You must be born again.

John 3:3-8; 5:24-26; 5:39-40; 1:10-13

Crossing from death to life; being born again from above through the regenerating work of God’s Spirit, by grace through faith in Jesus as Lord, Messiah, and Savior.

Repent and believe the gospel of God.

Mt. 4:17; Mk. 1:14-15

"Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is near."

Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come. The Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Lk. 4:18-21—Jesus describes from Isaiah 61:1-2 the gospel ministry he will fulfill. Mt. 4:23 shows this in action and what strong receptivity to Jesus looks like. Also in John 4:1 with baptism as the tangible act of surrender and identification for the new disciples of Jesus.

Lk. 4:28-30 shows resistance and no repentance toward Jesus and his message of the gospel in Nazareth. Also in Mk. 6:1-6; Mt. 13:54-58. See also John 1:10-13 for resistance vs. receptivity.

Follow me.

Mt. 4:19; Mk. 1:16-20; Lk. 5:2-11; Jn. 1:35-42

“Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Mt. 4:18-22 shows the calling of the first four disciples, who were fishermen, into a disciple making lifestyle mentored directly by Jesus. (I do it, you watch…I do it, you help…you do it, I help…you do it, I watch…you do it, someone else watches…)

Luke 5 gives more context of this command to follow, including an abundant miraculous catch of fish, suggesting this disciple making work will not be about scarcity but overflowing impact.

See the call to “Follow Me” also in Lk. 5:27-28; Lk. 9:59-60; Jn. 12:26; and Jn. 21:15-22 following another miraculous catch of fish.

Posture yourself to receive my kingdom blessings.

Mt. 5:3-12; Lk. 6:20-23

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Mt. 5:3 The first beatitude (in the Greek language, makarios) is a pronounced blessing from the King on those who posture themselves for receptivity to the gospel life and message. Jesus is continually full of grace and truth at the same time. A “person of peace” demonstrates receptivity and retention of the message of the Kingdom, like good soil that multiplies the seed sown 30, 60 or 100 times. (See Mt. 13:23.)

In a context framed by powerful gospel demonstrations (Mt. chapter 4 and 8; Lk. 6:17-19; 7:1-10) with hundreds of people healed and delivered by Jesus, he teaches about 9 Kingdom blessings we can receive when our hearts stay aligned with his authority and reign.

Worship God and serve Him only. Do not put the Lord your God to the test.

Mt. 4:7;10; Lk. 4:8; 12; (Jn. 4:24)

Jesus enters a showdown with the prince of darkness, Satan, in the wilderness temptations. The clash between two kingdoms is intense and personal, the victorious Kingdom of God (which is near and expanding in the gospel) and the occupying realm of rebellion under the devil and his fallen angels/demons.

Full of the Holy Spirit from his baptism in the Spirit (Mt. 3:16-17; Mk. 1:9-11; Lk. 3:21-22; Jn. 1:31-34), Jesus defeats temptation in all three cases by staying surrendered to the Word of God: “It is written….”

Let your light shine bright.

Mt. 5:14-16; Lk. 11:33-36; Mk. 4:21-25 (Jn. 12:36; 15:27)

God is light (Psalms 27:1; First John 1:5) …Jesus is the light of the world (Jn. 8:12; 9:5; 1:4-9). When we receive and reflect the light of God to other people, we can bring glory to our Father in heaven as well.

Reconcile with others.

Mt. 5:21-26; Lk. 12:57-59

"First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” (Mt. 5:24) Do not be angry with your brother or insult them with harsh words. Settle matters quickly with your adversary. (See also Matthew 18:15-35).

Deal with your sins quickly.

Mt. 5:27-30; Mk. 9:42-50; Mt. 18:6-9; John 8:11 (Jn. 2:13-17; 5:14)

Don't let sins of the eyes or hands corrupt all of you and send you to hell. Repent with urgency! Aggressively remove sin from your life like it’s cancer.

Stay married. (if already married)

Mt. 5:31-32; 19:3-9; Mk. 10:2-12; Lk. 16:18

Unfaithfulness to your covenant of marriage is adultery.

Love one another—as disciples of Jesus.

Jn. 13:34-35; 15:12-13, 17; 17:11,23

In the Father’s family (Eph. 3:14), the defining characteristic of our relationships is permeated by selfless love for one another.

Do not swear oaths at all. Let your Yes be Yes.

Mt. 5:33-37

Be a person of integrity who always keeps your word, when you say “Yes” you mean “Yes, and when you say “No” you mean “No”. No need to amplify and escalate props for your honesty. Simpler is better.

