The first message in our Summer Series of Walking With Jesus: Learning to Be a Disciple was about the DNA of being a Disciple.
That DNA of being a Disciple was described as:
• Divine Truth. Truth comes from God. It is the revelation of God to humankind. This comes from the Son, the Spirit, and the Scriptures. The Son (Jesus) is both God and human and came to reveal to us in his person what God is like and what God requires. The Scriptures were authored by God and reveal God’s unfolding plan for humanity. The Spirit of God is also Divine Truth, since he brings revelation and direction to believers.
• Nurturing Relationships. Humans were never created to be alone. We are social creatures and have an intrinsic need for relationships. Our relational orientation is a reflection of the image of God in us. God Himself is relational and exists in a community—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is love because God is relational. To the Christian, God is love because he has always existed in relationship. Is love possible without someone to love? This should be the defining characteristic of our faith. All men should know that we are Christ’s disciples by the love that we have for one another.
• Apostolic Mission. Apostolic means that someone is sent as a representative with a message. We are here for a purpose. We have been given a prime directive to fulfill—to make disciples of all the nations. This part of us also comes from the nature of God. Jesus is an Apostle. He is the Chief Cornerstone of the apostolic foundation. Before he left this planet, he sent his disciples into the world with a mission.
One of the key tools we talked about in Walking With Jesus was Life Transformation Groups. Find out more on our website.
Below is the full Sunday Morning message by Phil Helfer:
Phil Helfer - May 26, 2019
Navigating God’s Will-Acts 18
Acts 18 Paul’s travels bring him to Corinth. He spends time in the synagogue trying to persuade the local Jews to believe in Jesus as the Messiah. The Jews prove to be difficult listeners, going as far as to “oppose Paul and become abusive” (verse 6). Paul chooses to limit his frustrations and instead focuses his efforts in Corinth on the Gentiles instead. God, always aware of our mental state and more than willing to send us some comfort, sends a message to Paul: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city” (Verses 9-10). This spurred Paul to stick around for another year and a half! Eventually, there is a list of people in Corinth and Ephesus (Aquila, Priscilla, Crispus “and his entire household”, Apollos) who are moved by the Spirit and spread the gospel of Jesus with vigor. As Pastor Phil told us, “If you have the Holy Spirit, God has stuff for you to do. He provides grace, tools, and preparation for you to go on with… All you have to do is be available, open your mouth when directed to, and watch what God does.” God is ready for you to impact the lives of the people around you. Are you?
Scripture References: Acts 18:1-28
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