bible Intake, and Discipline of Discipling.“Without Disciplines, there is no Discipleship.”

The next question is – what are the pathways we need to take in order to become disciples? Let’s go back to the acronym WATER. No pathways needed for W (Once you can articulate your testimony, it’s simply looking for opportunities to share your faith. Neither for T (Once you realize the importance of moving from the crowd to the congregation – church – and from the congregation to the community – Sunday School or Bible Study – it’s not that complicated). But A – Accountability, E – Established in the Word, and R – Reproducing Disciples require some pathways, some help in taking the next steps. I’ve been sharing some of these things throughout the series but now I want to deal with them in depth.

Let’s start with the Pathways for Accountability: Once again, think back to those concentric circles – Crowd, Congregation, Community, and Inner Circle. Robby Gallaty (I’ve learned a lot through him) calls the last one D – groups. Preaching helps but it cannot do it all because it’s only a one-way communication. Sunday School and Bible study help but they cannot do it all because they are more evangelistic or too study oriented and too many to hold accountable. An Inner Circle is a 3-5 member gender specific, closed group that exists by invitation only to believers and meets on a weekly basis for a determined period. The ultimate goal is for each person to become conformed to the image of Christ by growing in the Word and then replicate the process. It requires confidentiality, confrontation, and confession. You have to be careful here. Robby Gallaty says – “A quick word of caution: you must wisely discern to whom you will make yourself accountable, carefully guarding whom you allow to speak into your life. Never seek spiritual guidance from unspiritual people.”

A good verse to help us here is Galatians 6   1“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you whoarespiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.4But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5For each one shall bear his own load.”Meaning: We are to help one another but ultimately, we are responsible for our actions.

How do you start?

  • Pray (Just like Jesus before he picked his disciples)
  • Decide (Believers who have a desire, are determined, and have a demeanor to learn)
  • Ask (Not “I want to disciple you,” but “would you like to join for Bible Study, Scripture Memory, and Prayer on a weekly basis for a few months.)
  • Prioritize (You have to take it seriously)
  • Replicate (Don’t get stuck but remind the group members to start thinking about who they would like to include in their group)

What happens when each accountability group or Inner Circle meets? (Taken from Robby Gallaty, Growing Up: How to be a Disciple who makes Disciples)

  1. Study the Word together.
  2. Hold each person accountable for Scripture memory by reciting the previous week’s passage before the group.
  3. Ask accountability questions of each other. Hold each person accountable for achieving their goals. For example, “How is your relationship with Linda? You mentioned last week that you were working on the way you spoke to your wife.”
  4. Pray together before departing.

In the next couple of messages, I will deal with how to study the Word and how to pray.

I know that some have already made up their minds that they will not do this. Others may start but not stick with it. Keep in mind that this is biblical– 2 Timothy 2    1“You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

Are you a disciple? The Communion is for those who are saved –Luke 22    19And He took bread, gave thanks and brokeit,and gaveitto them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 20Likewise He alsotookthe cup after supper, saying, “This cupisthe new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.”

Are you ready to take the pathway of discipleship? Are you a disciple? Are you saved?

Discipleship: Overcoming Obstacles by Pastor Abidan Shah

June 1, 2018 By in Bible, Christian Life, Discipleship, Life of Christ, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

DISCIPLESHIP – OVERCOMING OBSTACLES by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Discipleship Overcoming Obstacles

Introduction: Two years ago, Nicole and I decided to take our health seriously and started working out. Talk about obstacles! We both love to eat. We had to discipline ourselves in what we ate and how much we ate. Then, it was our busy schedules. We had to discipline ourselves to turn off the TV and head to bed on time. Then, it was waking up early in the morning. We had to discipline ourselves to get out of bed when the alarm went off and plan ahead on how to get the kids to school. Bottom line: Without proper discipline, it would have been impossible to take charge of our health and work out. So also, when it comes to discipleship, there are obstacles. To overcome these obstacles, we need certain disciplines. Without proper disciplines, discipleship is impossible.

Matthew 28    18And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, evento the end of the age.” Amen.

Question: What obstacles are keeping you from becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ? Are you willing to discipline yourself? Are you a disciple? Are you saved?

