Intro:
The world is watching us. Are we fulfilling God’s calling in our lives?
In the coming weeks, we will explore what God-given worthiness and freedom means. We will seek to discover our responsibility to practice spiritual discipline and the necessity of guiding others in discipleship, all while embracing the urgency of the Lord’s return. We have freedom in Christ, but our freedom is not an excuse for sin. We are called to imitate Jesus. The apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:1 “I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,”
Focus:
To examine our attitude towards a Christ-centered love that mirrors the forgiveness and acceptance we have encountered as a disciple of Jesus.
Scripture:
Romans 13:8-14 ESV
Fulfilling the Law Through Love
8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.
12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Three Characteristics Of A Disciple Maker.
1. Be
To Love.
The Apostle Paul wrote in Verse 8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other,
Who do we love? Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
2. Make the Most of Your
Verse 11 11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.
A disciple maker who lives in accordance with their calling will discern the seasons and times, actively avoiding spiritual lethargy or complacency.
Matthew 9:37-38 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
3. Cast of the Works of
.
Verse 12 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Here we see a two-step process:
1.
2.
How do we do this?
Vs 14 We must put on the Lord Jesus Christ, submit to His lordship, accept His moral standards, live in constant fellowship with Him, and depend on His strength. Second, we are to make no provision for the flesh, doing nothing to encourage its sensual desires and appetites.
Conclusion:
Discipleship can sometimes feel complicated or messy. We’ve all experienced this—whether through our own spiritual growth or by supporting someone else on their journey. Discipleship is both an internal and external process and will always be a vital element for those who choose to walk worthy of God’s calling in their lives.
Response:
- Am I exemplifying the call of discipleship through generous and purposeful love for others?
- Am I maximizing the time and season we are in by actively participating in the harvest for God?
- Have I embraced the light by letting go of the works of darkness in my life?
- Am I wholeheartedly committed to the internal and external journey of discipleship as a devoted follower of Jesus?