1. Illus. of Peggy Lee song, “Is this all there is?”
• Went to see circus- “Is this all there is?”
• Got married- “Is this all there is?”
• Had children- “Is this all there is?”
• Got old, preparing to die, looked back on life and said, “Is this all there is?”
2. I hope some of you are asking that question about your Christianity today. I hope you are saying, “I come to church nearly every Sunday morning, and I know I’m on my way to heaven. Somehow, my relationship with God doesn’t bring me the overflowing joy and the inner fulfillment that I thought it would. Is this all there is to knowing Jesus? Is there something more?”
3. Yes, there is something more. God not only wants you to be a believer, He also wants you to be a disciple. Can I show you God’s definition of a disciple? Luke 14:
Vs 26- Jesus the supreme object of your affection.
Vs 27- So totally committed to Him that you are willing to die for your faith, if necessary.
Vs 33- places Jesus ahead of all possessions.
4. Acts 2: 42 is God’s design for building disciples. Key phrase is “continued steadfastly…” Daily habits.
5. Text: In our text, Luke records the spiritual habits that caused these Jerusalem Christians to develop into disciples.
6. Today: Any Christian who wants to become a disciple must cultivate some specific spiritual habits.
7. What are the spiritual habits that will develop us into disciples?
I. A DISCIPLE MAKES A HABIT OF STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD
1. “they continued steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine…” Doctrine = "didache" and literally means “the teachings.” It referred to a specific body of truth about Jesus and the Christian life that the apostle’s taught to the saved in order to build them in their faith. They continued steadfastly in this didache, this body of truth.
2. You say, “well this has no application to us. As far as I know, all the Apostles are dead!” That’s right, they are. But you know what? As the apostles aged and those teachings were in danger of being lost, the Spirit of God did a miraculous thing. He inspired them to write those teachings down. We have these teachings today in the form of the New Testament. I am holding in my hand the written record of the apostolic teachings!
3. What is the implication of all this for the modern day Christian? Just as early Christians had to saturate themselves in the apostolic didache to become disciples, so we (hold up Bible) must saturate ourselves in the apostolic didache. We have to saturate ourselves with the study of God’s Word, and particularly the New Testament.
4. Illus. of two Baptists arguing over which was more biblically ignorant
• Unfortunately, instead of being saturated in God’s Word, many Christians are like two Baptists I once heard about.
• One said, “I’ll bet you $5 you don’t even know the Lord’s prayer.”
• The other said, “Sure I do. Now I lay me down to sleep etc.”
• First one said, “O.K. here is the $5. I didn’t think you knew it!”
5. See Colossians 3: 9-10.. The problem is that when we are saved, we don’t automatically start thinking like a disciple. As a matter of fact, we still have the old thought patterns that we had as lost people. As we saturate our minds with God’s Word, over a period of time it reprograms our mind. We begin to think like Jesus, hold same priorities as Jesus, and make decisions like Jesus. In other words, we start becoming disciples!
6. How can we go about saturating our minds with God’s Word?
Daily devotional time in Word.
Active Sunday School attendance and participation.
Different Bible studies. Example: Denise Waters teaching precept study, Cedricia Wilson teaching 10 Steps to Maturity material etc.
Wednesday night Bible study time- going through Philippians at present time.
Bring Bible to worship services.
7. If you want to become a disciple, have to deliberately give yourself to the habit of studying God’s Word.
II. A DISCIPLE MAKES A HABIT OF FELLOWSHIPPING WITH THE PEOPLE OF GOD
1. See, “steadfastly… and fellowship…” The word is "koinonia" and it usually translated partnership, communion, fellowship. In the secular world in the time of the New Testament, it was used to describe business partners sharing a business, or marriage partners sharing a life together.
2. As Luke uses it, it describes the way two believers would share the common bond of Jesus. It involved at least three characteristics:
It involved transparency between believers. (No façade etc.) This practically guarantees that fellowship can only take place in small groups.
It centered around the sharing of what Jesus was doing in each believer’s life. (Not centered on work, family etc.)
It involved a certain level of accountability between the believers. (Each held the other spiritually accountable)
3. Illus. of ladies bible study at GPBC
• Carolyn felt led to start it, Christmas 1992.
• As they immersed themselves in God’s Word, they began to really grow in Christ.
• Over period of time, began to just naturally get together in groups of 2-3 for coffee etc, at other times of the week.
• Experienced fellowship in the biblical sense of the word.
• Each woman began to experience immediate and profound spiritual changes in their lives!
4. Fellowship is a prerequisite to discipleship. If you are really serious about becoming a disciple:
• Pray, ask God to show you one or two others who genuinely have a heart for God.
• Set up a regular time, meet with them, share with them.
• Ask them to hold you spiritually accountable, and you hold them spiritually accountable.
III. A DISCIPLE MAKES A HABIT OF WORSHIPPING IN THE HOUSE OF GOD
1. “breaking of bread, and in prayers…”
• definite article. “The breaking of the bread…” A reference to the observance of the Lord’s Supper.
• Prayers is plural, meaning more than one person was praying.
2. The reference is to the corporate worship of the church. The only time when groups of people came together to pray together and observe the Lord’s Supper together was during their times of worship.
3. Since they were all converted Jews, the most natural thing initially for them to do was to go back into the Temple to worship (vs 46a). As time went by and their worship became more and more uniquely Christian, the worship took place more and more in house churches (see vs 46b).
4. We don’t worship in house churches anymore, but the principle remains the same: worship is essential to the making of a disciple! There is something about coming together with the Body and worshipping that draws us near to God!
5. Illus. of pastor visiting inactive member
• cold of winter, man had a crackling fire going in the fireplace.
• “preacher, I don’t I haven’t been to church. I don’t want to hear about it. You’re my guest here, and I wish you would honor my request and not say a word about my not coming to worship services.
• Preacher pulled log out of fireplace, placed it on hearth away from other burning logs. