The sermon titled 'God’s Means for Progress – Discipleship' emphasizes the importance of discipleship as a key means for spiritual growth and sanctification. The speaker highlights that God's will for believers is their sanctification and growth, which can be slow or rapid but is always essential. The sermon draws on Psalm 34 and other Scriptures to outline nine areas in which fathers should disciple their sons: continual praise, humility, seeking the Lord, fearing the Lord, coming to be taught, desiring life, departing from evil, pursuing peace, and tasting the goodness of the Lord. These areas are crucial for helping sons grow in conformity to Christ. The speaker also mentions seven results of being discipled, including gladness, deliverance from worldly fears, no lack of any good thing, healing of the broken-hearted, reminders of God's redemption, and blessings. The sermon concludes with a call to action for both fathers and sons to be intentional in discipleship, reminding them that time lost cannot be regained and urging them not to presume they have another day to engage in discipleship.

Title is God's Means for Progress Discipleship. God's Means for Progress Discipleship. Let's pray. Oh God, Disciple us now. Disciple us through your word.

Through our focus on Psalm 34. Let us taste and see that you are good. Give us a taste through your word. And let us see you are good. Mold us and shape us now, oh God.

Amen. 1 Thessalonians 4.3, for this is the will of God, your sanctification. For this is the will of God, your progress. For this is the will of God, your sanctification. For this is the will of God, your progress.

For this is the will of God, your growth. There are a thousand things, a million things, I don't know what God has planned for you. You can start naming all the things I don't know what God has planned for you. But I do know this. God's will, according to His Word, is your sanctification.

Is your progress. Is your growth. Sometimes it's slow growth, sometimes it's great growth, but it is growth. And a key means, a key means for progress, for your sanctification, for your growth is through discipleship. Now we know Deuteronomy 6, 6 and 7, and these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.

You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, When you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. We know that fathers are to disciple and sons are to be discipled all the time, everywhere. God commands you to do this, fathers. And by inference, He commands you to be discipled, sons. We often talk about this in the light of fathers, you need to be discipling, you need to be training everywhere.

But sons, that means you need to be receiving that. You need to be willing and wanting to be discipled. Let me define Christian discipleship. That's what I'm talking about. There's all kinds of discipleship in the world.

All kinds. There's some good stuff on learning music and learning a trade, learning a skill. But what I'm talking about is Christian discipleship. Christian discipleship. Definition I have is teaching a Christian in the faith with the Bible as the chief, as the primary source, and applying it in all areas of life with the purpose of growing in conformity to Christ.

Christian discipleship is teaching a Christian in the faith with the Bible as the chief, as the primary source, and applying it in all areas of life with the purpose of growing in conformity to Christ, to holiness, to be shaped and formed to His image. That's the purpose. Sons, you realize what God has done to disciple you. And I can say this in this context, which I know with knowing the fathers here, sons listen, God has given you fathers that have 20, 30, 40, 50 years more experience in this than you have. See the kindness of God to give you that.

Every son here has that from their father here. Every son. You've been so blessed with that. God's primary means for your discipleship, especially while unmarried, is to grow in sanctification, are your parents. And my focus on you and your father.

So turn to Psalm 34. Turn to Psalm 34. We're going to spend all our time. I'm going to read the whole thing first. This is the Psalm of David.

He's reflecting. You can read about this in 1 Samuel, he's reflecting on events that happened between him and Abimelek, but he's reflecting on that. Psalm 34. I will bless the Lord at all times. His Praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul shall make its boast in the Lord. The humble shall hear of it and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.

This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear him and delivers them. O taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man who trusts in him. O fear the Lord you his saints, there is no want to those who fear him. The Young lions lack and suffer hunger, But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.

Come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is the man who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good.

Seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and save such as have a contrite spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones, not a one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The Lord redeems the soul of his servants and none of those who trust in him shall be condemned." Well, having COVID, a lot of us lost our taste and our smell and mine was pretty severe. But it led to no appetite.

