Disciples Make More Disciples || Pastor Brenna Modine || 8:30 am

Devotional

Day 1: Go, Therefore, Make Disciples

Jesus stood on a Galilean hillside with eleven disciples. His resurrected body bore scars as He declared, “All authority is mine.” He commanded them to go—not just preach, but make apprentices of all nations. Baptize. Teach obedience. His final promise thundered: “I am with you always.” [44:56]

This commission wasn’t for superstars. Fishermen, tax collectors, and doubters received marching orders to replicate disciples. Jesus’ method required proximity—life-on-life training, not theoretical lectures. He still calls ordinary people to multiply faith through relationship.

Who has God placed in your orbit needing baptism into Christ’s family? Discipleship begins when we open our messy lives to others. Write down three people you could intentionally walk with this month. What fears hold you back from saying “go” to Jesus’ command?

“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”
(Matthew 28:18-20, ESV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus for courage to initiate one spiritual conversation today.
Challenge: Write “Paul,” “Barnabas,” and “Timothy” on paper. Leave space to fill names this week.

Day 2: Entrust to Faithful Ones

Paul gripped Timothy’s shoulders in a Ephesian prison cell. Chains clinked as he urged, “What you heard from me, entrust to faithful people who’ll teach others.” Four generations of faith-transfer: Paul → Timothy → reliable leaders → new disciples. The baton-passing ensured truth outlived them. [46:06]

Discipleship dies when we hoard spiritual wealth. Like Paul, we must identify faithful stewards—not perfect experts—to carry Christ’s message. Your “Timothy” might be a teenager, coworker, or new believer hungry for God’s Word.

Who have you equipped lately to teach others? Mentorship isn’t about polished lectures but sharing real faith struggles. Text one person today: “Can we discuss something God’s teaching us?” What excuses keep you from investing in a Timothy?

“And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
(2 Timothy 2:2, ESV)

Prayer: Confess any reluctance to pour into others. Ask God to highlight one Timothy.
Challenge: Invite a potential Timothy to coffee this week. Discuss a recent lesson from Scripture.

Day 3: Counsel of the Old Men

Young King Rehoboam faced Israel’s complaints. He first consulted elders who’d served his father Solomon: “Serve the people kindly.” Then he polled his buddies: “Crush them with harsher demands!” Rehoboam chose arrogance over wisdom, splitting the kingdom. [50:36]

Pride dismisses seasoned voices. Rehoboam’s peers told him what he wanted; the elders spoke what he needed. True Pauls often correct us through hard-won experience. Their scars testify to God’s faithfulness in trials we’ve yet to face.

Whose spiritual wrinkles do you ignore because their truth stings? Write down one area where you need counsel—parenting, doubt, or sin patterns. Will you humble yourself to ask a mature believer?

“Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men… ‘If you will be a servant to this people today… they will be your servants forever.’ But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him.”
(1 Kings 12:6-8, ESV)

Prayer: Thank God for a Paul in your life. If lacking, ask Him to reveal one.
Challenge: Call/text a potential Paul: “Can I seek your advice about ______ this week?”

Day 4: Iron on Iron Sparks

Barnabas defended Saul-turned-Paul when others feared his past. They journeyed together, debating Mark’s usefulness (Acts 15:39), yet sharpening each other’s faith. Their friction produced sparks of growth, not destruction. Like blacksmiths’ tools, they molded each other closer to Christ’s image. [53:53]

Iron sharpening iron requires pressure. Barnabas relationships thrive when we allow peers to question our blind spots. Surface-level friendships avoid conflict; discipleship buddies lean into hard conversations for mutual holiness.

Who challenges you to live biblically uncomfortable? Identify a Barnabas who’ll ask, “How’s your prayer life?” not just “How’s work?” What masks do you wear that prevent authentic sharpening?

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”
(Proverbs 27:17, ESV)

Prayer: Ask God to deepen one friendship beyond small talk this month.
Challenge: Schedule a walk or meal with a Barnabas. Discuss a recent spiritual victory or struggle.

Day 5: Stir Up One Another

Early Christians gathered daily—not just Sabbaths—to share meals, prayers, and possessions. They provoked each other to love like Jesus, especially as persecution loomed. Their “stirring” wasn’t mild encouragement but relentless spurring toward radical obedience. [55:32]

Sundays alone can’t sustain faith any more than weekly meals sustain bodies. We need consistent community to rehearse truth, confess sins, and fan faith’s flames. Like embers separated from a fire, isolated believers grow cold.

