DISCIPLE

 I would love if you would open them up to Matthew 28 again. It is where we started last week together, I would love to return there as we continue our LOVE // REACH // DISCIPLE
Passage:
Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Introduction:
We are now entering our third week in our vision series together. We have highlighted this several times, that in this series, what we are focusing on is “going to the basics.” We are focusing on the things that Jesus has called us to do as the church in this world.
Love – is the heart
Reach – is the arms
Disciple – is the hug
WHAT IS A DISCIPLE
  • A disciple is very simply – a learner or An apprentice.
  • They would follow behind the rabbi everywhere
    • they would follow the rabbi to family gatherings to see how they interacted with family.
    • they would follow the rabbi to religious gatherings to see he conducted himself in formal ceremonies
    • they would see how the rabbi interacted with the poor
    • They would see how the rabbi handled counseling situations
    • They would see how the rabbi worshiped –
To be a disciple of Jesus is to learn to do as he did.
NECESSITY OF DISCIPLESHIP
Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.”
  • Scripture says this in Luke 9:23 “And said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
Another verse we could pull up here that lays this out explicitly is In 1 Thessalonians 4:3 – Scripture says “for this is the will of God: your sanctification”
  • sanctification – is simply a word that refers to the discipleship process of becoming more like Jesus.
There is no such thing as a healthy Christian who has no desire to follow Jesus in discipleship. That’s a contradiction.
Abiding in Christ:
John says this in John 15 – Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5).
  • Relying on Christ in all circumstances
  • Second – submitting to his will
  • Third – spending time with him
It’s when we do these three things – relying on him, submitting to him, spending time with him – that we grow – or bear fruit.
  • The second way we are discipled is through the church – through God’s people
Three relationships of discipleship:
Disciple UP
Disciple ACROSS
Disciple DOWN

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