Hey everyone, I’m Nate Gustafson, the Location Pastor for our coming 3rd location that is going to be launching later this year.

One of the greatest gifts God ever gave the world was kids playing T-ball. Where they do crazy things because they don’t know how to play the game.

Like, look at this clip.

Yes, somehow that little guy thought you hit the ball, and then pile drive anyone who tries to get it. He either didn't know the purpose of the game, or just chose to play it his own way.

If I'm honest, I've kind of played life like that, too: Not being sure of my purpose, I've ended up doing crazy or hurtful things that left my life a mess--just like that T-ball play. Our world constantly sends conflicting messages about how to play the game of life. We desperately need Jesus to cut through the confusion and show us what we're actually here for.

In Matthew 28, Jesus gives us our ultimate mission: go and make disciples. Most Christians know that, but if asked how to do it, we freeze. In fact, in recent studies by Barna, they found that only 33% of Christians say they have ever helped someone else grow in their faith.

But here's the reality: we are already making disciples. A disciple an apprentice, a follower, so with our words and actions, we are leading the people around us, whether we realize it or not. The real question is: what are you making them a disciple of? Where are you leading others? We all want to have a great impact for good, but are we?

The beauty is, as disciples of Jesus we will lead others to live the abundant life Jesus has for them. A simple definition of what it means to

Make a disciple: intentionally helping someone become a reproducing follower of Jesus

Our passage today unpacks how to do that. It gives us an incredible life purpose: impacting lives for eternity so they can experience the purpose, love, healing, joy, and hope of God. God has actually invited you into the battle for people’s souls.

So, please grab your Bible, or the one at your chair and open it up to 2 Timothy 2:1, which is on page 813. When you get there find the Big number 2.

God’s Word is the Light in the darkness, the guide to our existence, so every week we open the Bible together to dig in.

Paul who writes this is letter to Timothy, his life was crazy before Jesus. Paul actually persecuted Christians, helping to capture, throw in jail, and even kill them. This guy was TOTALLY lost in the game of life.

Then Jesus gets a hold of his life, Paul becomes a disciple of Jesus, and Jesus changes everything to the point that Paul becomes a brilliant light for Jesus that discipled countless people!

Now, at the end of his life, Paul wants Timothy, a young man he discipled to understand his purpose to follow Jesus and help others to do the same.

In this passage, Paul is going to give Timothy a Discipleship Playbook you and I can follow to make a massive impact in other’s lives.

Throughout the message today we are going to build out this playbook on this one screen for those of you taking notes!

So, lets dive in…

2 Timothy 2:1-2 (NIV) - You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 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.

Paul tells Timothy that Jesus has called us to

Be disciples who make disciples who make disciples

This is one of our core values as a Church!

Paul taught Timothy, and he expects Timothy to teach others who will teach others. Notice the multiplication that is expected to the 4th generation! Which makes sense, because it is a JOY to pass on the wisdom and life the almighty God has given us!!

In a world that tells you to keep your faith to yourself, Jesus and Paul say the opposite. We have been rescued and transformed by the love of Jesus so we GET to helping others know, follow, and tell others about Jesus!!

Now, I get it, that might feel overwhelming, as it would have been for Timothy who was facing incredible opposition and Paul who was actually in Jail for making disciples. But look again at Verse 1 for the

Power Source to make disciples: Be continually strengthened by God's Grace

We don’t make disciples in our power, we do it by being continually dependent on God’s power.

But what does that actually look like?

Think about learning a new language. I’ve tried learning Spanish, and honestly, I'm terrible. On mission trips, you always know where I am because I’m just yelling, 'Si! Bien! Magnífico! Baño!' That’s all I’ve got.

I took years of it in school and learned nothing. Then one semester I had a teacher who immersed us in Spanish. He spoke only in Spanish, made us ask questions, and read in Spanish. In one quarter, I learned more Spanish than I had in YEARS… But the next semester? I stopped immersing, and I lost it all.

Similarly, living in grace means immersing ourselves in God’s presence through prayer, Bible reading, community, serving, worship, and other practices.

When we do, God’s grace empowers us to live. We flow with God’s wisdom, joy, and strength to make disciples.

But the moment we start to let go of those habits, we loose that strength. Just like I lost Spanish when I stopped immersing in it.

