North Way Bible Church

In this introductory message to our Judges series we ask one big question. Between the end of Joshua, a time in history when Israel experienced God fulfilling His promises, and the end of Judges, how could Israel have drifted so far off course that “Everyone did what was right in their own eyes”? And how do we, who also have access to God’s faithful promises, avoid a similar outcome in our own lives?

Following Jesus was never meant to be casual. As large crowds gathered around Him, Jesus challenged them to consider what it truly means to be His disciple. He wasn’t interested in attracting admirers; He was calling people to wholehearted surrender. The question isn’t whether discipleship will cost us something—we all sacrifice for what we value most. The question is whether Jesus is worth more than whatever we might have to leave behind. In this passage, Jesus invites us to count the cost and discover that He is worth it.

The question isn’t whether or not you’ll be a model for the next generation. We are all modeling something. The question is, what are we modeling? God gave the children of Israel, a way to think about bringing up the next generation in a way that causes them to love God. In this famous passage often referred to as the “Shema” we not only see that parents are the primary disciple makers for their children, but also that parents cannot do the this alone. It takes a community.

Not only does Jesus call his followers disciples, but he commands them to make disciples. This command has carried the church forward to 2,000 years. But this call isn’t about reproducing our own cultures and personalities in others. It’s about all peoples, cultures and individuals hearing the good news of Jesus, being identified with the triune God, and joining Jesus in His mission to rescue all who will believe. 

Disciple is a word we no longer use in our daily vernacular. However, in the first century it held a powerful meaning, of a person patterning their life after their teacher or master. But don’t make the mistake of thinking that being a disciple only applies to one’s behavior. To understand WHAT it means to be a disciple we must first understand WHY Jesus came in the first place. Being a disciple starts with the heart.

Over the past 2 weeks we have been looking at a couple of different ways that we can wreck our own ability to function as loving friends. As we continue in Luke 7 we see that underneath our struggle with self-righteousness is a much deeper issue in our relationship with God. When we fail to recognize our own sin and need for God’s forgiveness, not only do we begin to short circuit our own love for God, but we short circuit our love for others. 

Sometimes my friendships suffer for reasons I can not control. However, sometimes they suffer or even end because of something happening inside of me. It’s not easy to see and it’s not easy to admit, but when I struggle to see my own sin I often begin to lack care and compassion for other sinners. When I don’t see my sin and begin to feel entitled to God’s acceptance, I am experiencing self righteousness, not only impacting my relationship with God, but also impacting the way I relate with others, including my friends.

Friendship has a powerful influence on who we become—but not all friendships shape us in the same way. This message explores how true, biblical friendship isn’t about comfort or constant affirmation, but about people who care enough to speak truth, even when it’s hard. Drawing from Proverbs, we see that the right friends help strengthen our character and point us toward God, while the wrong influences can slowly lead us astray. Ultimately, we’re challenged to be intentional about who we allow closest to us—and to pursue friendships that value holiness over happiness, just as Jesus has done for us.

Many of us wonder why we aren’t finding the kind of friends we are looking for. The reality is that meaningful friendship isn’t found, but built by seeking to BE the kind of friend you’re looking for. As it turns out God’s Word has a lot to say to us about how to be a friend and build purposeful friendships; the kind that God will use to bring you joy, shape your character, and help us live for Him.