What Would Jesus Do? Part 7: Concerning Discipling - 2 of 2

If you take your Bibles and in a moment, we're going to be in Matthew 16. No, turn to second Timothy chapter three. We will be to Matthew 16 but first, we're going to turn to second Timothy chapter three. So, we, as I said, we're going to finish message from last week, two part message on the teaching and training of others and again, as I mentioned to start the services could be your your own children. This could be those you teach in a in a a school or Sunday school.

This could be those you're discipling as new believers in the Lord. This applies to so many different areas of our life and of course, the greatest teacher of all is the Lord Jesus Christ. So, if we want to know how to be a good teacher, how to train others, we can look to Jesus Christ for principles in training others and there's many things we could pull out from Jesus' teaching and training methods and his attitudes towards it but we're just going to look at a few of them. We looked at four last Sunday night. We'll finish with three more this evening.

The first point tonight which was the last point last Sunday evening is this, Christ was very patient. If you're going to be a good teacher, if you're going to train others, if you're going to be a mentor, if you're going to be a discipler of others for the cause of Jesus Christ, if you're going to be a parent, then you need to be and to learn patience. Particularly patience with people. Some people find it fairly easy to be patient with certain tasks, certain objects, but not always patient with people. Some others find it easier to be patient with people and not so patient with other tasks.

I tend to be relatively fairly patient with people. I could certainly learn to be more patient. I am not very patient when it comes to fixing a car. And I get frustrated after a little bit when the bolt won't turn. And so there's things that we're patient with and other things that we aren't but if you're going to disciple and teach others, you have to be patient.

People do not pick up on everything all at once and sometimes even we do pick up on things particularly when you're in a spiritual setting, people don't always follow what they pick up on and they need to be reminded and pushed and prodded and and and encouraged to look to the Lord and to trust in him because as we learn to trust in him, we automatically learn to obey him more. Christ was very patient with his disciples. We looked at several examples last week. It seemed that they were just very dense in so many areas but Jesus was patient with them and you guess, you know, Jesus is also very patient with us and praise the Lord for his mercy, his patience, his compassion, and his love. For without it, we would be lost.

For without it, we would be aimless. God is patient. He knows our frame, the Bible says. He expects much of us but he also understands what we are going through. He was not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but with all points tempted like as we are yet without sin.

He was tempted. He does know and understand. Some of the things that we are up against and praise God, he is patient. He also, as we noticed last week, he always told the truth even when it hurt. He didn't sugarcoat things.

He told them like it was. Sometimes, we have a tendency because we don't want to offend people or we don't want to push them away or we want them to to think it's easier than it is so they will give it a try. We kind of sugarcoat things. Hey, say, you know, it's not that hard and and it's it's not going to be that difficult and there's really not going to be any persecution or you know, or affliction. You know, it's it's just going to be, you know, easygoing.

God promises that if we will trust in Jesus Christ out of repentant heart that he will save us from our sins and give us the gift of ever life but serving the Lord and living for the Lord and testifying for the Lord. These do come at a cost and a price and God says, those that serve the Lord and and live for the Lord, that live a godly life will face persecution. Jesus didn't sugarcoat that. He told him like it was. There was a cost in serving Jesus.

I was talking to Judy a while back about her chemo treatments and she went to the doctor and and they told her what it's going to be like and and as she found out, as I've talked to several people that have gone for chemo treatments, they sugar coated it a bit. You know, it's not going to be really that, oh, you'll handle this fine. Oh, you won't get sick and well, didn't quite turn out that way, did it? And I'm guessing it doesn't turn out that way probably for most people but they want you to take the treatment because well, yes, they make a lot of money on it but also, they they really do believe it's good for you. It's necessary.

You don't want the cancer to come back and they sugarcoat it and but Christ doesn't do that and we shouldn't do that either when we're talking to people. We should just be honest and tell the truth in love but tell the truth. He gave them also, third thing I have from last week is he gave them in responsibilities and assignments. He equipped them for the ministry that he had called them to and then he he gave them opportunities to use what he had equipped them to use to fail or to succeed and sometimes they failed and sometimes they succeeded but we learn in both in both cases. He expected much of them.

He inspected what they did. He sent them out by twos and then, he asked them when they come back. What happened? He expected and he inspected what they did but first, he equipped them. Verse 16 of second Timothy three says, all scriptures given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction, righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect or completely, truly furnished unto all good works.