Give freely.

Mt. 5:38-42; Lk. 6:27-36, 38

Surprise the aggressive person with gentleness and generosity. Don’t seek revenge or retaliation.

Love your enemies.

Mt. 5:43-48; 10-12; Lk. 6:22-23; 27-36

Don't let your enemies and persecutors bring out the worst in you but the best in you, even to the point of rejoicing and leaping for joy, because great is your reward in heaven.

Give Quietly. Pray Quietly. Fast quietly.

Mt. 6:1-8; 16-18; Lk. 11:9-13

In your giving, praying, fasting, do not “go for the show” before the eyes of people, or their temporary faint honor is all the reward you will receive. Hypocrisy gets contagious. Instead, your Father in heaven sees what is done sincerely before His eyes in secret, and his reward is greater in every way. Focus on the Father.

Pray to your Father this way.

Mt. 6:9-15; Lk. 11:2-4

Pattern of Jesus’ example in prayer revealed.

• Father intimacy

• Kingdom focused, surrendered will

• Humble receptivity

• Forgiving spirit to all

• Protection from temptation and evil

• For the glory of God

Be on guard against greed.

Lk. 12:15; 13-21; (Lk. 18:22-30); Mt. 6:24; 13:22; (Mt.26:6-16) Lk. 11:39-41

Pursuit of worldly wealth and possessions motivated by greed or false security can be toxic for your soul, your body, and your spiritual fruitfulness.

Give to Caesar what is Caesar's (and to God what is God’s).

Mk 12:17; Mt 22:21; Lk 20:25 (Mt. 17:24-27)

Pay the government their taxes but it all belongs to God (maker of heaven and earth). Steward well all you are and all you have that is a gift from God.

Store up treasure in heaven.

Mt.6:19-21; Lk. 12:33-34; (Mt. 25:14-30; Lk. 19:12-27)

Our hearts follow treasure, so invest your resources of time and money wisely into heaven, where it will be kept by God for you. (Unstoppable, uncorruptable.)

You are no fool to give what you cannot keep to gain what you cannot lose.

Seek first the Kingdom of God.

Mt. 6:33; 25-34; Lk. 12:22-31

Do not worry and be anxious about material blessings—your supply is from the heavenly Father and his kingdom. Better to have the eternal promises of provision from your Father than temporary, fickle wealth of this world.

Do not judge.

Mt. 7:1-6; Lk. 6:37-42; Jn. 7:24

Judgement and condemnation of others is not our place. The Holy Spirit convicts people of sin, righteousness and judgment (Jn. 16:8) Our role is to remember our own sin first and cleanse our eyes with grace from God, then we can help others receive grace as well.

The One God raised from the dead he appointed to be the judge of the living and the dead. (Acts 10:42; 17:31: 2:34-36) The ability to either forgive sins or punish them eternally is given to Jesus the Judge, not us, according to the gospel. (Rom. 2:16)

Ask expectantly.

Mt. 7:7-11; Lk. 11:9-13; Jn. 15:16; 16:24

The Father willingly gives good gifts to his children who ask, including the gift of the Holy Spirit!

Do to others what you would have them to do to you.

Mt. 7:12; Lk. 6:31

The “golden rule” for relationships. Jesus urges us to actively engage with others in the most constructive ways, like he does.

Enter through the narrow Kingdom gate.

Mt. 7:13-14; Jn. 10:7-10

Don't follow the big crowd, but Jesus says “Follow Me” on my road going in the opposite direction, for abundant life instead of destruction. Walk with me and be rare, unique, focused.

Recognize false prophets by their fruit.

Mt. 7:15-23; Lk. 6:43-45

Fruit shows the DNA of roots—watch a little longer since what is first hidden in the heart eventually shows. Counterfeits and corruption are revealed over time when you examine deeply. God does no evil, so if you traffic in it, you will be exposed as not with Jesus.

Put Jesus’ words into practice.

Mt. 7:24-29; Lk. 6:46-49

The storms in life come to all our houses, but the quality of our foundation determines the outcome of the test. Those who obey these teachings that come with such authority from Jesus are building their life to last.

Go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”

Mt. 9:10-13; (Jn. 8:1-11; Mk. 3:1-6)

The heart of God for the sin-sick and broken rebel is astonishing! Father wants the lost prodigals to come home. (Lk. 15) Jesus shows mercy to sinners and becomes their friend and physician. He opposes systems of religion that shun the love of God for others while practicing rituals of sacrifices for their own sins.

