Equipped for Discipleship: Preparing the Unprepared
Summary
### Summary
In today's sermon, we explored the theme of "Preparing the Unprepared," focusing on John 13:36 through John 14:6. We began by reflecting on the nature of discipleship, which is essentially God's process of preparing us for the good works He has called us to do. Jesus, during His last supper with His disciples, emphasized the importance of love and service as the hallmark of true discipleship. He also foretold Peter's denial, highlighting that even the most devoted followers can falter without proper spiritual preparation.
Jesus' dialogue with Peter and the other disciples revealed that they were not yet ready to follow Him to the cross and beyond. This unpreparedness was not just a matter of lacking knowledge but also lacking the spiritual empowerment that would come through the Holy Spirit. Jesus assured them that He was going to prepare a place for them and that He would come back to take them to be with Him. This preparation involved His sacrificial death, resurrection, and the sending of the Holy Spirit, which would transform and equip them for their mission.
We also delved into the concept of heaven and how Jesus' sacrifice makes both the place and the people ready for eternal communion with God. Heaven is not just a physical place of beauty but a state of being in the presence of God, made possible through the blood of Jesus. The sermon concluded with a call to avail ourselves of the equipping power of the Holy Spirit, to be prepared for the work God has for us in this life and the next.
### Key Takeaways
1. Discipleship as Preparation: Discipleship is God's way of preparing us for the good works He has planned. From the moment we are born again, God begins to equip us through the ministry of the church and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This preparation is ongoing and essential for fulfilling our divine purpose. [44:50]
2. The Necessity of Spiritual Empowerment: Jesus knew that His disciples were not ready to face the challenges ahead without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Despite their close relationship with Him, they needed the transformative power that would come after His resurrection and the sending of the Spirit. This teaches us that human effort alone is insufficient; we need divine empowerment. [50:24]
3. The Role of Jesus' Sacrifice: Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension were crucial in preparing both the place (heaven) and the people (believers) for eternal life. His sacrifice cleanses us, making us fit for heaven, and prepares heaven to receive us. This dual preparation underscores the completeness of His redemptive work. [01:02:16]
4. Heaven as God's Presence: The essence of heaven is not its physical attributes but the presence of God. Jesus' promise to prepare a place for us is about ensuring that we can dwell in God's presence eternally. This shifts our focus from material descriptions of heaven to the relational and spiritual reality of being with God. [01:14:07]
5. Equipping for Mission: Jesus equips us through His Spirit to overcome obstacles and fulfill our mission. This equipping is not just for personal spiritual growth but for the collective mission of the church. By relying on the Holy Spirit, we can face challenges and accomplish what God has called us to do. [01:20:08]
### YouTube Chapters
1. [0:00] - Welcome
2. [11:42] - Prayer for the Offering
3. [41:38] - Introduction to John 13:36-14:6
4. [44:02] - The Concept of Discipleship
5. [44:50] - Discipleship as Preparation
6. [46:22] - Jesus Prepares His Disciples
7. [47:14] - The New Commandment of Love
8. [48:00] - Peter's Unpreparedness
9. [50:24] - The Necessity of Spiritual Empowerment
10. [51:09] - The Role of Jesus' Sacrifice
11. [52:18] - The Intertestamentary Period
12. [54:17] - The Danger of Self-Confidence
13. [56:04] - Peter's Transformation
14. [58:19] - The Power of the Holy Spirit
15. [01:02:16] - Preparing the Unprepared Place
16. [01:14:07] - Heaven as God's Presence
17. [01:20:08] - Equipping for Mission
18. [01:29:07] - Closing Prayer and Dismissal
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- John 13:36-14:6
#### Observation Questions
1. What did Jesus tell Peter about following Him in John 13:36-38? How did Peter respond, and what was Jesus' prediction? ([41:38])
2. According to John 14:1-3, what did Jesus say He was going to do for His disciples? How did He describe the place He was preparing? ([44:02])
3. In John 14:5-6, how did Jesus respond to Thomas' question about knowing the way? What did Jesus declare about Himself? ([44:02])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus emphasized the necessity of spiritual empowerment for His disciples? How does this relate to our need for the Holy Spirit today? ([50:24])
2. How does Jesus' promise to prepare a place for His disciples provide comfort and assurance? What does this reveal about His care for His followers? ([01:00:38])
3. What does it mean that Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life"? How does this statement impact our understanding of salvation and our relationship with God? ([01:14:59])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt unprepared for a challenge in your spiritual journey. How did you seek God's help, and what was the outcome? ([49:39])
2. Jesus emphasized the importance of love and service as hallmarks of true discipleship. How can you demonstrate sacrificial love in your daily interactions this week? ([47:14])
3. The sermon highlighted the danger of self-confidence and the need for reliance on God. Are there areas in your life where you are relying too much on your own strength? How can you shift that reliance to God? ([54:17])
4. Jesus' preparation of a place for us in heaven is both a future hope and a present reality. How does this promise influence your perspective on current struggles and future expectations? ([01:00:38])
5. The sermon called us to avail ourselves of the equipping power of the Holy Spirit. What specific steps can you take to be more open to the Holy Spirit's guidance and empowerment in your life? ([01:20:08])
6. Think about the concept of heaven as being in the presence of God rather than just a physical place. How does this understanding change the way you live your life now? ([01:14:07])
7. Identify one area in your life where you feel God is calling you to serve or minister. What practical steps can you take this week to prepare yourself for this calling through prayer, study, or seeking guidance from others? ([01:22:18])
Devotional
Day 1: Discipleship as Ongoing Preparation
Discipleship is not a one-time event but an ongoing process where God prepares us for the good works He has planned. From the moment we are born again, God begins to equip us through the ministry of the church and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This preparation is essential for fulfilling our divine purpose and involves continuous learning, growth, and transformation. As we engage in discipleship, we are being shaped and molded to reflect Christ more accurately and to carry out His mission effectively.
