What Are We All About?
If you have a program with you, please pick it up for a moment and take a look at the back. You will see a section that reads, “Why are we here?” Please follow along as I read for you our Mission Statement.
Presenting practical application of God’s Truth
Through Personal Relationships,
Small Groups,
Community Involvement
And meaningful, relevant services,
To help seeking individuals in the Mayville area
Develop a personal, devoted relationship with Christ.
Looking around the room this morning, it is not difficult to see that we have a number of new families and individuals here at Gateway, and for the next four weeks we are going to be examining the question that begins that section of your program. Just why are we here? What is Gateway all about? For those of you who are new, you have a right, and truly a responsibility to know what this church holds as its core values. Each of us should attend a church that dovetails with our own personal core values. Those things we are passionate about. Those issues that cause our hearts to stir.
We are going to begin today by looking at the end of that mission statement. The primary goal of this church is to “help seeking individuals in this area develop a personal, devoted relationship with Christ.” Put another way, our desire is to help seekers become disciples.
There is a poem with the title “The Road not taken”, in which the author, Robert Frost, states,
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
In the poem, Frost, while walking in the woods, came to a point where the path split. He looked down each one as far as he could see. Both looked inviting. He wished that he could be two people at once and travel both, but that was not possible. He promised himself that one day he would return and take the one that apparently had been traveled by more people, even thought he realized that with the business of life, he probably never would. He chose the path less traveled upon, and, in his own words, “that has made all the difference.”
Obviously, Frost’s poem has much greater significance than an individual out for a walk in the woods. He was talking about the choice of paths in a person’s life. Choosing a road symbolizes a choice between alternatives that appear equally attractive but lead to entirely different destinations. Whether we arrive at the right destination or not depends on the choices we make and our priorities determine which road we will travel.
As we look at the topic of discipleship today, this image needs to be crystal clear for us. Picture this one, standing before a fork in the road, contemplating his decision. Which path will he take? The road that others appear to have chosen more often, or the road less traveled? Hold on to that image as we take a quick look at three snapshots from the gospels. Three groups of people who find themselves at a fork in the road. Like the poet Robert Frost, they have come to a point of decision. Which path will they take? Let’s take a closer look at each of these three situations.
Snapshot 1 - Luke 9:57-62 (pg 698).
In Luke 9:57-62 we see people who are traveling with Jesus. Along the way, three different encounters take place. One says, “I’ll follow you anywhere, Lord!” But Jesus says, “The path is tough, are you sure? There are no luxuries. You are choosing to follow One who does not even own a bed!” In a flash of emotion he is ready to abandon all to follow Christ, but Jesus knows that he has not really counted the cost.
The second person is one to whom Jesus issues the call, “Follow Me.” Stop and think about that. Like Matthew, John and Peter, this person hears the call of Jesus to come and follow, but he hesitates. “Uh, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me go and take care of my father.” He wants to follow, but his loyalties are divided. Unlike the first person, this one is counting the cost, her realizes that to follow Christ would mean leaving his other concerns – not bad things, mind you – taking care of his family is important – but it caused him to waver in his total commitment to Jesus. He could not follow Christ, and care for the world at the same time.
The third individual says to Jesus, “I will follow you, but let me first go and say goodbye to my friends and family.” Jesus says to him, “No one who has put his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Once a person makes a commitment to be a follower of Christ, he must keep his eye on the task at hand. A disciple is one who has his focus on Christ. We cannot be distracted. Being distracted from our primary focus is a dangerous thing.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), inattentive driving resulted in 3,960 fatal crashes in 1997 (the most recent statistics available), and even more fatalities (4,474). In fact, NHTSA ranks inattentive driving as the fourth highest contributing factor relating to fatal crashes.
A national survey released in the fall of 1999 by Farmers Insurance Group revealed some interesting (and a few rather amusing) results. The report found that both men and women admit to shaving and applying make-up while commuting to work. According to the survey, 5.5 percent of men and 2.1 percent of women shave and 18.7 percent of women and 1.3 percent of men apply make-up while driving. Eight percent of men and women style their hair on the way to and from work.
And
if being distracted on the road can lead to disaster, being distracted spiritually
can be even more devastating. I don’t
know about you, but I don’t want to be considered “unfit for the kingdom of
God!” What Jesus is saying to all three
people in this snapshot is this – “Don’t make this commitment lightly. There is an expectation, a price to be paid
for following me, and you must consider that cost.”
Snapshot
2 - Luke 14:25-33 (pg 704)
That
same message is the core of our second snapshot.
Luke 14:25-33
Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: [26] "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple. [27] And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
[28] "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? [29] For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, [30] saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'
[31] "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? [32] If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. [33] In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.”
Again we see Jesus using very strong language with his followers. Notice that these are people who are following Him. They are loving it! He has fed 5,000 people with a few loaves and fishes. He has raised the lame, given sight to the blind. He tells great stories; He talks about the love of God and how we should love each other. He bashes the “holier than thou” religious leaders. This is a guy who is very easy to be with.
But this is not easy talk! “’Hate my father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sister, even my own life?’ What’s that all about? And carrying a cross? I’m no criminal! I’m not going to carry a cross!”
