A CLOSE WALK WITH GOD

If there is anything God desires it's: closeness.

In the garden of Eden - Genesis 3:8

In the making of the Tabernacle - Exodus 25:8; 29:45

In the Temple - 1 Kings 6:13

God Incarnate - John. 1:14

We (the Church), the Temple - 2 Corinthians 6:16; Hebrews 3:6

The desire of God is to dwell with His people!

We understand that the reason Jesus came to the world was that we can regain what was lost because of sin.

At the coming of Jesus, the Son of God, the Unique Son, the Beloved, "began the great reversal”.

THE GREAT REVERSAL

Going back to the Presence of God.

Closing the gap of separation.

The Great Reversal is a quick summary or portion of the Gospel.

It speaks to our need for salvation. It speaks of God's heart that He desires that we can go back to what He originally intended:

“He created Humanity to be "imagers" (it is a verb). We were to expand Eden to the ends of the earth. Due to rebellion and sin, the original plan was lost until Jesus Christ came on the scene.”

This leads to our purpose tonight:

"ARE YOU A DISCIPLE OF JESUS?"

This same idea of spreading Eden, the original ministry of humanity, is somewhat reflected in Jesus' command to the Eleven.

Matt. 28:16-20

v. 16 - “...the eleven disciples…”

In this context it’s specifically the eleven that Jesus chose to follow Him. The Apostles.

Originally twelve, but one committed suicide

In this verse Matthew identifies them as “the...disciples."

WHAT IS A DISCIPLE?

Disciple:

A student, pupil, or learner.

“A person became a disciple as he sought out a teacher and followed him and his principles.”

In the time of Jesus, the Gk. word for disciple meant one who was a learner and an adherent of a great teacher or master.

"Disciple" (mathētēs) derives from the verb "to learn" (manthanein).

The term disciple had also significance in the Jewish crowd. In Rabbinic literature, a "learner" or "student" (talmîd) attached himself to a rabbi (lit." my great one" with the additional meaning of "teacher" or" master") or to a movement. This Hebrew word is only used once in the OT and has to do with a musician (1 Chr. 25: 8). There is no Greek equivalent to this Hebrew word in the LXX. It started to referenced by Philo which is approx. in the time of Jesus.

It's in the Jesus movement recorded in the NT where we see the word disciple being used frequently.

The term disciple is synonymous w/those who believe and confess that Jesus is the Messiah.

Jesus, before His ascension commands the Eleven - Matt. 28:19-20

Go

Make

Baptize

Teach

This all speaks to action and not simply titles.

To be a disciple of Jesus is to not only follow Him, but to work with Him!

“The working relationship between God and humankind, before and after the fall, involves genuine, meaningful participation on the part of God’s human imagers. This is most transparently seen as God works through figures like Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, the prophets, and the apostles. But the pattern extends to us, to all believers. There is nothing we do that God could not accomplish himself. But he has not chosen that method. Rather, he tells us what his will is and commands his loyal children to get the job done.” - Michael S. Heiser, The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible, First Edition. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2015), 51–52.

In order to be effective in the Great Commission we are to be like Christ!

Luke 6:40 -

1 John 2:6 -

Romans 8:29 -

Jesus commands His disciples to Go, invade enemy territory!

Like in the Garden of Eden, humanity as God’s Imagers, we were created to spread out the goodness of God all over the earth.

Working with God, for God, under His Supreme authority.

So, in Christ, as His disciples, we are to spread the Good News, the Living Hope, to the earth.

To those under the authority of the evil one.

In darkness, lies and deceptions of the evil one.

As referenced by the Apostle Paul:

2 Corinthians 4:3-6

As we go out into enemy territory, remember what He said:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore,...”

The enemy who was once our master is no longer our master and we are no longer his disciples…!

Is that so?

As we GO, He has given us the Best Companion we can ever have!

Acts 1:8

We GO, NOT alone!

We GO, NOT unarmed!

We GO, WITH power!

We GO, WITH hope!

What we have as disciples the world needs:

“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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”