Kingdom Here by Pastor Abidan Shah

July 19, 2018 By in born again, Christian Life, gospel, Heaven, Salvation, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Kingdom HereWe are continuing in our series on the gospel and salvation this weekend. This is the perfect follow up to our discipleship focus because we must get salvation right before discipleship can begin. I was so blessed by your texts, comments, and posts on social media, and I’m praying that God will continue to use these messages to encourage and challenge all of us, myself included.

This weekend, we are focused on the kingdom of God. Many times, we think of God’s kingdom as a future reality, something that has yet to come. However, when Jesus came, he inaugurated the kingdom of God here on earth. Through His teaching and His life, He taught His disciples how to live a life fitting of God’s kingdom. The message this weekend is titled “KINGDOM HERE.”

Salvation isn’t just rescue from our sins. We must live in light of the kingdom of God because it is here now! Are you living with the kingdom of God in view? Does your life point others to Christ? Are you saved? Invite your friends and family to worship with us this weekend as we learn how to live the kingdom lifestyle.

Pastor Shah

First, Believe: Introduction by Pastor Abidan Shah

July 12, 2018 By in Christian Life, Conversion, Eternal Life, Faith, Salvation, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

FIRST, BELIEVE (INTRODUCTION) by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

First Believe IntroductionIntroduction: As you know, there is a big craze going on over comic book superheroes. Every year a new movie is coming out. We went to see one last week. What’s interesting is that many of them are prequels. A sequel is a movie that continues the main story. A prequel is a movie that goes back before the main story. That’s why kids say, “You’ve got to watch this movie first and then you’ll understand this movie.” This morning we’re starting a new series called “First, Believe.” It is a prequel to our series on discipleship. Here’s the theme of this series:  Before you can be a disciple, you have to get saved. You cannot be a disciple without getting saved. Getting saved begins your walk of discipleship. You cannot be saved if you don’t want to be a disciple. Discipleship doesn’t save you. It’s simply the evidence that you are truly saved. True gospel will initiate discipleship. The burden of proof is more on the church than on the individual.

Galatians 1    6“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.9As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.”

Question: “True Gospel will initiate discipleship.” Is their discipleship in your life? What gospel have you believed? Do you know the true gospel? Are you saved? If “the burden of proof is more on the church than the individual,” how is the church doing?

Context:  I’ve mentioned this many time before but this is my twentieth year as pastor. I’ve also mentioned this many time before but this is my first and only church. The negative is that you are stuck with me and I’m stuck with you! The positive is that it has allowed me to get a panoramic view of the life of many Christians, their beginning, their middle, and, in some cases, their end. It has allowed me to do a lot of reflection on why some people grow as disciples and some don’t. It has taken years of study, prayer, and tears to come to the series that we’re starting today. I’ve already given you the theme of the series in the introduction but here’s the theme of today’s message: “FALSE GOSPEL WILL ONLY PRODUCE FALSE DISCIPLES WITH DIRE CONSEQUENCES.”We began by reading Paul’s opening remarks to the Galatians. It’s obvious that he is upset with them:

  • He begins by reprimanding them for forsaking the true gospel.6“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel.”
  • He acknowledges the hand of the false teachers.7which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
  • He pronounces a curse on the infiltrators.8But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
  • He identifies Jesus Christ as the source of the true gospel. 10For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. 11But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12For I neither received it from man, nor was I taughtit,butit camethrough the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

What’s the point of all this?  Very early on in the life of the church, people were becoming confused about the meaning of the gospel. To add to that, there were people going around corrupting the meaning of the gospel. This is a serious offense because the gospel saves us. False gospel is false assurance that we are saved.

Question: Can you define the gospel? This is very critical, even more so than having the right key to the safe. Eternity is too long to be wrong.

Before I tell you the true gospel, let me list for you 5 gospels that have been floating around for a long time with dire consequences (I am getting my information from Bill Hull who has written prodigiously on the subject of discipleship):

