1. You’re invited!
Six invitations
From Christ

2. Six Invitations of Christ
Matthew 4:17 – R epent Mark 1:15 – B elieve
Matthew 4:19 – F ollow John 14:15 – L ove
Matthew 28:19 – G o Matthew 28:20 – T each
From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “ Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17
The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15
And He *said to them, “ Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Matthew 4:19
“ If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. John 14:15
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Matthew 28:19
20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

3. Where Are You? Skeptic Seeker Believer Follower Friend Disciple
Calloused heart, deaf ears, closed eyes
Matt. 13:15
Seeker
Ready heart, open ears, questions
John 1:35-39
Believer
Seeds begin to germinate, shallow soil, little or no roots
Matthew 13:5,6
Follower
Beginning to push through the soil, struggling with thorns
Matthew 13:7
Friend
Good soil, obedient to Christ, producing fruit.
II Thess. 1:3,4
Disciple
Good soil, fruit, harvest, influence, reflecting Christ
Matthew 13:8
Matthew 13:15 - FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES, OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.’
John 1: Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 And Jesus turned and saw them following, and *said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “ Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?” 39 He *said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.
Matthew 13:5,6 - Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
Matthew 13:7 - Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out.
II Thessalonians 1:3,4 - We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; 4 therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.
Matthew 13:8 - And others fell on the good soil and *yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.

4. The Next Step Skeptic Repent, Believe Seeker Believer Follow Follower
Matthew 11:20
Seeker
Mark 1:15
Believer
Follow
Matthew 4:19
Follower
Deny; Trust, Obey, Love
Matthew 16:24
Friend
Love, Obey, Go
John 14:15
Disciple
Teach others
Matthew 28:19,20
Matthew 11:20 - Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His   miracles were done, because they did not repent.
Mark 1:15 - The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Matthew 4:19 - And He *said to them, “ Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Matthew 16:24 - Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
John 14:15 - If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
Matthew 28:19,20 - Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

5. Growth Barriers Skeptic Seeker Believer Follower Friend Disciple
Lack of spiritual understanding
Matthew 13:19
Seeker
No clear presentation or invitation of the Gospel
Romans 10:14
Believer
Lack of “root”, testing,
troubles, persecution
Matt 13:20,21
Follower
Thorns, worries, doubt, pursuit of wealth or comfort
Mark 4:18,19
Friend
Complacency, fear, pride, lack of vision, ill-equipped
Matthew 9:37
Disciple
Galatians 6:9
Matthew 13:19 - When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.
Romans 10:14 - How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?
Matthew 13:20,21 - The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he   falls away.
Mark 4:18,19 - And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, 19 but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
Matthew 9:37 - Then He *said to His disciples, “ The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
Galatians 6:9 - Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.

6. Spiritual Need Skeptic Seeker Believer Follower Friend Disciple
Loving, praying, patient friend. A personal change of mind, led by the Holy Spirit
Mark 9:29
Seeker
Clear presentation and invitation to receive and believe
John 1:12
Believer
Knowledge, teaching, prayer, faithful companion, roots
Colossians 2:6,7
Follower
Endurance, relationships, accountability, perseverance
I Peter 1:7
Friend
Obedience, empowerment, equipping, encouragement
Ephesians 4:12
Disciple
Faithfulness, humility, reliable people.
II Timothy 2:2
Mark 9:29 - And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.”
John 1:12 - But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
Colossians 2:6,7 - Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so   walk in Him, 7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
I Peter 1:7 - so that the   proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
Ephesians 4:12 - for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
II Timothy 2:2 - The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

7. SUMMARY Skeptic Seeker Believer Follower Friend Disciple
Presented with the gospel they do not believe.
John 12:37
Seeker
Questioning with a desire to learn more.
John 9:36
Believer
Presented with the gospel, they believe.
John 9:38
Follower
Growing in faith and love, deepening roots and knowledge, yet strugglins
John 13:35
Friend
Obedient love for Christ and others, need accountability
John 15:14
Disciple
Reflecting Christ, fruitful
Colossians 1:5,6
John 12:37 - But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him.
John 9:36 - He answered, “ Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”
John 9:38 - And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him.
John 13:35 - By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 15:14 - You are My friends if you do what I command you.
Colossians 1:5,6 -