The words of Jesus are tough. We cannot be a disciple of His without giving Him first place in our lives. The love and the commitment a disciple has for Jesus Christ must be so all-consuming that in comparison, everything else is hated. The love a disciple has for family, spouse, even their own life are minuscule in comparison to the love they have for Him. Nothing in their life is more important; nothing in their life will distract them from following Him. Yes, a disciple is even willing to die for His Lord. To take any rejection, any pain, any difficulty gladly to follow Jesus Christ.
Jesus uses a couple of examples to once again ask those who are walking with Him to give serious thought to what it means to be a disciple. A person who is going to build a building sits down first and figures the cost. A king going into battle sits down first and considers the numbers. If they do not, they look like fools, and they are unable to complete their goal. Jesus says, “In the same way, I am telling you now, if you want to be my disciple, you must sit and count the cost – and the cost is this – I must have everything. If you are not willing to give up everything, you can not be my disciple.”
Snapshot Number 3
In John 6:53-67 (pg 719) Jesus has just finished telling a group of his followers at a synagogue that He is the only way to the Father. They would have to believe on Him, to “eat his flesh and drink his blood” in order to have eternal life. It is one of those times when he confronts them with the fact that He is indeed God in the flesh, and they must believe on Him alone for eternal life. I want you to focus on verse 60 and following:
[60] On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"
[61] Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? [62] What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! [63] The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. [64] Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. [65] He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."
Now look at verse 66:
[66] From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
[67] "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.
In
this snapshot we see a sad reality of life.
There are many who, when they are faced with the reality of what
following Jesus is really all about, choose not to follow. They come to that place where the path
splits, and they contemplate.
They
consider that more people choose not to follow. That path is the more traveled.
Those people remain in control of their lives. Their focus is on the pleasure and gain of this world. They look out for number one. “If it feels good, do it.” “I’m going to do what I think is right!”
Then
they consider what it means to follow Christ.
The path less traveled. It means
that they will be obedient. It means
that they may have to deny some of the pleasures and desires of this world,
because those desires violate God’s standards.
“If it pleases God, do it.” “I’m
going to do what God’s word tells me is right!”
There
is a vital point here that each of us must completely understand. This is perhaps the most important message
you will hear from this pulpit all year.
Please hear me!
This
church does not exist to encourage large crowds to walk along the road with
Christ, casually enjoying the benefits of being around Him. Think about the three snapshots we looked at
today. Large crowds, walking with
Jesus, getting fed, and healed and hearing about God’s love. But while they were traveling in the crowd,
many were not following as disciples.
They were there for the potlucks, they were there for the fellowship,
they were even moved by the words occasionally – but they were not
disciples.
Gateway
Community Church is not here to be a social club. We are not gathered here to get warm and fuzzy. This church is not about potlucks, and great
fellowship with new friends, or even occasionally being challenged by
words. This church has been placed here
by God to call each of us to become disciples.
A disciple is a learner – a devoted follower – one who has contemplated
the cost. One who realizes that being
obedient to Christ comes even before my own comfort of pleasure. That following Him means that I will put my
desires second to His desires. It means
that I will recognize sin as sin, and reject it. It means that I will allow the Holy Spirit of God to fill me, and
control me.
Let
me show you one more snapshot – a picture of a disciple.
Turn
to John 8:30 (page 721).
John
8:30-36
As He spoke these words, many believed in
Him. [31] Then Jesus said to those Jews
who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples
indeed. [32] And you shall know the
truth, and the truth shall make you free." [33] They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and
have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free'?" [34] Jesus answered them, "Most
assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. [35] And a slave does not abide in the house
forever, but a son abides forever. [36]
Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Here’s
what a disciple looks like: In verse
30, we see that a disciple is a believer.
That is the basis of discipleship.
But there is much more than that.
He says to those who believe, “If you abide in my word, you are my
disciples indeed.” The difference
between a believer and a disciple is the abiding presence of the Word of God in
that person. A disciple is a learner,
one who remains in the Bible for his direction, his comfort, his source of
wisdom. And a disciple is free from the
bondage of sin.
When Robert Frost came to the place where the path split two ways, he said,
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
He
was unable to see where each path would take him. Many times we cannot see where the divergent paths in our lives
will lead us. But Jesus sees the end of
the path. He said this,
“Wide
is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many
who go in by it. Because narrow is the
gate, and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find
it.”
It
may be that you are at a crossroads in your life today. You’ve been following Jesus here at Gateway
as part of the crowd. It’s been great –
you’ve made some new friends, had some fun, and even learned a thing or
two. But today the words are a little
scary. Today the Word of God brings you
right to a point of decision. Will you
choose the broad, and easy path, doing things your own way, putting yourself
first, or will you choose the road less traveled, the path of discipleship, the
way that leads to life. Jesus himself
said that there are few who find that path, few who choose it.
The
call today is to go beyond belief.
Beyond fellowship. I am calling
you today to count the cost, consider the price, and choose the path of
discipleship that leads to eternal, full and abundant life.
Frost
said he chose the path less traveled, and it made all the difference in his
life. I can tell you that if you choose
this less traveled path, the path of discipleship, it will make all the
difference in this life and the next, as you walk as a disciple of Christ.
Let’s
pray.