When you don't taste things and you can't smell them, I was sick but I just also had no appetite. And while I was laying in bed last year and just pondering, I just don't enjoy eating because I don't enjoy the taste. God was merciful to me and made me remember these words from Psalm 34, taste and see that the Lord is good. Made me think about tasting in a different way and made me ponder that which was very helpful when you're sick and not doing well to ponder and think on the Lord. Get my mind off myself and end up being very, very helpful.

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who trusts in Him. And this became my most read scripture for those those couple weeks I was in bed my most read scripture and also became my most listened to song I highly recommend by Shane and Shane. It's wonderful here just to sit and meditate. I talked a little bit on Wednesday night.

You should have times that you sit and meditate. Not as the world says meditate, that's evil. The same Wednesday night where the world says just empty your mind and sit there. No, that's evil. God says to keep your mind set on things above.

What is pure, what is right, what is good. Right? And meditating, thinking on Scripture and spending time there is so helpful. In Verse 8b, blessed is the man who trusts in him. This is about Christian discipleship.

And it starts at redemption by God. I am going to be teaching this as if you're hearing it as a Christian. Because that's the only way you're gonna be able to grow in Christ is if you have Christ indwelling in you. If you're not a Christian, it doesn't mean you're not gonna be able to glean some things by this, And it doesn't mean, right, even as a non-Christian, you still have to honor your parents. Your parents still have to train you in the way you should go.

And you can glean some things here that'll make your life a little bit easier, maybe a lot bit easier, right? But you're not gonna have Christ dwelling in you. So if you're not a Christian, you might hear these things say, yeah, I can do that, I can do that. But ultimately you will fail. You will fail for all of eternity.

I'll talk more about this, but trust Christ. We are all disciples, We're all influenced by someone. But are they what you're being discipleship leading you to taste and see if the Lord is good? Is it Is it trust God has given you the father giving you the right father? To enable you to be the cycle to taste and see that the Lord is good.

You have to trust God that he has done that Silas I'd be a horrible father for you because God hasn't given me as your father. For all of you, I could say that except for my own sons. Your best father is your father to disciple you that you would taste and see that the Lord is good. So I'm going to start here with nine areas from Psalm 34 for fathers to disciple sons and for sons to be discipled in order to taste and see that the Lord is good and be sanctified, grow. Number one from verses one and three I will bless the lord at all times his praise shall continually be in my mouth oh magnify the lord with me and let us exalt his name together number one fathers are to disciple and sons be discipled in continual praise.

In continual praise. Psalm 113, from the rising of the sun till it's going down, the Lord's name is to be praised. In Hebrews 13, it says, continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God. So, fathers, you are to disciple your sons to taste and see his praise worthiness. And then learn to express that thankfulness.

See his praise worthiness. And the disciple and sons, you want to learn to express that thankfulness, to praise God continually. That's going to be so good in your life to get my selfish mind off myself and think how big I am and to praise God for everything. For everything. Number two.

Number two. We are to disciple and be discipled in humility and crying out to God. In humility and crying out to God. See that in verses two and six, my soul shall make its boast and the Lord the humble shall hear of it and be glad. I'm gonna go over to 17 and 18, the righteous cry out and the Lord hears and deliver them out of their troubles.

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, save such that have a contrite spirit. You're to be discipled in being humble to cry out to God. As we struggle, you're going to struggle And you're going to have great, great, great achievements even in life. You're going to struggle and you're going to have great achievements and you need to be humble in all of that. In the full spectrum of the lowest of lows and the highest of highs, we need to be disciplined in humility and crying to the Lord so that our boasting is in the Lord.

God in anything I do, I didn't create myself, I didn't give myself, in my case, I didn't give myself, and in your case, sons, a father that would raise me in a Christian home and disciple me in the ways of the Lord. I Didn't I didn't make this church happen. I Didn't make any of you become brethren. I didn't make Rebecca a godly woman All right, my job whatever humble myself We need to be taught Discipled in humility humility will help you help us taste and see His trustworthiness, His omnipotence, His all-power, His mercy, His grace. All part of tasting and seeing, He's good.

