Sermon Summary
This week, our youth pastor Stephanie Kram jumpstarted the new year with a powerful word on discipleship. Stephanie defined discipleship and gave the Biblical premise for disciple relationships current day. She shared her personal story of being discipled and shared how the most important part of walking alongside somebody is our heart posture. As we invite others into our lives, we fulfill the great commission and go low in order to raise others up.
Parable of the Mustard Seed
Mark 4:30-32
Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”
Discipleship Is raising others up
Deuteronomy 31:7
Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land the the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you, he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.
1 Kings 19:19-21
So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him. And he left the oxen and ran after Elisha and said “let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you? And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.
Acts 16:1-3
Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer. But his father was a Greek. He was well spoken of by the brothers of Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
Discipleship is imitating the person who is discipling you
1 Corinthians 11:1
Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
It is not…once in a while meetings to check a box.
It is…having a heart position to push that person into all they can be
It is not…putting large boundaries around our lives and time.
It is …messy inconvenient and time consuming.
It is worth it.
Discipleship is submission
Hebrews 13:17
Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.
Resilient Disciples are Christians who (1) attend church at least monthly and engage with their church more than just attending worship services; (2) trust firmly in the authority of the Bible; (3) are committed to Jesus personally and affirm he was crucified and raised from the dead to conquer sin and death; and (4) express desire to transform the broader society as an outcome of their faith.
Romans 10:14-15
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?
John 15:16-17
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
Discussion Questions
- What is discipleship? What is its’ purpose?
- Has your life ever been affected by a disciple relationship? Share with the group.
- What are some Biblical examples of discipleship?
- Have you ever discipled somebody else? Why or why not?
Application Questions
- Do you currently have a discipler walking alongside you? Ask the Lord to highlight somebody to ask to disciple you.
- Is the Lord highlighting anybody in your life that you could disciple? Go before the Lord in prayer for confirmation and meet with that person this week.