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 - November 10, 2019
The Last Shall Be First
Matthew 18 This week in our “It’s Like This” series, Pastor Phil taught through Matthew 18 and the discussion of where we all rank in the kingdom. While being asked about that topic, Jesus pauses a second and reflects on who even gets to enter the kingdom at all. He then points at that if we want to enter the kingdom, we must become like children. Some of these characteristics involve being innocent and curious, and trusting and dependent. Children operate with the knowledge that they will be provided for, but without the knowledge of how or when or why. They trust the adults around them to provide and care for them at all times, because they really have no other choice. As people in God’s kingdom, we should have a similar outlook on our lives, putting our full faith in God to provide and care for us instead of relying solely on ourselves and puffing ourselves up about it as a result. Secondly, Jesus tells us we must not do anything to cause others to stumble, and we should avoid stumbling, ourselves. To be the reason that another believer loses hope or faith is a woeful act. And while there are many habits and instincts ingrained in us that cause us to stumble, we must do everything we can to remove those tendencies and desires, though maybe not as far as chopping off limbs in the process. John 4:23-24 “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
Recent Comments