It is a blessing and a burden of my heart to share these messages on Discipleship. Shortly after I got saved, I was privileged to be involved in several studies that dramatically enhanced my growth in Christ. Through these lessons, I will share what the Lord was doing for me during the first twelve to twenty-four months of my walk with Christ.
Let’s begin this study with this brief outline:
• The Power of Christ (Matt. 28:1-6)
• The Promise of Christ (Matt. 28:6-7)
• The Provision of Christ (Matt. 28:7-10)
• The Propagation of Christ (Matt. 28:11-20)
In Matthew 28 the word "all" is used multiple times. In verse 18, the Bible says, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” In verse 19 we have the command, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations.” Then verse 20 says, “Teaching them to observe all things…”. The chapter concludes with this promise, “I am with you alway.”
It is interesting to me that our Saviour would give us such a commission. As one preacher said, “All means all, and that’s all, all means.” Immediately, we might say, well that’s asking a bit much. So as believers, let’s consider exactly what Jesus is telling us here. Is this optional?—when He says, “observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” This is not an exhausted list, but the Bible uses the word in many critical places.
• Proverbs 3:5 & 6—verse 5 “all thine heart”—verse 6 “all thy ways.”
• Matthew 28:18—“all power”—verse 19 “all nations”—verse 20 “all things”—verse 20 “always.”
• Luke 12:30-31—note the word “all.”
• I Corinthians 10:31—“all to the glory of God.”
• II Timothy 3:16—“all scripture is given by inspiration of God.”
• Jude 3:5—“I will therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.” Now you say, I did not see the word all in that passage. Well now turn to Exodus 20:1 & 2 and see what the Bible says, “And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” Then notice what follows in chapter 20, nothing other than the Ten Commandments. You will remember the commission from Christ is to “observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”
What part of all do we not understand? To hear and to do all is the understanding given by Scripture. Jesus said, “If you love me keep my commandments.”
Now when I got saved, the Lord provided several discipleship opportunities that helped me grow in Christ. From then until now I have shared what I learned with others that they may grow in Christ, as well.
First of all, I was so blessed to get in a Discipleship Class and learn what the Bible teaches about:
As time permits, we will give a brief overview of some of the areas above. For us to observe all things that Christ has commanded, it is important that we have a Biblical understanding of these topics. I encourage you as we go along to take notes and write out Biblical references for further study. One statistic I read said there are approximately 168,000 new Bibles sold, given away, and distributed in the U.S. everyday. Yet the transforming power of God’s Word is ignored and rejected more by this generation than ever. These are some interesting facts:
• The Bible can be read aloud in about 70 hours.
• There are 66 Books in the Bible, 39 Old Testament-27 New Testament
• There are approximately 783,137 words—3,116,480 letters
• The Bible contains 6,468 commands, over 8,000 predictions with 1,260 promises
• If we get busy living by the Book, God will take care of the rest. Amen!
• 3,268 verses are fulfilled prophecy—God will keep His Word.
• Did God give us a huge volume of 66 books just so we would have plenty of reading material?
I cannot over emphasize our study, general knowledge, the ability to apply God’s Word, as well as, memorize God’s Word for daily life. At this point I do not want to get the cart before the horse, but an area that is important and seems paramount to most young people is the will of God. Permit me to give some scripture and illustrate this critical point. Rarely after a person gets saved does God thunder out from heaven—Go to Africa. Now, why the subject of Africa constantly comes up, unless it’s out of the fear of going to Africa or some dark, scary place, I don’t know. Jesus said for us to observe all that He has commanded. If that were not possible He would not have given that commission. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Here is a great illustration given by the preacher F.B. Meyer from his own life experience: When I was crossing the Irish channel one dark, starless night, I stood on the deck by the captain and ask him, “How do you know the harbor on such a dark night as this?” He said, “You see those three lights?” Those three must line up behind each other as one, and when we see them so united we know the exact position of the harbor’s mouth. When we want to know God’s will, there are three things which always concur. God’s Word, God’s Witnesses, and God’s Will - God in His Book corroborating whatever He says in our hearts. That’s God’s Word revealing to us God’s mind and God’s commands for our life. Then God gives certain witnesses to us. The counsel of our pastor, parents, and other Godly people, along with those witnesses and the circumstances of life will confirm the counsel of those Godly people. Then the Holy Spirit of God guides us toward this walk of faith in Christ. As we wait on the Lord in our daily service, these areas will align—His Word, His Witness, and His Will in Christ for our lives.
Someone summarized George Muller’s formula for knowing God’s Will:
• Submit your will (9/10ths of the problem-My will not thine be done)
• Seek the Spirit’s Will through Scripture
• See providential circumstances
• Supplicate for guidance
• Stand still and wait on the Lord
I Corinthians 10:31
Matthew 6:33
Guidelines for Knowing Right and Wrong
All of us face many issues in life. Spiritual discernment is critical in making daily choices. I have used the word JOY to illustrate these guiding principles.
Your choices and standards are to be founded on Biblical Teaching and principles and not changing culture and material things.
• Jesus—Do my thoughts and actions honor or dishonor Jesus? Do my thoughts or actions violate the Word of God? Is Jesus pleased with what I am doing? Would Jesus do this? Will this action bring glory and honor to Jesus?