Context:  As you know, we created the acronym WATERto represent the goal of discipleship – WITNESSES + ACCOUNTABILITY + TOGETHERNESS + ESTABLISHED IN THE WORD + REPRODUCING. When all 5 of these work in tandem, we are the disciples Jesus called us to be. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. There are obstacles under each element and it requires certain disciplines to overcome them. Here are 5 disciplines that are absolutely essential to overcome the obstacles in becoming disciples:

1. Discipline of Evangelism.

Acts 1:8“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnessesto Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”2 things here: First, when Jesus told his disciples to be witnesses, he was referring to the fact that they had seen his death, burial, and resurrection.If you claim to be a disciple of Jesus, you are also a witness to him. You may not be an eye-witnesses to the events 2000 years but you are an eye-witnesses to the impact of those events in your life today.You should be able to tell others 3 things – 1. What was life like before you met Jesus. 2. What happened that changed your life, how Jesus saved you by his death, burial, and resurrection. 3. What is your life like since Jesus saved you. Second, when Jesus said “you shall be witnesses to me,”it was not a suggestion. It was a command. It was not optional.

Most Christians do not witness for one reason or another – some are too busy; some are too scared; some don’t feel like it. some don’t believe that this is the only way; some don’t believe that it works. Listen to what Charles Spurgeon said, “If I never won souls, I would sigh till I did. I would break my heart over them if I could not break their hearts. Though I understand the possibility of an earnest sower never reaping, I cannot understand the possibility of an earnest sower being content not to reap.”

Here’s the point – Witnessing is a discipline. If you truly believe that people are lost and headed to hell without Christ, then you will make it a practice to witness regularly.

2. Discipline of Confession.

Matthew 26    36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” 37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”…40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?41Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation…” Let me clarify: Yes, Jesus needed the support of his inner circle but the temptation to sin was for them, not him. If you claim to be a disciple of Jesus, you will have godly, mature, and trustworthy people in your life who will question your bad behaviors and encourage your good behaviors and pray for you on a regular basis.

Many Christians fall into horrible sins because they are isolated and think that they can handle their struggles on their own. They feel that they don’t need any help. James 5:16“Confessyourtrespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” By the way, this does not mean that you have to go into gory details or share things that are private between you and your spouse. That’s foolish.

Here’s the point: Set aside your pride. Ask God to send the right person/people in your life to help you stay accountable and practice the discipline of confession.

3. Discipline of Church Attendance

Luke 4:16 “So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was,He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.”The early church continued this custom albeit on Sunday and to hear the apostle’s doctrine. Acts 2   42And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrineand fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers…44Now all who believed were together…47…And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”If you claim to be a disciple of Jesus, you will understand the importance of hearing the preaching of the word. You will understand the importance of worshipping with other believers. And, you will understand the importance of fellowshipping with other believers.

Many Christians stop doing and loving because they fail to heed what the writer ofHebrewssaid in 10   24“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, asisthe manner of some, but exhortingone another,and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Here’s the point: Make it a discipline to attend church on a regular basis for the word, worship, and fellowship.

4. Discipline of Daily Bible Intake.

John 8   31 “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word,you are My disciples indeed.’” John 15:7 “If you abide in Me,and My words abide in you,you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”If you claim to be a disciple of Jesus, you have to abide in his words. You have to be established in his Word. That’s not just the 4 gospels. It’s the whole Bible. It’s his instructional manual for every serious disciple. We have to be in it daily. D.L. Moody once said, “A man can no more take in a supply of grace for the future than he can eat enough for the next six months or take sufficient air into his lungs at one time to sustain life for a week. We must draw upon God’s boundless store of grace from day to day as we need it.”

Many Christians struggle with discipleship because they think that they don’t need to read and meditate upon the Word of God daily.

Here’s the point: Make up your mind today that with the help of God, you will daily seek to read, meditate upon, and memorize the Word of God. It will help you understand what it means to live in the kingdom of God. That’s what Jesus taught his disciples. As one Chinese Christian used to say – “No Bible, no breakfast.”

5. Discipline of Discipling.

18And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19Go therefore and make disciplesof all the nations…” To be a disciple of Jesus, you have to believe that the Great Commission by Jesus was not just for the first 11 disciples, it’s for all disciples through the ages. If you claim to be a disciple of Jesus, you have to reproduce disciples. In fact, reproducing disciples is the ultimate test of our discipleship. I’m here because Nicole’s dad discipled me.

Many Christians struggle with discipleship because they look at it as just about themselves when it’s about teaching others to follow Christ.

Here’s the solution:  Remove yourself as the center of your Christian walk and start focusing on others. Start saying with Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:1“Imitate me, just as I alsoimitateChrist.”You don’t have to be perfect to do this. Just obedient.