  1. The Forgiveness Only Gospel – It is the most popular gospel. It simply tells you how to get your sins forgiven and get your ticket into heaven. It is partly true and partly false. It is true because it includes the affirmation of certain critical facts about God, Jesus, Sin, Forgiveness, and Eternal Life. It is false because it fails to include certain critical facts about repentance, invitation to follow Jesus, and obedience to his word. It is easy to identify the “Forgiveness Only Gospel” people. Their Christian life revolves around sin management. I like to call them the “Carwash Christians.” Monday through Saturday, do whatever you want to but then Sunday you come and get washed up.
  2. The Liberal Left Gospel – The old left gospel of the early twentieth century tried to make Christianity relevant to the scientific age. It focused on dismissing the Genesis account of creation, rejecting the miracles in the Bible, and redefining the necessity and meaning of the atonement of Christ. Instead, it focused attention on transforming society through social justice. That’s why the leaders of such gospel churches would always show up in their long robes and their tippets and their cinctures anywhere they could make a statement about injustice. I wish more people who actually believed the gospel would have done this as well. Nonetheless, it wasn’t long before these liberal left gospel churches had nothing but empty pews. These churches are still around. They come up with clever interpretations of the Bible that have nothing to do with the gospel. They love to hide in nice liturgical churches where the leaders don’t believe anything but they let the people do the rituals to soothe their souls.
  3. The Prosperity Gospel – Unfortunately, this is the fastest growing false gospel. It promises health and wealth to any who had the faith to believe. They teach that the miracles that happened in the Bible are still available today if you only had the faith. This is very misleading because I believe that God still heals in answer to prayers and that if we do things God’s way that there are blessings that follow. But, this gospel tends to manipulate God and what he has said in his word. Some of the leaders of this movement are usually looking to buy another plane while many of their listeners in third world country are still living in slums. They do a lot of damage to many of us who are trying to preach the truth.
  4. The Consumer Gospel – This gospel is quite popular in evangelical churches. It is focused on meeting your needs in fast and efficient and professional ways. I’m all for that but without the gospel, it’s no different than paying extra and flying first class instead of economy. Messages are designed to meet your immediate needs (nothing wrong with that) but not too much emphasis on sins and repentance. It’s a guilt free gospel that is designed to help you have a great day. People who have been to such churches have high expectations. They may believe the right overall doctrines but don’t try them too much. If their needs are not met, they will leave.
  5. The Religious Right Gospel – This is the opposite of the liberal left gospel. It has right beliefs. It stands on the right side of moral issues. It separates itself from the sinful corrupt world. Personally, I would agree with all of their convictions. Having said that, they are just as mean and hypocritical as the world they are in opposition to. What makes it worse is that they know enough Bible to justify their sinful behaviors. They are the “do as I say but not as I do” Christians.If I may add, such churches are full of legalism. As Bill Hull says, “there are a lot of dead people at the First Church of the Right because grace there is scarce, and life comes from grace.”

Question:  Which gospel do you belong to? The Forgiveness Only Gospel, The Liberal Left Gospel, The Prosperity Gospel, The Consumer Gospel, or The Religious Right Gospel.

What is the true gospel? I will unpack this in the weeks ahead:

First the Revelation – 1 Corinthians 15    1“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,2by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,4and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,5and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.6After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.7After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles.8Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.”

One response here – Repentance for our sins.

Now the Response – Romans 10    9“that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Two responses here – Believe in Him and Follow our Master.

Altogether, 3 responses – Repent, Believe, and Follow. The Holy Spirit helps you with all three of them. Have you done this? Are you doing this?

 

Life Between Posts (Article) by Abidan Paul Shah

July 10, 2018 By in Approval, Encouragement, envy, Facebook, Life, Marital Problems, Marriage, Motives, Priorities, Relationships, Relationships, Resentment, Sin, Social Media, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

LIFE BETWEEN POSTS (Article) by Abidan Paul Shah

(Published in the newspaper Daily Dispatch, Henderson on July 7, 2018)

IMG_2578You’re scrolling through your favorite social media and you see the perfect picture with perfect smiles and perfect clothes with a perfect background. To top it all off, its accompanied by a perfect caption, including hashtags like #lovinglife #love #loveus #happiness #sohappy #perfectday #forever #natural – What do all these hashtags and the posts and pictures that accompany them have in common? They are deceiving. They only give a partial, wishful, and concocted glimpse of life. I wish people would also add these hashtags to their posts and pictures– #pleasethinkImhappy #pretendwithmethatallisfine #IwishIfeltlikethispicture #Iwishwecouldalwaysbethishappy #justhadafight #abouttohaveafight #tookme20triestogetthispicture.

