Run After Jesus, Invite Others Along

Oct 18, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Torn Veils and Throne Room Sprinting

The curtain splitting wasn’t just a divine special effect—it flung heaven’s doors wide. Like runners bursting through stadium tunnels into roaring crowds, believers now charge straight into God’s presence without religious gatekeepers. This access reshapes everything: no more arm’s-length rituals, just raw conversation with the King who tore the barrier Himself. The question isn’t whether we’re allowed in, but why we’d linger in the outer courts when the throne room’s open. [37:50]

At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split. (Matthew 27:51, NIV)

Reflection: What habitual “outer court” mentality—distant prayers, performative rituals—might God be inviting you to exchange for throne room intimacy this week?

Day 2: Grabbing Hands in Mid-Sprint

Discipleship isn’t a classroom—it’s a relay race where we grip others’ wrists mid-stride. Paul didn’t wait for Timothy to earn a theology degree; he yanked him into the messy journey of planting churches and dodging stones. True spiritual mentorship happens in motion, sweat mixing as we pant uphill together, the destination less important than the shared rhythm of following Jesus. [41:37]

Paul wanted to take him along on the journey. So he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area. (Acts 16:3, NIV)

Reflection: Who’s already running near you—a coworker, neighbor, restless teen—that you could intentionally “grab mid-stride” this week through shared spiritual practices?

Day 3: Circumcision as Love Language

Timothy’s surgery wasn’t about rule-keeping but bridge-building. Like a missionary eating grubs to gain trust or a recovering addict sharing their relapse journal, discipleship demands sacrificing comforts to speak others’ heart language. Paul knew removing flesh mattered less than removing barriers—true love amputates pride to incarnate the gospel where people live. [56:56]

I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. (1 Corinthians 9:22, NIV)

Reflection: What personal “right” (political opinions, lifestyle preferences, tribal jargon) might God be asking you to temporarily set aside to better love someone He’s placed in your path?

Day 4: Apprenticeship Over Academia

Paul didn’t bench Timothy until he mastered Greek verbs—he let him fumble through real sermons and prison breaks. Discipleship thrives in the workshop, not the lecture hall. Like a plumber teaching pipes through leaks and a mom teaching baking through burnt cookies, spiritual growth happens in the oily, flour-dusted mess of shared experience. [01:06:00]

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2, NIV)

Reflection: What imperfect-but-available skill (prayer, Scripture navigation, serving neighbors) could you start modeling for someone this week, mistakes and all?

Day 5: Lifelong Handholding

Twenty years after their first mission trip, Paul still wrote Timothy survival guides for pastoring messy churches. Discipleship isn’t a six-week program but a decades-long tango—sometimes leading, sometimes following, always gripping hands through career changes, funerals, and faith crises. Maturity isn’t graduating from relationships but deepening roots in shared soil. [01:11:44]

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12, NIV)

Reflection: Which aging saint’s weathered hand could you grab this week—not just to receive wisdom, but to promise “I’ll keep walking with you until the finish line”?

Sermon Summary

The torn veil and the wide-open door into God’s throne room give believers access to the King of kings. Christ does not open that door so that people can stand alone in the glory of God. The call is to run after Jesus and invite somebody else along for the journey.

Acts 16 shows Paul beginning his second missionary journey with Silas, strengthening churches along the way. Paul arrives in Lystra, the very place where he had been stoned and left for dead, and hears about a young disciple named Timothy. Timothy’s life has already gained the respect of the believers in Lystra and Iconium, and Paul sees somebody ready to come along. Paul simply invites Timothy into the journey.

Discipleship does not require a perfect curriculum, every answer, or a person who has memorized the whole Bible. Discipleship starts when a person gets up each day, runs toward Jesus, and says to another person, “Come with me.” Paul does not wait until the work is done to bring Timothy in. Timothy travels with Paul through the work, the hard places, the ministry, and the real life of following Christ.

Timothy’s circumcision shows that ministry meets people where they are. Paul has just carried the Jerusalem council’s decision that Gentiles do not have to become Jewish in order to become Christians. Timothy’s situation is different, because his Jewish background would become a stumbling block among Jewish people if it remained unaddressed. Timothy gives up a freedom, not because the law requires it, but because the gospel matters more than his own preferences. Mature leadership asks not only, “What am I entitled to?” but, “What best serves the mission and the people God has entrusted to me?”