In closing, there may be many other obstacles in becoming a disciple of Jesus, just remember – You and I need discipline to overcome these obstacles. Without discipline, discipleship is impossible.

Are you a disciplined? Are you a disciple? Are you saved?

Discipleship 5: Reproducing by Pastor Abidan Shah

May 24, 2018 By in Bible, Christian Life, Discipleship, Life of Christ, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

DISCIPLESHIP – REPRODUCING by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Discipleship Reproducing

Introduction: As you know, the Andy Griffith Show is one of my favorite TV shows. In my opinion, the character who makes the show is Barney Fife, the self-assured expert on every subject, especially weapons. One of the funniest episodes is the one when Andy has to deputize Floyd the Barber and two other men. Of course, Barney takes over (“Andy, let me handle this.”) and starts giving them the speech on being an officer of the law, which is hilarious. Inevitably, he tells them “how to handle firearms,” even though they won’t be getting any, and goes to holster his gun and fires it, scaring everyone to death. Now if you’ve seen the show, you don’t have to worry about him firing again because Andy gives him only one bullet and it has to stay in his shirt pocket. The point is – As lovable as Barney is, you cannot trust his advice. In the same way, there are many wonderful lovable people in church but when it comes to discipleship, they cannot help you. To make disciples, you have to be a disciple. And, if you are a disciple, you will reproduce disciples. I would add, reproducing disciples is the ultimate test of your discipleship.

Luke 6    39And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? 40A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.”

Question: Are you a disciple of Jesus? Are you saved? Are you reproducing more disciples? Are you helping others become disciples of Jesus?

Context: Today we come to the final letter Rin our acronym WATER. As you know, we’ve been unpacking W A T E R, the goal of discipleship, which stands for – WITNESSES + ACCOUNTABILITY + TOGETHERNESS + ESTABLISHED IN THE WORD + REPRODUCING. As important as the first four are, the last one is the most important. As I just said, it is the ultimate test of discipleship because it is the very heart of the Great Commission. Listen again to Matthew 28   16Then the eleven discipleswent away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them…18And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19Go therefore and make disciplesof all the nations…” Listen carefully: The Great Commission is Jesus’ command to his disciples to go and make more disciples, to go and reproduce. It was not just for the first 11, it’s for all disciples through the ages. The passage we just read from Luke 6 gives us 3 guidelines for reproducing disciples:

1. Spiritual blindness will keep you from reproducing.

Luke 6:39And He (Jesus)spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?”

Background: Who was Jesus talking about here?He was talking about the Pharisees and the scribes who were constantly following him, not to learn from him but to catch him or his disciples breaking the Old Testament Law. In Luke 6 the disciples were walking through a grain field on the Sabbath and they plucked some heads of grain to eat. The Pharisees saw them. I guess they must’ve been hiding in the field. Instead of offering food to the hungry disciples, they confronted them –“Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” Again, on another Sabbath day, Jesus went into the synagogue and there was a man there whose right hand had withered. The Pharisees and the scribes watched Jesus closely to see what he would do. When Jesus healed the man, instead of being happy for the poor man, Luke 6:11says,“they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.” Here’s the point: These religious leaders kept missing what Christ was doing on account of their spiritual blindness. This is why Jesus said, “Can the blind lead the blind?”He often referred to these religious leaders as blind leaders and blind guides. There are several examples inMatthew 23. Here are a couple –24“Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!I can picture the disciples and the multitudes getting a good laugh out of it! Again, 25“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.”

Listen carefully:There is a reason why many people in churches are incapable of making disciples. They are blind to the things of God. They are more concerned about the traditions of men than about the truth of God. They are more concerned about their personal comfort than about the condition of the lost. No wonder they cannot train others to be disciples. Unless your eyes have been open to the things of God, you cannot show it to others. No wonder many are lying in the ditch. To reproduce disciples without first receiving spiritual sight will only reproduce blind disciples.

Question:  Are you spiritually blind as well? Would Jesus have included you in this religious crowd? Can you see what God is doing? If not, get saved today.

2. Select your teacher wisely.

40“A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.”

Background: Jesus used this principle repeatedly in his preaching and teaching. In this context, he was definitely making a reference to the religious leaders. In fact, he was talking to the disciples of the Pharisees. He was saying to them – “You will never rise above your teachers. Look at them. Is that what you want to be like when you’re done?”