Which is why we have to be so intentional about our daily habits and rhythms. When you study the life of Jesus, you see he lived a life of immersion. He was constantly following God the Father’s direction, thinking and talking about God’s word, praying, and serving.

The problem is, we try to live like Jesus without the rhythms of Jesus.

Its like trying to speak a new language without learning it, listening to it, and speaking it. It just doesn’t work.

So, what do you think would happen in your life if you followed Jesus’ example by constantly immersing your mind in the fact that God loves you unconditionally? What if you deeply trusted to your bones that you are loved, chosen, and never, ever alone?

How would it change your inner dialogue? How would it change how you see others?

Now think about how it would change the people in your life, if you were helping them be continually strengthened in the Grace of God!?! Think about the hope, love, joy, and power they will experience in Jesus!

At the end of the message I will share with you an incredible resource that can help you do just that!

SO, to be disciples of Christ, we must be continually strengthened in God’s grace and teach others to be the same.

Its important to see that EVERYTHING we talk about today if how you can live as a disciple and how you can coach someone to be a disciple.

Next, Paul gives us 3 incredible analogies on how to be disciples who make disciples… Look at Verse 3

2 Timothy 2:3-4 - 3 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.

Paul would have been familiar with Roman soldiers in his world, known for their endurance in suffering and focus in battle.

Paul shows us that disciples of Jesus must

Play 1: Expect the fight

Soldiers aren’t thrown off by difficulties because they expect them.

Imagine we're in the army, flying into an active warzone. We land amid explosions, and you immediately dive for cover and fight.

But then you see me running around panicked. You tackle me, drag me to safety, and ask, What’s Wrong??' I say, They’re shooting at us! Why are they shooting at us?' You’d look at me like I was crazy.

It sounds ridiculous, but honestly, that’s how so many of us live as Christians. We step into a spiritual battlefield for people's eternal souls, against a spiritual enemy bent on destroying those we love, and then we’re shocked when its gets hard.

No, as good soldiers, we expect the battle, we pray for endurance, and we live in the supernatural power of God using his weapons of prayer, kindness and hope!

Each day, you and those you disciple can daily pray this important question: Jesus, what challenges do I need to be ready to face as I live for you?

As we and those we are coaching pray this, God will strengthen and prepare us for what is to come. God will remind us that the challenges and sacrifices are worth it because we are fighting to help people be rescued and healed for eternity by Jesus.

Paul continues the analogy. In verse 4, Paul states that good soldiers don't get involved in civilian affairs; they don’t get caught up in trivial things. Instead, they live for one goal, to please their commanding officer.

So, here is Play 2 you can write down…

Play 2: Constantly seek to please Jesus

This is such a gut check for us and those we disciple. Too often we are so easily distracted by trivial things, lost in our phones and endless entertainment, or just caught up in thinking about what other people think about us.

I know, in my own life and in so many of yours, we constantly worry about what others think. Too often, we live to please others, to try to fit their expectations, even though people constantly fail us, change their opinion, and hurt us.

But what would happen if we ONLY lived to please our commanding officer, Jesus? What if we only listened to Him, his leadership, living in his ways.

Knowing that I only need to please Jesus, who is unchanging, always loves me, and will guide me on the right path, gives me great freedom, confidence, and clarity about my purpose in this world.

Just think, what if you didn’t have to care what others thought? Just sit with that for a second, how different would your life be if you only lived to please Jesus? What would change? What anxiety would you be able to let go of?

Just think of the fears and distractions you and those you disciple would be freed from if you continually asked throughout your day,

Jesus, what do you want me to do or say right now?

Ask that question as we interact with our family, or do our work, or drive, or interact with our neighbors, or decide what show to watch, or what we post on the internet, what would it look like to please Jesus, our commanding officer. Jesus will guide us to think, speak, and act in ways that respect others, show integrity, and give our best effort!

When you ask that question at work, He will inspire you to be creative, diligent, and a supportive teammate. With your friends, He will lead you to listen, serve, and support them. In every part of your life, Jesus will bring out the best in you!

So, we GET to ask this question and challenge those we disciple to ask this question over and over throughout the day!

Jesus, what do you want me to do or say right now, is SUCH a simple question, but will so deeply change our lives!

