DESTINATION | What is a disciple?
Steve McKenzie August 8, 2021

August 8, 2021

16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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,
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:16-20

“Someone who worships Jesus through ongoing surrender with obedience to God in everyday life by the power of the Holy Spirit. ”

Definition of a Disciples

WORSHIPS JESUS

  • Discipleship isn’t about becoming a better person, or merely improving ourselves. Discipleship is about Jesus and him being glorified through our lives.
  • Tim Keller, “You don’t get to decide to worship. Everyone worships something. The only choice you get is what to worship.”
  • Some doubted in their worship. Disciples are people in process and we bring our questions and doubts under the authority of Jesus.

 

ONGOING SURRENDER
  • “God gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God.” (James 4:6-7)
  • I appeal to you, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1)
  • “Ongoing… Surrender”
    • Saving Faith – Romans 10:9
    • Sanctifying Faith – Galatians 3:3, 11
    • The same humble faith in the work of Jesus Christ both saves us and sanctifies us

 

OBEDIENCE TO GOD IN EVERYDAY LIFE
  • Importance of Obedience
    • John 14:15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
    • 1 John 2:3-6
  • Importance of Order
    • Surrender/Love first – then obedience
    • Obedience separated from surrender/worship of Jesus is a godless morality that focuses on our own obedience as the driving force (fuel) of discipleship.
    • The faith that saves in the faith that fuels our discipleship.

 

BT THE POWER OF THE Holy Spirit
  • Acts 1:8 “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
  • The command to become disciples who make disciples is made possible by the Spirit of God at work with in us – not in our own strength and wisdom – God’s strength and God’s wisdom at work within us.

 

APPLICATION
  • Memorize – commit CrossPointe’s definition of a disciple to memory and practice describing the 4 parts in your own words.
  • Pray – Use our definition of a disciple as a framework to pray for our church family. That WE would:
    • Worship Jesus Together
    • Live in ongoing surrender to his authority and headship of our church
    • We would walk in obedience to his commands as a church family
    • We would rely on the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and strength as a church and not our own wisdom and strength.