Making Disciples with One Another

Mark A Green

Disciples: Be One. Make One. • Sermon • Submitted 7 years ago

1 Corinthians 12:1–27

Discipleship

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Discipleship is best accomplisherd through a Unifyied Body of believers - United around the Great Commission

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Introduction

A Beautiful Symphony! Everyone has an individual instrument to play, an individual gift to play it and the individual has sheet music to play from that guides them to the music they ought to play in order to achieve a harmonious, glorious sound!

Imagine, however, if the viola decided it wanted to play the music of the timpani? It would be disastrous! What if the triangle felt up to taking over for the first chair flautist? Horrible! Or worse yet, what if a world class director came in to lead in the performance of Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95, “From the New World”: Largo, only to find the cello, clarinets and violins decided not to show up? It would be devastating to the performance!

You are God’s Orchestra, ladies and gentlemen. You are chosen to perform His grand and glorious Opus of all time! Together we play his beautiful and moving score. Together we are following the timing of the timeless director. Are you practiced? Are you showing up to the concert prepared? Everyone in the orchestra is depending on you and you are depending on everyone in the glorious orchestra known as His local church.

Our theme for this year and this month in particular is Discipleship. “Disciple: Be one. Make one.” And we started of this year talking about this from . This addressed the “Why” of discipleship.

The second Sunday we addressed the How of discipleship as an individual from .

Last week we talked about the How of discipleship from a corporate level and we used many texts from the bible and also leaned heavily on the book, “The Vine Keeper” I invited 5-15 people to help me help this congregation. Their task is to help develop a culture of Discipleship her at ABC. So that discipleship becomes a natural reflex of who we are as followers of Christ.

This then brings us to today. We are again going to address the “How” of discipleship in the Church and we are going to do so by walking through ...

Main Idea - Biblical Discipleship is Most Powerfully Accomplished Together

Transition - there are three things we all must know and believe from Paul’s teachings this morning. And the first is this...

1.You All are Gifted by God’s Will (vs. 1-11)

1 Corinthians 12:1–11 ESV

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

1 Cor

Spiritual gifting has always had a bit of confusion associated with it and it still does today. Paul, in verse one wants to make things clear for the church at Corinth, he wants them to be properly informed about their spiritual gifting.

The first thing he wants them to understand is there are Gifts that believers receive as a result of their relationship with Christ. When you believe, you are gifted! This is true of ALL believers.

In verses 2-3 Paul tells them the difference between the “religious experiences” of the pagans and Christians. There is a great contrast. You were in the darkness, now you are in the light...

In verse 2, he reminds them of the time before they knew Christ. They were still religious but their religion was carrying them in the wrong direction.

“...that since there are innumerable idols in the world there would have been innumerable ways in which any given pagan might have been led astray. Each idol temple would have offered something slightly or significantly different to its potential worshipers, and worshipers of each idol may have been (mis)led differently. The following passage will stress that for Christians there is only one God and Spirit. That same God is experienced by all of his people and blesses them all in the most diverse ways. In paganism there may have been many gods, but each one tended (tends) to be associated with a particular and distinct type of experience. In Christ there is one God, who makes himself known to his people in a great diversity of ways (all consistent with his perfect character). We do not need different gods for different needs or blessings, for there is only one God, and he provides for our every need.”

Roy E. Ciampa and Brian S. Rosner, The First Letter to the Corinthians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2010), 563.

Paul is laying forth a case that will take three chapters that there is a proper way to function in the body and there is an improper way. And the proper way is through Spirit-filled believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Believers who refuse to rely on their old pagan religion to exact change in the church or give them some sort of grandiose, elevated position in the body. Paul is clear, there is no blending of the pagan and the godly. You can’t be part of a religion that doesn’t exalt Christ if you are to be pleasing to HIm. True and genuine Christians can only be involved in a religion that exalts Jesus as Lord because that confession only can come from the Spirit of God.

So the groundwork is laid. We worship God in Spirit and in truth. This is the point of the next three chapters. Spiritual Gifts, gifts that come from God Himself when one is born again. There is no gifting from the pagan religions, only lies and confusion. And Paul was desperate to keep lies and confusion out of this local congregation.

In verse 2, he reminds them of the time before they knew Christ. They were still religious but their religion was carrying them in the wrong direction.

