cours 2

                                         LESSON 10

                DISCIPLESHIP   

                 BUILD YOUR LIFE ON THE FOUNDATION

               OF THE PURE WORD OF GOD.

                    THE BIBLE IS GOD'S WORD.

INTRODUCTION

To get a complete and clear picture of this important fundamental study I want to

encourage you to look up ALL the references in your own Bible.

This lesson is about the greatest assignment which Christ ever gave to mankind.

He came to earth especially to live out in His own personal life what is involved in

this task. So read this study with a heart attuned to God and allow the Holy Spirit

to instruct you.

The last assignment which the Lord Jesus gave before He went back to His

Father was, " All power is given to me in heaven and on earth.

Go out then into all the world and make disciples of all peoples..." Matt 28:18,19.

Two aspects of this attract our attention:     1.  Jesus has all power

2.  We have to make disciples

JESUS IS LORD

One of the fundamental things in a Christian's life is following the Lord Jesus in

obedience. " Why do you call me Lord, Lord and don't do what I say?" Luke 6:46

In some languages the word Lord does not mean very much.

It has lost its value and content in many languages.

The Greek word for Lord is KURIOS and it is used in the New Testament as many

as 700 times. It means: Supremacy, or the highest authority.

Jesus Christ is and has the greatest power and highest authority in all creation.

"... just as you gave Him power over all flesh, in order that He may give life to all

you have given Him" John 17:2. " All things have been delivered to me by the

Father..." Matt 11:27. He rules over EVERYTHING.

Everything has been given to Him. God the Father has handed everything over to

Him. "...whom He has produced in Christ, by raising Him up from the dead and

setting Him at His right hand in heavenly places, above all majesty and power and

lordship and above every name that is named not only in this age but also in that

which is to come. And He has put ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET..." Eph 1:20-22.

Philipp.2:9-11.

Are we really aware of that? JESUS IS LORD!

If we say that Jesus is Lord, it only has any meaning if Jesus really has the

lordship in our lives. "not everybody who says Lord,Lord to me shall enter the

Kingdom of Heaven, BUT HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER who is

in Heaven "  Matt 7:21.

OBEDIENCE

The most important word in God's Kingdom is OBEDIENCE.

By the perfect work of Redemption which the Lord Jesus has performed we are

transferred out of the Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of God, where the

LORD JESUS has absolute dominion. See Col 1:13,14.

Paul names two forms of slavery: a negative one (slave to sin) and a positive one -

being a slave of Christ. Rom 6:20; 1 Cor 7:22,23.

Jesus has set us free but this freedom does not give us the right to do what we

like, but this freedom does give us the possibility of doing what we should do:

to love. Gal 5:1; 5:13 -15  (see also Acts 15: 5,10.)

Under the law of Moses fear of judgement and death motivated people to obey.

But now we have been redeemed by God's grace the only proper motivation for

obedience is "love". 1 John 1:3-6; 1.John 5:3b.

DISCIPLESHIP

The word disciple has the following meanings:

- someone who is being taught or trained                  Matt 5:2;10:1

- a schoolchild, pupil or follower                                Matt 8:23

- somebody who wants to be instructed by another     Matt 13:10

- somebody who accepts instruction from another      Matt 26:19

  See also: Acts 2:42; 4:32-35.

N.B. Discipleship is not only to do with our relationship towards Jesus Christ but

also towards anybody who is placed above or over us. Acts 16:1-3; 1 Tim 2:1.

" Continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed,

knowing from whom you have learned it," 2 Tim 3:14.

What does it mean to be a disciple? 

1.  We must first count the cost. See Luke 14: 25-33; 9:57-62, Matt 10:24-39

2.  We must deny ourselves. Self-denial is an important prerequisite for discipleship.

     "Then Jesus said to His disciples: If anyone wishes to follow me, let him deny

     himself and take up his cross and follow me" Matt 16:24.

3.  We must take up our cross. Our will must be subjected all the time to His will.

    See Luke 9:23-25.

4.  We must follow Jesus. Mark 6:1 We shall be tested in this from time to time !

    Mark 10:17-22.

Many believers are saved but are not disciples. Being saved is accepting the work

of His cross. Disciple-ship is taking up OUR cross!

DISCIPLINE

Discipline is one of the most important characteristics of the disciple.

And also one of the most difficult!

Discipline has to do with self control and persistence or steadfastness. "...and

knowledge with self control, and self control with steadfastness and steadfastness

with godliness,..." 2 Peter 1:6

Without these two qualities we can make no progress.

Lack of these will in the end destroy our commit­ment to the Lord. See:

Proverbs 20:4; 24:30,31; 25:28.

Discipline is not something we achieve by our own efforts, but is allowing yourself

to be controlled BY THE HOLY SPIRIT ! The power does not come from ourselves

but from God. This does not mean we just have to be passive, but that we subjugate

ourselves to God and ask Him to give us the help of the Holy Spirit.

" but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, goodness, FAITHFULNESS, gentleness,

SELF CONTROL."

Gal 5:22. See also 2 Cor 12:9,10.

PRAYER

One of the first areas in which we have to discipline ourselves is in prayer.

" The end of all things is near: therefore keep sane and sober (= discipline)

so that you can pray" 1 Peter 4:7.

Prayer is the means by which the Christian comes into the presence of God to

worship Him and to receive from Him the guidance, help and power that he needs

to live for God. Matt 7:7-12; Jer 33:3; John 14:13,14; 15:7; 15:16-17.

