Welcome to Westside Online
Backyard VBS—Sign up for this free online VBS in the app or on our website. Visit the events page and look for VBS. We’re kicking things off with a car parade at Westside on August 2nd at 11am.
Please fill out an In-touch card to let us know you’re with us online!
Offering—Thank you for your generosity! Online giving is available in the app and on our website. Offerings can be mailed or dropped off at the church office (Mon-Thu, 8am-noon and 1-5pm)
Our Discipleship Pathway: Connect, Grow, Serve, Share.
- Connect in Community— Investing in Christ-centered relationships.
- Grow with God— Pursuing personal and spiritual maturity.
- Serve the City— Meeting the physical, mental and emotional needs of our community.
- Share the Savior— Proclaiming Jesus and investing in the mission of the church through time, financial resources, and abilities.
The Focus for our Series—The life and ministry of Peter the Apostle.
Recap from Last Week: Peter was given a new
Peter’s Journey: Fisherman to disciple to apostle to “the
“The sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there, I just have to chisel away the superfluous material.”—Michelangelo
Today’s The Big Idea: An ambitious plan requires a great
From Disciples to Apostles
Jesus Commissions His Apostles and Sends Them on a Mission:
Matthew 10:1-42 (called and sent)
Mark 3:13-18 (called); 6:6-13 (sent)
Luke 6:12-16 (called); 9:1-6 (sent).
From Disciples to Apostles:
“12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: 14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.” —Luke 6:12-16 (NIV)
Jesus’ Apostles put the “Fun” in Dysfunctional:
Matthew the tax collector (taking from Jews to fund the Roman occupation) vs. Simon the Zealot (calling Jews to arms to expel the Romans).
James and John, The Sons of Thunder—Considered burning cities to the ground as a punishment a godly course of action (Luke 9:54-55)
Peter—Who rebuked Jesus (Mark 8:31-32) and denied knowing him three times (Luke 22:54-62)
Judas Iscariot—Who stole from Jesus and the disciples (John 12:4-6) then betrayed Jesus (Matthew 26:47-49)
Despite these obvious flaws, everyone was given a seat at the table.
Disciple or Apostle… What’s the Difference?
Jesus had many disciples, but few apostles.
- Disciple—A student or follower whose goal is to imitate their master’s life. Called In.
- Apostle—A representative sent to accomplish their master’s mission. Sent Out
“An apostle is a person who has been sent, commissioned. As such he represents his Sender, being clothed with authority, over life and doctrine, derived from him.” —Baker, New Testament Commentary (Luke), p. 327
“Apostle” comes from the Greek verb “Apostello,” to send on a mission.
While Luke emphasizes the title (i.e. Apostle), Mark focuses on the function (to be sent):
“13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out* to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons…” —Mark 3:13-15 (NIV)
Jesus’ Discipleship Strategy
Jesus commissions his Apostles, then trains them for ministry, before sending them out to do ministry on their own:
Luke 6—Jesus selects twelve Apostles from the group of disciples.
• Luke 6—The Sermon on the Mount (Luke’s version)
• Luke 7—Healings and ministry to the outcasts
• Luke 8—Parables, calming the storm, healings and casting out demons
Luke 9—The Apostles are sent out.
Jesus’ Discipleship Strategy: I do; you watch. I do; you help. You do; I help. You do; I watch.
“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…” —Luke 8:1 (NIV)
Jesus gives his Apostles a season of intentional growth and training before sending them out to do ministry by themselves:
“1 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. 3 He told them: ‘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.” —Luke 9:1-6 (NIV)
Ministry to the Body and Soul
Jesus instructed his Apostles to minister to the body and the soul.
Jesus models this the season of growth (Luke 6-8) as well as in Peter’s own journey:
1. Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law in Luke 4:38-39
2. Then, Jesus calls Peter to be his Disciple in Luke 5:1-11.
You can’t preach to an Empty Stomach.
“Mere preaching is not enough. What are words, however sacred and powerful, in the presence of the grim facts of the daily struggle to survive?…It is only when people live in an environment in which they are not required to exert supreme effort into just keeping alive that they seem to be able to select ends besides those of mere physical survival.” —Howard Thurman, Jesus and the Disinherited
Jesus came to minister to the body and the soul:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
—Luke 4:18-19 (NIV)
“Loving People to Jesus” means following Jesus’ example of caring for the whole person, loving them in practical, tangible ways, and out of that relationship earning the right to share with them the Good News of the Gospel.
Unity Through our Ministry
Unity through Conformity—United through our natural similarities. Everyone must be like me.
Unity through Mission—United through our sense of purpose. Everyone is on the same mission.
• God expects a diverse church to find unity through its ministry.
Faith in Action:
Disciples of Jesus live as dual citizens—citizens of Heaven and citizens of our world.
- Connect
- Grow
- Serve
- Share
Tap here to Respond to today’s message
Let us know if you’d like to commit your life to Jesus, respond in baptism, or request prayers using the in touch card in our app.
Questions? Contact Bryan: (609) 356-3147 or bfojtasek@westsidelife.org.
Life Group / Reflection Questions
Invite everyone to share about their recent week, including highlights and lowlights.
Based on the message from this morning, what did you hear as the main differences between a disciple and an apostle?
Why do you think Jesus chose such a dysfunctional group of men to be his twelve apostles?
What was the benefit of the “training period” Jesus gave his disciples in Luke 6-8 in between choosing them as his Apostles and sending them out on their mission?
How do you see the four points of Westside’s Discipleship Pathway (Connect, Grow, Serve, Share) on display in the story of Peter becoming an Apostle and being sent on mission?
What do you think Bryan meant when he said “You can’t preach to an empty stomach?”
What are some of the best ways we can share the Gospel in a way that speaks to the physical needs of our community?
What are some practical ways you think Westside can share the Gospel in a spiritual way right now?
Unity can be achieved by forming an exclusive community of like-minded people. How does this type of unity fall short of Jesus’ expectations for the church?
How does a commitment to the Mission of God lead to a healthier type of unity in the church?
Leave time for anyone to share about a commitment, a question, or a thought that God is placing on their heart after your time together.