This preparation is not just about acquiring knowledge but also about developing character and spiritual maturity. It involves trials, challenges, and experiences that test our faith and build our resilience. Through discipleship, we learn to depend on God, to love others selflessly, and to serve with humility. This ongoing process ensures that we are ready to face the tasks and challenges that God has set before us. [44:50]
Ephesians 2:10 (ESV): "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Reflection: What specific area of your life do you feel God is currently preparing you in? How can you actively participate in this process today?
Day 2: The Necessity of Spiritual Empowerment
Jesus knew that His disciples were not ready to face the challenges ahead without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Despite their close relationship with Him, they needed the transformative power that would come after His resurrection and the sending of the Spirit. This teaches us that human effort alone is insufficient; we need divine empowerment to fulfill our calling and to overcome the obstacles we face.
The Holy Spirit provides the strength, wisdom, and guidance necessary for effective ministry and personal growth. Without the Spirit's empowerment, our efforts can be futile and our impact limited. It is through the Holy Spirit that we are able to live out the teachings of Jesus, to love others as He loved us, and to carry out the mission He has given us. Recognizing our need for the Holy Spirit's power is crucial for living a victorious and fruitful Christian life. [50:24]
Acts 1:8 (ESV): "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you feel you are relying on your own strength rather than the Holy Spirit's empowerment? How can you invite the Holy Spirit to take control in those areas today?
Day 3: The Role of Jesus' Sacrifice
Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension were crucial in preparing both the place (heaven) and the people (believers) for eternal life. His sacrifice cleanses us, making us fit for heaven, and prepares heaven to receive us. This dual preparation underscores the completeness of His redemptive work. Through His sacrifice, Jesus bridged the gap between humanity and God, making it possible for us to have eternal communion with Him.
This preparation is not just about securing a place for us in heaven but also about transforming us into people who are ready to dwell in God's presence. Jesus' sacrifice purifies us, sanctifies us, and makes us holy, so we can stand before a holy God. It is through His blood that we are made righteous and are given the hope of eternal life. Understanding the significance of Jesus' sacrifice helps us to appreciate the depth of God's love and the extent of His grace. [01:02:16]
Hebrews 9:24-26 (ESV): "For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."
Reflection: How does understanding the completeness of Jesus' sacrifice change the way you view your relationship with God? What steps can you take to live in the reality of this truth today?
Day 4: Heaven as God's Presence
The essence of heaven is not its physical attributes but the presence of God. Jesus' promise to prepare a place for us is about ensuring that we can dwell in God's presence eternally. This shifts our focus from material descriptions of heaven to the relational and spiritual reality of being with God. Heaven is the ultimate fulfillment of our deepest longing to be in communion with our Creator.
Being in God's presence means experiencing His love, peace, and joy in their fullest measure. It is a state of perfect harmony and fellowship with God, free from sin, pain, and suffering. This understanding of heaven encourages us to seek God's presence in our daily lives and to cultivate a relationship with Him that transcends the physical world. It reminds us that our ultimate goal is not just to reach a destination but to be united with God forever. [01:14:07]
Revelation 21:3-4 (ESV): "And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.'"
Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper awareness of God's presence in your daily life? What practices can help you to experience His presence more fully?
Day 5: Equipping for Mission
Jesus equips us through His Spirit to overcome obstacles and fulfill our mission. This equipping is not just for personal spiritual growth but for the collective mission of the church. By relying on the Holy Spirit, we can face challenges and accomplish what God has called us to do. The Holy Spirit provides the gifts, wisdom, and strength needed to carry out our mission effectively.
Our mission is to spread the gospel, to make disciples, and to serve others in love. This requires us to be equipped with the right tools and resources, which the Holy Spirit provides. It also requires us to be willing to step out in faith, to take risks, and to trust in God's provision. As we rely on the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to fulfill our mission and to make a lasting impact for God's kingdom. [01:20:08]
1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (ESV): "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good."
Reflection: What specific mission or calling do you feel God has placed on your heart? How can you rely on the Holy Spirit to equip you for this mission today?
