19th Feb 2020 - "Training for Godliness" - Big Night In #6

Training for Godliness:

Study 6: The Local Church

 

Jan-Feb 2020

 A. The Battle Ground

 1. God’s design of dependence

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”  27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.  28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”  Genesis 1:26-28 ESV

• Dependence on God’s revelation
• Dependence on God for purpose

 

 2. Satan, the disciple maker

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.

He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.  Genesis 3:1-7 ESV

• Doubt God’s Word
• Doubt God’s Character
• Adam and Eve presented with two worldviews

 

3. How do people change?

43 “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit,44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”   Luke 6:43-45 ESV

• “That’s not who I am”
• Sin originates from within (James 1:13-15)

“External changes that don’t follow internal changes of heart toward God always move a person further away from the Lord.” Jay E. Adams

True Discipling speaks to the heart!

“12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today”, that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”   Hebrews 3:12-13 ESV

 

 B. In Your Group – Models of Discipling

 1. Jesus Christ

13 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons. Mark 3:13-15 ESV

From these verses, what do we learn about Jesus’ approach to making disciples?

Specifically think about 

• The selection process
• What Jesus does with them
• What the goal of his discipling is

 

 2. The Apostle Paul

27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.  Colossians 1:27-29 ESV

From these verses, what do we learn about Paul’s approach to making disciples? Specifically think about:

• The goal of discipling (how does this compare with our goal-setting?)
• How does Paul tell us he fulfils the task?

 

 C. Being a Disciple-Maker

 1. Our Shared Calling

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”  1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV

 

2. Who will I disciple?

• Not a superior-inferior relationship
• Who has the Lord already placed in your life?
  • Look at your home first!
• Men disciple men; women disciple women
• Look around your church – ask your leaders
• Don’t spread yourself too thin

 

3. What are my goals?

• Word-centred
• Real Life Focused
• Genuine Investment

 4. What will I give?

• Time
• Preparation
• Prayer
• Myself