• Others—Who are the people associated with this action or activity? What kind of testimony does my actions give to the unsaved? Will my actions hinder me reaching an unsaved person for Christ? Do my pastor, parents, and Christian friends approved of my actions? What impact do my actions have on my attitude, thoughts, and conscious, as well as, my influence on other Christians?
• Yourself—Will my actions and associations help me to grow in Christ? Could my actions and thoughts lead to negative results in my relationship with Christ and others? Could I be doing harm to my body as the temple of the Holy Spirit? Am I becoming defensive and proud in my actions? Will this enhance my compassion toward the lost and further spiritual hunger for God’s Word?
Some Don’t, Do’s and Thoughts
• Don’t create your own darkness, doubt, despair, and depression. If you set and count your own heartbeats you can disrupt the rhythmic action of your heart. One can think pain and disease into the body. Do think on the goodness of the Lord Jesus. Think on these things – Phil. 4:8-13.
• Don’t spend the majority of your time, talents, and treasures on this world. Do spend time reading, writing, and studying God’s Word and solid Christian materials. Listen to Christ honoring music and talk with Godly people.
• Don’t testify of your failures, disobedience, weaknesses, and speak in such an inward way about self. Do look up, out, onward, forward for the glory of God and not the gratification of a defeated self.
• Do - Confession with cleansing I John 1:9.
• Don’t - Compartmentalization and condemnation—If ye love me keep my commandments.
• Stuck on feeling versus standing on faith. Don’t be held by what you feel, but by what you will.
• If you are not led by the Holy Spirit, you are not filled with the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit, yet beneath the open heavens He was anointed of the Holy Spirit before He entered His public ministry.
Psalm 32:8, Proverbs 3:5 & 6, Isa. 40:31
The Disciple develops his standards based on Biblical teaching:
In light of these scriptures what should your stand be on these issues.Every believer should study and be equipped to face the challenges of this old world.
Discipleship is like education. There is a lot that goes on in education and homeschooling that has very little to do with true education. [By the way, there is education and there is pseudo-education. Just as there is science and pseudo-science. Far too much done in the name of education and science is false.] Discipleship is about discipline, discernment, character, commitment, choices, organization, and transformation. God’s Word gives us all we need to be all we need for success. All the subjects and topics we are covering are critical to our walk in Christ. It’s kind of like what you need to run your automobile. Do you need the motor, transmission, wheels, and gasoline? Yes, we need all the components necessary for the automobile to function properly. And so it is - We need all of God’s Word to be victorious over darkness and the devil.
How big is your God? Sadly, many believers live in the light of a very small faith. Ponder these thoughts as an encouragement to serve our great God.
How big is your God? Sadly, many believers live in the light of a very small faith. Ponder these thoughts as an encouragement to the service of our great God.
WHO IS GOD?
Exodus 3:14 “I AM THAT I AM.”
It is critical to understanding Who God is, His existence and personality for every believer. Study the names of God and the Scripture references.
Jehovah-Jireh: The Lord will provide (Gen. 22:13,14)
Jehovah-Rapha: The Lord that healeth (Ex. 15:26)
Jehovah-Nissi: The Lord our Banner (Ex. 17:8-15)
Jehovah-Shalom: The Lord our Peace (Judges 6:24)
Jehovah-Ra-ah: The Lord my Shepherd (Ps. 23:1)
Jehovah-Tsidkenu: The Lord our Righteousness (Jer. 23:6)
Jehovah-Shammah: The Lord is present (Ezek. 48:35)
Proofs or Arguments for the Existence of God.
• The Universal Belief in the Existence of God all around the world—there is a universal belief in a Supreme Being. (Originates from within)
• The Argument From Cause—Cosmological man exists and owes his existence to some cause.
• The Argument From Design—Teleological—An ink pen not only exists but has a designer. All the complexities, plants, animals—each and everyone cannot be attributed to happen-stance, Big Bang, natural selection or survival of the fittest.
• The Argument From Being—Ontological—Just the idea of the infinite declares from finite beings the existence of the Infinite One.
• The Moral Argument—Anthropological—Do’s and Don’ts—Thou shalt and thou shalt not. Man is an intellectual and moral being. Where did this right and wrong come from?
• The Argument From Congruity—We have the key that fits all the locks. Evolution and Atheism leave nothing but questions.
• The Argument From Scripture—In the beginning God. Satan began his attack, “yea, hath God said…?” The proliferation of modern Bible Versions is nothing but an attack on God’s Word. Rom. 1:19-21, 28, 32; 2:15 and Heb. 11:3.
Charles Darwin and his 1859 “On the Origin of Species” was a bunch of mumbo jumbo wrapped up in pseudo-scientific gobbledy goop swallowed by sinful men wanting a way to appease their guilty minds of accountability to God.
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6
• Is there a God?
• Where did God come from?
• Is Jesus Christ God?
• Does Christianity make sense?
• Did Christ rise from the dead?
• How do I know the Bible is God’s Word?
• Which Bible do I believe?
• Does science and Scripture agree?
• What about miracles, evil, and suffering.
Study God’s Word. Know what and why you believe!
The ABC’s of Leadership.
[How do you spell, leadership—FOLLOWSHIP.
That is following the Lord Jesus Christ.]
• Attitude—the mind of Christ
• Altitude—the high calling of God
• Aptitude—who you know (that I may know Him)
• Believe—believe on the Lord Jesus
• Behave—how we ought to behave
• Be blessed—Psalm 1 Esse Quam Vedere
• Conviction
• Commitment
• Compassionately passionate—grow, glow, and go