Illustration:When I was in college, a mature professor gave me a very valuable advice – “When you go to grad school, don’t take classes. Take professors.” I know that he’s not the only one who has ever said that but that really helped me. I purposely chose professors who had some quality I really admired and wanted to have in my life.

The Pharisees were teachers of the law but their lives were full of hypocrisy. Listen to what Jesus said about them in Matthew 23    1Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, 2saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, thatobserve and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. 4For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and laythemon men’s shoulders; but they themselveswill not move them with one of their fingers. 5But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. 6They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’…15“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

Listen carefully: You want to grow as a disciple of Jesus, be careful who you pick to be your teacher. This goes for men and women. If their lessons do not match their lifestyles, abandon them and ask God to bring the right godly men or women into your life who will say as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:1“Imitate me, just as I alsoimitateChrist.” I’m not saying that they have to be perfect. If that was the requirement, none of us could be disciple makers. I’m saying that they have to be Christlike.

Application:Whom are you following? Who is helping you become a disciple of Jesus? If you are a disciple maker, are you Christlike?

3. Self examine before you cross examine. 

41And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? 42Or how can you say to your brother, “Brother, let me remove the speck that isin your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that isin your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

Background: Once again, I can hear the disciples and the multitudes snickering at this point. I don’t need to say a whole lot on this one. You get the point. As someone said, “We judge ourselves by our motives and others by their deeds.”

Robby Gallaty lists 4 qualities that are the goal of reproducing:

  1. Believers who are under the rule of Christ.
  2. Believers who repeat the Word of God.
  3. Believers who reflect the image of Christ.
  4. Believers who replicate the process of Christ.

Question: If reproducing is the ultimate test of discipleship, how well are you doing? Are you a disciple of Christ?

In the beginning, after God made Adam and Eve in his image, he blessed them and said to them in Genesis 1:28“…Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth…” Multiply = Reproduce

Jesus became our New Adam and he told us in Matthew 28:19Go therefore and make disciplesof all the nations…” Make disciples = Reproduce

Paul told Timothy, his son in the faith in 2 Timothy 2:2“the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”Commit these to faithful men = Reproduce

Our mission at Clearview is to lead all people into a life-changing ever-growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Ever Growing = Reproduce

Discipleship 4: Established in the Word by Pastor Abidan Shah

May 17, 2018 By in Bible, Christian Life, Discipleship, scripture, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

DISCIPLESHIP – ESTABLISHED IN THE WORD by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Discipleship 4

Introduction: Question for all the men – “How many of ya’ll enjoy reading instruction manuals before you put something together?” Ladies – Not sure why but we men like to figure things out. That’s not a big deal if you’re just trying to assemble your little girl’s doll house or some small book shelf. It’s a big deal if you’re trying to put together the ceiling fan or the garbage disposal! So also, in life, we need an instruction manual. The Bible is God’s instruction manual for every situation in life. In fact, to be a disciple of Jesus, we have to follow the Bible, we have to be established in his Word. Failure to follow the instruction manual is disastrous and destroys our witness to Christ.

Matthew 28    18And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, evento the end of the age.” Amen.

Question: One mark of discipleship is“Teaching them to observe all things.”Are you learning all things that Jesus has commanded us? Are you observing his commandments?Are you established in the Word? Are you a disciple of Jesus? Are you saved?

Context:  As you know, we’ve been in our series on discipleship for the past 5 weeks. We’ve been unpacking theacronym W A T E R, the goal of discipleship, which I’m sure you have memorized by now – WITNESSES + ACCOUNTABILITY + TOGETHERNESS + ESTABLISHED IN THE WORD + REPRODUCING. Today, we are on E.Jesus told his disciples to go and make disciples, baptizing them, and “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.”The question is “what are those things that Jesus commanded his disciples to observe?” If you and I are going to be his disciples, we have to observe all those things as well. 2 major things Jesus taught his disciples:

I. JESUS TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES THE MEANING OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 

Background:Jesus began his ministry by preaching – “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17) To a Jewish person, the kingdom of God/heaven had 2 meanings:first, God is the sovereign king over the whole world but only indirectly at the present time; and, second, God will be the direct king who will judge the wicked and bring glory, justice, and righteousness for his people Israel but this will be in the future end time. Although, Jesus affirmed both, he added something they didn’t expect – the future kingdom of God had already begun by his coming. This was very unnerving and confusing for the religious leaders because their world was still being run by the Romans and the tax collectors were still collecting taxes and the prostitutes were still prostituting. They believed that the Messiah would usher in the direct future kingdom of God but they were not convinced that this was happening or that Jesus was the one. Jesus told them that the kingdom of God was real and had begun but it was internal and spiritual. He used parables to explain it– “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field…The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal…the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field…the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls…” (Matthew 13) In other words, the kingdom of God/heaven is only visible to those who believed.

