Making Disciples Series

Title: Making Disciples

Text: Acts 2:41-47

All this month we have been looking at discipleship. Jesus said “We were to go into all the world and make disciples!” (Matthew 28:19). In fact Jesus never said we were to make anything other than disciples! He never said go into the world and build churches.He never said go into the world and start ministries. He never said to go into the world and start schools. He said go into all the world and make disciples!

Now in order to make something you first need to have an idea of what it is supposed to look like when it is finished. So we started out this series finding out what a disciple is supposed to look like. Jesus said a disciple is supposed to be someone who is committed to Him, competent, a person of character and be a person of conviction. In other words a disciple is a committed, competent follower of Christ who has character and conviction!

Now that we know what a disciple is supposed to look like the next step is to ask ourselves; "How are you supposed to make a disciple?" Where do you look to find the answer?

I believer we just have to look in the Book of Acts.

In Acts 2:41-47 we find the pattern that the disciples used to make other disciples.

“Those who accepted his message were baptized and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread together in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people and the Lord added to their numbers daily those who were being saved.”

Here is a 3 step process for making disciples.

Step 1. They taught those who had just been saved the Spiritual disciplines

"They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (v42)

The disciples began the discipleship process by first teaching the people the spiritual disciplines. We are told that they taught them the scriptures, they taught them about prayer,they taught them about the importance of fellowship and they taught them the meaning of the Lord’s Supper

What an original idea! Where did the disciples come up with this idea of making disciples through first teaching people the spiritual disciples?

My theory: We know that the apostle Peter was married. Being married he probably had children. Children often like to play sports; like soccer. Peter takes Pete Jr to his first soccer practice. He asks the coach “What does my son need to do in order to make it as a soccer player?" That coach knew the answer! Because he hears that same question from every other dad. The coach tells Peter; "We always start by teaching the kids the basics". We start by teaching them to dribble,…to shoot, …to pass! Peter never forgot that advice! You always start by teaching the basics!

Years later 3000 people get saved- How in the world are we going to make them into disciples?

Peter says "Let’s start by teaching them the basics (the spiritual disciples)"

That’s the Children’s church version!

The truth is ….

Jesus told them to start the disciple making process by first teaching the spiritual disciplines!

In Matthew 28:19-20 “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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."

They already baptized them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. So what do we do next? Peter takes out his Bible and reads Matthew 28:20. What did Jesus command us to do after we baptize them?

“…teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

Baptize first and teach next! Teach them what? Teach them to obey what I have commanded you to do! What have I commanded you to do?

The Disciples have a little meeting…

1.Jesus commanded us to remain in my word! So we definitely need to teach the Scriptures. What else did Jesus command us to do?

2. He commanded us to love one another! We definitely need to teach on fellowship!

What else did he command us to do?

3. He commanded us to remember his death! We definitely need to teach on “the breaking of bread.”