The Work of Discipleship!

I. The MEANS of DISCIPLESHIP – (1:25)

1. God USES PEOPLE – (v.25a) – “I have become its [the Church] servant [diakonos]…”

2. God CHOOSES PEOPLE – (v.25b) – “…by the commission God gave me”

John 1:14 NIV84

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:18 NIV84

No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.

John 20:21 NIV84

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

DISCIPLESHIP is the process of learning to live in such a way that you make God known!

II. The MESSAGE of DISCIPLESHIP – (1:25-27)

(1 Corinthians 1:18-31)

III. The METHODOLOGY of DISCIPLESHIP – (1:28)

1. “We proclaim him…” (καταγγέλλομεν) – ‘to declare, announce, proclaim’

2. “…admonishing” (νουθετοῦντες) – ‘to put to mind (counsel), to warn’

3. “…teaching everyone” (διδάσκοντες) – ‘to teach or instruct’

1 Timothy 3:2 NIV84

Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

Titus 1:9 NIV84

He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

IV. The GOAL of DISCIPLESHIP – (1:28)

“…so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.”

Is our process of discipleship resulting in changed, or transformed lives?

τέλειος – Strong’s: 1. brought to its end, finished. 2. wanting nothing necessary to completeness. 3. perfect. 4. full grown, adult, of full age, mature.

Ephesians 4:12 NIV84

to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

Καταρτισμον – ‘a preparing, an equipping’

John 10:27 NIV84

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

“A disciple is a maturing follower of Jesus who is being equipped for good works.”

Matthew 7:24–27 NIV84

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

2 Corinthians 3:17–18 NIV84

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.