Teaching In All Wisdom

I am categorizing many of the one another passages together and I am labeling them all under the umbrella of “disciple-making.” Why am I doing that? What is the core component of making disciples?

Matthew 28:19–20 ESV

19 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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Make disciples- primary

There is an evangelistic element:

“Go” and “baptize”

Then there is a teaching element:

“teach them to observe”

The teaching element is by far the bulk of the work.

This idea of teaching is part of the one another commands.

Romans 15:14 (ESV)

14 I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.

Colossians 3:16 (ESV)

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

But, merely teaching people the matters of the faith does not encompass the Great Commission. That is not enough.

Matthew 28:19–20 (ESV)

We also have to teach them to observe all the commandments of Jesus. This idea of “observe” is also part of the one another commands.

Colossians 3:16 (ESV)

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. νουθετέω

to counsel about avoidance or cessation of an improper course of conduct, admonish, warn, instruct

1 Thessalonians 4:18 (ESV)

18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. παρακαλέω

to instill someone with courage or cheer, comfort, encourage, cheer up

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (ESV)

11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. οἰκοδομέω

to help improve ability to function in living responsibly and effectively, strengthen, build up, make more able

Hebrews 10:24–25 (ESV)

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

provocation (act) n. — the act of stirring up (emotions, feelings, and responses); can be positive or negative.

All of these actions— instructing, teaching, admonishing, encouraging, edifying, stirring up— encapsulate what it means not only to teach one another, but to teach one another to observe the commands of Christ. In other words these responsibilities that we all have towards one another mean that we all have the responsibility to help disciple each other.

What Christ is commanding us to do for one another in this area is quite frankly miraculous. What we are tasked with doing is a miracle. Now, why would I say that? To answer that we have to understand a little bit more deeply the goal or the aim of disciple-making.

What is the goal of disciple making?

2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV

18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

All believers, with unveiled faces (that is with proper recognition and understanding), behold as in a mirror the very glory of the Lord. We don’t behold his glory face to face yet, that is for the age to come. But we behold His glory as if in the reflection of a mirror. And what is this mirror?

It is the glory of God as seen in the face of Jesus Christ through the gospel.

We behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ because Jesus Christ is the image of God. So to look at Christ’s glory to is look upon God’s glory. And the light of this glory is displayed to us through the gospel. Through the gospel we see Jesus and through Jesus we see the very glory of the Lord.

Here is where all of the one another commands come into play. We all must help each other behold the glory of the Lord. How? Instructing, teaching, admonishing, encouraging, edifying, stirring up…

Just take a moment to think about our task! We are tasking with helping each other behold the very glory of the Lord. Is this not already an impossible task?

But, then notice what God intends to accomplish when we behold His glory!

What happens when we continuously behold the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces?

We are being transformed into the same IMAGE! This is a present passive verb. It is a continuous idea, but the action of the verb is passive. The transformation is being done to us, we are not the ones acting out this transformation. That doesn’t mean that we are not involved! We are the ones who must gaze at the glory of the Lord, but as we do so we are continuously being transformed.

From one degree of glory to another. As we behold the glory of the Lord in the face of Jesus through the gospel we are renewed or restored back into the image of God that was marred or tainted in us because of sin. From one degree of glory to another. This process is a continuing work.

Is this not a miraculous task? This is what we must do for one another in the process of disciple-making. We must help one another be transformed from one degree of glory to another! Wow! Anyone think they are up for the task?

So how do we accomplish all of this? Notice the end of the verse!

For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

In other words even though it is our job and we have to do the work of helping each other truly behold the glory of the Lord, it is the Holy Spirit who accomplishes the work in us.

This is the paradox of the Christian life.

Galatians 2:20 (ESV)

20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

1 Corinthians 15:10 (ESV)

10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

1 Corinthians 3:6–7 (ESV)

6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

Philippians 2:12–13 (ESV)

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

In each of these texts, I live—and that includes making disciples—yet I live is such a way that it is in a very real and crucial sense it’s not I, but God living in me.