Unfortunately, many of us buy into and perpetuate the lies communicated by those pictures and posts with their unrealistic hashtags. I have seen young people fall into depression because they felt that others were having a great time and they were doomed to a life of misery and loneliness. They don’t stop to consider that those pictures were re-taken twenty times! I have seen marriages fall apart because one partner felt that they were not as happy as others and that the grass was greener somewhere else. They don’t realize that the grass is always greener by the septic tank! I have known people who refused to get help because they thought a few likes on social media would solve their problems. They don’t understand that hearts on a screen can never fix the heart of their problems.

Am I suggesting that we stop posting happy pictures and take on a morose view of life? Absolutely not. It’s perfectly fine to share our joys with others. Social media is a wonderful tool to keep up with family and friends. But, please don’t confuse a perfectly angled selfie with a perfectly aligned life. Be discerning. Here’s a reality check from the oldest book in the Bible – “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.” (Job 14:1) Before you envy someone else’s perfect life, remember that even Jesus – the perfect Son of God – had a few bad days. Imagine all your besties deserting you and letting you die for crimes you didn’t commit! Ironically, we call it “Good Friday.”

Ultimately, we need to ask ourselves – What causes us to crave this approval and admiration of others? Why is it that we want others to think that our life is so flawless? Where did this desire to cover up our blemishes and failures come from? It goes all the way back to Adam and Eve who tried to cover up their sin by using fig leaves. Refusing to face up to our problems and pretending that all is fine is an old family trait. Just like our first parents, we also hide in our proverbial gardens instead of confessing our sin before God and seeking his help and forgiveness through Jesus. Thinking that someone else has it better than us also runs in the family. Cain was envious of his brother Abel because he saw that God approved his brother’s offering. Instead of changing his ways, he killed Abel.

Here are a couple of questions to consider before you post that perfect picture with the perfect quote: What is your true motivation for posting? Who are you trying to impress? Will this uplift someone or bring them down? If you are posing with someone, do they really believe that about you? Does that person feel used? What is the real issue that you are avoiding? How does God feel about your post? Jesus rebuked those who rejected him, saying, “How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? (John 5:44)

True life is what happens between posts. #Lifebetweenposts – there’s a hashtag that should go viral!

Discipleship: Intercession by Pastor Abidan Shah

July 5, 2018 By in Christian Life, Discipleship, Prayer, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

DISCIPLESHIP – INTERCESSION by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Discipleship Intercession

Introduction: Have you ever had to get someone to intercede for you? That word “intercede” is a Latin word that’s a combination of “inter” = “between” and “cede” = “go.” Intercede means “to go between for someone.” I had to get someone to intercede for me back in 1994. I was a junior in college down in Georgia working security. It was the start of the new semester and the guy working with me came back from making his rounds and said, “Man, there’s a new girl on campus and she’s real pretty! I’m going to marry her.” Later I went for my rounds and saw this new girl and I could see why he wanted to marry her. She was pretty. She was walking down the steps from the gym. I remember that like yesterday. That girl doesn’t remember that. Few months later we met and we talked here and there. I wanted to ask her out but I didn’t know how to go about doing that. So, I asked my friend Dan to help me out. He could have said no or asked her out himself but he didn’t. He interceded for me. Long story short, we were married a year later. What does this have to do with discipleship? We can pray to God anytime for our needs and desires. But God also loves to hear from our friends as to what we need and desire. That’s intercession. In fact, intercession is a very vital part of discipleship. That’s our message today.

Philippians 1    9“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,11being filled with the fruits of righteousness whichareby Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Question:What do all those passages have in common? They are passages on Intercessory Prayers, where we pray not for ourselves but for others. Who intercedes on your behalf? Who are you interceding on behalf of? Do you understand the importance of Intercessory Prayers? Are you saved?

Pray: Holy Spirit – Teach us to pray. Teach us to pray for others. Help those who have never prayed the sinner’s prayer to call on the name of Jesus and be saved today.

Context:For a long time, I had been praying that God would show me how to lead the people at Clearview to become more than just hearers of the Word and to become grounded in the truth, grow spiritually in Christ, walk with integrity in public and private life, and become fruitful in winning others to Christ. The answer came through years of studying the Bible, talking to experts in the field, observing what successful churches were doing, and a lot of trial and error. This series on discipleship has been that answer and it’s been exciting to see how well it’s been going. In this final message in this series, I want us to look at a very important ingredient of discipleship – Intercessory Prayer, praying for the needs and desires of others.

