Concord United Sermons

Reluctantly Willing | Rev. Brooke Hartman

:  In Luke’s account of Jesus calling Peter to follow him, Jesus meets Peter where he is, on his job fishing.  Actually, Peter has not had a good day on the job, having spent a long night with a fruitless catch.  There, Jesus comes to Peter and his friends.  There, Jesus guides Peter to try again.  Peter responds with reluctance, yet does as instructed, casting the nets again.  The result is a bountiful catch.  When Peter sees, he falls down at Jesus’ feet, confessing his sinful nature.  Jesus responds to not fear, but that now they will catch men.  Peter responds by leaving everything and following Jesus. 

Peter demonstrates reluctance yet willingness.  He also shows a response to Jesus’ invitation to follow.  This is for us as well, reluctant yet willing followers of Jesus Christ, responding to the obvious, God’s truth and grace. 

Scripture - Luke 5:1-11

Disciples Make Disciples | Rev. Mike Stallings

As Jesus departs his disciples, he gives the command that is at the heart of being a disciple: we are commanded to go and make disciples.  Being a disciple is simply to grow in faith ourselves, but to share Christ and serve others as well. 

 

Jesus did not make disciples just for the time when he was here on earth.  We are part of a 2,000 year discipleship tree, of disciples making disciples for the transformation of the world and our lives.  Our discipleship tree begins with considering who has guided us and is guiding us on following Jesus.  As disciples, we are to guide others in following Jesus Christ.  We are part of something much bigger than ourselves as a disciple.

Scripture - Matthew 28:19-20

Disciples Make Disciples | Rev. Brooke Hartman

As Jesus departs his disciples, he gives the command that is at the heart of being a disciple: we are commanded to go and make disciples.  Being a disciple is simply to grow in faith ourselves, but to share Christ and serve others as well. 

 

Jesus did not make disciples just for the time when he was here on earth.  We are part of a 2,000 year discipleship tree, of disciples making disciples for the transformation of the world and our lives.  Our discipleship tree begins with considering who has guided us and is guiding us on following Jesus.  As disciples, we are to guide others in following Jesus Christ.  We are part of something much bigger than ourselves as a disciple. 

Scripture - Matthew 28:19-20

Discipleship Has a Cost | Rev. Wil Cantrell

We live in a culture that encourages us to take the easier, softer way, but that is counter to the costliness of being a follower of Jesus Christ.  Jesus tells us that we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus.  He goes on to say that to save our lives, we must lose them.  He also asks the question that convicts, haunts, and repels, “What is the profit if we gain the world but lose our life?”, and what does that really mean.  Following Jesus is costly.  Yet, not following Jesus is costly as well. 

Scripture - Matthew 16:24-26

Discipleship Has a Cost | Rev. Brooke Hartman

We live in a culture that encourages us to take the easier, softer way, but that is counter to the costliness of being a follower of Jesus Christ.  Jesus tells us that we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus.  He goes on to say that to save our lives, we must lose them.  He also asks the question that convicts, haunts, and repels, “What is the profit if we gain the world but lose our life?”, and what does that really mean.  Following Jesus is costly.  Yet, not following Jesus is costly as well. 

Scripture - Matthew 16:24-26

Jesus is Our Model | Rev. Brooke Hartman

No matter our age or stage in life, we are being formed by that which we spend time doing, reading, listening, and becoming.  Why not be formed by Jesus and use Jesus as the model?  Luke 6:40 tells us to be like our teacher, our rabbi, the one for whom we follow. 

 

Our first question is, “What forms us?”.  Our second question is, “What do we want to be?”. These are foundational questions we consider as we seek to be like Jesus.  It is more than knowing about Jesus or doing as Jesus; it is becoming like Jesus. 

 

Being formed by Jesus is a process, not an event.  We are to be with God, as John’s words teach us.  We are to love God and love others, as Jesus articulated the greatest commandment.  We are to share Christ, serve others, and grow in faith. 