How do you all, as disciple-makers of one another, become the instruments of renewal, by which the Holy Spirit works the miracle of change from one degree of glory to another?

This is preliminary.

The one another responsibility is to disciple one another. Before you even get to that, how can you allow God to use you by empowering you through the Holy Spirit, to be an instrument of sanctification, an instrument of Christlikeness?

That is the foundation that I want to address in this sermon.

I learned a very helpful practical answer to this question from a sermon by Pastor John Piper. And I want to share an acronym with you that hopefully will stick in your mind.

A.P.T.A.T.

This acronym has to do with being filled by the Spirit, of walking in the Spirit, of keeping in step with the Spirit so that we can become the instruments of renewal for the Holy Spirit to do the miracle of change in our lives.

This short little acronym is so helpful to think about the minuets leading up to ministry. This can apply to all kinds of ministry. I used this when I am sitting in my chair before the service begins. You know we have that 5 minute timer that rolls before the service and a message that says- we encourage you to find your seats and prepare your hearts. I try to use those 5 minutes to run my mind and my heart through this process.

Then we have one of the men come up and prepare our hearts for worship and we have a brief moment of silent prayer- I am thinking though this process then as well.

Then, as the special music finishes and someone gets up and reads the Scriptures I am walking through APTAT in my mind.

This is a practical way to be filled by the Spirit in the days, hours, or minutes leading up to ministry. But it doesn’t have to be just preaching. This can be helpful in all areas of life: disciple making, parenting, counseling, teaching, serving, showing hospitality, giving, forgiving, etc…

How do you all, as disciple-makers of one another, become the instruments of renewal, by which the Holy Spirit works the miracle of change from one degree of glory to another?

How do you become empowered by the Holy Spirit for the task of ministry?

A — Admit that without Christ you can do nothing

In the moments leading up to whatever task of ministry I find to do I will pray quietly in my heart, “I admit, Father, that I am utterly dependent on you as I do the work of ministry.”

You have called me to do the miraculous in this moment of ministry. I am about to instruct, teaching, admonish, encourage, edify, or stir up. I am about to attempt to help someone behold in the mirror the very glory of God. I am about to attempt to help someone be transformed back into your very own glorious image and likeness.

In this moment of ministry I admit that I am totally and completely dependent upon you to accomplish this miracle. And somehow you will use me to do it.

Without you Father I would have nothing.

Acts 17:25 ESV

25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.

Father, you are not served by my weak human hands. You are prefect and complete in yourself. You do not need anything outside of your completeness. You alone give to all mankind life and breath and everything. I admit my dependence upon you.

Without your supernatural help to aid my hands, to aid my feet, to aid my voice— no one will be converted to Christ. No will will be raised from spiritual death to life. No one will have soften their hearts of stone and instead write your precious words upon the tablets of their hearts. No one will welcome the message of the text. No one will see you in the beauty of your holiness.

I embrace this truth whole heatedly.

John 15:5 ESV

5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

I freely admit that apart from you I can do nothing.

That is step #1 in becoming an instrument of change for the Holy Spirit to do the miracle of transformation.

P— Pray for God’s help

On the heels of my admission of utter dependence comes a prayer for help.

Sometimes this is just simple plea- God help! Help me!

Other times if I am struggling with something specific I will pray specifically for the help I need.

God, help me quench the fiery darts of the evil one, who wants me to despair that I am unfit or unusable or unable to do this work of ministry that you have called me to in this moment.

Father, give me clarity of mind and thought that I might teach or preach your Word with skill and applicability so that peoples hearts might actually change.

Help me not think more highly of myself than I ought to think, but cause me to think with sober judgement. Help me to forget myself and serve with humility.

In the moment of my ministry bring to mind the words that maybe I did not plan on saying, but that you desire your people to hear.

Cause the meaning of your word to be expressed in my teaching, not just through the words I speak, but through the emotions that I bring into my delivery.