Throughout the gospels, Jesus laid out the requirements for entering into the kingdom:

  • Reject self-righteousness – Matthew 21:31 “Assuredly, I say to you (chief priests and elders) that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.”
  • Reject sin’s attraction – Mark 9:47“if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.”
  • Don’t rely on earthly treasures – Mark 10:25“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
  • Don’t give lip service – Matthew 7:21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”
  • Don’t have second thoughts – Luke 9:62But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
  • Have a childlike faith – Luke 18:17“Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”
  • Be born again – John 3:3Jesus answered and said to him (Nicodemus), “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Bottom line: When a person rejects self-righteousness and sin’s attraction and receives Jesus as their Savior with a childlike faith, they are born again and they enter the internal and spiritual kingdom of God. Now they become a true disciple of Jesus.

Question:Have you entered the kingdom of God? If you say, “I have to see it to believe it,” you will never see it. Have you received Jesus as your Savior? Have you been born again? Are you willing to have a childlike faith?

II. JESUS TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES THE LIFESTYLE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

Background:  Jesus often said and did things that appeared contrary to the law. Mark 7:15“There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.”This was a clear violation of the dietary laws! Luke 6:1“Now it happened on the second Sabbath after the first that He went through the grainfields. And His disciples plucked the heads of grain and atethem,rubbingthemin theirhands.” This was a clear violation of the Sabbath laws! What exactly was Jesus doing? Was Jesus just some anti-establishment, non-conformist, agitator bent on tearing down the Old Testament law? Of course not. He was teaching his disciples the difference between the essence of the law and the letter of the law. Matthew 23:23“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightiermattersof the law: justice and mercy and faith.” Jesus was not against the law. He was calling his disciples to the heart of the law and to God’s standard of righteousness. Matthew 5  17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Lawor the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” 20For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceedsthe righteousnessof the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. In fact, the Sermon on the Mount is about this higher standard. Remember the “You’ve heard that it was said, but I say to you” passages, the antitheses –

  • You’ve heard ‘don’t murder,’ but I say ‘don’t even get angry without a cause.’
  • You’ve heard ‘don’t commit adultery,’ but I say ‘don’t even look with lust.’
  • You’ve heard ‘eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth,’ but I say ‘turn the other cheek.’
  • You’ve heard ‘love your neighbor and hate your enemy,’ but I say ‘love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.’

But there’s more – Jesus was not just calling his disciples to a higher standard of righteousness. He was calling them to understand the impossibility of reaching God’s standard of righteousness. He was teaching them that he was about to do for them what they would never be able to do on their own. Paul explains it best in Romans 8    3“For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, Goddidby sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,4that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

Question: Are you trying to live by the Old Testament standards? They are too low. Jesus expects higher. You say, “I guess I can’t live up to God’s standards.” That’s exactly what he wants from you. Now you are ready to receive his righteousness by asking him to be your Savior. He will teach you what it means to walk by the Spirit.

Invitation:Are you a disciple of Christ? Have you entered into his kingdom? Are you walking by faith? Are you living by the higher standard of righteousness? Do you realize that without Christ and the Holy Spirit you can’t do it? Are you daily feeding upon his Word? Are you established in his Word? That’s not just the gospels or the New Testament. It is the entire Word of God.

What is the result? Colossians 3   15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Discipleship 3: Together by Pastor Abidan Shah

May 10, 2018 By in Bible, Christian Life, Church, Community, Discipleship, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

DISCIPLESHIP – TOGETHERNESS by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Discipleship Together

Introduction: Thom Rainer, President of Lifeway Resources, did a Twitter survey sometime back on the really strange reasons people give for not attending church. Here are a few of my favorites:“We were out of peanut butter.” “My wife cooked bacon for breakfast, and our entire family smelled like bacon.” “The pastor stays in the Bible too much.” “The worship leader pulls up his pants too often. It’s distracting.” “The church is too close to drive, and too far to walk.” “We got burned out at church and have been taking a break for the past seven years.” I’ve been pastoring this church, my only church, for the past 20 years and I’ve met people who are always looking for reasons to skip church. Today’s message is on the importance of togetherness in discipleship. You can grow alone in a flower pot for only so long. True and ultimate discipleship is long term and it happens only in the soil of community. You need others to be a true disciple.

