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May 5, 2021 3:00 am
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A New Beginning is the daily half-hour program hosted by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California. For over 30 years, Pastor Greg and Harvest Ministries have endeavored to know God and make Him known through media and large-scale evangelism. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.
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You are listening to a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God.
Visit our website and learn more about harvest partners@harvest.org will cause the drawing will harmony with God and with people with God in harmony with people we bring glory point so that we each need to make a choice. It may not be an easy choice.
I choose to be a friend of God I choose to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, you want to be the right popular popular is always right is easy to go with the flow, along with others is inappropriate. You remain silent when a coworker to do something unethical with those who never stand for something eventually will fall today on the new beginning after Greg Laurie help with our faith relationship with God front and center in our daily lives as part of wanting to rewarding discipleship.
All right, let's grab our Bible Bible quickly quickly and to Gossage's today.
Other get to be Matthew 28 and Luke 14 were starting a brand-new series on the topic of discipleship. The road less traveled on the title of my message. It is are you is the site discipleship is all about growing up.
It's about going to the next level if you will.
It's about really living the Christian life to its fullest. Living the Christian life as it was meant to be led. That's called being a disciple. Then, in turn, going out and making disciples of others that brings us to our first passage, Matthew 28. These are the words of Jesus. Now these are familiar words.
Words that many of us have even committed to memory, but I want you to consider the fact that these were the last words of Christ before he left her. This is after the crucifixion is risen again from the dead, and he's going to ascend into heaven, that so these are the last words of Christ to us in the registrar.
There a command there a commission. That's why we call this the great commission.
Matthew 28 verse 16 then the 11 disciples left for Galilee going to the mount where Jesus told them to go when they saw him they worshiped him, but some of them doubted Jesus said to his disciples, I've been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you to be sure of this, I am with you always, even to the end of the narrative were all commanded to go and make disciples. Listen to this. It takes one to make one and everyone should be a disciple of Jesus.
Because really, what is discipleship. It's living the Christian life as it was meant to be let discipleship is living the Christian life is Jesus taught it as the early church understood it. It's real Christianity, but I think some are reluctant to want to live that way because it seems well radical. That's why I call this series discipleship.
The road less taken because some don't want hardship. They don't want to challenge. They don't want difficulty so they take the path of least resistance. Instead of discipleship, wrote a loose end of this discipleship road is challenging, but it's fulfilling. It's hard but it's more than worth it because as I said it's living the Christian life as it was meant to be lived and not everyone is a disciple who claims to be a Christian. You know it's interesting when Christ walked our planet.
He spent a lot of time with those 12 handpicked disciples. Matthew five we read one day of the crowds were gathering. Jesus went up to a mountainside with his disciples and he sat down to teach them. This is what he taught them and after that comes a sermon on the Mount. So we envision Jesus on the sermon on the Mount speaking to the multitudes on Saturday that I'm rid thirst after righteousness, plus another make no that message was given to his disciples who were gathered around them.
So the point is that he took time with these guys. He spent time with these guys and the basic definition of the word disciple means a learner euro learner your someone that's listening and your processing and these disciples listened and followed him around and here's what Jesus says about discipleship. There's more to say will get into it. But here's the beginning of what Christ said about discipleship in Luke 14 verse 26 if anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, in his own life he cannot be my disciple and whoever does not bear his cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple. While these are perhaps some of the most Solomon searching words that ever fell from the lips of Jesus two times in the short passage, Jesus says if you don't do these things you cannot be his disciple. First he says that we must hate, father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, and your life you He is disciple. Then he says you must bear the cross, or you can be his disciple.
These are prerequisites to being a disciple.
So if you want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, you must do these things so Jesus is still asking us when you step out from the multitude and be a real disciple will you be more than someone that just curious or affair whether follower might see a Facebook friend.
How many of you have a Facebook page.
Okay I have one.
I also have a twitter account and I also have an Instagram page always amazed at the different reactions in these different social media platforms. You know if I put a picture up on Instagram people are generally pretty friendly. There like, I'll post a little Scripture on my Posta statement from a sermon or something that word going in the future, and then occasional put in the old picture of my family here. Or maybe I this sandwich or I drink this cup of coffee and had this copy. This morning I put a picture of it on Instagram comments also looks good, where did you find that coffee can't take the same picture and posted on Facebook and I get reactions like must be nice to have coffee that expensive or starving people in the world really with these people is Facebook a place for people to just come and argue seriously there's a lot of nice people out there with some of these Facebook friends.