God has given us his word that we might be equipped for what lies before us. That as we learn, he trains us by his spirit as we take it and we teach others. He uses us to help train and equip them that they might go out and serve him. Then number four, he took time to explain things to them. He answered their questions even when they should have have understood.

Concerning his death and resurrection and conserving concerning servant leadership, they were particularly dense and many times he had to explain things several times. He used different illustrations to explain it to them. But he continued. He didn't say, well, that's a stupid question or why did you ask that for or just ignore them. He answered them and he tried to help them and he used different ways to do so.

He was creative in his teaching. Number five, and this is a new one this evening. If you turn back to Matthew chapter 16, Matthew chapter 16 as we as we seek to help others, to train them, to lead them, be an example in the way of the Lord. We need to follow Christ's example in this manner. As we find in Matthew sixteen thirteen through 17.

When Jesus came to the coast of Caesarea Philippi, by the way, this is in most northern area of Galilee up where Mount Hermon is. He asked his disciples saying, whom do men say that I, the son of man, am? And they said, some say that thou art John the Baptist. Some, Elias, which would be the same as Elijah, and others, Jeremias, which would be obviously Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He say it unto them, but whom say you that I am?

Simon Peter answered and said, thou art the Christ, the son of the living God and Jesus answered and said unto him, blessed art thou Simon Bar Jonah. For flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee. But my father, which is in heaven. Peter gave the right answer. He gave an answer that was not only true but an answer that came through the wisdom of God and an answer that glorified the Lord Jesus Christ and when Peter answered Jesus's questions in the presence of the other disciples, Jesus took the opportunity to praise and to encourage Peter.

Peter was a man of boldness. He was brash. Sometimes, he got it right. Sometimes, he got it terribly wrong. But when he got it right, Jesus took the time to praise him, to encourage him, for having known and given the right answer.

We need encouragement. We need praise. We need from time to time a pat on the back. For others to notice when we get it right. For others to tell us that we're doing the right thing and and they're they're thankful.

Paul in the book of Philippians praised the Philippians for what they had done. Look if you would. Turn over there. Philippians chapter one to start with. Philippians chapter one verses three through six.

Psychologists call call this positive reinforcement. Okay? In other words, when somebody does something right, you encourage them by by noticing, by saying, that's right. By giving them a good grade, okay? By giving them an award or a trophy.

Call this positive reinforcement. God's not against that. He refers in his in in the word in several places in the New Testament to rewards that will be given in heaven to his children that are faithful in their service to him. So, God is not against positive reinforcement. Here in Philippians one three, Paul says, to the Philippians, I thank my God upon every remembrance of you always and in every prayer of mind for you, all making request with joy.

For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Now, those verses contain a great deal of doctrine but they're also in the matter of a letter, a way of encourage and praise to the Philippians. He said, I thank the Lord for you. I thank the Lord for your fellowship, your fellow service in the gospel, in the proclamation of the gospel.

Paul says, I am thankful for you and I'm confident that God will finish what he has started in you. Look if you would in Philippians four and verse 10. Philippians four and verse 10. Philippians four ten. But I rejoice, Paul says, and the Lord greatly, that now at the last, your care of me hath flourished again, wherein you were also careful, but you lacked opportunity.

Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am there with to be content. I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound everywhere and all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Not withstanding, you have done well that you did communicate with my affliction. Now, you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving but you only.

For even in Thessalonica, you sent once and again unto my necessity, not because I desire a gift but I desire fruit that may abound to your account and he continues. Most of the fourth chapter of which we take just a couple verses out of usually to use to support different things we're teaching. Philippians four thirteen, Philippians four nineteen. That last chapter is mainly a chapter of praise and thanksgiving. To the Christians at Philippi, for having taken part in Paul's ministry through the giving of a gift that was brought unto him from them and so, Paul praises them and he encourages them and the book of Philippian is is is not a is not a a book of rebuke.

It's a it's a book of encouragement and praise and thanksgiving to the Lord and also of the Philippians themselves. People respond well to that. We respond well to that. We like to be praised and yes, sometimes that maybe a result, a little bit of pride but we do need to be encouraged. A matter of fact, in Hebrews chapter 10, the writer of Hebrews says, don't forsake the assembling of yourselves together but exhorting okay, it's leaving me.

Alright, Hebrews ten twenty five. If I see it, then the rest of it will come back to me again. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching. So don't forsake the assembling of yourselves together like some have, but what? Exhorting.

