A Disciple-Making Disposition

The word disposition means your prevailing tendency, mood, or inclination. It is your temperamental makeup. It is your tendency to act in a certain manner under given circumstances.

Have you ever heard some say something like this, “That person just has a sunny disposition and it is really contagious”? What does that mean? Have you ever met someone with a sunny disposition? They are just naturally cheerful. They walk into a room and the atmosphere changes. It gets lighter and happier. And it’s hard to put a finger on- they just always have a smile on their face, and they have a genuinely joyful heart and outlook on life and it becomes infectious and you find yourself feeling better when that person is around. Because they have a sunny or a cheerful disposition or temperament or character or personality. Joy is the dominate quality that distinguishes that person.

I want to ask you a question this morning and I really want you to think about it. What is your dominate disposition? When you walk into a room what dominate quality naturally follows? Be honest.

What I want to talk about this morning is how God changes a person’s disposition when that person get’s a hold of a disciple-making mentality. When a believer becomes a disciple maker and actually makes the main thing the main thing, when we become first things first Christians how does our disposition change?

Don’t forget about vv. 1-4 in I Thessalonians chapter 2. Several weeks ago we looked at the mission statement of a disciple maker. And you have to have that first. You have to re-orient your life around the right purpose. And what was Paul’s purpose?

He majored his life on that which was genuinely valuable.

1 Thessalonians 2:1–2 KJV 1900

1 For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain: 2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.

2. He was chiefly concerned with glorifying God.

1 Thessalonians 2:4 KJV 1900

4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

Paul’s mission statement was to first and foremost please God in everything he did. And how did Paul please God? By loving most what God loves- namely people. Paul spent his live devoted to the gospel, devoted to making disciples. So we have to have the right mission statement, the right purpose first and foremost.

But, now I want you to see when we get a hold of that kind of mindset- when our purpose is to glorify God by making disciples- when the Great Commission becomes the main thing in our life- it radically changes our disposition.

In what way? When we making the main thing the main thing how will that alter our disposition? Or what does the disposition of a disciple-maker look like?

I think we can identify 3 key dominate qualities or dispositions of a disciple-making minded believer.

What are they?

I. A Disciple-Making Disposition Manifests Selflessness (vv. 5-6)

1 Thessalonians 2:5–6 KJV 1900

5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness: 6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

In each of these three points I want you to see Paul’s disposition as a disciple-maker and the resultant actions it produced in his life and ministry.

A. Disposition:

Let’s examine the words that describe Paul’s disposition.

First, remember what is Paul’s mission statement, what is his purpose? 1). Glorify God by 2). making disciples. Because that was his driving purpose look at how it transformed his disposition in ministry.

1. For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know,

5 Οὔτε γάρ ποτε ἐν λόγῳ κολακείας ἐγενήθημεν,

For we never once came with flattering speech,

Paul’s goal was not to win people to his cause through the use of flattery. What do I mean?

Have you ever had one of your kids come up to you and say something like, “Dad you look really nice to day, have you lost weight? Did you change your hair? Is that new shirt, it looks really really good.” What is instantly going through your mind? Who are you and what have you done with my child? Or, you are thinking- OK, what do you WANT? They are buttering you up for what purpose? To get something THEY want. Flattering speech cares nothing for other people. Flattering speech really cares only about who? Myself. I will say whatever I need to say to get whatever I need out of you. Because Paul’s mission in life was the Great Commission and because it was to please God and not men- he didn’t use flattery. He just stopped manipulating people for his own gain. It just wasn’t part of his makeup any more because he cared more about pleasing God and making disciples. And it just naturally changed his disposition.

2. Nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:

οὔτε °ἐν προφάσει πλεονεξίας, θεὸς μάρτυς*,

neither in a pretext of greediness—God is our witness,

Paul’s goal was not to win people to his cause for financial gain. What does that mean? Paul was not motivated by money. He just didn’t value money- he realized that earthly treasure was vain.

So as a pastor, when I get my purpose lined up with God’s purpose- and I make the main thing the main thing- I stop thinking about people in terms of how much money they will put in the offering plate. That just isn’t a priority anymore. I learn to love people and care about them no matter their financial status in life. The success of this church is no longer about how much the Sunday offering was- it is about how well we are fulfilling our mission statement. I’m telling you there are things in life that we struggle with and money is one of those things. It can destroy marriages and families and churches and it can be a really hard idol to overcome.

But, there are natural unexpected, yet God intended blessings of disciple making. If we can get to the point of making the main thing the main thing. When we making disciple making the most important thing about us- there are other things that just naturally happen. And we didn’t even mean them to happen. They just happen- like money, covetousness, greed just stops being an issue. Disciple making people will just naturally become selfless giving people, not covetous greedy people because money isn’t the main thing any more.

