Two Kinds of Disciples sermon notes

Vision for our children: that they would grow up with people asking them the reason for the hope that is in them AND that they would be prepared to give a response.

1 Peter 3:15-16

15but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

Disciple = Relationship + Responsibility

(“Follow me”) (“Go and make disciples”)

Question #1: Are there two different kinds of disciples?

Question #2: If there is no opposition, do you think that maybe you are doing something wrong?

John Wesley: “The More Excellent Way” (full sermon here)

But at present I would take a different view of the text, and point out "a more excellent way" in another sense. It is the observation of an ancient writer, that there have been from the beginning two orders of Christians. The one lived an innocent life, conforming in all things, not sinful, to the customs and fashions of the world; doing many good works, abstaining from gross evils, and attending the ordinances of God. They endeavored, in general, to have a conscience void of offence in their outward behaviour, but did not aim at any particular strictness, being in most things like their neighbours. The other sort of Christians not only abstained from all appearance of evil, were zealous of good works in every kind, and attended all the ordinances of God, but likewise used all diligence to attain the whole mind that was in Christ, and laboured to walk, in every point, as their beloved Master. In order to this they walked in a constant course of universal self-denial, trampling on every pleasure which they were not divinely conscious prepared them for taking pleasure in God. They took up their cross daily. They strove, they agonized without intermission, to enter in at the strait gate. This one thing they did, they spared no pains to arrive at the summit of Christian holiness; "leaving the first principles of the doctrine of Christ, to go on to perfection;" to "know all that love of God which passeth knowledge, and to be fille

d with all the fullness of God."

Kendra Dean – “Almost Christian: what the faith of our teenagers is telling the American Church” (full pdf book here)

In short, the National Study of Youth and Religion provides a window

on how well American young people have learned a well-intentioned but

ultimately banal version of Christianity offered up in American churches.

Most youth seem to accept this bland view of faith as all there is—nice to

have, like a bank account, something you want before you go to college

in case you need to draw from it sometime. What we have not told them

is that this account of Christianity is bankrupt.

We have not invested in their accounts: we “teach” young people baseball, but we “expose” them to faith. We provide coaching and opportunities for youth to develop

and improve their pitches and their SAT scores, but we blithely assume

that religious identity will happen by osmosis, emerging “when youth

are ready” (a confi dence we generally lack when it comes to, say, alge-

bra). We simply have not given teenagers the soul-strength necessary to

recognize, wrestle, and resist the [enemies] in our midst—probably

because we lack this soul-strength ourselves.

Take it Home

Scripture Memory

Verse: 1 Peter 3:15-16

The beginning of change is repentance. (in Nehemiah, rebuilding started with repentance.) Take time to consider these questions and discuss with other disciples:

- What areas have I separated my “spiritual life” from the “rest of my life”? (for parents): in what ways have I communicated this to my children?

- Have you ever experienced opposition because your faith in Jesus? How did you respond? Did you feel prepared?

- In what specific areas of understanding would you like to grow?

For Parents of Youth:

Parent meeting next Sunday at 9am in Dority Hall

In preparation for the meeting:

- In what ways did today’s message specifically challenge you?

- In what ways does your child need to be better trained and equipped in their faith?

- In what ways could the church partner with you in this?