MENTOR LIKE JESUS: The Context of Wherever 2-27-22

MENTOR LIKE JESUS: The Context of Wherever 2-27-22

INTRODUCTION

Mentoring is about content (curriculum), community (group environment), and context (what is it and why is it important)

In his book, “Imagine Your Life Without Fear” Max Lucado gives some significant insight when he says,

"Questions can make hermits out of us, driving us into hiding. Yet the cave has no answers. Christ distributes courage through community; he dissipates doubts through fellowship. He never deposits all knowledge in one person but distributes pieces of the jigsaw puzzle to many. When you interlock your understanding with mine, and we share our discoveries, when we mix, mingle, confess and pray, Christ speaks."

START WITH JUST ONE

Dawson Trotman, founder of the Navigators, tells the story of a 23 year old sailor that he spent time discipling. He spent many hours with this young man in the Word and the importance of being a witness for the Lord and leading other sailors to Jesus. 

A month later the sailor returned to Dawson: "I can't get any of these guys on the ship to get down to business." Dawson replied: "Listen, you ask God to give you one. You can't have two until you have one. Ask God to give you a man after your own heart." 

He began to pray. One day he came to Dawson and said "I think I've found him." The young man came to Dawson and eventually he received the Lord. Then as these two young men continued to grow, they also continued to spiritually reproduce. Eventually, 125 men from that very ship found the Savior. Men off that first battleship are in four continents of the world as missionaries today. 

What was the key? Prayer for ONE man -- just ONE.

I.  THE WHERE OF MENTORING

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.

‭‭ John‬ ‭3:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A.  Jesus initiated

He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. 

Mark 3:14, 15 NIV

B.  Taking it to the streets

“Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.””

‭‭ Luke‬ ‭10:23-24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

1.  Along the road

2.  In the garden

3.  At the well

4.  At Peter's house

5.  In the synagogue

6.  On the mountains

7.  On the water

8.  By the sea

KIRBY PUCKETT: DISCIPLE

Few have illustrated the process of imitating Jesus as an apprentice, a student, a disciple than Kirby Puckett, who was the centerfielder for 13 years for the Minnesota Twins baseball team. He had a career batting average of .318, made the All Star lineup ten years in a row, and won six golden gloves for defensive play. He was also a well known Christian. 

Dennis Martinez, pitcher for the Cleveland Indians, once crushed the left side of Kirby's face with a pitch. Martinez assumed that Kirby would hate him. But when he had recovered a bit, Kirby called Martinez "my good friend" and blamed himself for not getting out of the way of the fastball. He was an outstanding community leader for good causes, and expressed his faith naturally in words that matched his lifestyle. 

We cannot restrict our "discipleship" to special religious times isolated from the majority of our waking, working hours. If you dislike or even hate your job, a condition epidemic in our culture, the quickest way out of the job, or to joy in it, is to do it as Jesus would. This is the very heart of discipleship....[to] be an effective apprentice, student of Jesus then we must be doers of the word and not hearers only.

From a sermon by Clarence Eisberg, Casual Discipleship.... Not an Option, 6/24/2010

II.  THE STUFF OF LIFE

A.  Life encountered together

1.  At home

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.  Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NIV

a.  Family

b.  Spouse

c.  Children

2.  At work

3.  At play

4.  At church

5.  At life

B.  Lessons along the way

“After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” “Yes, he does,” he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?” “From others,” Peter answered. “Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.””

‭‭ Matthew‬ ‭17:24-27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

CONCLUSION

MENTORING AS A CHURCH PRACTICE

"...In most churches, the congregation pays the pastor to preach, win the lost, and build up the saved—-while the church members function as cheerleaders (if they are enthusiastic) or spectators. The "converts" are won, baptized, and given the right hand of fellowship, then they join the other spectators. How much faster our churches would grow, and how much stronger and happier our church members would be, if each one were discipling another believer. The only way a local church can "be fruitful and multiply" (instead of growing by "additions") is with a systematic discipleship [approach] program. This is the responsibility of every believer, and not just a small group who have been 'called to go.'"

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c 1989). The Bible Exposition Commentary. "An exposition of  the New Testament comprising the entire 'BE' series"--Jkt. (Mt 28:16). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor  Books.

CHALLENGE

Our challenges will fall heavily into the category of journaling.  When we write, we have to think, then formulate words, then put it to paper.  This process helps us integrate our whole self.  We will also focus upon action.

1. Where have you learned about living the Christian life?

2. Where is the strangest place you have learned about the Christian life?

3. Where have you observed someone else live the Christian life?

4. Where can you intentionally observe a mature Christian living the Christian life? 

5. Where can you mentor like Jesus?

INVITATION

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word.  You may want to follow Jesus.  You may want to proclaim your faith.  You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things).  Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church.  If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now.  If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.