Discipleship means growth. We look at ways to grow in your relationship with Jesus

>>>–Worship––Grow––Goà                                         How it fits    2 part

“Grow: a life of Discipleship”

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Romans 12:1–2

  1. Discipleship
    1. Make Disciples à Matthew 28:19
  • “Go and make disciples”
  • Implied task is to be disciples ourselves

 

  1. “Follow Me” à Matthew 4:19, John 1:43, Peter 2:21

“They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said”

                                                                                                Matthew 4:18–19

  • Discipleship in the ANE: Philosophers, Physicians, Prophets, Theologians
    • Go Where they are
    • Don’t demand that they be where you are

 

  1. Transformed àMatthew 10:24-25, John 13:16-17

 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters.”

                                                                                                Matthew 10:24–25

Context of persecution

Gets at the nature of discipleship:

  • To be like

“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”                                                    John 13:15–17

  • Know these things = Transformed mind and Heart

Blessed if you do them = Go (Begins within the fellowship of believers and spreads outward)

How on Earth do you figure out where He is?

  1. Time with The Word
    1. Bible/Canon/Rule
  • A Record of What He has Done and How He Has Revealed Himself
  • The Test against which you measure: Yourself, Your Experience of the World and even the people around you
  • It will challenge you in many ways, as you go deeper

 

  1. Consistent Revelation
  • We are going to talk about other ways God speaks to you
  • Other ways your relationship with God becomes personal
  • He is always consistent in His revelation (Scripture, other people, in personal time)

 

  1. Recognizing God
  • Knowing this consistent revelation allows you to recognize God
  • Helps you discern when it is the Holy Spirit
    • Spirit of Christ,
    • poured out from the Father
  • Other Spirits:
  • We have an Enemy
  • Sometimes we like to listen to Him because He says things that appeal to the untransformed parts of us (conform to the ways of this world)

 

  1. What He (Spirit) Does: Illumination
  • He “Brings Light in the Darkness”
  • Unity of God/Because He is the Spirit of Christ
  • Illumines Scripture: Example of Secular Interpretations, My understanding as a teenager


 

These can take place at the same time

  1. Time with God
    1. How
      1. Prayer
  • When God is opening up scripture for you, pray about its application in your life
  • When God speaks and gives you that “special guidance,”do you test the Spirits
  • Supplication: He said He cares à He Cares!!

 

  1. Silence
    • Listen: That is often when you receive guidance [It’s challenging]
    • Rest in His presence: That is often when you experience His comfort

 

  • Many Ways

Next Week, we will talk about HOW more in depth.

Spiritual Disciplines (what fits for how you are wired or your time of life)

 

  1. When
    1. On the Way
  • Not just Sunday
  • Throughout Your Life, He is present
    • That is the promise of the Holy Spirit at the end of Mtt 28

 

  1. Every Day
  • He is with you. Slow down to recognize it (again, some how next week)

 


 

  1. Where: Transformative times for the disciples
    1. The Boat
  • When there is a storm

 

  1. The Mountain
  • When you see His Majesty
  • Moses on the Mountain
  • Isaiah 6:5 Unworthy, “I am a man of unclean lips”
  • Revelation 1:12-16

 

  • The Upper Room
  • When He Cleanses your feet

 

  1. What He (Spirit) Does
    1. Comforts
  • In this world you will have trouble
    1. Overturns Tables
  • In this world you are the trouble
    • Illumines Your Heart
  • He helps you see yourself
  • He helps you become your better self
  • If you will let Him
  • In due time and order


 

  1. Time with Each Other
    1. Working it out, Together
      1. In Love
  • An opportunity to love and be loved
  • Sometimes to be hurt
    • And show forgiveness
  • The love God showed is otherworldly: We get a community where we get to struggle, work it out and figure it out

 

  1. Imago Dei
    1. One Body
  • An opportunity to recognize God’s salvation in others
  • Salvation is personal…..
    • But not just of you, not just for me

 

  1. Imperfect in our Parts
  • Better Together
  • The Image of God in many parts

 

  1. What He (Spirit) Does in the Community of the Church: Together
    1. Gives Gifts
  • Spiritual Gifts: To build up His Church

 

  1. Exhorts
  • Gives Warnings and Urgent Appeals
  • Strongly Encourages

 

  • Edifies
  • Builds us up as the component parts
  • Unity -

 

Summary: Time in the Word, Time with God, Time with Each Other

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Grow: A Life of Discipleship

Date:3/7/21

Series: Worship - Grow - Go

Category: Topical

Passage: Romans 12:1-2

Speaker: Monte Bowers