What does it mean to exhort? Encourage. Come alongside and and we need that from each other. That's an important part of church and ministry and it's important part to come alongside and encourage particularly those who are down, particularly those that are discouraged, particularly new believers in Jesus Christ. It was good to see Pedro come in this morning to the service.

He needs encouragement. It's good to see Danny up here with Chris this morning. He needs encouragement. It was good to have other visitors. We need to find a way to encourage them, to encourage others, and praise them for the things that they they they do.

There are many of you that that serve the Lord very faithfully. Whether it's keeping up of the grounds in the building, Al and Charles and Harry and Cosan do a lot of that. Whether it's teaching classes and I'm thankful for my teachers, for the Dales, and my wife, and and brother Marvin as I mentioned and and the deacons and what they do and and there are many people they in if there's anything that I fall short in sometimes a pastor, it's forgetting to praise people when they do. What's right? And that's something that we need to be careful to do and to remember.

And that's something Jesus did in his ministry. My my son, Joshua, responds very well to praise. Sometimes, he needs rebuke and sometimes he needs discipline but he does respond very well to praise. He likes it when he does good and he does right and somebody notices and I'm sure that though we wouldn't like to admit it, sometimes we are the same way and certainly those were teaching and training need that positive reinforcement. Okay, the next thing I'd like to point out from Jesus train and teaching is the opposite.

If you look back in Matthew chapter 16 or if you're still there, if you look down to verse 21, not only do we need positive reinforcement, sometimes we need what's called negative reinforcement. We need to be rebuked. We need to be corrected. The word of God, Paul said to Timothy in chapter three is is given that the man of God might be thoroughly furnished unto all good works that we might be equipped but as part of verse 16, it says, is profitable for doctrine for reproof and for correction and reproof and correction are also necessary in training and teaching others. Though they're not as often well received and that's where our pride is particularly an issue.

They are necessary. Look if you would in verse 21. Same chapter, Jesus just praised Peter for getting it right. Now, verse 21. From the that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples how that he must go into Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day.

You know, I think the disciples always shut the Lord out when he began this before he got to the end of it where he says, and be raised on the third day because all they seem to hear was the, I'm going to die part. So, at that point, they would close their ears and go, I don't want hear this and that's exactly what Peter did here because how does he respond? Verse 22, then Peter took him that is Jesus and began to rebuke him saying, be it far from thee, Lord, this shall not be unto thee. But he but he turned. That is Jesus and said unto Peter, get thee behind me, Satan.

Thou art an offense unto me. For thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men. He just told Peter when he said, thou art the Christ, the son of the living God, that you didn't learn this from man but you learn this from who? This comes from my father and then just a few hours, moments, maybe days, I don't know but brief time period later, Jesus begins to tell them how he's going to go to the cross and die and rise and Peter gets all up says, oh no, Lord. This isn't for you.

This isn't for you and Peter says, Jesus says to Peter, get behind me what? Satan, what Peter was saying now didn't come from God. That came from Satan. That was that was human nature affected by sin and Satan that was speaking rather than the wisdom of God. Peter wanted Jesus to sit on a throne.

He didn't want Jesus to die on the cross. And he didn't understand and so, what did Jesus do? Well, he rebuked him. We also need to be set straight at times. We need to be made aware of when we have done wrong.

How are we going to know to fix what's wrong if nobody tells us when we mess up? There's a fad so to speak going on in our education system today where they don't want to give kids grades and don't want to check their work, don't want to tell them that they've done wrong, that two plus two isn't five, but two plus two is actually four because we don't want to offend them or to hurt their feelings. But how are they going to learn what's right if they're never confronted when they do what's wrong? That's why we have a grading system. That's why we take tests and we get fifties and sixties and seventies and eighties back so that we will recognize, oops, I didn't know this.

I better get on the ball. Correction is necessary. It's not only necessary for children. It's also sometimes necessary for adults and this again is where our pride comes in. We just do not want to hear that we're wrong.

But the fact is sometimes we are wrong and we need somebody, somebody to tell us and us not to get all angry and upset but to consider that maybe we're wrong and maybe there's something that needs to be corrected in our life. Jesus was not afraid, did not hold back when his disciples needed to be corrected. He rebuked Peter here for what he said. He rebuked John and James later for their request to sit on his right hand and on his left. He would rebuke them when they all chimed in with Judas when Judas said, why did you pour all that expensive per why did why did you allow Mary to do that and waste all that perfume on you when we could assault it and fed the poor with it?