Pour new wine into new wineskins.

Mt. 9:14-17; Mk. 2:18-22; Lk. 5:38, 33-39

Jesus’ astonishing ministry of Kingdom teaching and healing has stirred up resistance and reactivity from the national religious leaders of Israel. Jesus appeals to them with this metaphor, to try to reason with his detractors and take them along with his God-sized ministry. Flexible new structures are needed to support what the Spirit of God is doing through Jesus.

Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers.

Mt. 9:37-38 (Jn. 4:34-39)

Jesus mobilizes prayer for greater evangelism and discipleship. Jesus prepares the next generation of “multipliers” with his compassion to see the need, his authority to advance the kingdom of heaven, and by his sending of six pairs of disciple makers into new territory. (Mt. 9:35-10:5)

Proclaim and demonstrate the Gospel of the Kingdom!

Mt. 10:7-8; Lk. 10: 1-12

Go in love to others. Preach the gospel. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the leper, drive out demons.

The first six pairs of disciple makers in Mt. 10 are sent toward the end of the first year of Jesus’ public ministry. The 72 others in Lk. 10 are sent in a similar fashion near the end of the third year of Jesus’ public ministry toward Jerusalem into a hostile environment. It is possible to see that the original six pairs now each have six pairs of disciple makers they are investing in (for 72). These leaders would appear to be part of the 120 that gather in the Upper Room before Pentecost and are eyewitnesses of the resurrection (“all the apostles” of 1 Cor. 15:7 distinct from the Twelve apostles in the list above them.)

Respect God’s ability to punish unsaved sinners in hell eternally.

Mt. 10:28; Lk. 12:5 (Lk. 16:19-31)

We are not to be swayed by the “fear of man”, but we are to be moved to repentance and faith now by reverence for God, who holds the eternal destiny of every person in his hands.

Come to Me—take my yoke upon you.

Mt 11:28-29; Lk. 10:21- 22

The great teachings of this rabbi, which are his yoke to help us walk side by side with Jesus, are delivered personally to each one of us who come to him. There is rest and completeness in Jesus alone.

When we learn to obey his commandments of love from the humble and gentle heart of Jesus, we will find rest for our souls.

Those with ears, let them hear.

Mt. 13:9, 11-17; Mk.4:9, 23; Lk.14:35; Jn. 8:47 (Revelation 2:7)

Jesus repeatedly urges people to take him at his word, listen well to him, and follow him. Just as in the first creation in Genesis 1, the new creation work of Jesus is formed and filled by his words to us.

Leave error-filled teachers.

Mt. 15:14 (1-14); 16:6, 11-12; Mk. 8:15; Lk. 12:1

Be on your guard against the insidious influence of false teaching (yeast).

Blind guides lead people astray, into trouble, off the way and into near ditches.

Deny self––reject self-preservation to follow Jesus.

Mt. 16:24-27; Mk. 8:34-38; Luke 9:23

Self-sacrificing love moves the Master forward in this life and all who follow him.

Do not look down on the little ones.

Mt. 18:10-11; (Lk. 15:4-7; 18:15-17)

The most vulnerable and powerless are to be looked out for, not looked down on. Their angels have direct access to the Father in heaven, who also sees everything and forgets nothing.

Confront the sin that separates relationships in the church.

Mt. 18:15-20; Lk. 17:3-4

Jesus gives a disciplined process for contending gently with sin in others in the church, to get to the solution of repentance and reconciliation.

Keep on always forgiving others.

Mt. 18:21-35; Lk. 17:3-4

You can always, always forgive someone. Jesus’ justice is enough, either at the cross or in hell…entrust it to him for the Day of Judgment still to come. You are either too early or too late to be holding on to that poison from their sin yourself.

Servant leadership leads to great blessing.

Mt. 20:24-28; 23:11; Mk.10:42-44; Lk. 22:24-27; John 13:12-17 (Lk. 14:7-11)

The kingdom of heaven is opposite of the world’s way of dominating others to serve your interests. To walk with Jesus, the greatest leaders must be the servants of all.

Go anywhere to invite anyone to the King’s banquet.

Mt. 22:9; Lk. 14:15-24 (Lk. 14:12-14)

God is not interested in favoritism. He wants every one of his uniquely created persons to be personally invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.

Love God and love your neighbor.

Mt. 22:37-38; Mk. 12:29-31 (Lk. 10:25-37)

The whole message of Scripture revolves around these two great commandments. First, our total love for God, and second, how we also love our neighbors whom God loves so well. (Mt. 5:48)

Do not practice hypocrisy.