Why do I bring you to this passage this morning? What does have to do with our theme of Disciple: Be One. Make One? Because of the overarching truth that Paul demonstrates in this passage, namely that The Body of Christ, made up of individual, spirit filled, spirit gifted members, is God’s nuclear weapon to destroy darkness and bring forth the light of the Gospel! The Body of Christ is God’s best tool to “Move people to the right.”

Show diagram again...

And biblical discipleship is not the option of every believer but the glorious responsibility and privilege of EACH AND EVERY Believer.

And so, in verse four, five and six, Paul teaches the Corinthians about “Spiritual gifts.”

1 Corinthians 12:4–6 ESV

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.

1 Corinthians 12:4 ESV

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;

Now, of course as you study through chapters 12-14 you find that Paul is dealing with a bunch of Christians who where not thinking very Christ-like in regard to their gifting. They desired the gifting that brought them the accolades and attention as individual. They wanted the “cool”, “spectacular” gifts that gave them the glory and not Christ.

1 Cor

By the way, this is not the point of this sermon and regardless of where you are at in your understand of the Holy activity today regarding the “spectacular” gifts, Paul’s message is clear. Humility must be at the root of any and all of the gifting we have because are gifting is GIVEN to us, not for our own glory but for Service to HIM!

In verses 4-6 Paul makes a few things clear. First, there isn’t just one gift, there are many gifts. And all of these gifts come from not many sources, but one source.

He also says there are a variety of service and a variety of activities

Gifts, service and activities but the same God behind them all. By the way, did you notice the Trinity in these verses?

Gifts - Same Spirit

Variety of Services - Same Lord (Christ)

Variety of Activities - Same God (Father)

David Lowery - Paul had referred to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in verse 3. Now in reverse order he stressed the unity of the Godhead in relation to the different spiritual gifts. The Holy Spirit gives a diversity of gifts (cf. “Spirit” in vv. 7–9, 11) so that individuals can serve the Lord and His body, the church, in various ways (cf. vv. 7, 27), all empowered by God and exercised under His aegis (support) (cf. vv. 18, 24). Though there are different (various) kinds (diaireseis) of gifts … service, and working (activities), the same Spirit … the same Lord (Christ), and the same God are involved in all of them.

Paul had referred to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in verse 3. Now in reverse order he stressed the unity of the Godhead in relation to the different spiritual gifts. The Holy Spirit gives a diversity of gifts (cf. “Spirit” in vv. 7–9, 11) so that individuals can serve the Lord and His body, the church, in various ways (cf. vv. 7, 27), all empowered by God and exercised under His aegis (cf. vv. 18, 24). Though there are different kinds (diaireseis) of gifts … service, and working, the same Spirit … the same Lord (Christ), and the same God are involved in all of them.

David K. Lowery, “1 Corinthians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 533.

So God is a gifting God! The Father, Son and Holy Spirit gift you and they gift you for a glorious purpose. Look at verse 7...

1 Corinthians 12:7 ESV

7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

The common good! The gifting of God is not for your glory, but for the common good of the Church, in particular…(Discipleship)

1 Corinthians 12:8–10 ESV

8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

And lest we think this is the only and exclusive list found in the Scriptures of Spiritual gifting, that is not the case. You can look also in ; ; . Possibly we could include , but that is a list of offices within the church, not spiritual gifts, per se.

So Paul is dealing with an immature body of believers who come out of a radical, pagan lifestyle and are now coming to terms with their newfound gifting from on High. So Paul’s job is not only to teach them about their gifting, but to exhort them as to why they have these gifts.

re ; ; and . We could also include , but that is a list of offices within the church, not spiritual gifts, per se. The spiritual gifts identified in are prophesying, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership, and mercy. The list in includes the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues. The list in in

Their pride was getting the best of them and they needed to be reminded that they had the gift they had because of God’s good purposes...

1 Corinthians 12:11 ESV

11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

God gave them each a gift or gifts. The word empowered can also be translated, “energized”. The Spirit is the battery for our spiritual gifting.

But look at what the text also says, “who apportions to each one individually as HE WILLS.”

I used to be an administrator at a Christian school and the Preschool teacher used to say this phrase when she was handing out their daily snack and I thought it was wonderful.

“You get what you get and you don’t pitch a fit!”

Illustrate -

Isn’t that brilliant?! The Corinthians needed to hear Miss Stacy say in regard to their spiritual gifting from on High, “You get what you get and you don’t pitch a fit!”