Quotes
1. "As I was reading through this text yesterday, the thought came. To my mind. The the idea of just. Discipleship. And what is discipleship? It's preparation. The disciple is being prepared. The unprepared one. There is there is an equipping. There is a a making ready. There is a preparing of the unprepared. And from the time of our new birth, what is God doing from the time that a a person is born? Born again, he begins, God begins to call him or her to be a disciple and God through the ministry of the church, through the ministry of a shepherd, God is preparing that person for discipleship." [44:02] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Jesus is going to teach and prepare his disciples for what is to come. The very lamb of God that is going within 24 hours. He will be condemned to death. He will be crucified. He will die for the sins of the world. And he knows this is coming. He knows what's about to happen. And yet. He feels. This compelling need to continue to equip his disciples for what is about to come. Isn't that what he does today? Still. Still today, he is equipping the saints through the ministries of the church and through the body of Christ." [46:22] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Peter says, I'll die for you. And yet, before the night's over, he's going to deny the Lord three times. It's going to come to pass just as Jesus said. But what is Jesus doing? Jesus is going to lay down his life in order to prepare them. Because what does that entail? When he lays down his life, what happens? He is going to send the Spirit. He's going to send the Comforter. He's going to baptize in the Holy Ghost. He is going to give new life. The Spirit Almighty, the Spirit of God is going to come, take up residence within them. And what we're going to see is a transformation in their life, so that they can handle what's going to take place." [51:09] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Let me tell you something. How does this equipping come? This equipping comes with the life of Christ and Spirit baptism. You must be born again. And that only happens after the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. And then, what else took place? After he resurrected, he walked with them for 40 days, and then the Bible says he ascended. And while he's there on that mount, he says, You're still, you're still not ready. There's this, it's kind of a, I don't know, to me it's kind of an odd time when Jesus is here present on the earth. Because they're still living under the Old Testament covenant, and yet Jesus implements the New Testament covenant before he's even dead, but he tells you what it's for." [52:18] (67 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Our confidence can never be in ourselves. It's always got to be rooted in Christ, and in the new life of Christ, But here's what you're going to see. This Peter, this same Peter that denies Christ three times this night, this same Peter that put confidence in the flesh, this same Peter who would curse and swear tonight, I do not know the man! This same Peter is going to be transformed. He's going to repent. This same Peter is going to be changed, and filled with the baptism. And this same Peter is going to become a thundering voice in the opening book of Acts. A voice that they cannot silence after he has been equipped. By the Spirit of God." [56:04] (61 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "And what Jesus is saying is, I'm going to equip you. I'm going to equip you so that nothing can stop you. so that nothing can stop us from doing what God has called us to do. But you've got to allow yourself to be equipped. You've got to put yourself in the position to be equipped. They obeyed the Lord. They did what God told them to do. They did what Jesus told them to do. After the resurrection. And he says, I'm going to go away. Now you guys go and wait in Jerusalem. They didn't say, man, we got this. We got it. We've seen you resurrected." [58:19] (76 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "The blood of Jesus is what's going to make heaven ready for us and is going to make us fit for heaven. The blood of Jesus had to be spilled you are washed you are sanctified you are justified in the name of the lord jesus and by the spirit of our god and so the the comforting words that we read in john 14 they thought your hearts be troubled why are you so for your failures for your faults so that through me you have a place in my father's house whether i go you you know you know the way thomas said lord we know not whether you go how can we know the way and jesus said i am the way the truth and the life no man comes into the father but by me how is he going to prepare this place through the blood" [01:05:56] (99 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "And nothing, nothing, nothing can stop the church of the living God. From accomplishing what God has prepared. Nothing can stand in your way. You say that mean there won't be obstacles? Oh, no, there will. But he's given you the power to overcome the obstacle. Amen. He has equipped the church to overcome the obstacles that will come against you. By the blood of Jesus. Hallelujah. Stand with me this morning. Thank you, Lord. God, we praise you. Lord, you are worthy of you have done through your own shed blood. You have made a way for us. You have cleansed us, sanctified us, washed us clean through the blood of Jesus." [01:20:08] (56 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "Avail yourself. Avail yourself to his equipping. Make yourself available to the equipping of the Spirit of God. he will equip you. He will not leave you unequipped. He will equip you for everything in this life and beyond. Amen. He will equip you for everything that he has called you to do. And every place that he has called you to go. And he's done it through the blood. Through his spirit. Through the empowering of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. He's made a way." [01:19:18] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "And we just ask, God, that you would go with us this morning. We do lift up the church there in Colonial Progreso. Lord, we ask that you would raise up a pastor among them, God. Lord, bless their services today. Minister by your Spirit, I pray. God, lead somebody. Lord, there we ask God to shepherd that group, we pray, Father. Go with us today, Father. Lead us, guide us, direct us, Lord. Let us be lights in a dark world, I pray. Lord, let us bring sheaves in with us, Lord, we pray. In Jesus' name, amen." [01:29:56] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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