Sticking Points & Next Steps

Why do people get stuck in a particular chair along the pathway of their disciple-making journey? We’ve all seen it in others. Maybe we’ve even experienced it ourselves. We get stuck. We’re in a spiritual rut. What are some of those common sticking points that each of us face? What are the common barriers between each of the four chairs, and how do we break through them?

In John 6, after Jesus fed the 5000, we read of His teaching on the Bread of Life. This was where Jesus told those following Him that they must “eat His flesh and drink His blood.” This was not an invitation to cannibalism or vampirism. He’s calling them into a deep relationship with Himself. A relationship of intimacy, commitment and sacrifice. How does the crowd of followers respond?

"At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him.” John 6:66

These disciples were following. They were on the disciple-making pathway. They might have been in Chair 2, but they got stuck. They couldn’t, or wouldn’t, move any further.

Jesus didn’t want His closest companions, the Twelve, to get stuck here. He wanted them to experience breakthrough.

Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:67-68

Another time, Jesus was approached by a rich young ruler, a lawyer, who wanted to become a follower of His. The young man was in Chair 1, but He got hung up there.

Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.” Matt. 19:21-22

The rich young ruler was stuck in Chair 1. He was relying on his own self-sufficiency and self-righteousness. He thought he could earn his way into the kingdom. He thought he was good enough. Jesus set before him what He knew would be an impossible act. “Sell all you have. Give it all away to the poor.” Was Jesus literally establishing this as a requirement to enter the kingdom? No. He wanted to bring the young man to the end of himself so that he would put the full weight of his trust in Christ and Him alone.

Each of the Four Chairs can be positioned in one of three directions.

If we turn the chair to the left, it is pointing backwards. For the person in Chair 1, this would represent a hard heart that wants nothing to do with Jesus, the church, or Christians for that matter. For the person in Chair 2, this would represent that person reverting back to the sinful ways of their Chair 1 lifestyle.

The second position would be to leave the chair in its normal position. For the person in Chair 1, this would represent an openness to talking about God or going to church. For the person in Chair 2, this would represent being in spiritual neutral, comfortable with where they are at.

The third position would be to turn the chair to the right, as if it is moving in a forward direction, eager to move on to the next chair. In Chair 1, this person is seeking and ready to receive Christ. In Chair 2, this person is growing as a disciple.

Whatever chair we are in, we must honestly ask ourselves, “Am I stuck?”