Many people say they aren't called to obey the Great Commission of Jesus to go to all the world and make disciples in all nations. All followers of Christ must obey and train in righteousness

1. Training and Calling
Luke 6:40
The student is not above the teacher,
but everyone who is fully trained will
be like their teacher.
- Jesus

2. The Obedience of Peter, James and John
One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding
around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats,
left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the
boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then
he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let
down the nets for a catch.”
Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.
But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began
to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them,
and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I
am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish
they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”
So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
Luke 5:1-11

3. How did Jesus train His followers?
Did He hold weekly church services and monthly
prayer meetings and yearly men’s retreats?
No. He sent people out to do God’s work.
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of
him to every town and place where he was about to go.
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the
harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.
Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes
peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you.
Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his
wages. Do not move around from house to house.
When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you.
Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to
you.’
Luke 10:1-9

4. “Some people are called to the nations.
That’s not my calling.”
“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king.
Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand
men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?
If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long
way off and will ask for terms of peace.
In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have
cannot be my disciples.
- Jesus
Luke 14:31-33
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching
them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with
you always, to the very end of the age.”
- Jesus
Matthew 28:19,20

5. Some people are called to be thin.
That’s not my calling.

6. Paul told us to train, like he did.
Like runners.
Like boxers.
I Corinthians 9:24-27
Do you not know that in a race all the runners
run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a
way as to get the prize. Everyone who
competes in the games goes into strict training.
They do it to get a crown that will not last, but
we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
Therefore I do not run like someone running
aimlessly;
I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I
strike a blow to my body and make it my slave
so that after I have preached to others, I myself
will not be disqualified for the prize.

7. Training: Strong Body & Godly Soul
I Timothy 4:7-10
Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales
(false teachings, like forbidding marriage and eating certain foods);
rather, train yourself to be godly.
For physical training is of some value,
but godliness has value for all things,
holding promise for both the present life
and the life to come.
This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance.
That is why we labor and strive,
because we have put our hope in the living God,
who is the Savior of all people,
and especially of those who believe.

8. After church, we labor and strive to be
first in line.

9. Joy(?) of Training
II Timothy 2:3-10
Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of
Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets
entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to
please his commanding officer.
Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete
does not receive the victor’s crown except by
competing according to the rules.
The hardworking farmer should be the first to
receive a share of the crops.
Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give
you insight into all this.
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead,
descended from David. This is my gospel, for
which I am suffering even to the point of being
chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not
chained. 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.

10. We must be slaves to obedience.
Righteous = Obey Jesus = Love Others
Romans 6:16
Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you
are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death,
or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
2 John 6
And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from
the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
James 2:8
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”
you are doing right.
What does Righteousness mean?
What does your church expect from you?
No drinking or smoking, and stay out of trouble.
Go to church every week, pay tithes to the church, and respect church leaders.

11. Joy of Training
Hebrews 12:11
No discipline seems pleasant
at the time,
but painful.
Later on, however, it produces
a harvest of righteousness
and peace for those who have
been trained by it.
Hebrews 5:13-14
Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant,
is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.
But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use
have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

12. Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans
whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.
Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the
other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you
repent, you too will all perish.
Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think
they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But
unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he
went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took
care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this
fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
“‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and
fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”
Luke 13:1-9
How to Start Training in Righteousness
Who are normal sinners, and who are worse sinner?
Every believer is called to be fruitful.

13. Prayer:
Lord Jesus, as you said, the harvest is plentiful, but the
workers are few. Dear Lord of the harvest, please send out
workers into Your harvest field, to Your elect, to the ones
You love.
Send me. Send us. Grant us the faith and courage to go.
Send us out like lambs among wolves.
We know that You cut away and burn the unfruitful ones.
Train us. We want to please You. We want to be winners.
We know Your rewards are waiting for us as we obey You.
Amen.