I have to admit are a little on the weird side and I there's something I've done a Facebook and I shouldn't tell you that I've done it. I'm not the only one who's done it might help but I have done it I deleted a few comments and I've blocked a few people and I liked it. I don't mind it if someone comes in disagrees with me. Counterpoint. But when someone comes to attack Lawrence Salter promote their own agenda. I might delete them, and that every now and then I bought them in my only regret is I can't do that with people in real life. Can you imagine so it is just argumentative. The media just blocks you can't do that.
Of course, but I think Jesus has a lot of Facebook friends so to speak, by the way when someone unfollowed you.
You can find out if ever been unfollowed your followed in unfollowed.
I think a lot of people are doing following Jesus owing on following Jesus. Maybe they were never followers to begin with.
So really what is Jesus saying when he says that you must hate, mother, father, brother, sister, wife, husband, your own life is what it means. This is my main point. I'll close with this, the disciple must love Jesus more than anyone or anything else. The disciple must love Jesus more than anyone or anything else when he says if you come after me. In verse 26 and you don't hate your father mother why children other sisters in your life you can be his disciple.
He's not telling us they hate people, but he said it. Let me explain. Always compare Scripture with Scripture because we not told us husbands to love our wives as Christ loves the church and gave himself for her.
How can I love my wife as Christ loves the church and then heater and are we not told to love our enemies and good that those that hurt us, and so forth.
So certainly this doesn't fit with other passages. There is an a contradiction in the Bible right will not right. It's a translation issue. Jesus is using the method of sharp contrast and he's effectively saying your love for God must be so strong, so intense that all other loves would be like hatred in comparison or to put it another way, if you really want to be my disciple. The Lord is saying and live the Christian life to its fullest.
You must love me more than anyone or anything. Just a moment. Pastor Greg warns us of the reaction we may get from friends and family. When we draw closer to the Lord as his disciple. Important insight next.
You know sometimes we can always make sure here's the good news church is coming to you is coming due on your TV screen or on your tablet or your computer or even your phone. We do it every weekend and it's called harvest home. We worship we have a message of the word of God. If you want to find out more, just go to harvest.org enjoy this this weekend for harvestable today.
Pastor Greg is helping her see what it takes to step up to a higher level of relationship with the Lord.
Old discipleship is message is titled argue his disciple milligrams."
Salvation is free.
But discipleship because everything we have and it makes sense because some were kept back from Christ out of fear of what others would think Luke nine there is a story of a man that Jesus called Jesus just said, follow me and ears of the guy said I need to bury my mother and father. Jesus is not the dead bury the dead. Follow me know you read that you don't understand culture anything while that heartless of Christ was not. Here's this poor guy is mom and dad just died there in the road he sexy digging a grave form and follow me.
Let me just bring my branch library themselves as co-as I would happen no, it was a cultural term when someone said let me go bury my mother and father. It was another way of saying hey look I can do it right now. Let me wait till my mom and dad have died in their bury and then when it's easier or more convenient I'll follow you. So really it's a guy making up excuses why don't you follow Jesus while I would like to but I'm so busy right now. I can horrify follow him. II might jeopardize this relationship with this car. This girl I'm involved with her that might cause tension of my family.
My family is a Christian if I become a Christian. It will cause tension that's right. It will.
Jesus said you think that I've come to bring peace.
No I tell you I come to bring division and a sword from men will be divided against his family is silky well and now I'm confused. I don't want to say I'm a Christian because I don't want division of my family. Let me illustrate what this means, because this is the division that can ultimately bring unity. This is the friction that can ultimately bring peace. So let's take your family as an example, maybe you're just all nonbelievers and family gatherings are one day drunken thing right but the dirty jokes, lots of party and get together with all your odd uncles and strange cousins and then one day you have the going wreck everything and become a Christian. They all heard about it rather so you show up in their all party in it because in a joking and the meal getting ready to be served and you say what.
Let's pray we don't say it that way but that's how you sound. You sound like some preacher. Let's pray together, shall we, Holloman.
All of a sudden, your family, you just became Debbie downer or Bobby buzz kill really really did you have to go and become a Jesus freak a holy roller and so they go along with your prayer resent every moment of it. They make fun of you, but then one family member comes to Christ as you make your stand and no way to family members of come to Christ.
Only now three now 40, look what happened. This entire family that was full of nonbelievers is now a Christian family passing on a godly legacy to the next generation.