Illustrate -

Now, honestly, I don’t think this is a huge issue for our church. I don’t think we struggle with the same attitude that the Corinthian church had about gifting. But i do think we struggle.

I think we struggle with the very idea that God has gifted us and the idea that He wants us to use our gifting in a variety of services and in a variety of activities.

Listen to me carefully! If you are a Christian, if you name the name of Jesus as your only Savior, if you are a born again, blood washed, Spirit indwelt, Child of the Most-High God, then YOU HAVE A GIFT! YOU ARE GIFTED! BY HIS WILL!!!

I know I came a long way around the barn to get to this point, but you must OWN this reality! God is in you and He has gifted you and your response to this gifting needs to be more than, “That’s cool!”

It is cool! For sure!

But we all need to do three things with this information.

Identify your Gifting

Start using your gifting here at church

Watch God grow you in your gifting (if you sit on it, it will not grow)!

Review -

Main Idea - Biblical Discipleship is Most Powerfully Accomplished Together

1. You All are Gifted by God’s Will

1. You are Gifted by God’s Will

Point 2. - You are Gifted for God’s Body (vs. 12-20)

1 Corinthians 12:1–11 ESV

2. You All are Gifted for God’s Body (vs. 12-20)

1 Corinthians 12:12–20 ESV

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

Explain -

Folks, we have already heard Paul discuss the Empowerment (filling) of the Holy Spirit, now we get to see another aspect of the ministry of the Holy Spirit, His Baptism.

Now remember the progression we see in this passage. These Corinthians, were once lost (pagans), but then they heard the proclamation of the Gospel through Paul’s missionary efforts, responded to the Gospel, repented and placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as their only way to salvation. Once this happens, the Spirit of God comes to indwell a believer. When this happens many things take place...

And one of those things is called “The Baptism of the Holy Spirit.” This is significant because at the baptism of the Holy Spirit something very special happens. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit connects us with all the other believers in the world. This is what Paul is saying in verse 13...

1 Corinthians 12:13 ESV

13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

We become part of His universal church! We are part of His body. Regardless of our ethnicity, our position, it doesn’t matter if we are rich or poor, we are all equal because we bowed the knee at the foot of the cross and He brought us into His family.

(Discuss the Global and local aspects of His Body…)

Remember, Paul is speaking to a local body and he is teaching them the importance of their uniqueness to the local assembly and He uses the Human body as the illustration of the spiritual reality.

1 Corinthians 12:14–17 ESV

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?

Your physical body is not one solid mass of flesh. First of all that is weird to imagine. Secondly, it would be impossible for that kind of body to survive...

Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva - (Sounds like something Dumbledore would say in a Harry Potter book) Where your body (soft connective tissue) turns to solid bone...

Illustrate -

If your body were one solid bone, it would be useless!

If the church were one member, it too would be useless. In God’s infinite wisdom, His spiritual body is structure just like our human body.

We celebrate that we are a foot because we belong to the body!

We celebrate that we are a hand because we belong to the body!

We celebrate that we are an ear and an eye because each has a distinct role to play within His body. Both on a global level and most importantly on a local level.

And the raw, unmitigated fact is, you don’t have a choice in this one. You are what you are and you are to use your gifting and abilities for God’s good purposes. Look at what Paul says...

1 Corinthians 12:18–20 ESV

But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

The body life of the church is God’s plan. The diversity within His Body is His Plan! He started with one people and He will finish with all people!

Romans 10:12 ESV

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.

Galatians 3:27–28 ESV

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Gal

Colossians 3:11 ESV

Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

And one day this reality will gloriously culminate in heave!

Revelation 7:9–10 ESV

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Revelation 7:9 ESV

Rev 7:

Illustrate -

And if you are sitting in this gymnasium this morning and you are a believer in Jesus Christ, then you are a SIGNIFICANT part of this Body - His Body! You make this body stronger and better IF you are playing your part!

My Mom’s two fingers...

Listen! If you are a believer, He has gifted you to do something within this body! Don’t be a dead finger that’s a drag on the body! Get to work! Use your gifting! Make a difference!

You might be thinking, “Yeah, I really should, but what can I do?” I don’t have that much to offer.”

Not so!