Number three, verse four, we see that we are to disciple and be discipled in seeking the Lord. Seeking the Lord. Verse 4, I sought the Lord, and He heard me. I sought the Lord, and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears. Because I sought the Lord.

Ultimately, you seeking your parents, your father for counsel, for wisdom, for help. God's giving you that. That's a form of seeking the Lord. But it's all directed to the Lord. I'm going to seek You, Lord.

I'm going to seek You, Lord. And you need to be taught how to seek, to seek, to search, to inquire of the Lord what is holy, what is right. This is done in many ways. It's done through prayer. It's done through Bible reading, studying, meditation.

The Bible is the source of truth, your primary source for all of your discipleship. Your primary source. Back to what Jason said about you being taught at home by your moms. Right? A lot of people can teach all these other subjects.

Who's discipling you and the Lord? Day in and day out because they just love you so much, but because they love you so much because they love the Lord so much. Through the counsel of your Father, you are not your own and you're not meant to figure things out on your own, sons. You're not. You have the Lord, seek him, you have your fathers.

Seek him for growth, for grace, for understanding, for wisdom. Seek him for forgiveness. Seek him for salvation, for redemption. Seek and taste the Lord's wisdom, his shepherding, his forgiveness. See a tender-hearted shepherd, a tender-hearted father.

He's going to guide and direct. Seek him while you are young. Number four, verse nine, disciple and be discipled to fear the Lord. To fear the Lord. Oh fear the Lord you his saints.

There is no want to those who fear Him. We are discipling for a humble, holy reverence of the God. He gives us the gospel work of Christ, His holy commands, His instruction, His wisdom and truth. This will help you build immunity from the fear of man. And we need that.

It says right here, oh fear the Lord you His saints, there is no want to those who fear him This is you you want to know how to be immunized how to be protected from the fear of man from the fear of the world Fear the Lord There's men young men ask your fathers ask anybody there are a million things that the world says you need a fear we've seen a ton of them the last couple years and a lot of them say that because I want to control you or other things that they're wanting to do but but also because they're full of fear and don't know how to live without a fear of everything out there. Everything from the fear of just getting dirty to the fear of coronavirus to the fear of government to the fear of war to the fear of people saying things I don't like, all kinds of fears, economy. God says you want protected from that fear, the anxiety that that can bring and the world, There are so many studies of just the anxiety that's running rampant in the world. And what that's doing to people. You want to be immunized.

You want to be protected from that fear of the Lord. Fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord, sorry, the fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trust in the Lord shall be safe. Proverbs 29. So fear the Lord and taste of his trustworthiness, his care, His sheltering, His grace, His mercy.

Number five, verse 11. Father's disciple, sons be disciple to come and be taught. To come and be taught, come you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of The Lord fathers we are to take this initiative Whether they want it or not. We're to take this initiative But sons listen to me It doesn't mean you can't ask for more.

Ask for more. I can't believe that there's a father here that if a son came to him and said, Dad, I want to be taught more. I want to be discipled and the Lord more. I believe there's not a father here that wouldn't tear up. And maybe I'd have to repent because I'm being respectfully called out.

But no matter which side of that you're on, you would tear up. Yes, son, let's do it. I want to teach you. Teach you more. And I will be thankful, sons.

Come and be taught and taste. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Desire that. Number six, verse 12, we are a disciple and be disciple to desire life and the love of days. Who is the man who desires life and loves many days that he may see good?

God has given you life. He has given you the life. He has created you. He has molded you and shaped you and knitted you. And He has made you a man.

He's made you a male. He's made you a boy. Lord, will you become a man? All those are the same from boyhood to an adult to being a man. God has made you a male.

He's giving you that. Take that, trust him with that, that he was good in that. Grab that role, Be taught what that role means. You're being taught here. You've been taught before.

You're being taught in your houses. You'll be modeled by your fathers. God's given you life. Made you a male. Your Days are numbered and redeem that time.

Redeem that time. Love the privilege of being image bearers of God. Love that privilege. It is a wonderful privilege. As I said a few weeks ago, there is nothing else created with that privilege.

