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 - July 7, 2019
Take Courage
Acts 23 Paul is well into a rhythm of entering a new place, causing a disturbance, getting arrested, being moved, and doing the whole thing all over again. He appears before powerful people, this time the Sanhedrin, speaking the truth of the resurrection of Jesus. This causes an uproar among the Pharisees, who then make a vow to kill Paul. Paul is sent away to Caesarea, where he is kept under guard to await another trial. Pastor Phil revealed to us that sometimes he wakes up in the morning and thinks, “Another stinkin’ day…” It’s really easy for any of us to have that kind of mindset. What are we getting up for each day? What does each day have in store for us? A series of mundane responsibilities to check off our to-do list? Or a number of exciting adventures full of opportunity? Every day, God has special things planned for us to do. Paul knew that, and acted as such. Even in prison, each day was an opportunity to experience God’s creation and share the truth of Jesus with another person. What does God have in store for you today? What opportunity to share Jesus are you going to capitalize on?
Scripture References: Acts 23:1-35
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