Paul’s investment in Timothy keeps going for years. Paul later sends Timothy to churches, entrusts him with real ministry, leaves him in Ephesus, and writes letters that encourage him to stand firm in speech, life, love, faith, and purity. Second Timothy 2:2 shows the whole deal: what Timothy receives from Paul must be entrusted to reliable people who can teach others also. Discipleship that stops with one person has missed multiplication.

The church’s responsibility is not to manufacture growth through more activity. God grows the church. Christ calls His people to make disciples. The choice stands plainly: a believer who is ready should ask God who needs that investment, and a believer who is not ready should ask God who can help him or her get ready.

Key Takeaways

1. Run after Jesus with somebody
Discipleship begins with a real pursuit of Christ, not with a polished presentation. A person cannot consistently invite another into a journey that he or she is unwilling to take. The invitation can be simple: “Come with me while I learn to follow Jesus.” God often uses honest, ongoing obedience more than impressive expertise. [40:02]
2. Meet people where they are
Paul finds Timothy in his hometown, with a mixed family background and a real cultural situation that must be understood. Discipleship does not demand that people arrive cleaned up, informed, and ready to perform. Love goes into the mess, opens the Bible, asks questions, and patiently helps another person take the next step. God’s work often starts far earlier than human eyes can see. [54:39]
3. Freedom serves the gospel’s mission
Timothy’s choice shows that Christian freedom is not a weapon for defending personal preferences. Love sometimes lays down a legitimate right so that another person can actually hear the good news. Pride asks for the right to do whatever it wants. Maturity asks what will best serve the people God has placed nearby. [59:08]
4. Invite people into the process early
Paul brings Timothy along while the journey is still happening. A person learns discipleship by seeing how faith works in conversations, struggles, service, prayer, and everyday life. Waiting until every answer is known only keeps people at a distance. God can use two people figuring out Scripture together. [1:05:13]
5. Make disciples who make disciples
Paul does not train Timothy merely to become more knowledgeable or more stable. Paul trains Timothy to entrust the truth to reliable people who will teach others also. A disciple is being formed to help other people follow Jesus. Multiplication is not an optional add-on to discipleship; it is part of the call. [1:12:44]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[37:21] - The Veil Is Torn: Access to God
[39:38] - Discipleship Means Taking Someone Along
[42:06] - Paul’s Second Missionary Journey
[45:59] - Paul and Barnabas Go Different Directions
[47:27] - Silas Joins Paul’s Journey
[48:46] - Timothy Is Ready to Come Along
[50:02] - Asking God Who Is Ready
[54:39] - Meeting People Where They Are
[55:52] - Why Timothy Was Circumcised
[59:08] - Surrendering Freedom for the Gospel
[1:03:34] - Invite Someone Into the Journey
[1:05:13] - Do Not Wait Until You Are Finished
[1:07:07] - Equipping Disciples to Multiply
[1:10:57] - Discipleship Is a Lifelong Process
[1:13:51] - Ready to Disciple or Ready to Be Discipled

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Acts 16:1-5
“Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek. The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.” [42:13]

2 Timothy 2:2
“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” [01:12:44]

Matthew 28:19-20
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” [44:57]

Observation questions

In Acts 16:1–5, what do the believers in Lystra and Iconium say about Timothy, and what does Paul decide to do with him?
What ministry work were Paul, Silas, and Timothy doing as they traveled from town to town, and what happened to the churches as a result?
What background details about Timothy’s family and community help explain why his circumcision could affect ministry among Jewish people? [56:47]
According to 2 Timothy 2:2, how many “generations” of disciples are pictured—from Paul to Timothy to reliable people to others?

Interpretation questions

Why does Paul invite Timothy into the missionary journey early instead of waiting until Timothy has more experience or knowledge? What does that show about how disciples are formed? [01:05:13]
Acts 16 follows the Jerusalem council’s decision that Gentiles do not need to become Jewish to follow Jesus. Why, then, was Timothy’s circumcision not a contradiction of the gospel of grace? [59:15]
What is the difference between giving up a personal freedom out of fear or people-pleasing and giving it up because it removes an unnecessary barrier to the gospel?
Matthew 28:19–20 and 2 Timothy 2:2 both show that discipleship is meant to continue through other people. Why is gaining Bible knowledge alone not the full goal of discipleship? [01:07:19]

