The Four Spheres of Life

DISCIPLESHIP: MAKING “FISHERS OF MEN”

I. THE FOUR SPHERES OF LIFE

Each disciple of Christ will engage and grow within in these spheres of life. This means that within each sphere, the disciple understands God’s commands and submits to His authority (head), is transformed by Jesus (heart), and joins Jesus on a kingdom mission (hands) in all these areas of their lives. As the disciple abides in Christ, each sphere of his or her life is transformed.

A. Sphere 1: The Centrality of a Relationship with God

Ephesians 2:4 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,”

1. Head - Do you understand the teachings of Jesus?

do you understand them enough to apply them to your own personal life and situations.

2. Heart - Can others recognize visible changes in you/your character?

3. Hands - Are you putting your faith into action?

B. Sphere 2: Relationships within the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4)

1. Head - Do you understand the importance of relationships with other believers?

2. Heart - Are you growing in your love with other believers?

3. Hands - Are you using your gifts to minister to the needs of others?

C. Sphere 3: Relationships at Home (Ephesians 5:22-6:4)

1. Head - Do you understand the importance of discipling at home?

2. Heart - How well do you personally relate to members of your family?

3. Hands - Do you serve equally at home as you do at church?

D. Sphere 4: Relationships with the World (Ephesians 5:1-21, 6:5-17)

1. Head - Do you understand that you work for the Lord and not for yourself?

2. Heart - Can you love others even if they can’t/won’t love to you in return?

3. Hands - Are you ethical and consistent in your service to others?

II. NAVIGATING THROUGH THE SPHERES

When people become followers of Christ, they will begin to understand that they will always return to the center sphere because they have entered a lifelong relationship with Jesus. Discipleship is the process of helping the believer navigate through the spheres. It is important that the disciple learns early that being a follower of Christ will not be an easy process. They will experience many challenges in their spiritual formation.

A. Spiritual Warfare

1. The World

1 John 2:15–16 “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”

2. The Flesh (Mark 7:21-23)

Mark 7:21–23 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. “All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.”

3. The Devil

John 8:44 ““You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

B. Surrendering Control

1. Denying self and following Jesus

Luke 9:23–24 “And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.”

2. Relying on Jesus and not the self.

John 15:4–5 ““Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

3. Abiding in Jesus through the Spirit of God

1 John 3:24 “The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”

C. Secured with our Identity in Christ

1. Acknowledging the Lordship of Jesus

Colossians 1:16–18 “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.”

2. We are crucified with Christ

Galatians 2:20 ““I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

3. An obedient servant of the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-40)

Matthew 22:37–40 “And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ “This is the great and foremost commandment. “The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.””