The Way of a Disciple
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The Way of a Disciple
The Way of a Disciple
In the previous section of of Acts 18
Paul Leaves Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus and makes his way to minister in Galatia.
Who are Priscilla and Aquila?
Who are Priscilla and Aquila?
They were husband and wife tent makers that Paul meets in Corinth. Paul begins to disciple them and takes them to Ephesus with him
In 18:3 it says that the reason for Pauls relationship with them was because of their shared profession.
Paul leaves them there and according to
The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord.
for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
They planted a church in their home in Ephesus.
Which would have taken place in AD 50
Paul later writes to Timothy from a Roman prison in Ad 67
Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.
We find 17 years later Priscilla and Aquila were still faithfully serving and leading.
Why is this important?
The coworker you may disciple might plant a church where they lead people to Christ for decades.
That is not all they did... turn to todays text
Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.
Apollos was a disciple of John the baptist who believed and taught that Jesus was the messiah.
However he lacked certain further information who Jesus was and what the church was all about.
Priscilla and Aquila “took him aside and explained the way of God more accurately”
They taught Apollos
They discipled Apollos
Then later they “encouraged him” and introduced him to the disciples
Later we learn that Apollos worked closely with Paul and helped many churches
I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
1 Cor 3;
Apollos leadership later became nearly as influential as Paul and Peter
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 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.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 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. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
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. 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.
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 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. 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. 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? 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 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.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 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, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 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.
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts.
And I will show you a still more excellent way.
1 Cor
What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”
Why is this important?
The young man you take aside to teach and disciple may go on to be one of the most influential leaders in the church.
So let us Recap
Paul is missional in the work place and disciples Priscilla and Aquila, who plant a church and disciple a man named Apollos who becomes one the most influential leaders in the early church, who himself disciples many others.
This is generational discipleship.
This is the power of multiplication.
This is Gods plan, this is his heart for the Church.
Discipleship was not an after thought.
Disciplship was
Discipleship is God’s Way
Matt 4:
Early Church was called the “Way”
It is a way if life, it is a lifestyle
And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
If you are not a fisher of men you are not a follower of Jesus.
What does it mean to be a disciple?
Disciples are called by God
To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Disciples die to themselves
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
Disciples worship Jesus
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Disciples imitate Christ
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
Disciples make disciples
]The Great Commission was not a new idea to the disciples. It was not some new, pep-talk-send-off that Jesus gave the disciples. Christ made it clear from day one when calling His disciples, that disciples make disciples.
He calls every follower into mission because…?
The Great Commission was not a new idea to the disciples. It was not some new, pep-talk-send-off that Jesus gave the disciples. Christ made it clear from day one when calling His disciples, that disciples make disciples.
When He called His first disciples He said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”
The understanding of this verse should be simple, yet it is somehow often missed. Disciples make disciples. Simple as that. If we are following Jesus, we will be “fishers of men” or “disciple-makers”.
This was true when Jesus first called his disciples and it was true later when He commissioned his disciples before his ascension.
In scripture, we find four recordings of the Great Commission given to the disciples before the ascension. Each tells a different aspect of how to live out the Great Commission.
1. Proclaim
And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
This is Mark’s recording of The Great Commission. The important thing to take note of here is that The Great Commission is about the proclamation of the Gospel.
This is Mark’s recording of The Great Commission. The important thing to take note of here is that The Great Commission is about the proclamation of the Gospel.
Mark makes that clear here by saying, “Preach the gospel.” It has to be proclaimed, it can not just be lived out; we have to share the Gospel! Also, there are no limitations to who we are to preach to and who can receive; Mark says all of creation or, to every creature. Mark tells us that every person needs to hear the Gospel.
2. Reach
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”-
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
Here is where Christ tells us how we are to proclaim to all and make disciples. He basically says, “Start where you are! You live in Jerusalem, so start there!” The going is not about the destination, it’s about the message. Start with those nearest to you. From there, reach further and further out; “Judea and Samaria” and then to the “ends of the earth”.
So who are you close to? What are your spheres of influence? Begin there. That is your first mission: Your family, friends, and co-workers, then the rest of the city, state, and the “Ends of the earth.”
3. Disciple
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” -
is most often recognized as The Great Commission. We see in this passage the idea of not simply preaching the gospel, but also making disciples, baptizing them and teaching them all He has commanded. We are to proclaim the gospel everywhere to everyone, and then build a relationship with them in which we teach them in-depth what it means to follow Christ.
4. Send
“Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” -
Jesus is sending us out with the same mission that the Father sent Jesus with. We carry on the mission of Christ to rescue people from death to life. It is our responsibility, we have been invited into Christ’s mission and must act.
After hearing all of this, the apostles acted; They spread the gospel and they made disciples. For two-thousand years followers of Christ have been proclaiming, discipling, reaching and sending, further and further. One day at a time, one person at a time, the gospel has reached you and I two thousand years later.
“Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” -
In this verse Paul lays out his heart and strategy for discipleship. He “proclaims” and “teaches” in order to “present everyone mature in Christ”
Maturity in this context does not mean perfect, it means mature enough to reproduce. A mature disciple is able to make disciples. You are not mature in Christ unless you can disciple someone else.
But remember even Paul did not do this in his own strength. Instead you need to work with “His energy” then “He powerfully works within” you.
This field guide is an outline for you to share the gospel and teach the biblical doctrine and lifestyle of a disciple.
The Great Commission must continue with you… GO!
Identify one person (or multiple) that you will begin taking through this field guide.
Who is it? When will you begin?
Agree to hold each other accountable.
How will we continue to be an encouragement to each other?
How often will we follow up with each other for prayer and encouragement as we go out and disciple others?
“Every Christian here is either a missionary or an impostor. Recollect that you are either trying to spread abroad the kingdom of Christ, or else you do not love him at all. It cannot be that there is a high appreciation of Jesus, and a totally silent tongue about him. Of course I do not mean, by that, that those who use the pen for Christ are silent; they are not. And those who help others to use the tongue, or spread that which others have written, are doing their part well; but I mean this,—that man who says, ‘I believe in Jesus,’ but does not think enough of Jesus ever to tell another about him, by mouth, or pen, or tract, is an impostor.” - C. H. Spurgeon
He is Worthy!!!!!