If there is one person in the New Testament who took discipleship seriously, it was Paul. He prayed for those he partnered with in the gospel. I want us to look at his prayer for the Philippians in Philippians 1starting in verse9.Before we do that, let me ask you – How is your prayer life? Do you pray daily? Before we can intercede for others, we need to “cede” our own selves to God. The word “Cede” also means “to yield” or “formally surrender” ourselves. Prayer is the act of yielding and surrendering ourselves before God.It is humbling ourselves before God and acknowledging that we need him every day and without him we’re nothing. It is telling God that only he can give us what we need and then thanking him for what he has done for us. Do you pray daily? persistently? Do you pray believingly?

7 things to keep in mind when interceding for others:

9“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more…”

  1. Love– What is very interesting here is that there is no object given for the love. Paul does not say “your love for God may abound” or “your love for each other may abound.” He is talking about comprehensive love in every area of life. He is praying that their whole life would be marked by love – for God, for Jesus, for each other, for the truth, for those in the ministry, and for those who are lost. But, Paul has much more than a hint of love in mind here. He wants them to be overflowing with love.

What we understand from this is that love is not some human effort. It is something that God has to pour supernaturally into our hearts.He has to make it abound and overflow. Love is the mark of a disciple. Listen to what Jesus said in John 13    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.” Paul declares in1 Corinthians 13:13“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of theseislove.”

Would you agree that what you and I need more than anything in this world is love?I Peter 4:8“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for“love will cover a multitude of sins.” That’s why we need to pray that each of us will overflow with love. Like a torrential rainfall washing away all the leaves, pine straw, and dirt from the pavement into the drain. More love, More coverage of sins.

But this is not some sentimental emotional high – 9“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge. . .”

  1. Knowledge –The Greek word is not “gnosis” but “epignosis.” When the word is used with “epi,” the idea is one of knowledge of God, knowledge of Christ, knowledge of the Word, knowledge of sin, knowledge of the work of the Spirit, and knowledge of being conformed to the image of Christ. In other words, this knowledge is not information but conformation to the likeness of Christ. It is understanding the work of God in our lives.

Would you agree that what you and I need is this understanding of how God is working in our lives? Without this understanding it is so easy to get discouraged and start doubting.

 9“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment…”

  1. Discernment –This is a word found in the LXX translation of the Proverbs. It implies practical living and making judgment calls in difficult situations. Yes, we are to love and be aware of who we are in Christ but there’s no “sloppy agape” here. Again, there is no clear object here so it can refer to both doctrinal discernment and daily discernment. Recognize that someone is not teaching the truth and recognize that someone is about to pull wool over your eyes. Jesus said in Matthew 10:16“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” Being a Christian means being gracious and forgiving but not gullible and foolish.More than anything, it is recognizing when someone is pulling away from God.

9“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10that you may approve the things that are excellent…”

  1. Choose what matters – The Greek word “dokimazein” is used in other contexts for the testing of the quality of precious metals or money. It means choosing the best. Romans 12:2“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove whatisthat good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Daily we need to pray that our kids will not settle for the good enough or the mediocre things of life but the better and the best that God has for them.

“…that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ…”

  1. Pure and Blameless– Life is full of snares and temptations. Stay away from sin and finish well is the prayer. So sad to see people mess up in the final minutes of the game of life. They get comfortable and arrogant and that’s when they get struck down. Luke 2231“And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may siftyouas wheat. 32But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail. . .” But the word for “offense” is not restricted to personal failing but it also implies the failing of others. Here’s the question: “Is what I’m doing going to make someone else stumble?”

11“being filled with the fruits of righteousness whichareby Jesus Christ…”

  1. Fruit of Righteousness– Paul is not talking about self-effort here. He is talking about the promise that Jesus made to his disciples in John 15:5“I am the vine, youarethe branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”When we abide in Christ, the Holy Spirit produces the righteous conduct in us that no amount of self-effort can ever produce. Paul gives us the list of them in Galatians 5 22“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control.”

“…to the glory and praise of God.”

  1. Glory and Praise of God –Ultimately, God should get the glory and praise from our lives.

These are the 7 elements of intercessory prayers. This is how you pray for others. This is how you pray in the Inner Circles. Warren Wiersbe said, “Perhaps the deepest Christian fellowship and joy we can experience in this life is at the Throne of Grace, praying with and for one another.”

Are you willing to be an Intercessor for others? James 5:16“Confessyourtrespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” Are you praying? Have you prayed the sinner’s prayer? Are you saved?