Nothing else close to that privilege of being created in the image of god and being his image bearers Does your life tell the truth about god's character the way you live? Is it telling Your family Is it telling the world the truth about God or is it lying about God? Every time we sin, we are lying about God. We are lying about His image. Love the life God's giving you.

Love being His image bearers. Love that life and love through your life telling others truth about God and his holy character and who he is. Desire life, love the days and taste, maybe tasting of God's abundant life ultimately. If you're a Christian you have started eternity. We've all, we're all, we're all, soon as you're created you're all have started eternity.

As a Christian, soon as you're saved, you've started that eternal life. The riches of eternally with Christ, with God forever, being perfected in heaven and then on the new earth. The taste of that abundant life now and all the riches you have. We talk about that over and over and over again in Ephesians. Number seven, verses 13 and 14, disciple and be disciple to depart from evil and do good.

Right? Keep your tongue from evil. Right? Why'd I lose his name? Steve Green, Steve Green, right?

Keep your tongue from evil, keep your tongue, your lips from speaking lies, right? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit, depart from evil and do good. Right? We need to be disciples to depart from evil and do good. How do we depart?

How are we a disciple from departing from evil? Yes, we need to not shy away from telling our sons about the evil of the world, the true evils. Fathers do not shy away, yes, age appropriateness and as they get older, but do not shy away of telling the evil of the world. But don't just tell them about what's happening out there. You need to give them tasting and seeing that the Lord is good.

His goodness, his faithfulness, his righteousness is taught in the Word of God. Number eight, continuation of verse 14, disciple and be disciple to pursue peace. Depart from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it. Disciple and be disciple to pursue peace. This is most learned by understanding the gospel more all the time.

You want to pursue peace? Pursue the gospel. Pursue knowing the gospel more. You'll never outgrow it. You'll never exhaust knowing it.

You will never mind the gospel of Christ. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, it's one of his titles. You want to pursue peace? Pursue Christ. Taste of the Prince of Peace.

Taste of Christ. And the Gospel providing peace that surpasses all understanding. You want to pursue peace, the Word will tell you one way and the wrong. God says pursue Christ. Pursue Christ and understand Christ, know Christ.

Number nine, the last one in these areas to disciple and be discipled. In verse eight, the hinge verse here, I'm focusing on disciple and be disciple to taste and see that the Lord is good. Making progress is one step at a time. One little bit tasting one little bit at a time savoring it dwelling on it putting into practice repenting and Growing in grace of the Lord's goodness and then taste some more Then taste some more Don't don't expect son zone don't don't get upset if you're 10-11-12 18 years old and you'll have the wisdom of your 50 year old dad or your 20 year old dad. Young men, they were there once too.

And how did they get to where they are? Tasting a bit at a time and savoring it a little bit at a time. So the nine areas to be discipled and to disciple, continual praise, humility, seek the Lord, fear the Lord, come and be taught, desire life, love the days, depart from evil and do good, pursue peace, taste and see that the Lord is good. Now, quickly, seven results of Father's discipling and being discipled. He tells, he says to do these things, and then he says that he gives us results.

And as I was just saying, these will happen over time. Sometimes slow, sometimes a lot, but we often talk of the drip, drip, drip. Now when I talk about the drip, drip, drip of discipling, of doing anything in the Christian life, of progressing, of being sanctified, you might get the idea of this bucket that's just filling up one drip at a time, just additive. Okay, one more drip, one more drip, one more drip. I'm telling you, it's not that way.

What I'm telling you it is, you make that first drip. You've been saved. You made that first drip. And then you start being discipled in humility and you add another drip But then that's cumulative on top of the other so so now you start learning more about fearing the Lord So maybe the next is four drips and then eight drips and then 20 drips equivalent as you it's it's add It's it's not just additive just boom boom boom boom like a straight line No, it it's more exponential as you go through life. You dig in close, there's some waves up and down, but this growth is more multiplying than just additive.

But just stay steady at it a little bit at a time. You'll look back and say, whoa that's more that was more than 365 days that's more like two years worth. And sometimes it'll feel like just two days worth. But over time, over time. So let me give you these seven results.