Mt. 23:3;(1-39) Lk. 20:46-47

Jesus exposes the counterfeit spirituality of legalism and the hypocrisy of the religious leaders in Israel. He gives seven woes or warnings to reject and urges us to avoid these errors at all costs.

Watch out that no one deceives you.

Mt. 24:4; Mk. 13:5, 9; Lk 21:8

Especially when it comes to prophecies and signs about the end of the age, don’t get fascinated by fakes. Know the genuine article, Jesus, through and through and keep your focus on seeing that the gospel of the kingdom is preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, before the end will come. (Mt. 24:14) Be deeply engaged with God’s kingdom advancing actions so you won’t get vertigo from all the spinning smoke and mirrors of the evil one.

Remain in me and I will remain in you.

Jn. 15:4, 9-11

When we abide or dwell in Jesus continually, we will bear much fruit that lasts. Apart from him we can do nothing. If we don’t love those we are serving, “we are nothing and can gain nothing.” (1 Cor. 13:2-3)

Take heart! (I have overcome the world.)

Jn. 16:33

Jesus is very realistic about the persecution and resistance we will face as disciples facing this fallen world. “In this world you will have trouble”. But he wants us to experience peace in him, and he speaks to our heart to “have courage!” We fight from victory to victory.

His sovereign grace works in all things for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. (Rom. 8:28-32). We are already over 80% of the way home to heaven. We are foreknown, predestined, called and justified—-and we will certainly also be glorified. We can be risk-oriented disciples because of how nothing can separate us from the love of God. (Rom. 8:38-39)

Put your sword away!

Jn. 18:11; Matthew 26:52-53

Jesus could have called 72,000 warring angels to wipe out the population on earth that had turned away from God—but instead he voluntarily laid down his life in our place and the punishment that brought us peace was upon him on the cross. God took the most evil thing to happen on our planet—we killed the sinless Son of God—and turned it into the best thing for our salvation. There is no greater love than this.

Disciples are not to use “power and might” methods of this world in gospel ministry, but “by my Spirit” says the Lord. Our battle is not with flesh and blood (Eph. 6:12). Instead, we fight for people against spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly realms. People are the eternal mission field—they are both the battleground and the prize.

Keep watching for my return to earth.

Mt. 25:13; 24:42-44; Lk.12:35-48; Lk. 21:34-36 (Lk. 24:50-52; Acts 1:10-11)

The disciples of Jesus are called to live in eager anticipation of his second coming to the earth.

Be alert and pray—so you don’t fall into temptation.

Mt. 26:41; Mk. 14:38; Lk. 22:46

Jesus says the spirit in a disciple is willing, but the flesh is weak. He wants us to lead with our spirit in union with the Holy Spirit, so our soul (mind, will and emotions) and our body will follow as a vessel of righteousness. We are called at times to “guard duty” and falling asleep at our post is dangerous to us and others.

Do this in remembrance of Me.

Mt. 26:26-29; Mk. 14:22-25; Lk. 22:14-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26

“Take and eat; drink from this cup all of you.” (Mt. 26:26-27) The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper fills the Passover meal with its full meaning through Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Go among all nations and make disciples (who make disciples).

Mt. 28:19-20; Mk. 16:15-16; Lk. 24:46-47; Jn. 20:21

We are a “sent people” with a high and holy commissioning from heaven. As we go, we partner with God and the gospel in the making of new disciples who in turn will make other disciples to the third and fourth generation of a spiritual family tree. (2 Timothy 2:2). We are seeking people of peace who are Receptive to Jesus — Reliable – Reproductive.

We are to teach them to obey all that Jesus has commanded us. This is a message for all of creation, all tribes and tongues, and 17,286 distinct ethnic groups. Try to stay simple and reproducible. One man, One book.

Stay…until clothed with power from on high.

Lk. 24:48-49; Jn. 20:22; Acts 1:4-8. (Jn. 7:37-39)

The intent of Jesus heart to multiply generations of disciple makers to the ends of the earth can only be accomplished by all his disciples receiving the full empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Surrender is stronger; saturation is necessary for the victorious gospel life. We get the same Helper Jesus had for his ministry.

Jn. 14:15-16, 21, 23; 16:5-15 gives a deeper introduction from Jesus of the Holy Spirit, who is a Person, who is God, who is just like Jesus, and will be here on earth within us and upon us in power.