Discipleship Essentials*
Friday, October 15, 2004
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, I want Your Church to be healthy and growing! I know that the only thing I can do is be faithful in carrying out my role in the body, so please fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I may obey Jesus’ commands, and live to the fullest the role You have given me. I pray that in my interactions with other believers I may speak the truth in love, and that in my interactions with non-believers that I will show the truth in love by the way I live and by what I say. Use me today as You see fit to build the body up and make it grow. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
God’s Word Today
Ephesians 4:11-16
11He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ, 13until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.
14Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth. 15Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
Background on the Text – Who Wrote It? Why Was It Written? Who Was the Audience?
Have you ever considered that what you think, say and do has an impact on the Christian church around the world? Right now you may be thinking, “Chris, you are definitely confusing me with someone else!” But I’m not. After all, if you and I are part of the body of Jesus Christ world-wide then what we think, say and do can and does make a difference first in us. Then in those who are in our immediate sphere of influence. From there that influence goes out to others’ spheres of influence. As we live in such a way that what we think, say and do builds up the body of Jesus Christ and promotes its growth, then we can literally impact the church universal—or the church worldwide. Paul thought in such ways. Paul truly believed that every single believer is vital to the health of the greater church. That’s why he told the Corinthian Christians that when even one Christian suffers every Christian suffers, and when even one Christian is honored, that all the rest of us are to rejoice!
Observation – What Does the Text Say?
Interpretation – What Does the Text Mean?
Application – How Can I Respond to the Text’s Insights and Teachings?
Each Week’s Check List.
After reading and studying this text, reflect on the following discipleship growth points:
Growth Point |
How |
Encouraged and strengthened me by |
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Fallen short areas |
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What will I do with these insights? |
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What did God say to me today? |
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Share insights and growth points |
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Changed/transformed how? |
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Thoughts...Do Your Own Special Work...
What is YOUR special work in the Kingdom of God? Is that a scary question for you? A difficult question? You may be thinking, “Chris, you’re a pastor, so you know your special work in the Kingdom of God, but I’m a _________.” A what? A mom? A teacher? A contractor? A sales person? How about this: You are a Christian—first and foremost—before anything else you are a follower of Jesus. What you do doesn’t define You—who You are does? People always say, “It isn’t what you know, but WHO you know that counts.” How true—If you and I know Jesus, then we are CONNECTED—we are part of the body of Jesus Christ. Jesus gives each of us at least one spiritual gift—something that can be used to carry out our own special work in the Body of Jesus Christ. This gift doesn’t guarantee that we’ll do the work, though. That’s up to us—we have to make a decision. We have to decide whether God’s words are true, or whether we’d rather listen to Satan’s lies or the world’s discouraging voice. Are you doing your own special work in the Body of Jesus today? How are you going to do it? Do you even know what the work is? Nothing is more important than knowing Jesus. After than nothing is more important than know what part of the body He made you to be, because only then can you do your special work! Why not do that work today—or at least find what it is!