At Praise Church We ARE: I____________
At Praise Church We: PRAISE • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 11 viewsNotes
Transcript
At Praise Church We ARE: Intentional in Discipleship
At Praise Church We ARE: Intentional in Discipleship
This one is probably not going to be very popular, nor is it going to be painless; because this one is ALL ABOUT PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY!
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 everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
What is Jesus COMMANDING us to do here?
“Make Disciples of all nations”
We will get to this
Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
That is interesting. We like doing this.
Teaching them to observe EVERYTHING I have commanded you.
Let me ask you a question: How can you do this without knowing EVERYTHING we have been commanded?
In other words: how can we know what we have been commanded?
Intentional in Discipleship means that we, as a church: provide opportunities for spiritual and religious growth.
Intentional in Discipleship means that we, as a church: provide opportunities for spiritual and religious growth.
Yes Both Spiritual and Religious.
Spiritual - a focus on spiritual things and the spiritual world instead of physical/earthly things.
Religious - a set of beliefs and rituals that claim to get a person in a right relationship with God
So let’s get this straight:
Christianity does have “rituals” to observe (e.g., baptism and communion).
Christianity does have “rules” to follow (e.g., do not murder, love one another, etc.)
The rituals and rules of Christianity are the result of salvation.
When we receive salvation through Jesus Christ, we are baptized as a proclamation of that faith. We observe communion in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice. We follow a list of do’s and don’ts out of love for God and gratitude for what He has done.
THIS IS RELIGION!
Now for Spirituality:
Spirituality is possessing the Holy Spirit of God as a result of receiving salvation through Jesus Christ.
Spirituality is the fruit that the Holy Spirit produces in a person’s life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.
Spirituality is all about becoming more like God, who is spirit (John 4:24)
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.”
It is about becoming more like God and having our character conformed to His image (Romans 12:1-2).
Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
AND as a Church we provide opportunities:
Sunday Morning Sermon
Sunday Morning Men’s Group and Women’s Group
Wednesday - ALL AGES
Soon - Youth Specific
SOON - Home Groups
Very SOON - Ladies Retreat
So As a Church we have what we can do, BUT that only goes SO FAR. There is also the DAILY PERSONAL Discipleship that YOU have to own.
Intentional in Discipleship means that we, as people: Read our Bible
Intentional in Discipleship means that we, as people: Read our Bible
Jesus focused not on religion but on a relationship.
He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.
Love is a RELATIONSHIP word.
If you look back at the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve walked with God.
God led them out in Exodus and led them with a plow by day and a pillar of fire by night.
When Jesus came they called him God, with us, Emmanuel. Now with the Holy Spirit he is God in us.
Jesus went so far to tell his disciples that if they have the choice between having him, Jesus, with them or having the Holy Spirit inside of them, they should choose the Holy Spirit if they really understood what the Holy Spirit could do for them.
All of that to say that the experience with the Spirit is supposed to be so incredible that it really defines all of Christianity, which is ironic that a lot of people think that you now choose between spirituality and religion because, at least in the Bible, they really are one in the same.
You cannot have a relationship with God and not commune with his Spirit.
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
Listen:God’s Word is truth and the only way you can be sure that what you know is TRUTH, is to take it to the Bible.
Intentional in Discipleship means that we, as people: are Intentional in PERSONAL Study.
Intentional in Discipleship means that we, as people: are Intentional in PERSONAL Study.
I am not talking about Devotionals. I mean really owning your faith. Take the sermon and go back over the scripture.
Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
But even if you should suffer for righteousness, you are blessed. Do not fear them or be intimidated, but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.
OWN YOUR FAITH!
when you dive into God’s word to own your faith, you may learn that things that you thought were true, things you believed - were actually not biblical. So you have to let those things GO and then CLING to the truth that God teaches you!
Intentional in Discipleship means that we: Hold each other Accountable!
Intentional in Discipleship means that we: Hold each other Accountable!
Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted. Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
In other words: YES BE YOUR BOTHER’S KEEPER!
Intentional in Discipleship means that we: Do LIFE TOGETHER!
Intentional in Discipleship means that we: Do LIFE TOGETHER!
And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, 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. Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ. From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.