Now, in verse 5, Paul draws on another powerful picture for our Discipleship Playbook to help us be disciples who make disciples. Lets look at it…

2 Timothy 2:5 - 5 Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules.

Paul shows Timothy that disciples of Jesus must be disciplined like athletes. We know that in every sport, even kids t-ball, there are rules you have to follow.

Similarly, disciples who make disciples

Play 3: Live by God’s boundaries for life

Paul is calling us to obey Jesus’ teaching so we can thrive.

The sad truth is, too many of us want God to bless us with a great life, but we aren’t interested in following His ways. We want to keep doing whatever we want and expect God to somehow shield us from the consequences.

Living without God's boundaries is like playing basketball without following the rules. If we were playing basketball and I decided to punch you in the face to steal the ball, then run without dribbling, grab a stepladder (cause I can’t jump), and dunk. I would ruin the game.

The game of basketball would be pointless, unplayable, without the boundaries.

Just the same, Jesus gives us His commands to teach us how we were made to live. They create boundaries so that we can thrive in love, in community, in truth!! And without them, well you see it, there is nothing but heartache and destruction.

Right now, our culture tells us to just do whatever feels right in the moment. But we all know how often, if we do what we feel, it will wreck us.

I mean take something as simple as driving, when someone cuts you off, or someone comes up on the back of your car and wants to get in your trunk they are driving so close. Often, I FEEL like doing or saying things that aren't good…

The world says, "Do whatever you feel." But Jesus says, "Do what I command, and I will show you how to truly live."

Jesus calls us to trust His wisdom over our culture and deceitful hearts. We give Him leadership over all of our lives, even when it is uncomfortable.

So, you and those you are discipling need to consistently ask powerful questions:

“Jesus, is there anywhere in my life I am living outside of your boundaries?

In your relationships, with your money, in sexual boundaries, in how you treat your enemies, when you ask, be prepared: God will reveal.

Then challenge each other to do whatever it takes to change and hold each other accountable, so you can come alive!

Next, Paul gives us one more image that gives us our 4th play as disciples who make disciples in

2 Timothy 2:6-7 - 6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

The next play for our discipleship playbook you can write down that Paul tells us to…

Play 4: Share God’s love and trust Him with the results

Farmers put in tireless, unglamorous work before most of us even wake up. They don't get applause. They don't finish a long day of work and then get invited to a press conference where they shared how they tossed hay like a boss.

The farmer plants the seed, tends the soil and then trusts it will grow.

Discipleship is like that. It’s rarely glamorous, and you might wonder if you're making a difference. But we are called to faithfully plant seeds of the gospel with our words, actions, and prayers.

AT work, at home, in our neighborhood, online, we plant seeds of life-changing truth, we plant seeds of grace and love, and then we let go and trust God to bring things to life.

Jesus tells us in Mark 4 that we need to understand our responsibility is and what isn't when it comes to discipleship. It IS our responsibility to share God’s truth, but it isn't up to us how someone responds; we can’t control their responses.

Think about this, Jesus, who was perfect, he invited people to follow him, and some, like the rich young ruler, still walked away. If that happened to Jesus, obviously, it can happen to us. So don’t get discouraged or give up!

As we obey Jesus by discipling others, we do what God has called us to do, sharing what God has given us, and then we leave the results, the life-change, up to God.

A way to live this out is to Daily ask in prayer another key question:

God, what can I do or say to invite someone to know and follow you?

One simple, powerful way to do this is to Care and then Share. You Care by asking, "Hey, how are you really doing?"—and then you actually listen.

When people share a challenge, it’s a wide-open door to encourage them and offer prayer. Just say: "That sounds hard, and I want you to know I’m praying for you." Most people, even non-Christians, will be encouraged by that, and it opens the door for spiritual conversations later.

So you Care, and then you Share. We all relate to struggle; connecting over shared experiences is a natural part of life.

The key is sharing how Jesus is with you in that same challenge. If a friend shares about being stressed, you can share about your own anxiety and how Jesus gives you peace and strength in the middle of it.

It is a simple way to share the power of Jesus in our lives in a natural way that opens the door for them to ask questions if they want.