Discipleship: Restoration by Pastor Abidan Shah

June 28, 2018 By in Christian Life, Discipleship, Grace, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

DISCIPLESHIP – RESTORATION by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Discipleship Restoration

Introduction: Have you ever observed how ants help other ants? Once a worker ant finds food, it makes its way back home leaving behind a pheromone trail (chemical scent) that helps the other ants find their way to the food. In some varieties of ants, if a warrior ant gets injured in battle against an enemy, like the termites, the other ants will carry him back home. Now compare this with crabs. Throw a bunch of crabs in a bucket and you don’t need a lid to keep them in. If one tries to climb out, the others will pull him back in. Ants pull each other up. Crabs pull each other down. What does this have to do with our series on discipleship? In the Christian life, we don’t need people who will pull us down. We need people who will pull us up. We need others to encourage, guide, and pray for us when we lose our way. It’s called accountability. Unfortunately, most Christians act more like crabs than ants. Today’s sermon titled “Restoration” is going to help us understand true accountability.

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.”

Question: Who is holding you accountable? Who do you have in your life who is spiritually mature enough to restore you in a spirit of gentleness? Are you pulling others up or down? Have you ever asked Christ to pull you out of sin? Are you saved?

Context:  As I’ve said before, it’s been awesome for me to see the response to this series on discipleship. Some have already started their Inner Circles and some are getting ready to start. Typically, most people have no problem with most of what I have been explaining.

  • W for Witness – yes, it’s important to have a testimony and share your faith.
  • T for Togetherness – yes, it’s important to go to church and hear the Word and join in Sunday School and small groups.
  • E for Established in the Word – yes, it’s important to get in the Bible.
  • R for Reproducing Disciples – yes, it’s important to “Go and make disciples.”

The one that people struggle with is A for Accountability – no, I don’t want to share my business with anyone. Most are okay with coming to church and being part of the congregation. Some are even okay with going to Sunday School and Small Groups (Circles at Clearview) and getting into community. But, Inner Circles tend to intimidate some people. Actually, I’m surprised how well the concept of inner circles has been received by most people. But, if you are one of those who are intimidated by that concept, I’m going to try to clear up some misunderstandings about it in this message. Having said that, please don’t talk down about it. Pray for those who want to do it. What may look to you like an ugly, uncomfortable vest may be a lifejacket for someone else. You may not be drowning but they are. Please don’t talk them out of putting on the life-preserver.

I’ve already preached a message on how Jesus valued accountability, how he sent them out in pairs (two by two) and how the early church followed the same pattern. In the brief time we have today, I don’t want to convince you again of the importance of accountability. I simply want to clear up some misunderstandings by explaining how accountability works in the Inner Circle. Basically three:

1. Don’t confuse Sunday School and Small Groups with Inner Circles. They’re wonderful and very essential for developing T for Togetherness. You get to know each other, share in each other’s joys and sorrows, and learn the Bible. But, the real test is “are they making disciples?” The answers is “No.” Disciples who make disciples is the goal.

2. Don’t confuse One-on-one mentoring with Inner Circles. Jesus met with people one on one. He met with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman by themselves. He even had a deep conversation with Peter after he rose from the grave. These were times of great spiritual benefit to these individuals. Some like the Samaritan woman even got saved through it and maybe Nicodemus too. I’ve met many times with people one on one and it’s great. But, there are some limitations to one on one meetings. In other words, there are some important benefits to meeting in a group. Listen again to Ecclesiastes 4 9Twoarebetter than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. . . 12Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” In other words, if two is good, three is even better.” Why is an Inner Circle better?  8 Reasons (I’m getting these from Robby Gallaty):

i. Avoid the ping pong match. How are you? Good. Did you have a good week? Yep. .

ii. One on one is difficult to reproduce. The mentee never feels equal to the mentor.

iii. A group of two tends to become a counselling session. Instead of a time of spiritual growth, it becomes a problem solving, therapy session.

iv. A group of three to five has built-in accountability. If one fails to do the assignment, the others are good motivators to challenge and encourage.

v. A multiplication strategy is exponentially faster than an addition strategy. Keith Philipps in his 1981 book “The Making of a Disciple” presented a chart comparing discipleship with evangelism. If one person were to reach one person every day for the next 16 years (he actually calculated for 32 years), that would be 5,840 people. Now if a person would disciple one person a year for the next 16 years, that would be 65,536 people. Then, Greg Ogden in his 2016 book “Transforming Discipleship” expounded it even further. If we went by the Inner Circle Model, in 16 years, that would be 43,046,721 people. I know that all these figures are ideal world assumptions. But, unless we go this way, there’s no way that we will win our community and our world for Christ.

