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Advent HOPE Sabbath School

Benjamin Ng

Steps To Discipleship

Let's bow our heads once more for a prayer, shall we?

Father in heaven, thank you once again that we have this privilege and opportunity to study your word.

Lord, there are so many hidden things in there and so many things that we can apply to our lives.

But Lord, as we look at this 1 particular passage, I pray that it be applicable to all of us here.

But most of all, Lord, give us a willing heart that we would be willing to put this into application.

We're spending a lot of time in Luke, but this is what I like to call steps to discipleship.

But more so, I want to address this way of how we disciple and we're looking at more how do we help others to be a self-sacrificing disciple of Christ.

Of course it goes without saying that we must be 1 first, but actually in Luke chapter 5 and starting with verse 1, we're going to look at the story, we're actually given steps of how we can help somebody and enable somebody to be a self-sacrificing disciple of Christ.

We'll read all the way to verse 8 or verse 9 and then we'll go through it in detail.

And It came to pass that as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret and saw 2 ships standing by the lake, but the fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their nets.

And he entered into 1 of the ships, which was Simon's, and Prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land and he sat down and taught the people out of the ship now when he had left speaking he said unto Simon Let out into the deep and launch out into the deep and let your nets down for a drought and Simon answering said unto him master.

We have toiled all night and have taken nothing Nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net and when they had done this way they had this done they enclosed a great multitude of fishes and their nets break and they beckoned unto their partners which were in the other ship that they should come and help them and they came and filled both the ships so that they began to sink.

When Simon Peter saw it he fell down at Jesus' feet saying, depart from me for I am a sinful man O Lord.

And in verse 9 it says, for he was astonished and all that were with him at the drought of the fissures which they had taken.

Verse 10, and so also was James and John the sons of Zebedee which were partners with Simon and Jesus said to Simon, fear not from henceforth thou shall catch men.

And verse 11 it says, and when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all and followed him.

Now we look at this passage in the context of disciples for the Sabbath school lesson and I remember 1 of the Sabbath school lessons at the end there Sister White shares a quote with us and said that Peter left everything and He had friends and family Dependent upon him for support That's an important thing to understand here as we look at how Jesus enabled Peter, James, John to become self-sacrificing disciples, to leave all for Christ.

For sometimes we realize that, you know what?

It's not as easy as saying, take up your cross and follow Jesus.

Oh, it's because you don't love Jesus, but actually yes that is the root of the problem, but we as people can help others to more easily give up all for Christ.

Verse 1, and It came to pass that as a people pressed upon him to hear the Word of God he stood by the lake of Gennesaret now Jesus was preaching here What sort of message?

We're not actually told the contents of his message because it says after he finished he said to Simon So we don't know what Jesus was preaching 1 can only guess from the context of the Bible, but let's go over to Matthew.

We know that Jesus at least preached this sort of message in every message that he shared.

From that time, Jesus began to preach and to say repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand and Friends, this is an Important message that we must bring Yes, I know we've heard it before but we as a people must learn to bring before others a Message to show how close we really are to the end of time The purpose of this is that they will recognize a time we're living in and as a result they're willing to do anything and everything for Christ So Christ when he preached his messages were always filled with repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand at hand revelation chapter 1 time is at hand this is our message the book of Revelation which shows the people how close we are to the end of time and As a result verse 11 of Luke chapter 5 they leave all and follow Christ So the message that we bear was must be 1 that shows people the time we're living in.

But remember, it's not all about preaching, right?

It says, and it came to pass that as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of god He stood by the lake of Gennesaret.

So at the beginning Jesus was standing at the side of that lake and preaching away On the seashore there, but then it says in verse 2 and he saw 2 ships Standing by the lake but the fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their nets.

So notice this, Jesus sees 2 ships but no fishermen in them, right?

The fishermen are out of the ships, they're already on the shore washing their nets.

And it says in verse 3, And he entered into 1 of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land.

Jesus, with his creative power, could have created for himself his own ship He could have created a podium in the middle of the sea and little steps or just walked across on water to get to it and Stood there and preached to them But Jesus almost inconveniences the fishermen.

They were already out, they were already cleaning their nets.

And we know later on that these fishermen brought their nets back into the ship with them.

Because while they're out there, he tells them to throw out into the deep.

So he inconveniences the fishermen, so to speak, Gets back in their ship and launches out In order to be able step number 2 to create a self-sacrificing Disciple we need to get into their ship Not our own Get into their lives Learn to mingle with them and you know what It almost seems like you're inconveniencing them.

Can you come with me into the boat and push out a little bit?

And there was almost like, alright, I'm doing you a favor.

We need to learn to get into their lives and help them to be useful.

Maybe not in the Lord's work totally, but at least it's the beginnings.

In the Friday night Bible studies that we have in Virginia, 1 of them is done at the hairdresser's place.

He keeps a Sabbath now, comes faithfully every week.

But on Friday nights, he opens his home to us.

It's learning to get into their lives, spending time with them outside of the word.

But then it says in verse 3, let's go back there, and he entered into 1 of the ships which was Simon's and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land and he sat down and taught the people out of the ship who else was on the ship with Jesus Simon Peter what do you think he was doing Do you think he was still cleaning his net?

You know, there's a purpose of why we get into the midst of people's lives and sometimes you don't tell them outrightly.

But circumstances demand it that they just happen to be there to observe you in action.

Step number 3, how to train a self-sacrificing disciple.

Allow them to observe your work in the gospel field.

Our friend Robbie comes out with us to 2 Bible studies every week.

And he just recently asked me, Ben, Is there any way that we can do more than 1 study a week?

1 on 1 I Just want to know more We have another Bible study contact a couple that my brother studies with them twice a week as well But you learn to get into their homes and they begin to observe you doing the work.

They're watching, they're observing, they're looking at Christ.

How he teaches, what he's teaching, how does he do it?

Step number 4 Still in verse 3 and He entered into 1 of the ships which was simons and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land.

We need to learn to get away from the busyness and commotion of life.

If you want to truly train a self-sacrificing disciple, You gotta be in the right environment.

You gotta be away from the thoroughfares of this world.

Not that you have to be up in a mountain.

But at least there must be space between you and the world.

There's got to be that space so that you can spend that time with them.

Verse 4, now when he had left speaking he said unto Simon launch out into the deep and let your nets down for a drought after Jesus had speaking finished speaking He doesn't get up and say Simon, let's go back to shore.

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Steps To Discipleship

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