What practical step will you take to engage beyond Sunday? Write one commitment: join a small group, host dinners, or text prayer requests daily. Where is God nudging you to prioritize communal discipleship?

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together… but encouraging one another.”
(Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Prayer: Confess any isolation tendencies. Ask God for courage to engage consistently.
Challenge: Commit to one regular discipleship rhythm (group, book study, etc.) starting within 7 days.

Sermon Summary

Discipleship sets the tone as an active choice, not a passive label. The term disciple names a pupil, a learner, a follower who actually studies and grows. Genuine discipleship stands or falls on a genuine relationship with Jesus. If Jesus is not the center, it all comes apart. The call is simple and weighty at the same time. Discipleship is active.

Jesus lays the foundation in the Great Commission. The risen Lord claims all authority and sends his disciples to go, make disciples, baptize, and teach. Matthew 28 hands a clear task. Having been taught by Jesus, disciples go and teach in turn. In Paul’s language, what has been entrusted gets entrusted again so that others are able to teach others also. The gospel multiplies through a chain of ordinary obedience.

This three directional life lands with concrete names. A Timothy is the one next, the person to invest in. Paul shows what that looks like with Timothy, his beloved child. The work is usually simpler than it sounds. A coffee, a prayer, a puzzle on the table while life gets talked through. The enemy will whisper disqualification. God equips as disciples say yes.

A Paul is the voice to listen to. The temptation is to dismiss those ahead as out of touch. Scripture warns through Rehoboam. He asked the elders, heard wisdom, and then went advice shopping among friends who told him what he wanted to hear. The result was division. If a disciple is not willing to listen, a disciple will never learn. Seeking wise counsel is not a luxury. It is protection.

A Barnabas is the companion to walk with. Iron sharpens iron. Proverbs and Hebrews call the church to encourage, stir up love and good works, and not neglect meeting. Sundays are not enough. One hour cannot carry the weight of real formation. Shared rhythms in smaller circles help disciples point one another back to Jesus in the big changes and the mundane.

The pattern is already in play wherever mentors pour into the next set and peers shoulder life together. The invitation is practical. Write down Paul, Barnabas, Timothy and put names beside each. Send a text. Ask for coffee. Offer lunch. Co lead a small group. Keep Jesus at the center, step out even when it feels scary, and trust that God has a plan. As disciples say yes, disciples make more disciples and the kingdom grows.

Key Takeaways

1. Discipleship is active, not passive. Discipleship names a lived posture of learning and following, not a title on a profile. The disciple moves toward Jesus with intention and practices that form a life. Passive drift produces confusion, not Christlikeness. Active engagement opens the door for God to shape character and calling. [42:07]
2. Jesus must be the center. Technique cannot carry this. Without real relationship with Jesus, efforts at mentoring or serving fray fast. Keeping the center on Jesus clarifies direction, keeps motives clean, and sustains joy when ministry feels ordinary. The center holds when the center is him. [42:45]
3. Find a Paul, Timothy, Barnabas. Growth needs a mentor to learn from, a student to invest in, and a friend to walk with. Each role exposes different blind spots and stirs different graces. Putting names to those roles turns a theory into a path. The simple step of asking or inviting often becomes the hinge for long term change. [60:02]
4. Listen; refuse advice shopping. Wise counsel may sting before it saves. Rehoboam’s fall shows how quickly a heart can trade hard wisdom for easy affirmation. Listening teaches humility, protects from folly, and honors those who have lived what others are only now facing. Refusing to shop for easier answers is a mark of maturity. [51:04]
5. Sundays are not enough. One service cannot do the heavy lifting of discipleship. Shared life in smaller circles keeps encouragement and accountability close at hand. Regular presence, even through texts and calls when life is messy, builds the kind of resilience that Sunday alone cannot. Formation grows in the everyday between the Sundays. [55:53]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[36:23] - Kids Camp invites and volunteer on-ramps
[37:19] - Tie dye help and supply needs
[38:06] - Mercer’s multigenerational heartbeat
[38:46] - Passing skills at Car Care
[39:36] - Discipleship as investment
[41:00] - Prayer for peace and focus
[41:40] - Discipleship is active
[42:45] - Jesus at the center
[44:56] - The Great Commission sentness
[45:35] - 2 Timothy 2:2 multiplication
[47:03] - Simple practices of investing
[48:18] - Needing a Paul to learn from
[49:44] - Rehoboam and advice shopping
[53:53] - Iron sharpens iron friendship
[55:32] - Do not neglect meeting
[55:53] - Sundays are not enough
[57:16] - Step out to lead groups
[59:34] - Name your Paul, Barnabas, Timothy
[61:07] - Keep Jesus as foundation
[62:40] - Prayer for boldness and growth
[63:11] - Worship transition

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

2 Timothy 2:2 (ESV)
And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

1 Kings 12:6-8 (ESV)
Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” And they said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever.” But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.

