DL101 Discipleship and Leadership

1. DL101Discipleship and Leadership Jeremy D. Little Spring 2019 Second Saturday

2. Session 1: Introduction to Discipleship

3. True Discipleship • Did you read True Discipleship by William MacDonald? • How convicting was True Discipleship? • How do you measure up to it? • Are you a disciple of Jesus? • Was MacDonald correct in all things? • If he was right, what now?

4. Introduction to Discipleship • How can one define what a disciple is? • Sources in conflict • Personal Opinions: expectations, experiences, with examples • The Bible: the sole authority and with examples • Authority and Experience in conflict • What can we do? • Does this sound familiar?

5. Defining a Disciple • Personal experience • A person as an example • Historical figures to the modern era • A book by an author • Audio and video podcasts and presentations • Classes in seminary or otherwise • The Bible in context • Old Testament examples • New Testament • Examples when Jesus was here in the flesh • Examples of the established local churches

6. “Disciple” Greek Definitions • n. Disciple (“μαθητής” mathetes “μαθήτρια” mathetria): One who engages in learning through instruction from another; a learner, pupil, or apprentice. • v. Disciple (“μαθητεύω” matheteuo): to be a disciple of one or to make a disciple.

7. Mt 28:18-20 The Great Commission • Context: Jesus talking to His 11 disciples • All authority is give to Jesus • Go and make disciples (Not merely converts) • Of all nations • Baptize the disciples (identification with Christ) • Teach the disciples all I have commanded • The disciples must put what they are taught into practice • Jesus will be with His disciples always; even until His Return

8. Disciples must… • Be baptized literally; being identified with the Triune God • Learn all that Jesus taught (hearer) • Do what they have learned (doer) • Make other disciples • I thought this was to the 11 Apostles though???

9. Making Disciple vs Convert • What happens if a convert is not discipled? • Is it ok to have a baby and leave it alone and wish it all the best?

11. Ephesians 4:7-16 Revisited • Each one of us has received a Spiritual gift (grace gift) • That Spiritual Gift was given in the right amount to the right person • Leadership is given to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry • You are the saints; YOU DO THE MINISTRY

12. Ephesians 4:7-16 Revisited • You have to be continually equipped until • We all are united in the faith and the knowledge of Jesus • Mature to the measure of Christ Himself • No longer children (yet starting as such) • Jesus is the standard of our target • We grow together as we rely on all parts of the Body of Christ • People exercising their Spiritual Gifts will cause the growth

14. Disciple Growth Process • Conversion before Discipleship • Converts are reborn; disciples are made • Infant in helplessness • in a crib or at a breast, rolling over then crawling, standing then walking • Toddler in exploration and testing limits • Adolescent heeding correction and learning boundaries • Teenagers growing through discipline, learning to self-correct, think they know everything… • Adults in independence and reproduction • Aged in wisdom having been through all of it • Glorified in Heaven; perfected by the blood of Christ

15. II Timothy 2:2 Multiplication • Timothy heard from Paul first • Not just Timothy but many witnesses • Timothy must now entrust these things to FAITHFUL men • Those FAITHFUL men must teach others • This is why you do the work of the ministry, and not just the pastor

16. Addition vs. Multiplication

17. A Disciple in General • Defined by the Bible alone • An apprentice of Jesus: a hearer and a doer of the Word of God • Constantly matures in the faith and with respect to sin • Constantly depends on brothers and sisters in Christ • Develops and deploys their Spiritual Gift to build up the Church • Reproducer that breeds reproducers

19. Session 1: Introduction to Discipleship

20. 15 Minute Break

21. Session 2: New Testament Discipleship Principles

22. Disciples of Jesus in the Flesh • These are the 12 as well as all that followed Him on earth during His physical ministry • They left everything immediately and followed Him(Mt 4:18-22, 9:9; John 1:35-51) • He chose 12 of them to be Apostles (Lk 6:12-16) • He appointed them to physically be with Him, and He sent them out with miraculous power (Mk 3:13-19)

23. Disciples of Jesus in the Flesh • He also appointed 70 to go out to cities ahead of Jesus with a special mission (Lk 10:1-24) • All of this took place before His death and resurrection • Are these the same expectations and context for all believers in the New Testament? • Are these the same expectations for disciples today?

24. Is there an example to follow? • Jesus built into the 12 in order to reach the world • Within the 12 He built into Peter, James, and John • How many people can you disciple at one time? • Quantity vs. Quality

25. Discipleship Principles: The Gospels • Mt 6:1 Practice righteousness for God; not man • Mt 6:19-21, 24 Do not store up earthly, but Heavenly treasures • Mt 6:25-34 Do not worry • Mt 6:33 Seek the Kingdom of God first • Mt 7:24 Be a doer of the Word of God • Mt 10:25 Must become like Jesus • Mt 12:49 Are called His family • Mt 15:2-3 Follow God’s Word over tradition

26. Discipleship Principles: The Gospels • Mt 16:24-25 Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him • Mt 23:11-12 Servant of all, not seeking to be exalted • Mt 28:19-20 Make other disciples • Mk 2:16 Go after the lost • Lk 6:35 Love their enemies • Lk 6:36-37 Are merciful and pardon • Lk 6:40 Must be fully trained first to be like Jesus • Lk 6:41-42 Work on removing their own sin first

27. Discipleship Principles: The Gospels • John 13:35 Love other disciples • John 15:8 Bear much fruit • John 15:18 Hated by the world • John 18:25 Are still fallible yet called disciple • John 19:38 Mt 27:57 Sometimes they are rich people, and hide in fear yet are called disciple • John 20:10 Sometimes give up and run home • John 20:25 Sometimes doubt the Lord • John 21:15-17 Lovingly restored from sin