Jesus rebuked them because they were wrong. Jesus rebuked Peter when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus and Peter pulled out his sword and what did he do? He cut off the high priest servant's ear, Malchus. Jesus even healed his ear but Jesus rebuked Peter for pulling out his sword and for thinking that the work of God was done by a sword. When the work of God needs to be done by the word of God and by God's grace.

And he was rebuked and there are other instances and as we train and teach others, sometimes they need praise and sometimes they need to be corrected and we should not step back and hesitate to speak the truth in love and to correct others when they need it. It's an important part of the training process. There is temptation sometimes when you're teaching other people when they don't have it right to just kind of, well, yeah, yeah, well, that's, you know, and you don't want to say no, that's what. That's wrong. But ultimately, they need to be told that's that's wrong because if you don't tell them that's wrong, they're going to go off thinking that what they said and what they believe is right when it's when it's wrong.

They need to be corrected. When Paul wrote letters to the churches in the New Testament, what did he do? Well, among other things, he corrected many problems and many issues in those letters. A matter of fact, to the point that at least one of the churches complained that when he wrote in letters, he was bold and and and very abrasive but when he was in person, he was much kinder and nicer and but Paul's point was these things have to be addressed. And so he addressed them.

In Galatians, he addressed the problem that they were entertaining false teaching. And not casting it out. And it was beginning to affect them because it wasn't the same gospel. It was a different one. He rebuked the Corinthians for their divisions.

He rebuked the Corinthians for their pettiness. He rebuked the Corinthians for their lack of moral judgment. He rebuked the Corinthians for a lot of things. That book is not like the book of Philippians. It contains a lot of rebuke because the church had a lot of problems and he commanded both Timothy and Titus to do the very same thing in their ministries.

Listen to these verses. First Timothy five twenty, them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. Second Timothy four two, preach the word. Be instant in season, out of season, rebuke, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. Titus one thirteen, this witness is true.

Wherefore, rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith. Titus two fifteen, these things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. Several verses there that Paul told these young men that he had sent out to start and pastor churches and to rebuke those that were under their ministry. They were the shepherds.

When the sheep was going astray, the sheep was to be, you know, the use of the staff to be corrected. So, he stayed with the group. Else, what would come of the sheep? Harm would come to the sheep and he didn't want that and as we're mentoring and discipling and teaching and training others from our own children to those in the church, we need to be willing. If we are in that role, to not only praise them when they do good but also to rebuke and correct them when they're wrong.

It's a very important part of the learning process and then finally, this evening, the last thing we'll look at here is that Jesus in his teaching used common everyday occurrences to teach his disciples. And we'll look at a few things but before we look in Matthew and you might want to hold your in Matthew because we will be back there in a moment. I want you to look at Deuteronomy chapter six. Deuteronomy chapter six. Deuteronomy chapter six.

We'll start in verse four. Here, oh Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy soul, with all thy might and these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently under thy children and shall talk of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou rises, stop and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes, thou shalt write them upon the post of thy house and on thy gates. I want you to focus on verse seven and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up. Jesus does not only telling and the Lord is not only telling the Israelites here that as they teach their children to do it throughout the day. In other words, don't just have, you know, don't just teach your children one day of the week or just don't teach them in the morning and then don't mention God the rest of the day, okay?

They need to be hearing about the Lord and seeing the Lord in our lives as part of different areas of our life all the way through but also, he's telling them, use the things around you. Use the common occurrences of everyday life to teach your children about who? About the Lord and Jesus did that in his ministry and he did it very very well. In Matthew 13, he began to use parables and he taught them about the kingdom by the use of parables. He talked about the sower and the seed and the wheat and the tares and he talked about the mustard seed and how it grew and the and the pearl of great price and the and the treasure and he told many other parables concerning the kingdom.

I would like to look at one parable in Matthew chapter 21. Matthew 21 rather than in Matthew 13. I I've taught a lot from the ones in Matthew 13. So, we're going to look Matthew 21 and and verse one in a parable that Jesus told just from common day, every life, something that they would observe as their day went along and he used it to teach them. This metaphor, this object lesson, and Jesus did this again very often.

In verse 21, chapter 21 verse one, it says, when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem and were come to Bethpage on the Mount Of Olives, then, sent Jesus to, wait a second, I'm on in the right place here. Give me a second. Hold on. It's chapter 20, sorry. Chapter 20.