Observation Questions

What three actions does Jesus command his disciples to take in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20)?
According to 2 Timothy 2:2, what is Timothy instructed to do with what he has learned from Paul?
What mistake did Rehoboam make after receiving wise counsel from the elders (1 Kings 12:8)?
How does Proverbs 27:17 (“iron sharpens iron”) relate to the idea of needing a “Barnabas” in discipleship?

Interpretation Questions

Why is it significant that Jesus emphasizes teaching others to obey His commands (Matthew 28:20) rather than just knowing them?
How might Rehoboam’s decision to ignore the elders’ advice (1 Kings 12:8) mirror modern tendencies to dismiss wisdom from older or more experienced believers?
In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul highlights a “chain” of discipleship (Paul → Timothy → faithful men → others). Why is this multiplication essential for the growth of the church?
What does the phrase “Sundays are not enough” [55:53] reveal about the limitations of weekly gatherings for spiritual growth?

Application Questions

Active discipleship requires intentional steps. Who is one person (a “Timothy”) you could intentionally invest in this month through simple acts like sharing a meal, praying together, or discussing life? What specific action will you take?
Listening to wise counsel protects against folly. Is there a “Paul” in your life whose advice you’ve been avoiding because it feels challenging or inconvenient? How can you humbly seek their input this week? [51:04]
Shared rhythms deepen growth. What practical step could you take to build consistent, smaller-circle connections (e.g., starting a weekly text thread, joining a group, or co-leading a study)? [55:53]
Advice shopping often leads to division. When facing a decision, how will you resist the urge to seek only opinions that align with your preferences? Write down one way to prioritize godly counsel.
Discipleship thrives in everyday moments. What ordinary activity (e.g., coffee, puzzles, walks) could you turn into a intentional space for discipleship with someone this week? [47:34]
Jesus must be the center. What daily habit could you adopt to ensure your relationship with Christ—not just “discipleship activities”—remains the foundation of your spiritual growth? [42:45]

Sermon Clips

42s

“``So what are you going to do? And maybe your Timothy is at work, and you're like, no, God's telling me that I need to spend time with them, that I need to invest in them and show them the love of Jesus. Or maybe it's a classmate or a teammate that you need to be investing in and showing the love of Jesus. You don't have to go up to them and say, are now my Timothy. You don't have to do that. But being intentional with it and spending time is key. But more importantly, is Jesus the foundation of it all? Is he the center? Because if he's not the center, if he's not the foundation, it's all going to fall apart. It's all gonna fall apart. We have to have Jesus as the center.”

35s

“If we are not rooted in Jesus, then it all falls apart. The song that we just sang is for Jesus to be the center of it all. If he is not the center, it all falls apart, because there cannot be genuine discipleship without genuine relationship with Jesus. There cannot be genuine discipleship without genuine relationship with Jesus, because if we're wanting to become a follower, a disciple of Jesus, we have to know who he is. We have to know what direction we're going because if we're not following Jesus, if we don't know who it is that we're wanting to become, how can we become like him?”

34s

“Now here's the thing, we all need a Paul, we all need a Timothy, and we all need a Barnabas. And when we do this, it helps us to be encouraged, We are able to invest and be invested in and have people with us to encourage us as we go and do this. And as we do this, disciples will make more disciples, but we have to be willing to say yes, we have to step out in faith, and we have to trust that God has a plan even when we don't know exactly what it means. Even when it feels crazy, even when there's unknowns. God has the best plan but we have to be willing to say yes. And when we do, the kingdom gets to grow.”

35s

“Sundays are not enough. I'm glad that you are here. Hear me, I love that you are here whether you're in the room or online, we are so glad that you are here, but Sundays are not enough. If we want genuine discipleship, one hour is not going to cut it. It's not. We have to spend time with other people, we have to be learning and growing, and that only happens if we're willing to say, hey, need more than Sundays. We need to go and do more. Small groups are an incredible way to do this, and you'll hear us talk more about it as we get closer to the fall with launching small groups,”

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