Isn't that amazing that's out to you so I don't want to make goods that I want to offend them or cause friction, listen. The getting of harmony with God in friction with people friction with God in harmony with people what you want if you want to be the world's friends to be God's enemy, but if you want to be God's friend will be the world's enemy and know this if your real disciple of Jesus. People hate you don't want to hurt you.
Sometimes I'll even want to kill you. I know little bit about this personally, but listen to this. Don't worry if you are persecuted, worry when you're not persecuted because the Bible says all the live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Yes, it is very friction can bring transformation so make a choice. I choose to be a friend of God I choose to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. How many of you want to be that today will then be it go here so were going to close down prayer.
By the way have two more pages of sermon that I just throughout because I'm a save that for next week. But listen I want to close with the prayer kind of a twofold invitation number one I went to invite people to believe in Jesus, but we do some of you get tired of me inviting people to believe in Jesus. I'm glad because I want to keep doing it all right so, to do that. That's how I roll and then number two I'm in a do a separate invitation for Christians to become disciples that those are interchangeable terms, not necessarily as I said earlier, every disciple is a Christian, but not every Christian is necessarily a disciple what to disciple.
There's much more to say but let me just simplified just what we learned today will add more later. Disciple is someone who loves God more than anyone or anything else can we start there. Are you willing to say Lord I want to love you more than anyone or any thing else that's a good place to begin.
So will extend this invitation. If there are some of you that would say man I want to be at disciple I really want to live the Christian life as it was meant to be that I want to get on that road less traveled.
Yeah, I really want to impact people around me back. I don't want to just be a disciple.
I want to be a disciple maker. I want to fulfill the great commission will have an opportunity for you to say that to the Lord. Let me just at this if you pray the prayer lead you, and in a few moments saying you want to be a disciple.
It's a dangerous prayer, dangerous meaning that God will hear your prayer leaders all prayer but God will answer your prayer and take you up on its adult freight if you don't mean it.
So if you pray at all. Assume you're not a disciple now but you want to be our you're a struggling disciple you want to be a better one for some of you just want to read a ferment or for you. The don't pre-maybe just say God want to pray that prayer that you have that privilege. That right. You decide. Let's pray now. Father, we thank you for your word to us. Thank you for sending Jesus to die on the cross in our place and then rising again from the dead, and I prefer any here that do not know you yet. Lord I pray this is the day they would go from curious to convinced and ultimately from convinced a committed help them to come to you and believe in you and receive the forgiveness of all of their sin in the home. In Jesus name I pray.
Prayer from Pastor Greg Laurie if you'd like to do that if you like to make a change in your relationship with the Lord.
Pastor Greg will help you with that in just a moment for today's addition of a new beginning.
Concludes sometimes interruptions happen during the course of 1/2 hour. If you are unable to catch every word of today study you can get caught up by listening to the program again online@harvest.org just look for the message. Are you his disciple and it's a privilege to have Shannon bream with us today. You may recognize the name. She's an anchor at Fox News and also their chief legal correspondent she's just released a brand-new book called the women of the Bible speak. The subtitle is the wisdom of 16 women and their lessons for today and that Shannon, you mentioned in the book that one of your favorite stories is that of Deborah, who appears in Judges 4 and five.
Why is she your favorite.
I love her because she box the message that so many people who are intimidated by the Bible or by religion or by Christian faithful, single women are respected but the truth is Deborah defies every wrong thought, and how the Bible about women's role in the Bible because she was the leader of Israel. She was a giant she was leaving at that time on the people have gotten away from the Lord.
If all of this until in our lives and they really need to help Willie how Deborah is a judge that she settling disputes she's getting and guidance in God comes to her and says I want you to lead Israel.
I want Israel to go in battle against the Canaanites within a pressing man and she goes and gathers their military commander Barack and says hey guys that were supposed to take on these people get the men together. Let's get out and see a story like well well well that kind eyes were not in their favor by any stretch but he said I'll only go if you go with me and she says okay I will go by, you will not get the glory and getting the opposing general Sisera. He will be delivered into the hands of a woman because you're making me go with you on and so they naturally meet Danielle later on in the story said there are two powerful women there who were leaders on here. Deborah is leading the entire nation Israel and is called into battle and doesn't question God against all lot. She says okay let's go and I hope I would be more like Deborah and I just think she's a great example of leadership as she really is a bold catalyst for change in such an example for women today and the book is filled with one example after another. True heroes worth following. Today they're all captured in the new book the women of the Bible speak by author and news anchor Shannon bream and Ian are thinking about the holiday this weekend and any other element in your life is going to benefit from this book. It is so beautiful. It is hardcover and that the artwork in the graphics are so lovely. I think on every woman would be absolutely delighted to receive this and even though the women in your life that may not be mothers or grandmothers really would benefit from this. At this time because we need to see how Jesus and help guide can take ordinary women and do extraordinary things to them with the book is called the women of the Bible speak will send you this new book to thank you for your investment that helps us continue to bring these daily studies and to help touch lives and with your donation right now in the amount of your choosing will thank you. With his new book, the women of the Bible speak ask for it is you write a new beginning.
Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. That's a 24 seven phone number 1-800-821-3300 or just go online to harvest.org or Pastor Greg or somebody listening right now knows they need to ask the Lord to forgive them of their sins. This could you help them with that right now you know a Dave of love to do that. It's an amazing thing to me that over the years I've heard so many stories of people who have come to know Christ. Listening to this broadcast and will say things like I prayed the prayer with you with the end of the program that one guy Robie had said.
I pulled my car over to the side of the road and prayed that prayer in Christ came in the my life just incredible and I like to lead you in that same prayer look, I don't have some super special prayer. It's is a basic prayer based on scriptural principles of what it means to believe in Jesus Christ. I mean if we went to get real technical. The only sinners prayer if you will. We often call this for a sinner's prayer. The only real sinner's prayer in the Bible is a guy who just prayed God be merciful to me a sinner solemnly join a prayer similar to that. But this is a prayer will you will be acknowledging your need for Jesus and putting their faith in him solicit if you want to go to heaven when you die if you want to know that you are a child of God. If you want the Lord to forgive you of your sins. Just pray these words.
If you would, Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner and I'm sorry for my sin and I turn from that sin.
But I know that you died on the cross of Calvary for my sin and rose again from the dead, so forgive me Lord, I choose to follow you from this moment forward. I want you to be my Savior. I want you to be my friend. I want you to be my God, thank you for hearing my prayer and answering my prayer in Jesus name I ask this amen I know some of your say no that's so simple. It is simple, yet it's profound is in it. To think that God Almighty just heard that prayer and is answered their prayer in that Christ has come to live inside of you. You might say will Greg I didn't have an emotional experience. This is not about an emotional experience. This is about the fact of what happens when a person believes Jesus said it this way for God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son.
And whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
When you prayed that prayer you are in effect putting your faith in Christ.
You were choosing to believe in Jesus. Now I want to help you start growing spiritually so I have something to send you at no charge.
It's my gift to you is called the new believers packet and then it is a copy of the New Testament in a very friendly understandable translation called the new living translation also has some notes that I wrote hundreds of notes.
Actually, that will encourage you in this commitment you made these notes will answer a lot of the questions you probably have right now there's some other materials in this packet as well so order your copy of the new believers packet immediately and thanks for giving me the opportunity to lead you in their prayer, and I wanted to be the first to say to you, welcome to the family of God. You let me pass along our contact information so you can get that free new believers growth packet just right or set a new beginning.
Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300 where here 24 seven to take your call again, dial 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and click on know God. Next time will get back to the basics in Pastor Greg's discipleship series will ask the question what is a disciple, but here's Pastor Greg once again now to close today's program a message called are you his disciple. How many of you would like to pray the disciples prayer and say all right. Lord I I want to be a disciple.
I want to love you more than anyone or anything else I want to take up my cross and follow you. I want to be that person that brings change to those around me and then Lord I want to go out and disciple others. If you want to be that disciple you pray this prayer out loud after me again don't prayed.
If you don't mean it, but if you do want it this pray this, Lord Jesus, I've heard your word today: do all the world and make disciples, Lord, I want to do that but I want to first be a disciple.
I want to love you more than anyone I want to love you Jesus more than anything I want to reach other and make an impact on my world. So today I say to you, Lord, I want to be your disciple Lord you heard that prayer and you know the back story of every person who prayed it and I know that you welcome each one that would want to go from curious to convinced to committed that I pray Lord that these lines when the practice of their lives impacted then in turn, that they would impact others, we commit ourselves to you and we thank you for this time in your word in Jesus name we pray, amen, she guides it, just pray that prayer everybody thinks or listening beginning. This is a podcast made possible by harvest partners.
So for more content that can help you know God and equip you to make him known to others or to learn more about how you can become a harvest partner, just go to harvest.org