Chapter 20 verse one. For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and he saw others standing idle in the marketplace. And said unto them, go you also into the vineyard and whatsoever is right, I will give you and they went their way and again, he went out about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did likewise and about the eleventh hour, he went out and found others standing idle and say it unto them, why stand you here all the day idle?

They said unto him because no man hath hired us, he say it unto them, go you also into the vineyard and whatsoever is right, that shall you receive. So, throughout the day, the the the owner of the vineyard came by and he would see more people sitting there waiting for a job. He'd say, come work for me and I'll pay you what's right. But at the very beginning of the day, he hired the first group of people for how much? 1p a day.

Now, a penny was probably worth a lot more than a penny is for us today, but a penny isn't a tremendous amount of money, okay? And he hired them for a penny a day. He went out. That would have been I think six in the morning. He went out again at nine in the morning, third hour.

He went out again at noon which is the sixth hour. Went out again at at 03:00, which is the ninth hour, and then at 05:00, which is the eleventh hour, and their workday was done at 06:00 with sunset. And so, at each time, after the first group, he said, I'll just give you what is right and they went. So, now, we get to verse eight. So, when even was come, the Lord of the vineyard saith unto his servant, call the laborers and give them their hire beginning from the last under the first and when they came that were hired the eleventh hour, he they received every man a penny.

How long did they work? One hour. And when he came but when, let's see here. Yeah. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more and they likewise received every man a penny and when they had received it, they murmured.

In other words, they complained against the good man of the house. Saying these last last have wrought but one hour and thou hast made them equal unto us which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them and said, friend, I do thee no wrong. Didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that that thine is and go thy way.

I will give unto this last even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil because I am good? So shall the last be first and the first be last for many be called but few are chosen. This is a parable Jesus taught based upon something they understood and recognized from their society and how things worked in that day.

He contracted with the first group a penny a day and that's exactly what he gave them, right? But he also gave the ones that work one hour a penny. Now, what was wrong with that? Absolutely nothing. He kept his word.

He was just gracious to those who hadn't had the opportunity to work all day. Some people are saved when they're very young. Some people are saved when they're very old. Some people spend a good deal of their life on this Earth serving the Lord as his children. Some spend only days or even hours.

But the Lord is good to them giving them a home in heaven by his grace just as he is good to us. For neither of us deserve it. Neither of us deserve it. We could serve him for a thousand years. We would never deserve it.

It's all by his grace and mercy. The Jews thought because they were God's chosen people from the Old Testament and God had given them the law and all of these things that they were deserving of far more than the Gentiles or far more than those of their Jewish society that weren't keeping the law at all. The publicans and sinners as they call them. But it was the public and sinners who came to Jesus for help. It was they who saw themselves as sinners needing a savior.

And it would be the Gentiles who would trust the Lord Jesus Christ when the Jews rejected him. So, many of the last shall be first and the first shall be last and Jesus used that parable of something very common to help teach his disciples. He used many other things. In Matthew 17, he used the temple tax to help teach Peter. In Matthew 18, he used a little child to teach them about humility and amount not desiring to be the greatest in the kingdom.

In Matthew 21, he taught concerning the fig tree. We're there. We might as well read it. During the course of a day, they passed a fig tree. Verse seven, we'll start in verse 17 and he left them and went out to the city of into Bethany and he lodged there.

Now, in the morning as he returned under the city, he hungered and when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it and he found nothing there on but leaves only and said unto it, let no fruit grow on thee henceforth forever and presently, the fig tree withered away and when the disciples saw it, they marveled saying, how soon is the fig tree withered away? Jesus answered and said unto them, verily I say unto you, if you have faith and doubt not, you shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if you shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea, it shall be done. And all things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer believing, you shall receive. So, Jesus used the fig tree that he passed during the day to do what? To teach his disciples.

He used the pride of the Pharisees. Look in in Matthew 23 and verse one. He used a negative example. The example of the Pharisees. Something that again the disciples were familiar with.

They were familiar with the pride and lofty, conceited ways of the Pharisees. In verse one of Matthew 23, it says and Jesus spake to the multitude and to his disciples saying, the scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat and therefore, whatsoever they bid you, observe, that observe and do but do not you after their works for they say and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be born and lay them on the on men's shoulders but they themselves will not move them with their with one of their fingers but all their works they do not for to be seen of they do for to be seen of men. They make broad their and enlarge the borders of their garments and love the uppermost rooms at the feast and the chief seats in the synagogues and greetings in the markets to be called of men, rabbi, rabbi. But be not you called rabbi.