First one we see is in verse two, gladness, right? The humble shall hear of it and be glad. You will rejoice. You will increase in joy. When you're tasting and seeing that the Lord is good in these areas, you're going to taste God's joy and you are going to increase in joy.

You will have more rejoicing. In number two, number two we see this in several places, you'll have deliverance from worldly fear and troubles, as I talked about earlier. You'll be immunized against that. You'll have deliverance from worldly fears and troubles. You will trust the Lord's holy truth and wisdom.

There's no guarantees that our enemies won't seem to triumph. In fact, I guarantee you in life your enemies, the godly enemies, will have, at many times, will seem like they're the ones that are triumphing. God, why? Why Are they prospering? Look at me.

Why are you letting them prosper, it seems? But it just seems that way. Where trials will lead to big hardships. I'm telling you, through Christ you are redeemed. You are made alive.

You have a new heart and a new spirit to eternal life and God Fearing God you will have deliverance from worldly fear and troubles He tells us that right here that that will happen So taste of God's mercy taste of his shepherding chased of His fathering and be delivered. It's a result of this. The third one in verse 10, there will be no lack of any good thing, but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing you will not lack God's disposition towards his children Christ towards his bride is to provide good all the days of your life on into eternity. That's his disposition. God is good.

He's quoting scripture. God is good. He can be no other. And when it comes to his children, to the bride of Christ, oh does he want to be good. And oh is he good.

He is good and he's going to give you every good thing. It may not feel good and oftentimes it will feel real good. But he is doing good for you taste and see the Lord is good number four verse 18 He'll heal the broken-hearted. That's a result of this kind of discipleship of discipling. He'll heal the broken-hearted Like The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and save such as have a contrite spirit.

Life is full of broken heartedness. Full of it. Some of you are real young and don't understand really broken heartedness, but you're young enough to understand sadness. Many of you are young enough to understand some sadness. Animals may have died or you miss your mom or your parents get sick or maybe a grandparent has passed away or a great grandparent.

But the world's full of brokenheartedness. The world is broken because of sin. Jesus knows what it is to be forsaken. Jesus knows what it is to be let down. Jesus knows what it is to be forsaken.

Jesus knows what it is to be let down. Jesus knows what it is to be sinned against, to be hated, and to live in a land drenched with the effects of sin. And your compassionate high priest, I'm telling you, your compassionate high priest will comfort. He is near, he is nourishing, he cherishes you. He heals the broken hearted.

The world is full of it. The ultimate evidence of that are the Christians here and the Christians all around. They didn't know their heart was broken. They didn't know their heart needed heal. And then Christ came with such mercy and grace, died the death that you deserve, rose from the dead and gives faith, opens your eyes to your broken heartedness and that you need a new heart and gives faith that for all who trust in him alone for salvation will be saved and that's the ultimate healing of a broken heart.

Of a broken heart. Number five from verse 22, the Lord redeems the soul of his servants and none of those who trust in him shall be condemned. A result of this discipleship is you'll be reminded of God's redemption and that there's no condemnation anymore for all who trust in Christ. And we need that. There are so many things battling in my mind so often.

I need that often reminder of redemption, complete redemption I have in Christ and no more condemnation. My sin does not condemn me anymore because Christ was condemned for my sin that I wouldn't be. As Jason said, Christ bought me with his own blood, a high price and I need constant reminders of that. And being discipled in the Word of God is going to remind me of that day in and day out. And Keep growing in trust.

Keep growing in repentance. Keep growing in the gospel. Like I say, you're still going to have hard trials, but don't confuse your hard trials with being... If you're a Christian, if you're a Christian, don't confuse your hard trials with being condemned by God. Don't confuse your hard trials of God's wrath being poured out on you.

No, Christ was condemned for you. All the wrath that your sins deserve was poured out on Christ. Your trials are for your sanctification, for your growing, to conform you more into the image of Christ. That's His will for you, remember? That's His will for you, and He does that through trials to bring out things that you...