Give me grace to love this person that I am discipling in the same way that you love them.

Give me eyes of faith to see them as your image bearers, worthy of dignity and honor.

Grant me joy in my ministry and help me to be genuine in my service.

So I admit my need, I pray, sometimes generally but often times specifically in my moment of ministry for the exact need I have.

T- Trust in a promise suited to your need

This one is the heart of cooperating with the Spirit in order to be an instrument of grace in the work of ministry. This is where the rubber meets the road, as they say.

Galatians 3:2 (ESV)

2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?

Paul asks the Galatians the question, how did you get saved? Was it by the works of the law? Or was it through HEARING with FAITH.

Notice how Paul connects those two thoughts— hearing and faith. What did the Galatians hear? In this context it was the gospel.

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 ESV

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

And upon hearing the gospel they exercised faith in the specific things that they heard. And the moment they did this they received the Spirit. In other words they were born again, they became Christians.

Galatians 3:3–4 ESV

3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

Galatians 3:5 (ESV)

5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—

In v. 3 Paul stated that the Galatians received the Spirit by hearing with faith.

Now in v. 5 Paul says that Christians keep on being supplied with the power of the Holy Spirit, who works miracles among you, in the same way—by hearing with faith.

God continues to supply us with the power of the Holy Spirit to do the miracle of the work of ministry not by works of the law, but by hearing with faith.

When the Galatians received the Spirit in v. 3 what did they hear and believe? The gospel.

Now in v. 5 as God continues to supply the power of the Spirit to work miracles among them, what did they hear? Not just the promises of the gospel, but all the promises of God.

2 Peter 1:3–4 ESV

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Now let’s make the thought of Gal 3:5 specific to the task of one another ministry.

Galatians 3:5 ESV

5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—

Does he who supplies the Spirit to you as you disciple and attempt the miracle of transformation in the life of another person, does God does this through the works of the law? or by the hearing of his great and precious promises with faith?

Answer? The Holy Spirit is supplied to us so we can become an instrument of ministry by means of our trusting the promises of God for our ministry in the hour of our need.

As we think about the T—Trust in a promise suited for your need. Let’s think about trusting in three specific ways.

1. Always serve in the strength of God

1 Peter 4:11 ESV

11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

This is a wonderful verse to call to mind often in the moments of ministry where trust becomes essential.

And again we see the paradox of ministry. Who is the one doing the speaking? I am. Who is the one doing the serving? I am. We must speak, we must serve. But in the same breath we must speak and serve by the strength that God supplies.

And why is it so important that we do the work of ministry in the strength that God supplies? In order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ!

When we speak and serve in the strength of God, and He accomplishes miracles through our feeble attempts at ministry who gets the glory? God does!

Moms when you have to get up in the morning and your alarm clock goes off way too early, and yet you have to get up and serve your children once again. How are you going to do that work of ministry? By the strength that God supplies. So moms, when you are getting yourself ready in the morning before the kids wake up, call I Peter 4:11 to your mind. Focus your mind to trust in the promise of God’s power, not in yourself. Because when trust happens, the Holy Spirit empowers that choice. If you choose the things of God, God the Spirit will in turn empower and bless that choice.

And this goes for anytime we all have to do the work of ministry.

2. Call to mind and depend upon specific promises

When you get to the T- Trust section of APTAT it is very helpful to put your trust in specific promises of God rather than general truths about God. While it is true that God is gracious and kind and will help you, it is even more effective if you can put your trust in God’s specific words of promise to you.

Isaiah 41:10 ESV

10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 64:4 ESV

4 From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him.

Philippians 4:19 ESV

19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV

8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

Now, if you are going to be able to call to mind specific promises of God in the moments of ministry what habit must you develop in your spiritual life? Memorization: make sure you have committed these and other promises like these to memory so that you can recall them at a moments notice and trust God’s word all over again.