So, God is calling us to be faithful like a diligent farmer, knowing that all that you do counts because God sees and is working in and through it mighty ways described in

2 Timothy 2:8-10

8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

In spite of how difficult things are at times, Paul reminds us that Jesus defeated death, and that even though Paul was chained in prison for sharing the gospel, God’s hope, his salvation, the gospel is NEVER chained.

Daily, as we immerse ourselves in the reality that Jesus beat death for eternity on our behalf, it must reshape how we see even the hardest moments here on earth.

So, as verse 10 puts it, we endure EVERYTHING, so the people around us, can experience the salvation and eternal glory of being in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Think about that, salvation and eternal glory , that is the incredible gift we bring to everyone we meet, in Jesus Christ. This is what you are MADE for!!

Ok, so, I have a weird request, everyone, get out your phone, like everyone, right now, please get out your phone.

First, if you want, you can take a picture of the discipleship playbook if you didn’t write it down.

But also, I know you might be thinking, Nate where would I begin to teach someone the truth we have in Jesus and how to live in His grace?

I told you I was going to share a resource with you that you can find by scanning this QR code.

At Renovation Church we have created this simple but POWERFUL Discipleship booklet to help you disciple someone else. It is a resource that we take people through when they choose to follow or rededicate their life to Christ.

It will guide you to walk intentionally with Jesus together and teach them the foundational aspects of what is looks like to immerse yourself in Jesus, to live in God’s grace.

Now, my fear is, some of you are still thinking, no, I can’t do that, I don’t have what it takes…Well, you couldn’t be more wrong. Please listen to this incredible story that shows the truth!

A couple at Renovation, we’ll call them Joe and Janie Smith, recently shared their story with us. They’ve been at Renovation for about two years. Early on, Joe felt God speaking directly to him for three weeks straight in service, and God moved mightily in both of them. Freeing Joe from an addiction he’d carried since he was eight years old, and in November of 2024, they were baptized together.

Yet, years of a messy marriage still needed healing. That December, things hit a breaking point. They fought for six days with almost no sleep. Janie was ready to give up, struggling to forgive—until she opened her Bible, cried out to God, and heard Him say: "I forgave you when you didn’t deserve it.” God called her to love Joe with that same grace. That was the turning point. God took something so broken and made it beautiful.

That grace didn't just save their marriage; it started a chain reaction. Their oldest daugether gave her life to Jesus and got baptized last September. Then their younger daughter gave her life to Jesus in the backseat of the car on the way home from church.

But the multiplication didn’t stop in their house. For a long time Joe’s sister, Pam, who lives in Nevada was really struggling. In a dark moment, Pam reached out, and Joe said, "If you want something different, you have to do something different. You are missing out on this Jesus thing." Pam took the challenge. She started at a local church, Janie began FaceTiming her weekly to go through our Discipleship Booklet, and Pam was recently baptized! Then Pam brought two cousins. One brought her skeptical husband. Now they’re all in church. Think about it: a disciple in Blaine is helping someone a thousand miles away follow Jesus, who is now helping others do the same.

This past Christmas, Joe’s brother-in-law hit a wall in his own marriage. Things boiled over at a family gathering, so Joe took him outside. He didn’t just give advice; he gave him the Gospel. Joe shared how Jesus saved his own marriage and asked, "Do you want Jesus to lead your life?" He said, "Yes." Joe handed him a Bible and a discipleship book and started discipling him weekly.

Church, this is the mission. Disciples who make disciples. Eternities are different because Joe and Janie obeyed the call.

Jesus has called us to all live like them. When Jesus gave the challenge to go and make disciples, it wasn’t just to the pastors or certain Christians, it was a gift to US ALL! This story started with 2 brand new broken Christians that God used in a mighty way!

Now that you have the Discipleship playbook, the Discipleship resources, and the POWER of the Holy Spirit you have everything you need to make disciples!

I challenge us all to think of one person we could disciple and challenge to disciple someone else, to live the full life Jesus has called us to, and to give them the opportunity to experience it!!

Parents, that may be one of your kids. We have a great discipleship booklet for kids we'd LOVE to give you to disciple your child. Stop by the Renovation Kids Check-in after service to sign up to get those resources!

Lets close in prayer as we continue in our worship this morning..

Prayer