Application questions

Is there someone God may already be bringing to mind—a friend, family member, coworker, neighbor, or newer believer—who could be invited to pursue Jesus alongside you? What might a simple first invitation look like? [01:16:53]
If you do not feel ready to help disciple someone, what is one honest next step you could take to ask another believer for help and begin growing? [01:18:12]
What excuse most often keeps you from inviting someone into your journey with Jesus: lack of Bible knowledge, lack of time, fear of awkwardness, feeling unqualified, or something else? How could you take one small step anyway? [01:06:11]
Who in your life may need to be met where they are rather than expected to have everything figured out first? What would patient, practical care for that person look like this week? [55:17]
Is there a preference, habit, or freedom that may be making it harder for certain people around you to hear the gospel? How can you tell whether laying it down would better serve them and the mission of Christ? [01:00:40]
Think about someone who has invested in your faith. How did their example, encouragement, availability, or honesty help you follow Jesus? How might you offer that same kind of steady presence to someone else? [01:11:32]
What would it look like for your discipleship relationships to include multiplication from the beginning—not only helping someone grow, but also encouraging them to eventually help another person follow Jesus? [01:12:35]

Sermon Clips

58s

#LifelongDiscipleship

“Do y'all know that this this is gonna this is gonna sting a little bit? Do you know that discipleship is a lifelong process? Y'all with me on that? Because we really like a six week process. Like, we would really love to just go through a book with you. Hey. Here's your six weeks of the basics. Go do your thing. And that's great. That's a basic study. That's not a discipleship. Discipleship is when that person calls you twenty five years later and says, Hey, my marriage just fell apart, and I need to talk. And you're the one they call. Because that's what discipleship looks like. That's what it looks like to walk with someone. That's what it looks like to invite them on this journey. And then that's what it looks like to equip them to go and do what God built them to do.”

44s

#DiscipleshipJourney

“Here's the thing. What if you invited people on the journey that you're on and said, hey. I'm I'm not anywhere close to there yet, but I want you to come with me. Man, I'm just figuring this thing out. I'm just figuring out how to read the Bible myself. How about me and you meet together? Let's start figuring that out together. Man, let's stop using the excuse that, well, I'm I'm not quite ready yet. I haven't quite memorized the entire Bible yet. I don't know every answer. Some of you have that. You don't you don't grab other people and draw them into the process because you don't know every answer to every question ever written. No one does.”

33s

#MultiplyDisciples

“If you have spent a year with another person and you've taught them everything you can possibly know, but at the end of the day, when they get up and leave, they go back home and are not changed, you have not made a disciple. Anybody hear me? Because a disciple is someone that's gonna go about helping other people follow Jesus. role in discipleship is to help someone grow up in a way that they become a person that goes and invites someone to help someone else follow Jesus.”

33s

#SacrificialService

“Because we have a pride thing that we take with us, and we think that we can take over anything in any area and just be us. And here's the thing. If you want to minister to people in certain areas, you have to surrender some of your freedoms to be able to minister to people that God's put you in front of. And the the the biggest pride issue we have in this whole thing is if I say, nah, we're Americans. We can do whatever we want to. Sure you can. But you're not gonna reach anybody with the gospel.”

45s

#GreatCommission

“Because I have offended them upfront. I have shown them, watch this, I have shown them that my freedoms are more important to me than their salvation. That's what I've shown them. And Paul knows that Timothy does not have to, by law, be circumcised. But he also knows that for the rest of their ministry as they go on this trip, they will have to take time in every city with every group of Jewish people to explain the situation so that then they can present the gospel to them.”

25s

#ReadyToGrow

“But when you get to Matthew chapter 28, Jesus does not say, hey, man, I need you guys to start some more programs. I really need y'all to figure out how to do this more and how to do one of these and and get busier, like like stay as busy as possible all the time. I need y'all to do that. That's not what Jesus says. He says, need you to take your resources, your time, your effort, your energies, and I need you to make me some disciples.”

29s

#MakeDisciples

“If you're not ready, then your prayer is this. show me someone that will help me get ready. Did y'all hear me? If you say today, well, I'm I'm not quite ready for it. If I was to come to you and say, hey. Are you ready to do this? And you would say, man, no. I'm not ready. Then your next deal is, okay, god. Show me who it is that's gonna help me get ready.”

34s

#PrayForYourPerson

“We're gonna make disciples. We're gonna make disciples out of each other. We're gonna make disciples in our homes. We're gonna make disciples with our friends at work. We're gonna make disciples all over this town, and we're gonna see God do what he wants to do. And I'm learning, man. God's so in control. He said right up front, when when Paul took Timothy and started doing this, man, he started growing the church and whatever. God's in charge of who grows a church, and he... That's his responsibility. Our responsibility is to go to people and say, hey, man. Would you follow me on this journey?”

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West Rome Baptist Church This sermon · AI assistant

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