Lake Eufaula Christian Church
We have been traveling through the Bible on a Summer Road Trip. All throughout scripture, God encounters people along the road. He intersects their journey of faith, and He still does it for us today.
When Jesus explodes on the world scene in the New Testament Gospels, His story is about a road trip. Jesus comes not only to be the fullfillment of God’s plan to redeem us, and take away the sins of the world. But Jesus also comes figuratively driving the faith bus, picking up passengers along the way. He wanted followers to come along with Him from fishing village to mountain town, and all around the Holy Land. Why? Because Jesus wanted to teach people about God’s goodness, what is important to God, about how to evangelize, and how to heal people in God’s name.
So, the New Testament road trip begins with 1, but then in Matthew 4:18-22, Jesus picks up four passengers, Peter, Andrew, James and John. These fisherman followed Jesus and became His first four disciples. And in case you’re wondering, what is a disciple? It’s a learner. A follower. A pupil who leaves his family and his job to live with and learn from the teacher.
Jesus didn’t call powerful kings and celebrities. When the road trip began, He called ordinary people. Uneducated fisherman. For his closest disciples, he didn’t need boastful people who were self-absorbed. He called those who had a teachable spirit. Discipleship is when a mature believer invests time, effort, money, and emotion into other people. This is exactly what Jesus did for so many.
The road trip begins to snowball. It goes from 1 to 5 to 12 to more passengers. As Jesus calls people to follow Him on the journey, His style of discipleship was Intentional, Instructional, and Relational.
Luke 8:1-2 reads “After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases.”
Jesus was intentional to bring others with Him and teach them how to proclaim the gospel. Also, Jesus was intentional about empowering his disciples. Luke 9:1-2 reads, “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”
Jesus was also instructional in His discipleship. In Luke 9:3-6 Jesus goes on to say, ““Take nothing for the journey— no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.”
Jesus didn’t just have His disciples learn how to sit and watch. He also equips them to do God’s work. Lastly, the Discipleship of Jesus was Relational. Most people know about Jesus and the 12 core disciples. Some don’t realize that He sent out 72 more!
Luke 10:1-2 reads, “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of Him to every town and place where He was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.”
Can you see that this road trip is catching momentum? Lives are being changed in a powerful way! Jesus knew that discipleship needed to be relational. Not only did Jesus teach these disciples, He camped out with them and lived with them. He ate with them. He showed them God’s heart. He showed them what a family of believers looks like and how to change the world together.
If you’re reading this today, God hasn’t called you to be the Lone Ranger. He’s called you into a church family, with other brothers and sisters who help you grow and do ministry together. Remember, on our road trip of faith, we are called to be disciples and make disciples. God’s design is not for you to do that drifting through isolation apart from the source of life and power. God calls you to follow His Son, Jesus, who is driving the faith bus to Salvation. The question is: will you get on board and obey what Jesus has called you to do? He is intentional, He is instructional, and He is relational.
Matthew 28:18-20: “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Join us at LECC on Sundays and Wednesdays as we follow Jesus along our road trip of faith.
God Bless You, Jeremy Little, Minister