vi. A one-on-one group can be intimidating. It is very hard for people to talk about their personal lives and struggle one on one, especially men.

vii. You grow as a group. Christian life is not an individual sport. It is a team sport. The boys and I have been watching the World Cup Soccer tournament. It’s amazing to see the reaction when a player makes a goal. The whole team comes running and jumps on him! So also, in discipleship, we grow as a team.

viii. Jesus discipled in groups. I’ve repeated this time and time again with how Jesus worked with the disciples and the Inner Circle with Peter, James, and John.

3. Don’t confuse biblical correction with control and condemnation. A major reason that many people are reluctant to join an accountability group or the Inner Circle is because they think that now they have to give an account of everything they do to someone. They assume that they are inadvertently turning over their freedom to someone else. This is just not true. Here’s a great illustration:Most of us have a lead foot. We like to drive a little above the speed limit. What happens when you see a police, sheriff, or state trooper car? We slow down and check our speedometer. Why do we do that? Is it because we don’t want to cause a wreck or break the law. I doubt it. We don’t want to get stopped, get a ticket, have to go to court, and have our insurance go up. The police car forces us to stay within the law. What if we didn’t have any police cars. Would we still do what is right? Maybe some of us but most won’t. Accountability is like that police car. It forces us to stay away from sin. Galatians 6 1“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” The goal is not control or condemnation but biblical correction or restoration.It is not pushing your personal convictions on others. Robby Gallaty said – “Accountability must be couched in grace. Avoid narcissistic, self-improvement regimens that turn grace into law.” Listen to verse2“Bear 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.”

Illustration: John Bradford was a pastor, a reformer, and later became a martyr. Tradition has it that when he would see convicts being taken to be executed that he would say under his breath “there but for the grace of God go I.” In other words, “the only difference between that convict and myself is the grace of God.” If all of us can believe that we are only 1 or 2 steps away from that man or that woman behind bars, what a difference it would make in how we treat people. Paul said in I Corinthians 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am. . .”

Invitation: Do you pull people up or down? Have you been pulled up by the grace of God in Jesus Christ?

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 – IMPLANTED by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Discipleship Implanted

Introduction: Do you know someone with selective memory? Parents, do you have kids with selective memory? They can’t remember where they put their homework but they can remember all the weapon combinations of Fortnite. Ladies, does your man suffer with selective memory? He can’t remember that the kid’s birthday party is this weekend (which you’ve told him 10 times) but he knows exactly when his favorite team is playing and who will be in the starting lineup. Confession time: I’m one of them. We say, “My memory is not what it used to be.” To be honest, our memory is just fine. We remember what we really care to remember. What does this have to do with discipleship? When we get saved, God’s Word is implanted in our hearts. It is the truth of God that comes in where there was only darkness, deceit, and death. This implanted Word now creates a hunger for the external Word, the Bible. In fact, it’s vitality is depended on it. This is where scripture memorization comes in. It feeds the implanted Word. Without the external word coming and dwelling in us, the implanted word can do only so much. Memorizing scripture is a vital part of discipleship. But, when you tell people that, they often claim that their memory is no good. Our memory is just fine. We remember what we really care to remember. In this message titled “Implanted,” we will learn why and how we need to memorize scripture.

James 1    19So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

Question: How important is the word of God in your life? How often do you read it? Are you a disciple? Are you saved? Has the Word been implanted in your heart?

Context: In the past few weeks I’ve heard from many of you that you are starting an Inner Circle (D-group) or you are praying about joining one. It’s awesome! Some of you still have some questions as to how it’s all supposed to work. Let me quickly recap:

