Sermon Tone Analysis

What is a Spirit Empowered Disciple?

A Spirit-empowered disciple

++Is a lifelong follower of Jesus.

The Holy Spirit forms the character of Christ in believers and helps disciples reproduce them- selves by leading others in that same character formation process.

A Spirit-empowered disciple is

A lifelong follower of Jesus.

++Recognizes the power of the Holy Spirit in its spiritual formation

A Spirit-empowered disciple is called

to dimensions that identify them as disciples

to dimensions deepen there relationship with Jesus

++To dimensions that strengthen there effectiveness in making disciples.

What does disciple mean?

The word Disciple is mentioned primarily in the Gospels and Acts

++KJV 244 times

++NKJ 246 times

++NLT 285 times

The KJV and NKJV records the word Disciples in the Old Testament only one time.

Isa 8:16 “16 Bind up the testimony, Seal the law among my disciples.”

This term basically means

++Pupil

++Learner

The base Hebrew word is Limud

++To learn

++To teach (to cause learning to take place)

The NLT Add Gal 6:13

In the New Testament for disciple means

++learner

++follower

The greek word is Mathetes

++Pupil

++Apprentice

++Adherent

Jesus’ method of making disciples differed radically from the culture of His time: Greek culture deposited information and expected people to change.

Types of Discipleship

++Student-Teacher (Greek)

In Greek culture, the phenomenon of discipleship appears in a number of forms (philosophy students, religious scholarship, and mystery cults).

The teacher-student relationship is predominantly characterized by the concept of mimēsis.

Teachers and students are bound together by a certain teaching and practice of life, and the student is recognizable in his imitation of the teachings and life of the teacher

But Jesus, true to the Hebrew method of the rabbis, lived life with His disciples, teaching them by example.

This is our model: living like Christ in community as He forms us into Spirit-led, life- long learners and followers.

Types of Discipleship

Student-Teacher (Greek)

++Relational Model (Hebrew)

While the rabbinic scholar is bound beyond the teachings of his teacher to the Law, discipleship means an unmediated connection to the person of Jesus (that is, with that which is embodied by this person).

While the student is concerned with becoming a teacher himself, discipleship is characterized by an insuperable qualitative difference from Jesus.

God does’t want us to just learn about him but be like him

Discipleship is a call to be and a call to do.

In the Gospels, when people asked Jesus what God expected of them, He answered several times with words from Deuteronomy and Leviticus: “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’

And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’”

A disciple is a call to be

++Lovers of God.

When disciples are in right relationship with God, they are able to do—

A disciple is a call to be

Lovers of God

++to act in love toward their neighbors

The greatest act of love is to reproduce followers of Jesus through fulfilling the Great Commission.

Jesus’ final command was, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you” (Matthew 28:19–20, NLT)