How Does The Church Make Disciples? Series

Sermon Notes February 15, 2015 FBCam

Jesus Christ: Disciple-Maker

How Does a Church Make Disciples? Acts 1:1-8

Last week we discussed “How Can I make disciples?”

Today we want to look at the corporate aspect of disciple making by answering the question, “How does the Church Make Disciples?”

The Church Makes Disciples through a Corporate, Intentional Decision

Matthew 28:19-20 is BOTH individual and corporate

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”” (Acts 1:8, ESV)

Acts 1:1-8 provides the Bridge Between the APOSTLES and US.

Notice the introduction to Acts.

Luke, the author of Acts is writing to a man named Theopholis. From the sound of his name he is likely a Roman official and one whom Luke was helping to become a disciple of Jesus. Luke wrote the gospel of Luke to explain the things that Jesus did and said. The second book (Acts) is a follow-up of Luke with an explanation of how the Apostles completed the task that Jesus gave them.

This introduction to Acts includes the KEY VERSE for ACTS = Acts 1:8

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”” (Acts 1:8, ESV)

This is exactly what the Apostles did. They carried the gospel to the known world and made disciples.

ACTS PROVES that the Great Commission is for the CHURCH.

Aubrey Malphurs describes the obedience of the Apostles, and the fact that the Great Commission applies to all of us: "The book of Acts makes it very clear that the disciples took on the primary leadership role in the early church as apostles…and their mission, in turn, becomes the church's mission. What Jesus gave to them as disciples, he gives to all his disciples." (Strategic Disciple Making, 16)

The ramifications: A Disciple Making church will sacrifice personal preferences and personal comfort to obey the Great Commission.

The Church Makes Disciples Through Preaching and Pastoral Leadership

(Ephesians 4:11–13, ESV) “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,”

Apostles and Prophets were foundational (Eph 2:20)

Pastor/Teacher and Evangelists remain to equip the church

The body is built up through the teaching of the Word. The TEACHING of the Word helps us mature as disciples of CHRIST John 8:31 “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,”

Paul sent Timothy to a CHURCH (1 Corinthians 4:17, ESV) “That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.”

The Church Makes Disciples Through Personal Faithfulness.

“I urge you, then, be imitators of me.” (1 Corinthians 4:16, ESV)

“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1, ESV)

Can you say “follow me?” Admittedly, this is hard because we all know our weaknesses, our faults and our sinful past. But the question is are you living a life of commitment to Christ right now. Following doesn’t mean do what I did in the past. It means go where I am going in the future!

None of us are perfect

None of us have an uncheckered past

“Follow me” is said with humility

Galatians 6:1 “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.”

John MacArthur says it this way. “You need to tell the person you are discipling, “I want you to follow me as I follow Christ.” You don’t say it proudly, you say it humbly, understanding your own weakness. And your example will be a great encouragement, because a perfect person would be too hard to follow. (John MacArthur, “The Masters Plan for the Church,” 64)

The Church Makes Disciples Through the Christian Home.

Paul’s relationship with Timothy is a great example of the importance of the Christian home. Paul trained Timothy. He regarded him as “a son” (Philippians 2:22). But before Paul ever knew Timothy, his mother and grandmother taught him to love God, and Paul recognizes the irreplaceable impact that made in young Timothy’s life.

2 Timothy 1:5-6 “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands,”