Acts 2   42And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers…44Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,45and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 46So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Question: The early church understood the value of togetherness. Do you understand the importance of being together in the body of Christ? Are you a part of the body of Christ? Are you saved? What binds us together is the same Holy Spirit? Is he in you?

Context: In the first message in our series on discipleship, I introduced the goal of discipleship in the acronym W A T E R = WITNESSES + ACCOUNTABILITY + TOGETHERNESS + ESTABLISHED IN THE WORD + REPRODUCING. We’ve already looked at the first two letters W and A and, in this message, we will focus on the third letter T = Togetherness. 3 main things we need to understand about Togetherness:

 I. THE EARLY CHURCH WAS TRAINED IN TOGETHERNESS BY JESUS.

Background:When people read in Acts about how the early church was together, loving and caring for one another, and putting each other first, they assume that it was some organic movement that just happened. Not true. For e.g.When you watch your favorite ball team play a great game, you know that it didn’t just happen. You know that the coach has been training them.So also, Coach Jesus had been training his disciples on the importance of being together and they were simply living it out.

I want us to look at a major training session that Jesus had with his disciples towards the close of his ministry. You remember in John 13, after the Last Supper, how Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. Itwas unthinkable for a master to wash his disciples’ feet.Peter even tried to stop Jesus but he warned him that this was a must if he was going to be his disciple. Why was this so important? Listen carefully to how Jesus explained to them the meaning of what he had done for them – 12 “…Do you know what I have done to you? 14If I then, yourLord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.”Don’t misunderstand:This was much more than “Y’all get along when I’m gone. Wash each other’s feet until I return.” Listen carefully –34“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Loving one another was the mark of a disciple before the watching world. The key words here are “one another.” I can wash my own feet but that is not keeping this commandment, that is not proving my discipleship before the watching world. I can even try to wash the feet of the world (feed the hungry, house the homeless, take care of the needy) but that is still not keeping this commandment and proving my discipleship before the watching world. This commandment can only be obeyed in the context of “one another.” This is why the early church was doing what they were doing!

Application:If you are a disciple of Christ, the same commandment applies to you. Do you love others in the body of Christ? Do you care to prove your discipleship to the watching world?

II. IT IS NATURAL FOR DISCIPLES TO NEGLECT TOGETHERNESS. 

Background:Very early on in the church’s life, the disciples began to drift away from each other. They forgot Jesus’ commandment of being together. A major evidence for this is found in the book of Hebrews. By the way, a key phrase in this book is “let us.”Listen to chapter 10verse 22–“let usdraw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.23Let ushold fast the confession of ourhope without wavering, for He who promisedisfaithful. 24And let usconsider one anotherin order to stir up love and good works, 25not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, asisthe manner of some, but exhortingone another,and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” Why did the writer of Hebrews have to exhort the early Christians to keep meeting? Or why did the early Christians stop meeting? I believe for the same reasons that Christians or disciples stop meeting even today. Here are a few that I’ve come across:

  • I don’t have to be in church in order to be a Christian.If you say that, you do not understand what the church is. It is not a building. In fact, it is described in different ways. Paul gives several ways in his letter to the Ephesians. He calls it the body of Christ.Ephesians 1 22And He gave Him(Christ)to behead over allthingsto the church, 23which is His body…” What if I told you, “I love you very much but I hate your body”? Other times, he calls it the family of Jesus. Ephesians 2:19“…you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” What if I told you, “I love you but I hate your family”? Sometimes, he calls the church the bride/wife of Christ. Ephesians 5:25“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.”What if I told you, “I love you but I hate your wife”?
  • I’m very busy and Sunday is my only day off.We always find time for things that are important. Time is not the problem. Understanding is. If you understanding the value of being with other believers, you will make time for it. Also, we have services several times on Sunday mornings and even on Saturday evenings.
  • There are a lot of hypocrites in church.What’s your point? In fact, what better place for hypocrites to be than at church where they can hear the truth. By the way, be careful about pointing fingers at others. As a pastor once said to someone who said that – “Come on in. We have room for one more.”
  • I did until something bad happened to me.I’m very sorry for what happened to you. This is one I do understand. When I first came here from India, I went to church. Little did I expect what was about to happen or not happen. This church was known as a good church and bible believing church but no one shook my hand. I was so hurt that I didn’t go to church for almost 2 years. God had to use circumstances and people to bring me back. Here’s my encouragement to you – When you stop going for one reason or another, no matter how legitimate your reason is, you are no longer able to demonstrate your discipleship.

