growth group week twenty-one:
Being a witness of Jesus
Week 21
Day 1: Hebrews 9-10
Day 2: Hebrews 11-12
Day 3: Hebrews 13-James 1
Day 4: James 2-3
Day 5: James 4-5
Memory verse:
Matthew 28:19–20
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Focal passage: Matthew 28:18–20
Last week we looked at the great commission and saw that the call of the church is to bring the gospel to every man, woman, and child on the planet earth. We are to go out and declare the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). This week, as we continue in part 3 of “Being a witness of Jesus”, we turn our attention to another aspect of the Great Commission from Matthew’s account which focuses on making disciples. It is important for us to understand that Jesus hasn't called us just to win someone to Himself, but once they have repented of their sins and have been born again, it is our calling to disciple them. To most people in the church today, discipleship is a foreign thought. In fact, most believers don't even know what that looks like. But discipleship is at the very heart of the Great Commission and is the purpose of the church. The Lord has commissioned us to go and make disciples. Some of us, when thinking about making disciples, are intimidated because we feel like we need to be discipled ourselves and are not equipped to disciple anybody. That might be true if you are a new believer but for most of us, whether we recognize it or not, we are more than ready to disciple someone. What does it look like to disciple someone? I think we complicate discipleship and therefore we find ourselves very intimidated to engage in it. The first step in discipleship is simply to seek to build a relationship with someone and to live life with them, showing them what it is to walk with God. It's as simple as inviting them to our homes, eating meals with them, and talking with them about the things of the Lord. Whenever I disciple someone I ask myself a simple question, what are the most important things for me and my walk with the Lord? And then I begin to share those with those I'm seeking to disciple. For example, what place does God's word have in my life. How do I pray, what’s my church involvement, how do I give/tithe etc. Of course one of the great benefits of discipling someone else is that you are challenging yourself and it holds you accountable to be living out the things that you are encouraging those you disciple in. One of the reasons that people don't disciple others is because they themselves are not true disciples of Jesus Christ. Remember, a disciple simply means a follower or a student of Jesus Christ. As we follow Jesus, we should bring others along with us to show them the way. Making disciples will change your life and make you into a disciple yourself. I highly encourage each and every one of you to make disciples. A very practical way to disciple someone is to be a leader of a Growth Group like the one you are in now. Your group will be coming to an end in a few weeks and I want to personally challenge you to pray about and consider starting a new group yourself where you can take others through this curriculum. Leading your own group gives you the opportunity to make disciples, and with a curriculum you are already familiar with. I encourage you to begin to pray about two or three people that you would invite into your new Growth Group. Of course you should finish out this one first before you start one of your own. Please talk to your Growth Group leader for more details of how to do this. One of the greatest keys of making disciples is being authentic and vulnerable with those that you’re discipling. God wants to use you greatly in His kingdom for His glory. He has called you to go and make disciples of all nations. Let us start right where we are and begin to reach out and encourage people in the Lord. One of the results of discipling others is that you create an atmosphere for authenticity and accountability, which we all need. One of the greatest things that has strengthened my walk with God is to be in Biblical discipleship relationships. In Proverbs 11:25b. it says, “he who waters will also be watered himself.” I find this to be so true in my life and I have grown immensely through engaging in Biblical discipleship relationships. This is one of the reasons that the Lord calls us to make disciples so that we ourselves will be disciples. I do not see myself as a superior over those that I'm discipling. But I see discipleship as two sinners, saved by grace, helping each other along the path as we are seeking the Lord. We all need this in our lives. May the Lord richly bless you as you fulfill his calling on your life and “Go and make disciples”.
Questions:
Action steps: Pray for one another that God would show you how and who to disciple. Hold each other accountable and encourage one another to go and fulfill the great commission in making disciples.
