Sermon Tone Analysis

DEVELOPING DISCIPLES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*YOUTH LIFEGROUP LEADER TRAINING*

*FIRST** BAPTIST CHURCH** – POWELL*

*JANUARY 25 – 26, 2008*

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Developing Disciples: The Biblical Mandate                                                                                         1

Six Key Disciplines in the Christian Life                                                                                               7

Developing a Biblical Theology                                                                                                         10

The Biblical Model for Disciple Making                                                                                             13

Suggested Reading                                                                                                                           16

 

\\ Matthew 28:19-20

Introduction

If we are to be thoroughly obedient to Jesus Christ and His Great Commission, we must force ourselves to be technically accurate in understanding that Commission.

We cannot afford ourselves the indulgence of ignorance or inaccuracy.

Since the only command in the Commission is to "make disciples," it is incumbent upon us to fully understand what that means.

What did Jesus mean when He said “go and make disciples?”

“Discipleship is about being and reproducing spiritually mature zealots for Christ.”

(Barna)

What does a true discipleship produce?

      True discipleship produces holistic personal transformation, not mere assimilation into a community of church members.

      True discipleship is witnessed by people who are determined to be a blessing to others – people who are never content to simply accept and enjoy God’s blessings.

      True discipleship creates Christians who aggressively pursue spiritual growth rather than passively experience spiritual evolution.

      True discipleship spawns individuals who develop renewed lifestyles instead of believers who mechanically check off completed assignments on a developmental agenda.

      True discipleship results in people who are more concerned about the quality of their character than the extent of their knowledge.

      True discipleship builds churches know for their culture of love, commitment, and service rather than for their events, information, and programs.

      True discipleship facilitates people devoted to a lifelong journey to imitate Jesus Christ rather than the completion of a short-term regimen of tasks and responsibilities.

(Barna, Growing True Disciples)

 

\\ 1A.

Define Key Terms

1B.

Disciple

/maqhth,j//, //maqhtou~///, //o` //(//manqa,nw//)/, disciple, a learner, pupil

Disciples are both the people who please the Lord and the people who will reach the world.

This word, "disciple," has been tragically reduced in the modern church, including everything from "convert" to "professing believer."

Usually, "making disciples" is defined by "winning people to Christ."

Soul-winning is a vital part, a beginning part, a necessary part, of disciple-making, but it is only a beginning.

If the process stops with soul-winning, the sinner in question is not really "won" at all.

Use in the New Testament

Ø      *A casual listener*

All of those who came to hear Jesus at the beginning of His ministry are called "disciples."

Ø      *A convinced listener*

A person who consents that what he is hearing is true, though it may not substantially change his life or his lifestyle.

Ø      *A committed, lifelong, learner and follower*

This last use is the one Jesus intended in the Great Commission, and it constitutes our marching orders.

A disciple is an adherent (one who adheres, like adhesive tape, to another), or an apprentice, of Jesus Christ.

A disciple is a person in training.

A disciple is first born, then he is made.

The word "disciple" is used 270 times in the Gospels and in the Book of Acts.

The word does not occur again in the remaining 22 books of the New Testament.

In Luke 6:40, Jesus said, "When the process is completed, the pupil will be like his teacher."

So, we should expect some terms to emerge which picture advancing likeness.

And, indeed, the word "Christian" begins to be used along with the word "saint" one completely set aside to Christ's control.

2B.

Discipler

A discipler, or disciple-maker, is a person who is used of God to help "turn men into disciples."

A discipler is merely a maturing disciple, for one surely cannot be a disciple of Jesus while ignoring the only marching orders Jesus gave to His church.

In short, it would seem to be impossible to be a disciple without being a discipler.

A discipler is a co-learner who recruits and leads others as they are learning together.

\\ 3B.

Discipling

Discipling is the process of building men into disciples.

Discipling is done by someone, not by something.

Ø      Technically, discipling is one Christian person imparting his whole life to another, by example, leadership, and relationship.

It always involves life transference.

Discipling includes the entire disciple-making process, from conversion to trained disciple-maker.

This is the very heart of what Christ expects of His church.

4B.

Disciplines

Disciplines are the areas of life that reveal the cost of discipleship.

Hudson Taylor, the founder of the China Island Mission and one of the greatest visionary missionary-statesmen who has ever lived, wrote:  "A man may be consecrated, dedicated and devoted, but of little value if undisciplined."

The apparent goal of Jesus was to produce "disciples" who would become "disciplers," engaged in a lifetime vocation of "discipling" others and practicing the daily "disciplines" which are necessary to fulfill that purpose.

2A.

Develop a Biblical Strategy (2 Timothy 2:2)

Notice that there are four generations of disciples in this one verse:  "Me . . .

you . . .

faithful men . . .

others also."

The process of multiplication in this verse can be diagramed like this:

Paul                       Timothy                      Faithful Men             Others

You get the impression that the process is like a widening funnel, with the little end being where Paul and Timothy stand.

Everything begins with "me" and "you," Paul and Timothy, and this association indicates two crucial things about disciple-making:

(1)  The importance of the individual, and

(2)  The importance of positive relationships.

Take away either of the two initial individuals, Paul or Timothy, and the process collapses at its inception.

No multiplication can occur without a solid integer at the beginning—and others to relate to.

1B.

God’s process defined.

How did Paul "get it across" to Timothy? 

Paul said, "The things which you have heard from me . . .

."

Is it merely a matter of hearing?

Ø      Is the curriculum merely academic concepts, or philosophical ideas, which may be classroom taught from one generation to the next?

Hardly!

\\ What does "hearing" mean in the New Testament?

Ø      Why is hearing singled out to picture spiritual intake instead of seeing, or smelling, or tasting, or touching?

Indeed, there are spiritual counterparts to each of these physical senses.

Then why is hearing singled out? 

Ø      Hearing is the most direct communication occurs.

So "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word (hrema, a vital, lovingly addressed word) of God."

2B.

God’s process explained.

In the process of disciple-making, just what does this all-inclusive "hearing" entail?