Scripture - John 15:1-8; Luke 6:40

Jesus is Our Model | Rev. Wil Cantrell

No matter our age or stage in life, we are being formed by that which we spend time doing, reading, listening, and becoming.  Why not be formed by Jesus and use Jesus as the model?  Luke 6:40 tells us to be like our teacher, our rabbi, the one for whom we follow. 

 

Our first question is, “What forms us?”.  Our second question is, “What do we want to be?”. These are foundational questions we consider as we seek to be like Jesus.  It is more than knowing about Jesus or doing as Jesus; it is becoming like Jesus. 

 

Being formed by Jesus is a process, not an event.  We are to be with God, as John’s words teach us.  We are to love God and love others, as Jesus articulated the greatest commandment.  We are to share Christ, serve others, and grow in faith. 

 Scripture - John 15:1-8; Luke 6:40

Jesus is the Truth | Rev. Wil Cantrell

Just as Jesus called the disciples to come and follow him, Jesus calls us.  Following Jesus is a choice, more than simply believing in God.  We can spend our whole lives believing in God and never answer the call to follow Jesus.  One of the elements of Jesus’ call to follow him, to be his disciples, is that he meets us where we are.  Just as Jesus called his disciples from their jobs, their everyday lives, he calls us where we are.  We do not have to get all cleaned up, know all the books of the Bible, or take any other action that qualifies us to be Jesus’ disciples.  We simply need to hear the call and take our next step.  God loves us first.

 Jesus does not call the equipped, but equips the called.  Jesus’ first twelve disciples were not the most revered rabbis in the land, nor do we have evidence that their understanding and faithfulness to God were exceptional.  We also see within scripture that Jesus calls us more than once and anew, such as Peter hearing Jesus’ words to follow him from the shores of his fishing business and the shores following Jesus’ resurrection and Peter’s denial. 

Scripture - Matthew 4:18-20

Jesus is the Truth | Rev. Brooke Hartman

Just as Jesus called the disciples to come and follow him, Jesus calls us.  Following Jesus is a choice, more than simply believing in God.  We can spend our whole lives believing in God and never answer the call to follow Jesus.  One of the elements of Jesus’ call to follow him, to be his disciples, is that he meets us where we are.  Just as Jesus called his disciples from their jobs, their everyday lives, he calls us where we are.  We do not have to get all cleaned up, know all the books of the Bible, or take any other action that qualifies us to be Jesus’ disciples.  We simply need to hear the call and take our next step.  God loves us first.

Jesus does not call the equipped, but equips the called.  Jesus’ first twelve disciples were not the most revered rabbis in the land, nor do we have evidence that their understanding and faithfulness to God were exceptional.  We also see within scripture that Jesus calls us more than once and anew, such as Peter hearing Jesus’ words to follow him from the shores of his fishing business and the shores following Jesus’ resurrection and Peter’s denial. 

Scripture - Matthew 4:18-20

Discipleship is God’s Initiative | Rev. Brooke Hartman

Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is core to who we are and what we are called to be.  A disciple is someone who follows Jesus Christ.  The historical context of a disciple is found within the Jewish tradition of a rabbi and a rabbi’s disciples.  An ancient phrase found in Jewish tradition is being “covered by the dust of our rabbi”.  That is our hope and calling, to be covered in the dust of our teacher, master, Savior, Jesus Christ. 

As disciples, we begin with belief being the foundation of faith.  What do we believe about God?  There are three main components to our belief about God:  God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  We believe in God the Father is the creator and maker of heaven and earth.  God created us in His image.  We believe in God the Son is our Savior and Messiah who came to be with us through Jesus Christ.  Jesus is God incarnate, who lived, taught, healed, was betrayed, arrested, crucified, died, was buried, and rose on the third day.  We believe in God the Holy Spirit, the Advocate who dwells in us and amongst us.  We also believe that God loves us first.

Our journey in following Jesus begins with spiritual curiosity and transitions to believing the truths about God.  Our first discipleship foundational truth is that we believe in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that God loves us first. 

Scripture - John 20:31; 1 John 4:9-12