For one is your master, even Christ, and all you are brethren, and call no man your father upon earth, for one is your father which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters for one is your master even Christ but he that is greatest among you shall be servant and whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased and he that humbleth himself shall be what? Exalted. So, Jesus, as he observed and his disciples observed the Pharisees, he said, don't be like them. Don't be like them.

Don't do as they do. Be humble and as you humble yourself, God will in due time exalt you. Look in John 15, if you would. John chapter 15. And again, we could spend literally years studying all the parables and metaphors and illustrations of Christ for the gospels are full of them.

John 15 verse one, we won't do that. We're just going to do two more, okay? John 15 verse one, Jesus said to them, I am the true vine and my father is the husbandman. That is the keeper of the vineyard. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, pruneth it that it may bring forth more fruit.

Now, you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can you except you abide in me. I am the vine and you are the branches. He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without me, you can do nothing.

If you take and you cut the branch off the fruit tree and you just throw it on the ground, is it going to grow and bear fruit? No. No, it must be connected to the vine. That was an obvious illustration that Jesus used but he took the opportunity to use it and to teach them that they needed to abide in him, to grow closer and stay connected and look to him for for teaching instruction but also for empowerment in doing the things that he had called them to do. In seeking his face, in resting, and trusting in him, the vine.

And then in John 13, verse one, Jesus used a towel to teach them humility and service. John 13 verse verse four and he rises from supper and laid aside his garments and took a towel and girded himself. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Jesus, look to verse 10. Jesus say it to him, no.

No, look at verse 12. So, after he had washed their feet and had taken his garments and sat down again, he said unto them, know you what I have done to you? You call me master and Lord and you say, well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and master, have washed your feet. You also ought to wash one another's feet.

For I've given you an example that you should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord, neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If you know these things, happy are you, if you do them. Jesus taught them how to serve one another by being a servant and seeing a towel, he picked it up and he went to the basin by the door where they washed their feet when they came in and he went around and he washed their feet. That was the menial task in a wealthy home of a servant or a slave.

When there was no servant or slave, the lowest person on the totem pole, So to speak, would be the person that will wash people's feet or else they would have to wash their own. But Jesus who was the greatest took the towel and taught them how to serve each other. Like we should be serving each other. We are all servants of the Lord and as we minister and worship as a church, we should be looking for opportunities to serve one another. Jesus taught his disciples using many other metaphors and object lessons and illustrations from everyday life just as Moses commanded the Israelites to do in teaching their own children.

Something that we can learn also. In training and teaching others, find things that happen during the day, common things that we use and deal with. To help people to understand. The things of the Lord and as you desire to do that, as you read the Lord and stay close to him, the Lord will help you. Not only to use the things that he's laid out here in his word, these illustrations and object lessons.

He's already given. We can use those but also also others. The Lord is a great teacher. The Lord trained 12 men to be not only his servants but to turn the world upside down so to speak and they did. The gospel spread from them and others from Jerusalem throughout the entire world.

You know, Jesus maybe with the exception of twice in his life never left the borders of Israel. When he was a child, he went down to Egypt and one time, he may have gone outside of the northern border but rest of the time Jesus spent in Israel and yet the gospel spread very quickly after his death throughout much of the known world. Through these men that he trained, Paul told Timothy to entrust to others faithful men, the God ministry of the gospel. For if we do not entrust and train others, then, who is going to take it to the next group of people that need it? Who is going to be here to carry on the work of the ministry?

We have an important ministry. We can follow Christ's example. What would Jesus do? Let's pray. Dear God, we thank you Lord for your ministry to us, for your word, and through the ministry that you showed in your word particularly to your disciples.

Lord, they went and trained others, trained others, and taught others, proclaimed the gospel to others, Lord, until it came to our ears one day, for faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God and someone told us the gospel and someone trained us in the word of God and Lord, we now minister and and serve you and and by your grace and strength, seek to train others, Lord and I pray that you would help us to find someone to teach, to disciple. Lord, that we wouldn't leave that all up to very small select group of people. For we have opportunities from our children, to our neighbors, to new believers in Christ, to other relatives and friends and Lord to to carry on that ministry. Lord, help us to look to Jesus as our example. To have the right attitude and to use methods, Lord, that you have shown to be very successful and worthy.

And Lord, help us, we pray, to follow in your footsteps. In Jesus' name, amen.