Jesus Christ was our example in this. Prayer was given the highest priority in His

life. He wanted to be totally dependent on the Father in everything that He did.

" And it happened in those days that He went into the hills to PRAY,

and He spent the whole night in prayer to God " Luke 6:12.

  "But the news about Him spread all around and great crowds gathered to hear

Him and to be healed of their diseases.

But He withdrew into a solitary place to pray " Luke 5:15,16. See also John 5:19,20.

QUIET TIME

Quiet time is nothing else than time which is set aside for God.

It is therefore not only praying. What can we do in our quiet time?

Look up the relevant scriptures. Naturally there are many more texts.

1.  Be still before God                             Psalm 62:2

2.  Learn to listen to His voice                 1 Sam 3:1-10

3.  Receive guidance                              2 Sam 5:17-25

4.  Praise and thaksgiving                       Phil 4:4-7; Ps 119:62

5.  Worship                                           John 4:23,24

6.  Intercession (a list of names helps)     1 Tim 2:1;Ez 22:30

7.  Wrestle (in prayer)                             Eph 6:18

8.  Pray in tongues                                 1 Cor 14:18,19; Jude.20

9.  Read the Bible                                   Ps 119:105; Col 3:16

10.  Diary, make notes,etc

CONCLUSION

Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God has given us the commission to MAKE

DISCIPLES of all peoples. Not converts, not churchgoers, not people who only

pray a prayer of confession, but DISCIPLES. Of course that begins by accepting

the Lord Jesus Christ, but that is only the very first step.

After that there must be a healthy growth towards fully-fledged discipleship.

A disciple is someone who lives under the authority  and the total sovereignty of

Jesus Christ.

A disciple is also somebody who KNOWS what discipline is. He/she will work on

a regular communion with God and will run the race with self control,

faithfulness and steadfastness ! See 1.Cor 9:24-27;

2.Tim 2:1-13.

Questions:

1.  Did the Lord Jesus attach any conditions to discipleship?  Lk 14:27                                                                                                              

2.  Name various things which characterise a disciple of Jesus Christ. Jn 13:34;

     8:31,32                                                                                                           

3.  What is the task of a disciple? Matt 28:18,19 Eph 6:15                                                                                                                

4.  Must Christians still keep laws James 2:8; 1 Cor. 9:21; Gal. 6:2                          

5.  a) In whose name must we pray and b) with what objective? Jn 14:13

              STEWARDSHIP

      BUILD YOUR LIFE ON THE FOUNDATION

                OF THE PURE WORD OF GOD.  

                 THE BIBLE IS GOD'S WORD.

Everybody has some talents. By talents we mean a natural capacity for something,

an inborn skill. Such talents are yours from your birth and they remain with you.

This is still so even after you are born again into God's kingdom.

You have been born with certain talents and God wants to bring these skills to

full fruition in you through the working of His Holy Spirit.

Talents can be of all sorts : craftsmanship or social, commercial, leadership,

physical, intellectual and creative skills. Ex 35:10 - 36:8,20; 1 Chron 25:1-7.

HOW CAN I DEVELOP MY TALENTS?

1.  Make an inventory of your life and your qualities.

Are you prepared to give all this to the Lord? Lk 14:25-33

2.  Offer your service to the Lord (like David).  Tackle the job in front of you.

     Thus don't seek for a task far away from you, but look in your locality.

     1Sam 17:12-32, Ecc 9:10.

3.  While maintaining a spirit of service to the Lord try to find out what His future

     will is for you.

4.  Regard your own interests as secondary to God's will. James 4:13-15.

5.  Remain ready to be corrected. Sometimes God uses people to show us

     something. But God    sometimes uses our circumstances to test us and to

     get us to examine our activities. Testing and correction are things we can do

     by listening to what God says in His word, the Bible.

6.  Don't be afraid of failure. 2 Tim 3:4-6

7.  Set your priorities       - family                           1 Tim 3:4-6

- church fellowship          Heb 10:25

- earning a living              2 Thess 3:10-12

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Spiritual gifts are also talents which we receive from the Holy Spirit to use them

in His service and to His glory.

Someone can, for instance, receive the gift of evangelism from the Lord.

This can grow to full-time ministry or to a function in the local church while you

have another job. Another can have the gifts to be a pastor and may be called

by the Lord to be a pastor to a congregation.

In a small congregation of up to 125 members this may be a "part-time"

calling in addition to an ordinary job.

A pastor in a healthy Bible-based church never works alone but in a team

together with a Bible teacher, an evangelist, an apostle (i.e. missionary/church

planter) Eph 4:1-16. And with elders, deacons,  assistant pastors, youth workers,

social workers, etc. The pastor coordinates the work and doesn't do everything

himself, but remains answerable to the other members of the team,

like the teacher, the prophet, etc..

There are also other gifts such as healing, discernment of spirits,

the gift of prophecy, the gift of wisdom, and the gift of helping.

One clearly has a ministry, a calling of God to undertake a particular task

and another has the same gift but is used quite differently by the Lord.

We can't copy gifts from one another.

It is the Lord Himself who deals out His gifts as He wishes.

But when we do have a gift (and YOU have at least one) we need to know that

the Bible says, "Complete the task that God has given you" Col 4:17; 2Tim 1:6.