True Discipleship

Acts 15:36, And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.

Paul had a burden for people. He wanted to see how they were doing. How they were growing in the Lord.

I believe God has something to teach us this morning

Let us look at two things which verse 36 teaches us

I.       Let us… visit the brethren

A.    We are to visit each other & fellowship

1.     Paul here is anxious to visit the people

B.    Who do we visit? The brethren (Christians)

1.     People we know that visited us here at church

2.     Those that are saved and need fellowship

3.     Those that are going through a lot of problems

a)     These people need prayers

b)     They need encouragement

c)     We must start here at our church before we go out into the world

We are to visit the brethren, which lead to our next point

II.     How they are doing

A.    Are the brethren doing ok in the Lord?

B.    Do they need any help?

1.     We as Christians are referred to as sheep a lot in the Bible

2.     After studying sheep I found several things for us to note

a)     Sheep are timid and prefer to flock and follow a leader

b)     They seem to get lost easily and need to be look at all the time.

(1)   Sheep are always getting into trouble and need to be looked after

C.    I can see now why God has take steps to help us through out our life.

1.     So we see Paul here looking after the people God has put in his path

D.    If we are left alone, we start to decay, we start to fall away from God

1.     So it is so important for us to watch out for each other, to be there to help in time of need

III.    So what is discipleship?

A.    As Christians we are called to help the brethren

B.    Some one who cares for others

C.    Someone who can pray for those in need

D.    Someone who will help others mature in the Lord

E.     A biker once told me that I was the only “Christian biker” who did not talk down to him

F.     Paul was one of the greatest evangelist the world has ever know

1.     It would be great for us to read and study his life

2.     God has seen fit to use Paul a lot in the Bible

G.    1 Corinthians 4:15, For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

1.     Paul is telling us that there are many people who want to teach, they are so few fathers who will care and love the brethren

2.     Will you be a father or a mother today for the brethren?

3.     We are to build up believers to become mature, not have spiritual infants running around and not growing

Conclusion:

This is one of the reasons we are going through this book in our Tuesday night Bible study.

So each of us can learn the basics and to help others

Matthew 28:19-20,19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

We call these verses the Great Comission

Last week I spoke on our testamoney teaches those around us who we are, and who we believe in.

Now this week God challenges us to help the brethren

Will you help the brethren today and make a commitment to God?

Ephesians 4:11-13,11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Will you be a loving father or mother with the responsibility for the spiritual well-being of the brethren?

Sunday morning Biker Service 8/31/08