The Foundation of Witnessing

Opening Scripture:

2 Timothy 2:1–2 NLT

Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.

Apostle Paul encourages Timothy his young mentee to share the gospel in which he recieved from Paul.

Apostle Paul also encourages Timothy to continue the work of making disciples by sharing what he has learned.

Timothy was a young man who joined Paul when he was around the age of 16.

Apostle Paul took timothy in and shared with him the gospel and modeled what a life rooted in Christ looked like.

Discipleship requires us to take what we have learned, what was poured into us, and share it with someone else who is teachable.

**WHO IS GOD PLACING IN YOUR PATH?**

Just as God can place people in front of us to help us get to where we need to be He will also provide people for us to disciple.

We must not waste our time on someone who is not serious about being a follower of Jesus.

When making disciples we must make sure that we have discernment

If we end up wasting our time on someone who is not serious about Jesus or following Him then we may miss the opportunity to mentor/disciple someone who is ready for discipleship and is eager and hungry to learn about Jesus and grow in their relationship with Him.

**BE READY ALWAYS!**

1 Peter 3:15 NLT

Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.

The very people that God may send across your path may be full of questions and want to know the answers.

Because someone has questions about Jesus, the bible, the church, christianity in its self does not make them of the devil and it does not make them wrong for asking questions.

Jesus tell us that those who seek, find, and for those who knock the door will be opened to them.

Apart of seeking is to ask questions.

We who are matured in Christ MUST always be ready to defend the faith and answer questions about the faith in accordance to God’s word and the Holy Spirit.

When we use the word of God as our foundation for explaining Jesus, God, the church, etc. the holy spirit will help us and guide us in what to say in a way that will make it understandable for the person to receive.

By answering the questions that people may have it will then position them in a place to where they can receive and be discipled/mentored in the faith.

**BE THE EXAMPLE**

Luke 6:40 NLT

Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.

Jesus tells us that when we are fully learn what is being taught we will then become like our teacher.

When we learn from Jesus through the word of God and put it to work in our lives we will become like Him reflecting Him in all that we do and all that we are.

Apart of making disciples is making sure that we are reflecting only Jesus and not ourselves.

When we reflect ourselves instead of Jesus we are glorifying ourselves making ourselves out to be God.

When we are in the process of making disciples we must evaluate ourselves daily to the word of God and making sure that we are living out the principles that are listed inside of the word of God.

What example are you leading? What example are you setting?