Church of The Open Door Sermons

Disciple: The Way of Discipleship – Become 1 Mark 1:17; Luke 6:40; Ephesians 4:15 Mark 1:17 – NIV “Follow me and I will send you out to fish for people” ESV “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” The ME acronym: The CHRIST acronym: What does it look like to love God? Connected to God through the Word & Prayer Heart of Worship What does it look like to love people? Relates with Other-Centered Love Intentional […]

DISCIPLE: The Way of Discipleship “Learn 2” Matthew 11:28-29 What are the top 10 skills a disciple must learn? (Rate yourself as Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) You haven’t learned it until you’re doing it. B I A 1. Learn to know and trust God B I A 2. Learn to handle the Word of God B I A 3. Learn to pray B I A 4. Learn to minister to others B I A 5. Learn to love people B I […]

DISCIPLE: The Way of Discipleship “Learn” Matthew 11:28-29 Learning from Jesus is the heart and soul of what it means to be his disciple. How to learn from Jesus: Come to Him Coming to Jesus is as simple as breathing a quick prayer of “Lord, I need you” or “Lord, fill me with Your Holy Spirit.” Walk with Him Learn to practice the presence of Jesus. Watch Him Ask Him Jesus invites us to ask Him about anything. Practice with […]

DISCIPLE: The Call to Discipleship “Follow” (Part 3) Matthew 4:19-20 There are many different kinds of followers of Jesus; what kind are you? 1. Stepping out of the crowd Fad followers Pushy followers Religious followers Someday followers Conditional followers 2. Stepping into commitment “No matter what” followers “No turning back” followers 3. Stepping through the difficulties Disappointment Discouragement Distractions Jesus is calling you to a “whatever, forever” commitment that will call you through whatever difficulties come your way. How will […]

“Follow: Part 2” Matthew 4:19 1. “Follow me”           Watching, listening, learning, obeying, surrendering            Surrender leadership            Surrender self-centeredness            Surrender outcomes 2. “I will make you”            Shaping and forming            Teaching and training            Developing and transforming 3. “Fishers of men”             Change of […]

DISCIPLE: The Call to Discipleship “Follow” Matthew 4:18-22 Discipleship starts with being a disciple. Being a disciple starts with following. How do we follow Jesus? 1. Watching and Listening Following starts with listening 2. Pondering and Learning Following is fed by learning 3. Obeying and Doing Following requires doing what Jesus says 4. Trusting and Surrendering Faith is built through listening, learning and doing Following is living surrendered Jesus is calling you to follow Him. Will you? LifeGroup Questions: Applying […]

“The Glory Gap” Luke 2:8-14; Matt. 5:14-16 Don’t ask what God’s glory means. Ask how God’s glory can be seen. His word His creation Jesus God’s love comes to us So his glory can flow through us. Light belongs on a stand We exist to glorify God. The glory of God is man fully alive. LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Lives What is something you have experienced or seen in your life that revealed the Glory of God? […]

“The ‘God With Us’ Gap” Matthew 1:20-23 Christmas Gap is the time between what was announced at Christmas and what was experienced in people’s lives. The “God with us Gap” is the time between the announcement that Jesus would be ‘God with us’ and when people started experiencing Him as ‘God with us.’ 1. Because Jesus was “God with us” at his birth:         We can be saved from our sins             […]

The Kingdom Gap Luke 1:32-33, Matthew 4:17 What is a Kingdom? Is it a Realm, Rule, or Reign? The Kingdom of God was Long Ago Prophesied The Kingdom Gap is the Time Between the Prophecy of the Kingdom of God and it’s Consummation at the Second Advent. Advent Means Coming First Advent– Jesus Came in Humility, Weakness, and Poverty as a Servant The Kingdom is Here, But… Second Advent– Jesus Will Come in Glory, Power, and Majesty as the King […]

The Christmas Gap “The Peace Gap” Luke 2:14 The peace gap is the time between when peace was announced and when it was experienced in people’s lives. 1. The peace with God gap being separated from God because of our sin gap is closed as we receive the gift of salvation 2. The peace within you gap feeling overwhelmed by fears, worries and anxieties gap is closed through walking in a discipleship relationship with Jesus, developing the fruit of the […]