Gospel Driven Discipleship

Introduction

Fear of Western church culture

selfish and consumeristic

nothing demonstrates this more than a lack of desire to disciple or be discipled

we want people to be saved, but spiritual maturity is not a concern

we are family driven which is good

but can be just as selfish if we are not careful

there are some spiritual orphans that need trained up in the way they should go as well

Mark Dever - A disciple is a follower. And discipling is simply helping others follow Jesus.

Today’s passage is a prime example of just that

this passage has been taken to mean something I do not believe it says about baptism and the holy spirit

showing a lack of discipleship in the church that has taken out of context to fit a belief narrative

when what we see is the through discipleship, it is not just the person taught that is served, but the entire kingdom of God

Acts 18:23–19:7 CSB

23 After spending some time there, he set out, traveling through one place after another in the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. 24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native Alexandrian, an eloquent man who was competent in the use of the Scriptures, arrived in Ephesus. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately about Jesus, although he knew only John’s baptism. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. After Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately. 27 When he wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers and sisters wrote to the disciples to welcome him. After he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating through the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah. 1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” “No,” they told him, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 “Into what then were you baptized?” he asked them. “Into John’s baptism,” they replied. 4 Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 When they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy. 7 Now there were about twelve men in all.

Pray!

Discipleship is not simple living by example, but intentionally leading others closer to Jesus.

To disciple people to the point of maturity in Christ, we must be willing to disciple people in the truth of the gospel.

Desire to Disciple

We all have different things that we like to do

and places that we are willing to serve the church

one might say, I enjoy music, I would be up front helping lead the music portion of our worship service

one might say, I do not want to be up front… but I will serve in this area to be in the background

discipleship is not a place where we choose to serve, it is the heart of a believer to love their fellow believers enough to want them to grow in the Lord Jesus

Acts 18:23 CSB

23 After spending some time there, he set out, traveling through one place after another in the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

Paul leaves Antioch again

with a desire, to strengthen those who have come to Christ in the places that he has gone on the first two missionary journeys

to strengthen is to grow them in the their love for and knowledge of Jesus

goes back to where he was stoned

how much do you have to be committed to what you are doing to go back there a third time

maybe a better way is to ask, “how much do you have to love the Lord and his people to go back?”

Salvation is not the only goal

the desire of the church cannot getting people to pray a prayer, get dunked in a tank, and counted on a role

Paul writes to the Ephesians that the Lord gave the church, pastors elders evangelists… to equip the church to build up

Ephesians 4:11–13 CSB

11 And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.

build up - to edify or make more able

I believe we do good with our children and then less and less as we grow older

we have heard the number of kids that leave the faith when they leave the home

we have to disciple these teens

that does not mean we teach them a Bible lesson, we are not talking about another bible study, sunday school class or curriculum

but somebody to walk beside, share life with them and show them how you follow Jesus

how to serve in the local church so that when they go out from here they are ready to serve.

truth be told, that is what all followers of Jesus need

we do not get that through a programmed class

we do not get that through a certain Bible Study

Time between journeys gets shorter and shorter

Paul loves these people

yes there is danger in where he is going

but the time that he spends in Antioch gets shorter and shorter

a couple years between the first two missionary journeys, about a year between two and three

Boldness to Disciple

We laugh at our house over the phrase, “What do I say…”

it has amazed me how many times and different people ask me that

you need to have this conversation, ok, what do I say

Jimmy has been amazed telling me, I do not know how you do that when watching me tell people things that are not always easy to say

Acts 18:24–28 CSB

24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native Alexandrian, an eloquent man who was competent in the use of the Scriptures, arrived in Ephesus. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately about Jesus, although he knew only John’s baptism. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. After Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately. 27 When he wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers and sisters wrote to the disciples to welcome him. After he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating through the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.

Apollos was educated in scriptures,

he was from Alexandria, in Egypt a very scholarly place

he knew the OT scripture and could refute and debate with the Jews that the OT pointed to a suffering messiah

yet in all of that he was missing something

but was not fully learned in the gospel

he knew of the baptism of John, but not the baptism of Jesus

Aquila and Priscilla were willing to correct Apollos

privately and lovingly

this is not the social media comment section

those can be a lot of fun to read

this is a bringing him to their home and putting a meal in front of him

it is a loving conversation, though maybe difficult, that says, “You are very smart, very close, but your missing something.”

I do not get the sense that this is just a quick conversation, after hearing him speak once at the synagogue

unloving leaves the person and those being taught by him, in a dangerous place

loving is not simply agreeing, going along to get along

this leads him astray, and it leads anyone who hears him astray

Their boldness serves Apollos and the Kingdom of God

What was Apollos teaching

the text leads us to believe that it was lacking in the baptism of Jesus

Baptism of John - repent, for there is one coming after me

Isaiah 40:3 CSB

3 A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.

it is a baptism that looks forward to a coming salvation

the Baptism of Jesus - does not say there is a coming salvation, but that salvation has come!

Jesus tells his disciples… not a baptism in the name of Jesus, but the baptism that Jesus instructs his followers to do

Matthew 28:19 CSB

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,

Wisdom to Disciple

The breakdown is dangerous

we have many people who have not been discipled by people and then do not know how to disciple people

we end up with orphan christians

Acts 19:1–7 CSB

1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” “No,” they told him, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 “Into what then were you baptized?” he asked them. “Into John’s baptism,” they replied. 4 Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 When they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy. 7 Now there were about twelve men in all.

Paul had wisdom and knowledge of God

this comes from the holy spirit, the study of scripture and Barnabas

remember Barnabas got him from Tarsus and took him to Antioch

this was passed on to Aquila and Priscilla

They all were willing to correct the wrong teaching or beliefs of others

we cannot allow our desire to be nice to be okay with people dying and going to hell

We have the ability to share the truth with people

this is not social media posts

but actually loving our neighbors enough to speak the truth to them

Paul speaks to twelve that believe like Apollos

are they people he taught, maybe and I can see where we can think that

Paul teaches them about Jesus

he lays hands on them and they speak in tongues and prophesy

does this mean that we are to do this, lay hands and pray over them until they speak in tongues

no, historical book, this has not been done every time, next passage is face cloth and aprons put on people to heal them, we are not starting that ministry

over and over in the book of acts we see works of the spirit to prove the legitimacy of the gospel

What we see is a willingness by all to speak bold truths, raise up disciples, not converts

converts are people who conform to a religion

disciples are learners, followers of Christ

Discussion Questions

How do Paul and Apollos’ experiences of baptism differ in the context of the sermon?

In what ways can you intentionally lead someone closer to Jesus?

How can we address the challenge of spiritual orphans in our church?

What was the response of the disciples when Paul asked them about the Holy Spirit?

Why is it important to understand the difference between John’s baptism and the baptism of Jesus?

How can you personally show love and commitment to your fellow believers?

What steps can you take in your own life to ensure you are growing in your faith?

Who were Priscilla and Aquila and what role did they play in Apollos' discipleship?

What does it mean to disciple someone in the context of the Gospel?

What is the significance of Paul returning to previously established churches?

How can understanding the concept of discipleship change the way you approach your relationships with peers?