Sermons on Discipleship (Page 4)
Stewards of the Kingdom
This message from Matthew 25:14-30 explores Jesus’ parable of the talents. SERMON OUTLINE Be excited about Jesus’ return Know what Jesus teaches by reading His word You cannot live off of someone else’s talents Surrender your talents to Christ and be ready for Him DISCUSSION QUESTIONS When you think of Jesus’ return, what emotions do you feel? What talents and abilities do you know that God has given you? Are there times where you have used those abilities for your…
Matters of the Heart
Jesus challenges the predictable understanding of what defiles someone and redirects attention to the heart and the interior life. Matthew 15:1-20 Sermon Outline “The things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them.” (Matthew 15:18) Conflict Between God’s Commands and Human Tradition (Matthew 15:1-9) The visit from Jerusalem “The tradition of the elders” Corban (qorban) Jesus the True Teacher (Matthew 15:10-20) Understanding the purpose of God’s commands Identifying what really defiles human life…
The Wheat and the Weeds
Jesus tells a parable about weeds in a wheat field, then explains it later to His disciples. Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 SERMON OUTLINE “Jesus told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat.’” (Matthew 13:24-25) Elements of the Parable (Matthew 13:37-39) The Present: Wheat and Weeds Together in the Field (Matthew 13:28-30a) The reality of good and…
The Sower
Jesus shares the parables of the sower and the seed scattered on different sorts of soil, then explains it later to His disciples. Matthew 13:3-8, 13-23 SERMON OUTLINE “Then he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘A farmer went out to sow his seed….’” (Matthew 13:3) The Seed “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you” (13:11) “The message of the kingdom…sown in his heart” (13:19) The Soils Basic contrast: good soil…
The Messiah’s Family
We often talk about Jesus making us part of the family of God. What does that mean and how radical is it really? Matthew 12:46-50 SERMON OUTLINE “Pointing to his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’” (Matthew 12:49-50) Jesus and His Earthly Family (12:46-47) Beginnings and parents: Matthew 1-2 Siblings: Matthew 13:55 Eventual disciples: James (Galatians 1:19; James 1:1),…
Real Response
Jesus offers several pictures of appropriate response to Him and His teaching. How do we take in what He is saying and respond to it ourselves? Matthew 7:13-29 Sermon Outline “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching.” (Matthew 7:28) Two Ways: The narrow and wide gates (Matthew 7:13-14) The gate and the road to two different ways of life Beware!: the eternal outcome is the result of the way we choose Hear and…
Real Identity
Looking at the disciple’s identity as salt and light in Christ for the sake of the world. Matthew 5:13-16 Sermon Outline “You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world…” (Matthew 5:13, 14) “You are…” The disciples The crowds Who is the “you”? The unexpected ones in God’s mission Metaphor and the Power of Mental Pictures Jesus’ use of metaphor in Matthew 5:13-16 Why mental pictures are invaluable for life “You are the salt of the…
Real Life
Exploring the beatitudes as being blessed with the good life with God accessible in Jesus Christ. Matthew 5:1-11 Sermon Outline “Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.” (Matthew 5:1-2) Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount Matthew’s Gospel organized around 5 discourses 1. Matthew 5-7 2. Matthew 10 3. Matthew 13 4. Matthew 18 5. Matthew 24-25 The disciples as the…
The Call of Discipleship
Jesus calls the disciples and commissions them as apostles. He calls the least of these and brings hope and healing into their lives. Matthew 4:18-25 SERMON OUTLINE “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” (Matthew 4:23) Introducing the Next Section of Matthew’s Gospel The new geography: from Nazareth to Capernaum (4:13) The beginnings of the Messianic community: Peter, Andrew, James, John (4:18-22) The…
Worship and the Final Word
A series of final exhortations – or words – mark the conclusion of the letter that began with attention to the Final Word that is Jesus. Hebrews 13:1-22 SERMON OUTLINE “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) Worship that Responds to God (Hebrews 12:28-29) gratitude awe Worship and Right Love (Hebrews 13:1-6) love of others love in marriage love of money Worship and Right Doctrine (Hebrews 13:7-9) the foundational leaders and doctrine not deviating into…
Make Every Effort
The calling of God is to unshakable realities and so we make every effort to live in God’s ways. Hebrews 12:12-29 SERMON OUTLINE “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14-29) Make Every Effort and See To It (Hebrews 12:14-17) to live at peace to cultivate holiness that no one falls short of God’s grace that no one falls into sexual immorality or godlessness The…
Run
The life of faith is like a foot race of endurance that, although we wear down sometimes, brings the greatest joy of living with God. Hebrews 12:1-11 SERMON OUTLINE “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2) Run with the crowd (Hebrews 12:1a) Hebrews 11 Surrounded Run without hindrances (Hebrews 12:1b) throw off everything that hinders get rid of the sin that entangles or distracts Run after the One (Hebrews…