I talked about having COVID. There were things There... There were things that came out that I didn't know were in there. And I'm thankful, I am thankful that it came out for me to repent, not deal making with God, not an ounce of deal making with God, but for me to repent and grow. And if he gave me life, I'll continue to grow.

If he took it away, I'm perfect, I'm fine. But thankful for that opportunity, that God would reveal things that I had no idea were there. Maybe others did, and I just wasn't listening. But he gave me that opportunity. Taste and see the Lord has been good to completely save you and has done the work.

Number six from verse eight, A result of this is you are blessed. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who trusts in him. God is not guaranteeing you worldly success in anything you do. He's not guaranteeing that.

Not guaranteeing that. Talk to your fathers. Ask them how often they're successful in all of their work. It's not every time. You've done enough school work to know you're not successful in everything you do.

You've missed your obligations of the trash or dishes or your room or the bathroom or whatever it is enough to know that you're not succeeding all your endeavors. You've put all your heart into something that your parents gave you permission to do and said go after that and you failed. That's fine. God's not guaranteeing you success. But he does promise to bless you.

And a lot of times that is through trial. But he promises to grow you. This is my will for you. Your sanctification. He has promised you that.

He said, there's a thousand things, like, God, is this my will? Is this your will? Is it your will for me to have this job? Is the will for me to marry this person? Is the will for me to go into this vocation?

Is your will for me to do this with my brother or sister? Is your will for me to take this on or not? I don't know! But I do know this. This is the will of God.

Your sanctification and your growth. And he says you will be blessed through being discipled in these ways and being sanctified in these ways. Christian, you are blessed for faith. Just start there. If you're ever questioning the blessing of God start here I'm a Christian God has redeemed my soul he has saved my soul you my God have saved my soul start there in there Everything else is icing on the cake.

Ever think you're not blessed. You are blessed to trust in the Lord Christ alone for salvation. And then He fills you with His Spirit, tasting and seeing that the Lord is good so those are six results of being discipled. You'll have gladness deliverance from worldly fear from troubles no lack of any good thing healing of broken hearts continual reminder of God's salvation and blessed. So let me close this off with applications, summary, state comments here.

One, years a lot Your parents can't make you a Christian. They can't. We can't. We can't. In many ways, you should be happy about that.

That only God can save you. Only God has the power to redeem. We should be happy about that. We can't. We can't reconcile you to God, but we can and should lay before you the feast that God offers through tasting Him and seeing that he is good.

And we will. We're going to continue to do it whether you want it or not. But we're going to continue to pray and pray and pray and cry out and cry out that you would want that. That God would give you that heart. Will you taste it?

Will you taste it? How has it tasted to you in the past? How is it tasting to you right now? Is it tasting good to you right now to hear this? Or is it tasting just bland and I'm ignoring it and I have no appetite for it.

Which one are you? Where are you? At salvation it was the most wonderful satisfying taste of mercy and grace you've ever had. And trust me it's going to taste better as you grow. It's going to taste better as you as you grow.

Number two, this tasting you have to build this appetite for God. You have to build this appetite God through tasting the truth of His Word. I didn't get my like of sushi or Reese's or whatever food I like through just looking at it. I definitely didn't get a taste for sushi by looking at it. I got it through, okay, I know exactly where I was with a colleague.

I said, I'll taste it. I'm like, I think I like that. And then you see there's a bunch of different, like, I'll taste that, I'll taste that. Reese's was pretty quick. Right?

Reese's was quicker. And you'll have that. You'll have some that you'll... Yeah, I don't... I'll have to build my appetite for this over time of enjoying this in God's Word of enjoying what he says here about obedience And have to see them some you'll just latch on.

Yes. All that's so sweet. Oh, that's so good. I want more and more and more of that. But this appetite has to be built, right?

The foundation, it will, will it be unshakable or easily blown over with the slightest breeze? The whim of sinful worldly thinking the day, the day that changes so often. God's word is truth forever. Taste it, build an appetite for this truth. You're never too young and never too old to start.

If you're too old, why would God save older people? You're never too young, you're never too old for this. And start simple and build as it grows. I understand having lofty ambitions. I'm telling you, start simple.