Review -

Main Idea - Biblical Discipleship is Powerfully Accomplished Together

1. You All are Gifted by God’s Will

2. You All are Gifted for God’s Body

3. You All are Gifted to Play in God’s Great Symphony (vs. 21-27)

1 Corinthians 12:21–27 ESV

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Ladies and Gentlemen, listen carefully (Conni, I’ll tell you when to stop the music. I’ll simply say, “Stop the music!”)

Play the William Tell Overture

Can you imagine the precision and expertise necessary to perform such a piece like that flawlessly? Can you imagine trying to play that famous and magnificent piece solely on a piccolo? I’m sure it could be nice but it would scarcely compare to the power an majesty of an entire orchestra!

You are God’s orchestra! And you and I, We, along with Christians around the world are playing God’s Great Symphony!

And what is the song of God’s Great Symphony? His song is Redemption, His message, reconciliation! There is now a way that God and humankind can be be together once again! We can bought back from the kingdom of Satan and grow as children of light! There is glorious hope because of the Gospel of Christ!

But here is the problem. The same problem I alluded to in the opening of the sermon. The desire of individuals to be individuals only!

1 Corinthians 12:21 ESV

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

1 Corin 12 2

Paul is challenging those in the church at Corinth of their utter dependance on one another. It is ridiculous to suggest that we have no need of one another.

1 Corinthians 12:22 ESV

22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,

In other words, some in the Corinthian church were thinking more highly of themselves than they ought to think most likely because they had the gifting that made them stand out in a crowd. But the behind the scenes people with less glamorous and spectacular gifting might be thought less of and marginalized. Paul says just the opposite! “They may seem weaker, but they are not only necessary, they are INDISPENSABLE!”

1 Corinthians 12:23–26 ESV

23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

1 cor 12

David Lowery - Possibly Paul was reaching back in thought beyond the immediate discussion of gifts when he referred to weaker members (v. 22; cf. 8:7–13) and less honorable ones (12:23; cf. 11:22) who also required special care and consideration. This too was part of God’s plan (God … combined the members), that members of the spiritual body would demonstrate a mutual concern for the well-being of others (12:25b–26; 10:24, 33) so that rivalry would cease (so that there should be no division in the body; 1:10; 11:18) and genuine unity would exist (12:26).

Possibly Paul was reaching back in thought beyond the immediate discussion of gifts when he referred to weaker members (v. 22; cf. 8:7–13) and less honorable ones (12:23; cf. 11:22) who also required special care and consideration. This too was part of God’s plan (God … combined the members), that members of the spiritual body would demonstrate a mutual concern for the well-being of others (12:25b–26; 10:24, 33) so that rivalry would cease (so that there should be no division in the body; 1:10; 11:18) and genuine unity would exist (12:26).

David K. Lowery, “1 Corinthians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 534.

The point? There is great power in unity. (verse 24 - “God has so composed the body...” “To orchestrate, to mix together”

Have you ever been to a Symphony? Have you heard them warm up? It’s awful! Everybody’s doing their own thing, tuning, warming up. It’s confusing, not melodic at all! At least from my ears out in the crowd. The Trumpet player is focused on his trumpet when he is warming up and the scale he is playing probably sounds quite nice. But when combined with everyone elses “own thing” it is a melodic, chaotic, mess!

And that is what we sound like to God’s ears when we are doing our own thing, working apart from the body. If everyone is doing there own thing in a local body it is a spiritually chaotic mess. The devil loves chaos. God loves things done decently and in order. God loves it when His church is unified, orchestrated in such a way that great harmony results!

Illustrate -

1 Corinthians 12:25–26 ESV

that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

Folks, this is what it means to be part of a local church!

No division in the body - Not unanimity, but unity. Not avoiding conflict, but being proactive, positive and focused on problem solving in a way that pleases Christ!

Special care for EVERYONE - “The members have the same care for one another” - A consistent, compassionate care across the board. EVERYONE is cared for spiritually, physically and emotionally.

If someone is suffering, we all carry it together. We feel their pain and we surround them with love, support and encouragement!

If someone is honored, we are thrilled for them, not jealous of them.

Doesn’t this sound amazing! Who wouldn’t want to be a part of a church body like this? This type of culture is the inevitable result of Biblical Discipleship!

And guess what folks, it starts with YOU!

