What is a Disciple?
January 21, 2024

• The book of Acts tells us the story of the first century church. It didn’t begin as an institution. It began as a movement.

ekklesia (Church) actually means: an assembly or gathering.

1. A SIMPLE MESSAGE. 2. A GROWING MISSION. 3. A PURE DEVOTION.

• Devoted means: To be earnest towards, to persevere, be constantly diligent, or to attend tirelessly all the exercises.

Acts 2:42-47 - They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³ Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. ⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. ⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

TWO QUESTIONS:

1. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH?

Matthew 28:18-20 - Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

• TO MAKE DISCIPLES

2. WHAT IS A DISCIPLE?

• DISCIPLE MEANS: to be the disciple of one; to follow his precepts and instruction.

THREE ATTRIBUTES OF A DISCIPLE:

Matthew 4:19-20 - “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” ²⁰ At once they left their nets and followed him.

1. “FOLLOW ME,” INVOLVES THE HEAD

Matthew 4:19 - “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, …

FOLLOW MEANS: THE SAME WAY WITH.

John 12:26 - Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

• KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT OBEDIENCE LEADS TO PRIDE.

1 Corinthians 8:1-2 - Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. ² The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.

2. “AND I WILL MAKE YOU,” INVOLVES THE HEART

Matthew 4:19 - “…and I will make you…”

Romans 8:29 - For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, …

• HE TRANSFORMS HOW WE SEE THE WORLD, WHAT WE VALUE, AND WHAT WE CONSIDER TO BE IMPORTANT.

Romans 12:2 - Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

What was Jesus like?

• He was a man on a mission.

• He thought like one sent from God.

• He acted like the servant of all.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 - Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

3. “FISHERS OF MEN,” INVOLVES THE HANDS

Matthew 4:19 - “…fishers of men.”

2 Corinthians 5:15-20 - And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. ¹⁶ So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

• WHEN OUR HEART IS TRANSFORMED, IT MOVES THE DISCIPLE INTO ACTION.

Ephesians 2:10 - For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

A GROWING DISCIPLE OF CHRIST IS A PERSON WHO IS FOLLOWING CHRIST (HEAD) AND IS BEING TRANSFORMED (HEART), WHICH LEADS TO A COMMITMENT TO THE MISSION OF CHRIST (HANDS).

Colossians 1:28 - We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. ²⁹ To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.