Jason and I were talking to somebody recently about Bible reading plans and I appreciate the conversation so much. We put this arbitrary thing that you have to read through the Bible in a year. That can be a good thing, but just a step, slow at a time. Make steady progress. Maybe you read it in three years.

Maybe you read it in five years and you start over. If you read it in five years, if God gave you 75, let's say gave you 70 years, make the math a little bit easier, right? You'd have 15 times, right? 75 years, 15 times two to five. Just think of that.

That's pretty good. But as you get older, you can have an appetite, you want more, you're gonna want more, it's gonna become more and more. But build that appetite simple. Each of us will grow at a different pace. Number three, as Jason said, I think Jim said as well, the purpose of being discipled, right from the great commission, he uses Jason, the purpose of being discipled is to then be disciplers of others.

Why sons are your parents so interested in discipling? One, to obey God. Two, we know it's right. We know all the benefits of it, right? All these responses, all these things that come about it, but because we're training you to be husbands and fathers one day.

We're training you To talk with your peers and your friends about discipling but especially may God God might make you Fathers might make you might make you husbands and fathers To disciple them yourself and then on and on and on Right, I can go back to my grandfather for discipling and daily discipling. Down to my father. And now to me, this is possible, this is possible, especially for those with younger siblings. Hey, are you thinking about discipling them? You can be discipling your younger siblings right now.

Start there. But understand this, sons, you are not the replacement of your father. Okay? You're not the replacement of your father. But glean from your father.

Be taught by your father. Number four, fathers. Redeem time to be intentional in this. Redeem the time to be intentional. It's either you're discipling your son or by absence you are delegated to somebody else.

We all know that. They're being discipled. They're being discipled. I'm not homeschooling for the world to disciple my children. I'm not.

That's not my purpose in homeschooling. I can feel good about homeschooling that there may be getting a better curriculum. They're not going to allow the world's influence in that. But there's so much more to discipling than homeschooling. So much more.

At the heart of Deuteronomy 6 is not having a big list and having everything scheduled. At the heart of Deuteronomy 6 is not having everything scheduled, but it's to be ready at all times. That's at the heart. Father's teaching is way more than talking. Way more than talking.

Talking is a big part of it, but modeling, being an example, directing, listening, guiding, encouraging involves discipline, walking, prayer, reading, and it's all done dripping with love, with grace, with mercy, with patience, just as Christ has dealt with me. It's all done that way. And I want to end with this. It's easy after a father-son message is like what you're hearing, to have big regrets over lost time. Easy to do.

Oh, regret. Man, if I just failed in this. And As a son, may some of you be feeling that way, I don't go and be this, I'm not intentionally being discipled or I'm pushing back on the discipling. And look at the years I'm wasting, the days I've wasted, whatever it is. I'm here to tell you, with this and any sin, any time you regret about time lost, I'm here to tell you this, it's lost.

It's lost. I can't make up for one year by doing two years worth of stuff today. I can't. All right? A minute is a minute.

I'm here to tell you it's lost. You can't make it up. Don't try to make it up. What you need to do is repent. What we need to do is repent and start going.

As Christ saved, Christ has saved you from that, he's redeemed you of that. Act as if you're forgiven. Act as if you're redeemed. Act as if you're not condemned. And repent and don't dwell on that.

There may be effects of it. There often are effects of my past sin that I have to deal with. They can cost money, they can cost time, they can cost hardship. You might have to deal with that. But what I'm telling you to do is repent and walk.

Repent and start wherever you are. Christ has paid for every sin, every regret you have. For fathers and sons. And the last thing is, do not presume there's another day to do this. This came out this last Sunday in Jason's message.

Do not presume, do not presume there's another day to disciple. Sons, do not presume, do not presume there's another day to be discipled. People of all ages die every day of a thousand different things. It's not being harsh to you, that's telling you reality. Do not presume you have another day, fathers, to disciple.

And do not presume you have another moment to be discipled, sons. Start or restart the multiplying drip, drip of discipleship today. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.