Day 1: Hebrews 9-10
Day 2: Hebrews 11-12
Day 3: Hebrews 13-James 1
Day 4: James 2-3
Day 5: James 4-5
Memory verse:
Matthew 28:19–20
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Focal passage: Matthew 28:18–20
Last week we looked at the great commission and saw that the call of the church is to bring the gospel to every man, woman, and child on the planet earth. We are to go out and declare the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). This week, as we continue in part 3 of “Being a witness of Jesus”, we turn our attention to another aspect of the Great Commission from Matthew’s account which focuses on making disciples. It is important for us to understand that Jesus hasn't called us just to win someone to Himself, but once they have repented of their sins and have been born again, it is our calling to disciple them. To most people in the church today, discipleship is a foreign thought. In fact, most believers don't even know what that looks like. But discipleship is at the very heart of the Great Commission and is the purpose of the church. The Lord has commissioned us to go and make disciples. Some of us, when thinking about making disciples, are intimidated because we feel like we need to be discipled ourselves and are not equipped to disciple anybody. That might be true if you are a new believer but for most of us, whether we recognize it or not, we are more than ready to disciple someone. What does it look like to disciple someone? I think we complicate discipleship and therefore we find ourselves very intimidated to engage in it. The first step in discipleship is simply to seek to build a relationship with someone and to live life with them, showing them what it is to walk with God. It's as simple as inviting them to our homes, eating meals with them, and talking with them about the things of the Lord. Whenever I disciple someone I ask myself a simple question, what are the most important things for me and my walk with the Lord? And then I begin to share those with those I'm seeking to disciple. For example, what place does God's word have in my life. How do I pray, what’s my church involvement, how do I give/tithe etc. Of course one of the great benefits of discipling someone else is that you are challenging yourself and it holds you accountable to be living out the things that you are encouraging those you disciple in. One of the reasons that people don't disciple others is because they themselves are not true disciples of Jesus Christ. Remember, a disciple simply means a follower or a student of Jesus Christ. As we follow Jesus, we should bring others along with us to show them the way. Making disciples will change your life and make you into a disciple yourself. I highly encourage each and every one of you to make disciples. A very practical way to disciple someone is to be a leader of a Growth Group like the one you are in now. Your group will be coming to an end in a few weeks and I want to personally challenge you to pray about and consider starting a new group yourself where you can take others through this curriculum. Leading your own group gives you the opportunity to make disciples, and with a curriculum you are already familiar with. I encourage you to begin to pray about two or three people that you would invite into your new Growth Group. Of course you should finish out this one first before you start one of your own. Please talk to your Growth Group leader for more details of how to do this. One of the greatest keys of making disciples is being authentic and vulnerable with those that you’re discipling. God wants to use you greatly in His kingdom for His glory. He has called you to go and make disciples of all nations. Let us start right where we are and begin to reach out and encourage people in the Lord. One of the results of discipling others is that you create an atmosphere for authenticity and accountability, which we all need. One of the greatest things that has strengthened my walk with God is to be in Biblical discipleship relationships. In Proverbs 11:25b. it says, “he who waters will also be watered himself.” I find this to be so true in my life and I have grown immensely through engaging in Biblical discipleship relationships. This is one of the reasons that the Lord calls us to make disciples so that we ourselves will be disciples. I do not see myself as a superior over those that I'm discipling. But I see discipleship as two sinners, saved by grace, helping each other along the path as we are seeking the Lord. We all need this in our lives. May the Lord richly bless you as you fulfill his calling on your life and “Go and make disciples”.
Questions:
- Do you believe that God has called you to be actively making disciples? Or do you think this is more for a pastor or a leader to be doing?
- If you have been discipled by someone or have discipled someone, please share with the group some ways you went about doing this. Let's discuss some practical ways of how we might begin to disciple others.
- Would you consider starting your own Growth Group when this is over? If you are open to this, have the group pray for you that the Lord would show you who to invite.
- If you don't feel like you're ready to disciple anyone right now, what are you going to do to prepare yourself so that you are able to disciple others? Please discuss and keep each other accountable.
Action steps: Pray for one another that God would show you how and who to disciple. Hold each other accountable and encourage one another to go and fulfill the great commission in making disciples.