3. (v. 6) Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others,

6 οὔτε ζητοῦντες ἐξ ἀνθρώπων δόξαν

Neither did we seek glory from men

οὔτε ἀφʼ ὑμῶν οὔτε ἀπʼ ἄλλων*,

neither from you nor from others,

Are you a glory seeker? It is a huge temptation. As a pastor- you want to be the pastor that everyone comes to because you are such an eloquent speaker and you have a dynamic personality- and you can be tempted to think, “I deserve a big church, and people coming up to be and telling me how great I am.” Paul wasn’t a men please-er or a glory seeker.

Why? Because the purpose of his life was focused on disciple-making and that naturally produced a self-less disposition in his life.

B. Resultant Action:

(v. 6b) when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

7 δυνάμενοι ἐν βάρει

Having the authority in insisting on our own importance (throwing our weight around)

εἶναι ὡς Χριστοῦ ἀπόστολοι,

to be as apostles of Christ,

What is the resultant action of Paul’s disposition as a disciple maker? He didn’t throw his weight around as an apostle of Christ. What does that mean?

Paul never rolled into town and demanded the best treatment. He could have- he could have walked up to the Thessalonians and said- “Excuse me, don’t you know who I am?” But, he didn’t. His disposition as a disciple maker was selflessness.

I want to ask you a question this morning and I really want you to think about it. What is your dominate disposition? When you walk into a room what dominate quality naturally follows? Be honest.

I think we can identify 3 key dominate qualities or dispositions of a disciple-making minded believer.

What are they?

I. A Disciple-Making Disposition Manifests Selflessness

II. A Disciple-Making Disposition Manifests Affection (vv. 7-9)

1 Thessalonians 2:7–9 KJV 1900

7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: 8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. 9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

A. Disposition:

1 Thessalonians 2:7 KJV 1900

7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:

ἀλλʼ ἐγενήθημεν ⸀νήπιοι ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν.

BUT we became gentle among you

ὡς ἐὰν τροφὸς

as if a nursing mother

θάλπῃ τὰ ἑαυτῆς τέκνα*,

might tenderly care for her own child,

B. Resultant Action:

1 Thessalonians 2:8–9 KJV 1900

8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. 9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

8 οὕτως ⸀ὁμειρόμενοι ὑμῶν ⸁

Having so fond an affection for you

εὐδοκοῦμεν μεταδοῦναι ὑμῖν οὐ μόνον τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ

we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God

ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἑαυτῶν ψυχάς,

BUT also our very lives (souls)

διότι ἀγαπητοὶ ἡμῖν ⸀1ἐγενήθητε*.

Because you became very dear (beloved) to us.

9 Μνημονεύετε γάρ, ἀδελφοί,

For you recall, brethren,

τὸν κόπον ἡμῶν καὶ τὸν μόχθον·*

our labor and hardship

νυκτὸς ⸆ καὶ ἡμέρας ἐργαζόμενοι

working night and day

πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἐπιβαρῆσαί τινα ὑμῶν

so as not to be a burden to any of you

ἐκηρύξαμεν εἰς ὑμᾶς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ*.

We preached unto you the gospel of God.

I want to ask you a question this morning and I really want you to think about it. What is your dominate disposition? When you walk into a room what dominate quality naturally follows? Be honest.

I think we can identify 3 key dominate qualities or dispositions of a disciple-making minded believer.

What are they?

I. A Disciple-Making Disposition Manifests Selflessness

II. A Disciple-Making Disposition Manifests Affection

III. A Disciple-Making Disposition Manifests Holiness (vv. 10-12)

1 Thessalonians 2:10–12 KJV 1900

10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe: 11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, 12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

A. Disposition:

1 Thessalonians 2:10 KJV 1900

10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:

10 ὑμεῖς μάρτυρες καὶ ὁ θεός*,

You are witnesses and so is God,

ὡς ὁσίως

how devoutly (holy)

καὶ δικαίως

and uprightly (justly)

καὶ ἀμέμπτως

and blamelessly

ὑμῖν τοῖς ⸀πιστεύουσιν ἐγενήθημεν*,

we behaved toward you believers,

B. Resultant Action:

1 Thessalonians 2:11–12 KJV 1900

11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, 12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

11 καθάπερ οἴδατε,

Just as you have been knowing,

ὡς ἕνα ἕκαστον ὑμῶν

how with each one of you,

ὡς πατὴρ τέκνα ἑαυτοῦ*

as a father with his own child

12 παρακαλοῦντες °ὑμᾶς

Exhorting you

καὶ παραμυθούμενοι

and encouraging

καὶ μαρτυρόμενοι

and imploring

εἰς τὸ περιπατεῖν ὑμᾶς ἀξίως τοῦ θεοῦ

so that you would walk in a manner worthy of God

τοῦ ⸀καλοῦντος ὑμᾶς

the One calling you

εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ βασιλείαν καὶ δόξαν*.

Into His own Kingdom and glory.

I want to ask you a question this morning and I really want you to think about it. What is your dominate disposition? When you walk into a room what dominate quality naturally follows? Be honest.