That’s Galatians 3:5- When we hear with faith, then God supplies the Spirit to us to work miracles.

3. Search the Scriptures daily for providential promises

Not only should we have a treasure house of God’s promises memorized ready to be recalled at a moments notice, but we should develop the habit of finding God intended promises in our Bible reading every day.

When I read my bible in the morning, especially on days when I have to preach or disciple or do some other work of ministry, I am always on the look out for a God-intended providential promises that often times is tailor made by God to meet my needs for that day.

For example, one of the struggles every Sunday morning is preparing my heart to worship the Lord. One of the biggest challenges to that is trying to get six boys ready for church. Inevitably there is conflict. And often times I end up loosing my cool and yelling at my kids to force order upon the chaos. Then I feel guilty and ill prepared to get into the pulpit and preach God’s holy word.

Well perhaps that morning in my Bible reading God led me to Ps 25.

Psalm 25:8–9 ESV

8 Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. 9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.

God might use this verse to remind me that He will lead me while I preach even though I am a sinner. God is good and upright and he instructs, leads, and teaches even sinners like me. This promise is providentially exactly what I need to trust Him for the work of ministry that specific day.

Maybe, I have to disciple or counsel someone about a particularly difficult issue and I fear that I won’t have the wisdom necessary to help.

Matthew 10:19 ESV

19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.

This happens often. Often times I feel discouraged and like my work of ministry for the day didn’t really accomplish all that much.

Isaiah 55:10–11 ESV

10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

If I am tired and weak or sick that day and don’t feel like I have the strength to do the work of ministry.

2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

If I am feeling cynical and thinking about ministering to people who don’t want to hear God’s truth and instead criticize me. One of those, pastor can we talk moments right before I get up to preach!

Luke 6:22–23 ESV

22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

So as I come to the moment of ministry I; A— admit my need, P— pray for help, then T— trust the great and precious promises of God by hearing with faith.

I call to my mind a specific promise of God, and then I put my trust in that promise. I might pray this:

Mark 9:24 ESV

24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

Sometimes, I actually speak the words of God’s promises to me in my heart as if God were speaking them to me personally. I speak to myself the promises of God.

In my heart I will say,

“I will help you.”

“I will strengthen you.”

“I will uphold you.”

“I will supply exactly what you need.”

“I will be with you.”

“I love you.” “I have called you.”

“You are mine.”

And in this way, hearing with faith, the Holy Spirit is supplied to us in power to do the work of ministry.

A— Act with humble confidence in God’s help

Here is the paradox of the Christian life. Now is the time for action.

Philippians 2:12–13 ESV

Work Out- agricultural term, “cultivate” the salvation God has given you.

“Work out what God has worked in; apply the salvation you have received to every area of your lives—work, recreation, family, life, culture, art, science, and the like.

We must take an active part in our advancement in Christlikeness!

But, on the other hand- God is the One who gives us the desire and the ability to do His good pleasure.

“The harder we work, the more sure we may be that God is working in us.”

Yet we must still do the work.

So once, I admit, pray, trust— then I actually put hands and feet to my prayers. This is the kind of faith that God delights in! God wants us to have such confidence in His Word that it produces action!

This is the kind of hearing with faith that God delights in! This is what it really looks like to be a doer of the Word, and not a hearer only.

By the way: you probably will not be able to observe the miracle of ministry that God is using you to accomplish! Most of the time that work goes unnoticed inside people’s hearts and we just need to trust that God is at work.

T— Thank him for the good that comes

When all is said and done and you have allowed God to use you an his instrument of ministry. When you have fulfilled this one another command of instructing, teaching, admonishing, encouraging, edifying, or stirring up, don’t forget to thank the Lord!

Colossians 3:16–17 ESV

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Thank you Lord for using me as an instrument of the Holy Spirit to accomplish the miracle of ministry. Thank you for using me to allow us all to behold your glory as in a mirror. Thank you for using me in the process of transformation where you are changing all of us from one degree of glory to another. Thank You!