The Goal of Discipleship
In this sermon, Pastor Chris Gensheer takes us through the end, or goal, of our discipleship. From passages in Matthew, Acts, and Habakkuk he explains the who, what, where, when, and why we are to not only be disciples of Jesus but also help make disciples of Jesus out of the nations.
We are to make disciples because it is our calling – as creatures made in the image of God, and as a redeemed people in Christ. It is to live as His ambassadors of His heavenly kingdom in a world gone astray. It is to be His agents of peace, co-laboring with Christ in bringing all things and all people to life in Him. It is to bring into our world the fullness of the Biblical intention for God’s world, or shalom.
According to Scripture and the best of Christian history and theology shalom is: “The webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight… We call it peace… In the Bible, shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness, and delight – a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed, a state of affairs that inspires joyful wonder as its Creator and Savior opens doors and welcomes the creatures in whom he delights.” – Cornelius Plantinga, Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be (10)
This is what God wants for His world. It’s what He wants for His people. And by His Spirit, He is working in and through us to bring it about as we follow Jesus in all of life. God’s good world, ruined by man’s sin, is redeemed by His Son, and renewed by His Spirit, with a people now commissioned to be restored into the image of Christ for the glory of God and good of the world, starting now and continuing on forever. This is why we make disciples as followers of Jesus.
Sermon: The Goal of Discipleship
Series: Part 4 of the series Following Jesus: Becoming the Church of Irresistible Influence in our Day
Passage: Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Matthew 4:19; Habakkuk 2:14
Preacher: Chris Gensheer, Lead Pastor of Christ Church Mansfield
Christ Church Mansfield exists to help all people believe the gospel of Jesus more deeply and apply it more widely in Dallas / Fort Worth and beyond. We are a gospel-centered, reformed, and missional church and members of Acts 29, Presbyterian Church in America, and The Gospel Coalition.
Skeptics, curious, misfits, and mavericks welcome – you belong
here! For more visit www.christchurchmansfield.com.
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Links to Other Sermons in the Series
- The Call of Discipleship – Matthew 4:19; Matthew 17:1-8
- The Cost of Discipleship – Matthew 4:19; Matthew 22:34-40; Luke 14:25-35
- The Method of Discipleship – Matthew 4:19; Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 12:9-13
- The Goal of Discipleship – Habbakuk 2:14; Matthew 4:19; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8
References
“What is Your Salvation For?” by Dr. Anthony Bradley
Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary on Sin by Cornelius Plantinga
Saturate: Being Disciples of Jesus in the Everyday Stuff of Life by Jeff Vanderstelt
The Mission of God’s People: A Biblical Theology of the Church’s Mission by Christopher J.H. Wright
The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative by Christopher J.H. Wright
The Master Plan of Evangelism by Robert Coleman