  • The incentive for this series on discipleship is Matthew 28:19,the Great Commission of Jesus – “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations. . .”That statement by Jesus is not a suggestion. It is a command that has to be obeyed. In other words, not to go and make disciples is to disobey God.
  • The question that follows is “What is a disciple?” Based on scripture, we came up with the goal of discipleship in the acronym WATER = WITNESSES + ACCOUNTABILITY + TOGETHERNESS + ESTABLISHED IN THE WORD + REPRODUCING DISCIPLES. I’ve preached a message on each of these elements.
  • Next, we looked at the importance of disciplines or habits in discipleship – Evangelism, Confession, Weekly Church Attendance, Daily Bible Intake, and Discipling. Without discipline, there is no discipleship.
  • Next, we looked at the pathways to get to discipleship. We need to follow the model of Jesus in how he moved people from the Crowd to the Congregation to the Community to the Inner Circle. True discipleship happens when the circle is small, 3-5-member gender specific closed group that is by invitation only to believers. It meets weekly for a period of time and then each member replicates, as God leads.
  • What happens when they meet? Study the Bible, Memorize the Bible, Ask questions of Accountability, and Pray.
  • Last week we learned how to study the Bible at the simplest level – Read the Word, Understand the Word, and Apply the Word.

In this message, I want to focus on Memorizing the Word. As I mentioned, when people hear about the importance of memorizing scripture, they dismiss it with “my memory is horrible” “I’m too busy” “I read the Bible and that’s enough” “You don’t have to do that to be a Christian.” Let me first tell you why it is important to Memorize the Word:

  • Scripture Memory was a distinguishing mark of the Old Testament saints: Job 23:12 “I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.”
  • Scripture memory was the secret to success in life: Joshua 1:8“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”Clarification:The Bible talks about meditating on the Word rather than memorizing the Word. Meditating is taking a passage and ruminating on it, thinking on it and committing it to memory. When we talk about scripture memorization, we’re not talking about mindlessly memorizing a passage like for an exam. Psalm 1     1“Blessedisthe man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2But his delightisin the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.” By the way, this meditation is nothing like the transcendental meditation of eastern mysticism or yoga. They talk about emptying your mind, quieting your soul, and letting peace, happiness, and wisdom come from within. Jesus said in Matthew 15:19“For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.”
  • Scripture memory was a safeguard against the pitfalls of life: Psalm 37   David says, 30“The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of justice. 31The law of his Godisin his heart; none of his steps shall slide.”
  • Scripture memory was an internal armor against sin: Psalm 119:11“Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”
  • Scripture memory was the source of joy to God’s people: Jeremiah 15:16“Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.”

Someone might say, “All that is just Old Testament. In the New Testament, it’s all the Spirit.”Actually, the New Testament assumes many of the habits and ways of thinking of the Old Testament. Remember, the first Christians were Jewish believers. They wrote the books of the New Testament through the Holy Spirit but within their Old Testament worldview. Many of the truths in the New Testament assume that you are memorizing Scripture. I don’t have time to give all references but here are just a few:

  • Jesus memorized Scripture. How did he respond when Satan tried to tempt him? He said to him, “It is written” and then quoted scripture. We think it’s because he is God and he already knew it. He was also man who as Luke said in Luke 2:52“increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”
  • Jesus expected his disciples to remember his words. John 8:31“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If youabidein Myword, you are My disciples indeed.”That’s referring to both the Implanted Word and the External Word.
  • Paul commanded the believers to remember Scripture. Colossians 3:16“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom . . .”
  • Paul listed the Word as our only weapon in spiritual battle. Ephesians 6:17“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
  • The writer of Hebrews explains the continuous inner working of the Word in us. Hebrews 4:12“For the word of Godisliving and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

There are many other references but listen to what Chuck Swindoll said,“I know of no other single practice in the Christian life more rewarding, practically speaking, than memorizing Scripture…No other single exercise pays greater spiritual dividends! Your prayer life will be strengthened. Your witnessing will be sharper and much more effective. Your attitudes and outlook will begin to change. Your mind will become alert and observant. Your confidence and assurance will be enhanced. Your faith will be solidified.”

So, how do you go about memorizing scripture? There are many techniques out there but basically there are 2 mediums: Use the old-fashioned index cards or use an app. At the end of the day, you still have to memorize. Here’s my challenge to you: Every time you want to look at your phone, look at your memory verse first.When you join an Inner Circle, the scriptures are already assigned, which helps a lot, and then the accountability keeps you committed. If you do it alone, it’s very easy to give up.

At Clearview, we expect our kids to memorize scripture in Sunday School, Blaze, and Awana. But, when they grow up, we assume that they don’t have to do that. How tragic!

Personal Testimony:Growing up, we had bible verses everywhere in our home. Those verses have protected and guided me to where I am today. I want the same for my kids. So, I am willing to do it still. We remember so much useless information. Imagine what memorizing Scripture will do for you.

Is the Implanted Word in you? Is the External Word in you?

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?

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