1 Corinthians 12:27 ESV

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Paul tell the church at Corinth that they, collectively, are Christ’s body, yet they are individually part of the greater body! You make a difference in this Body! Christ’s body! Don’t ever forget that! No matter who you are, no matter your level of income, no matter you social status, no matter your intellectual acumen, it doesn’t matter as long as you are IN CHRIST! You are absolutely necessary to this body. With you we are stronger, without you, far, far weaker! Only you can play the instrument God has uniquely given you to play...

What instrument do you play in God’s grand symphony? Do you know? Are you taking lessons to improve on your gifting? What are you doing to be the best you can be in God’s symphony..

I have come to terms with the fact that I will never be as smart as Dr. Bookman, as good as a communicator as Francis Chan, David Platt or James McDonald. I’ll never be able to defend the faith like Ravi Zacharias, I’ll never be able to run an organization like Michael Hyatt or share the gospel like Billy Graham. And that’s okay.

In fact, it’s not really healthy for me to spiritually covet the gifts that God has entrusted to these people. And Neither should you.

I have determined to be the best version of me I can be (by God’s grace). I want to do the best job I can do in His Grand and glorious Symphony (even if that means I can only play the spoons!).

And when the song of this life is over I am excited to her Him say, “Well done, Mark! You played well!” And as your Pastor, I desperately want that for you as well!

Review -

Main Idea - Powerful Discipleship is Best Accomplished Together

1. You All are Gifted by God’s Will

Conclusion

2. You All are Gifted for God’s Body

3. You All are Gifted to Play in God’s Great Symphony

Conclusion

Application

What does this Sermon have to do with Discipleship?

What does this have to do with Discipleship? What if we, as one grand and glorious symphoney decided corporporatly to play our part as best as we can. To work together

Main Idea - Biblical Discipleship is Most Powerfully Accomplished Together

What if we, as one grand and glorious symphony decided corporately to play our part as best as we can. To work together

What if we, as one grand and glorious symphony decided corporately to play our part as best as we can. To work together to see the God given potential in all of us? What if we not only see the potential in all of us, but we each, as individuals decide to get involved in helping one another grow?

In turn, what if each one of us welcomes the input from our fellow Christians who want to help us grow? Who want to mentor and disciple us. Both call for great humility!

What if we each take the time to not only discover our gifting, but purpose to develop our gifting?

What if older guys and younger guys got together and support each other and help one another to grow in Christlikeness (men’s breakfast, etc)

What if older women and younger women got together and learned from one another (AKA ). The younger admitting to the older that they don’t have it all together and the older sharing from the things they did right and the things they did wrong in Marriage, raising kids, working and so forth.

What if our Connection Groups look at evangelism and discipleship as something we do together? Where we use our individual gifting along side the gifting of those in our group to collectively “move people to the right”?

For example -

Concluding thought - As I said in the beginning of the sermon this morning...

Invitation

And if we are ever going to be the disciple making church that I believe God desires for us to be, then please, please, show up and perform in the most amazing concert ever written. The concert of His Story - And imagine. God has asked you to play a part! Will you?

Invitation

Connection Group Questions

Identify your Gifting

Start using your gifting here at church

Watch God grow you in your gifting (if you sit on it, it will not grow)!

Review - You are God’s Orchestra, ladies and gentlemen. You are chosen to perform His grand and glorious Opus of all time! Together we play his beautiful and moving score. Together we are following the timing of the timeless director. Are you practiced? Are you showing up to the concert prepared? Everyone in the orchestra is depending on you and you are depending on everyone in the glorious orchestra known as His local church.

“If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, then you are a SIGNIFICANT part of this Body - His Body! You make this body stronger and better IF you are playing your part!” Is this a true statement? Why is it hard for some to believe this to be true of them personally? What Scripture can you think of that will help you recognize this to be true of you?

What instrument do you play in God’s grand symphony (how has God gifted you)? Do you know? How can you know?

Are you taking lessons to improve on your gifting? What are you doing to be the best you can be in God’s symphony?

How does each of us knowing and cultivating our gifting impact discipleship at ABC?

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Making Disciples with One Another

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Main Idea - Biblical Discipleship is Most Powerfully Accomplished Together

1.You All are Gifted by God’s Will (vs. 1-11)

2. You All are Gifted for God’s Body (vs. 12-20)

3. You All are Gifted to Play in God’s Great Symphony (vs. 21-27)

Conclusion