Application:What is your reason for rejecting togetherness with other disciples? Are you willing to give that hurt to God and forgive that person or church and let God prove your discipleship before the watching world?

III. TOGETHERNESS IS A MEASURING STICK FOR DISCIPLESHIP. 

In the first message in this series on discipleship, I explained to you how Jesus moved people through 3 concentric circles.Outside the circles was the CROWD, the vast majority who were not following Jesus. Then came the first circle, the CONGREGATION.These were the multitudes that followed Jesus, heard his teachings, and saw his miracles. Then came the second circle,theCOMMUNITY. These were the 12 disciples that Jesus handpicked. You could add the 70 from Luke 10as well. He talked with them and taught them things that he did not teach the multitude. Finally came the third circle, the CIRCLE.Out of the 12 disciples, Jesus picked 3 to be part of his inner circle – Peter, James, and John. From these, Jesus expected much more. What I want you to understand is that to each of this groups Jesus had a different call:

  • To the crowd, it was “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
  • To the multitudes, it was “Deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow me.”
  • To the disciples, it was “Love one another as I have loved you.”
  • To the inner circle, it was “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”

This applies to us today:

  • Crowd (people out in our neighborhood, workplaces, friends) – get saved
  • Congregation (Saturday evening and Sunday morning) – commit yourself;
  • Community (disciples – Sunday School and Wednesday Bible Studies) – love one another, learn to be together;
  • Circle (Accountability groups) – help each other.

Invitation:Which group do you belong to? Do you understand the value of togetherness? What are you doing to move through these circles? Are you saved?

Discipleship 2: Accountable by Pastor Abidan Shah

May 3, 2018 By in Bible, Christian Life, Discipleship, Mark, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

DISCIPLESHIP – ACCOUNTABILITY by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Discipleship Accountable

Introduction: About 9 years ago, Nicole and I decided to take our kids out west. Many of you know that I love the Old West. So, we drove all the way through Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Arizona and came back through New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and all those states. It was a fun trip except for one part. When we left Estes Park, Colorado, we had 2 choices: go the long way on the interstate to Utah or take the short way through the Rockies. Of course, I chose the short scenic route. Thirty minutes into the trip we realized that it was a big mistake. The scenery was gorgeous but the road was narrow without any guard rails and sheer drop on either side. I’d never been so nervous in my life. Thank God we made it safely.Here’s the point: Accountability is like guardrails on the road of discipleship. It is imperative for a disciple to have someone in life of the same gender who is trustworthy, mature, and godly, and willing to question your bad behaviors and encourage your good behaviors on a regular basis.

Mark 6:7“And He called the twelve toHimself,and began to send them out twobytwo, and gave them power over unclean spirits.”

Luke 10:1“After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.

Question: Both with the 12 disciples and then with the 70 disciples, Jesus sent them out two by two. He paired them up, among other reasons, to hold each other accountable. If you are a disciple, who do you have in your life who holds you accountable? Who is willing to question your bad behavior and encourage your good behavior? No accountability = no guardrails down the steep mountain of life. It’s a matter of time. Are you a disciple? Are you saved?

Context: In the first message in our series on discipleship, I introduced the goal of discipleship in the acronym – W A T E R = WITNESSES + ACCOUNTABILITY + TOGETHERNESS + ESTABLISHED IN THE WORD + REPRODUCING. Last weekend we looked at the first letter W = WITNESSES and today we will look at the second letter A = Accountability. 2 main things we need to understand about Accountability:

I. JESUS KNEW THE VALUE OF ACCOUNTABILITY.

Background:To start with, the 2 verses we just read: In Mark 6, Jesus sent out the 12 disciples with power over unclean spirits. That’s incredible power but it did not cancel out the need for accountability. He sent them two by two. In Luke 10, Jesus sent out the 70 disciples and they came back rejoicing that even the demons were subject to them in his name. That’s again incredible power but again it did not cancel out the need for accountability because again he sent them two by two. We also find 2 instances when Jesus sent his disciples to do some very important tasks. The first was to bring a donkey so he could ride into Jerusalem and fulfill a very important prophecy. Listen to Luke 19:29“And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, thatHe sent two of His disciples.” Couple of days later he wanted to eat a very important meal with his disciples before the cross. Listen to Luke 22    7Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed.8And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”

There’s one more very important example of how Jesus valued accountability.When Matthew and Luke recorded the names of the disciples, they put them in the pairs with minor differences. Matthew 10   2Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the sonof Zebedee, and John his brother; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the sonof Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.” By the way, later, the accountability group waschanged – Acts 1:13“And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; Jamesthe sonof Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judasthe sonof James.” More than likely, Jesus reassigned them.