28. Do all of these Biblical principles apply to a modern disciple?

29. The Church in Acts 2 Acts 2:41-47 • 3,000 were added in one day • They were devoted to the Apostles’ teaching • They fellowshipped with each other • They prayed together • The Apostles were doing signs and wonders • They had all things in common • They sold property and possessions to provide for each other’s needs • Yet went from house to house taking meals together • Their community caused the Lord to add to their number daily those being saved

30. The Church in Acts 4 Acts 4:32-37 • They were of one heart and soul • They claimed no personal possessions • Property that was not sold was common property • The Apostles did great signs and wonders • None of them were needy • They were selling land etc. and laying the money at the Apostles’ feet for the Apostles to distribute

31. Do all of these Biblical principles apply to a modern disciple?

32. Jerusalem Church and Law Expectations • The Law is filled with the idea that if Israel follows God, they will be blessed in the Land • No poor • No sick • All Israel is a family • Jewish Expectation vs. the Great Commission • These people would be attractive to other Jews because they are being blessed • Their was an initial struggle to see that this was also for the Gentiles

33. The Church in Acts • We get no indication that the same practices carried into all the other churches in Acts • No indication that the centurion Cornelius stopped being a centurion (Acts 10) • The wonderful church in Jerusalem scattered after Stephen’s death when persecution hit (Acts 8:1; 11:19) • The disciples in Antioch gave as they determined to aid the suffering church in Judea due to the famine (Acts 11:29)

34. The Church in Acts • The Jerusalem council in Acts 15 put no command to follow the Law on the Gentiles… • Don’t eat food sacrificed to idols, don’t drink blood, do not be sexually immoral • Paul’s missionary journeys into the Gentile world began to bring a new dimension to the Church • Miracles were done, and much teaching, new ground • We must also look to the epistles to the local churches and people for guidance on discipleship

35. The Church in the Epistles • The Church moved from a new sect of Judaism into a universal faith for all mankind • Everything mentioned before is reiterated, so I will not dwell on reiterating hearing and doing • Many principles have to do with interactions between disciples

36. Discipleship Principles: Epistles • Rom 12:10 Be devoted to other disciples and give preference to them • Rom 12:16 Be united, don’t be haughty, but associate with the poor disciples, don’t be wise in your own eyes • Rom 14:13 Don’t put an obstacle in a disciple’s way • Rom 14:19 Pursue peace with disciples, build each other up • Rom 15:7 Accept other disciples • Rom 15:14 Admonish one another

37. Discipleship Principles: Epistles • I Cor 6 Do not sue a disciple in court, the church should settle the lawsuit • I Cor 7 Disciples can marry or not, let them do as they please • I Cor 12 Don’t look down on a disciple’s Spiritual Gift, use your gift to build the Church, care for other disciple’s gift • Gal 5 Serve other disciples in love, have peace with them, do not envy and challenge each other • Gal 6:1-2 Restore a sinning disciple, bear each other’s burdens

38. Discipleship Principles: Epistles • Eph 4:2 Tolerate other disciples • Eph 4:25 Don’t lie to other disciples (don’t lie period) • Eph 4:32 Be kind to other disciples with a tender heart, forgive them as you were forgiven • Eph 5:21 Be subject to other disciples • Eph 5:33 Husbands and wives that are disciples must love and respect each other, respectively • Eph 6 Disciples that are children must obey their parents that are disciples, fathers that are disciples should not provoke their children to anger but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, disciples that are slaves should obey their masters, those disciples that own slaves should treat their slaves in equity under the Master of all

39. Discipleship Principles: Epistles • Col 3:16 Teach other disciples • I Thess 5:11-13 Encourage and build up disciples, live in peace with them • I Thess 5:15 Do not repay evil on a disciple, seek their good • Heb 10:24-25 Meet with other disciples continually, encourage each other to love and good deeds • James 5:16 Confess your sins to other disciples, pray for other disciples • I Pt 4:9 Be hospitable to other disciples • I Pt 5:5 Be humble towards other disciples

40. This is just a few, there are so many other things

41. Do all of these Biblical principles apply to a modern disciple?

43. Session 2: New Testament Discipleship Principles

44. 15 Minute Break

45. Session 3: Discipleship & Christian Disciplines

46. Christian Disciplines • Activities all disciples should do to know God and make Him known • Utilize your hermeneutical skills: • Observation • Interpretation and Correlation • Application • Help you to be a hearer and doer of the Word • They are meant to be done sincerely and not in order to uselessly check off a spiritual brag box • They are done regardless of your Spiritual Gifts

47. Hearing and Doing: Christian Disciplines • Quiet Time • Scripture Memory • Evangelism and Discipleship • Bible Study • Prayer • “One-anothering” • Holy Living • Worship • Use your gift correctly

48. Quiet Time and Bible Study • Quiet Time – an intentional and responsive time spent alone in God’s Word and in prayer • Bible Study – see Quiet Time

49. Quiet Time/Bible Study Rationale • Why spend time alone in God’s Word? II Tim 3:16-17 • So that you can be equipped for every good work • Knowing how to read in context is critical II Tim 2:15 • You must rightly handle the word of Truth to be an approved workman

50. Quiet Time/Bible Study Rationale • The Word is your sustenance, marching orders, exhorter, equipper, discipler, etc. • You can’t do the Word if you don’t hear the Word correctly