By the way, the early church in the Book of Acts continued the same pattern of accountability established by Jesus. Acts 3:1“Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer…”and healed the man born lame.Acts 13:2As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” In Acts 15 there was a contention between Paul and Barnabas over taking John Mark with them because he had gone AWOL in the middle of ministry. Nonetheless, Barnabas took Mark and Paul took Silas. Later Paul took Timothy and Titus with him. Then there were other pairs like Silas and Timothy and Timothy and Erastus. Here’s the point: Accountability is not a 21stcentury concept. It was something that was valued greatly by Jesus and the early church. Bill Hull in his book The Disciple Making Pastor says this about accountability in making disciples – “To believe you can make disciples or develop true maturity in others without some form of accountability is like believing that you can raise children without discipline, run a company without rules, or lead an army without authority. Accountability is to the Great Commission what tracks are to a train.”

Question: If Jesus emphasized the value of accountability and the early church practiced it, why is that we are reluctant to practice accountability in our lives?

II. THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRUE AND FALSE ACCOUNTABILITY.

There are reasons why Christians are reluctant to have accountability in their lives:

  1. False understanding of Accountability:
  2. Coming to church is not accountability. Coming to church is about fueling our faith. Accountability is about guarding our steps. Coming to church is about celebration as a family. Accountability is about reflection on our personal walk. Coming to church is about soul uplifting. Accountability is about soul searching. Also, Sunday School or Bible Study is not accountability either because they are not the place for hard questions, honest answers, and trusted confidentiality.
  3. Controlling others is not accountability. Invading privacy, legalistic rules, and manipulative tactics are not biblical accountability. True accountability doesn’t seek to keep people depended on you. True accountability is freeing and uplifting.
  4. Lack of understanding of the benefits of Accountability:

Sin came into the world when Adam failed to be the accountability partner to his wife. Satan isolated her and then overpowered her. For married people, your spouse should be the first ring of accountability and then someone of the same gender who is trustworthy, mature, and godly. Listen to what the wise King Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 4    9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. 12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his classic book Life Togethersaid, “Sin demands to have a man by himself. It withdraws him from the community. The more isolated a person is, the more destructive will be the power of sin over him.”

Don’t think of the benefits of accountability as only negative. Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”1 Thessalonians 5:11“Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.”

Application:Do you understand the benefits of biblical accountability? Let me ask it differently, “Are you struggling with some sin that you can’t seem to free yourself from?“Are you struggling to grow in your spiritual walk?”

What’s the next step?

  1. Accept the Importance of Biblical Accountability. Saddest thing for me as a pastor is to see is good men and women fall apart due to lack of accountability or false accountability. Do you have any guardrails in your life?

Note: Being someone’s guardrail will also keep your from going off the edge.

  1. Be willing to sacrifice. This may require getting up early and meeting with a couple of guys. This may require getting together with a couple of ladies at lunch. You don’t have to come to church for this. It can happen right where you are.
  2. Pray. Ask God to show you the right person/people to help you stay accountable.
  3. Be Patient.Robby Gallaty said, “Finding individuals whom we can trust is not an overnight process— it takestime to develop the kind of trust where deep secrets can be shared with confidence and confidentiality.”
  4. Become a Disciple. Unless you are saved, you do not have the most important accountability partner, the Holy Spirit. He confronts and comforts.

Hoi Polloi 18 on Authorship of Hebrews – Dr. David Alan Black

May 2, 2018 By in Authorship, Bible, bible study, Canon, Digging Deep, Discipleship, Greek, Hebrews, Hoi Polloi Podcast, NEW TESTAMENT STUDIES, Podcast, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment
Hoi Polloi 18 on Authorship of Hebrews – Dr. David Alan Black

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In this episode, Abidan Paul Shah will be talking with Dr. David Alan Black about his book on the Authorship of Hebrews. This is a subject that has divided scholars for many years.

If you have any questions or topics you would like to be discussed, please tweet them to @hoipolloiradio.

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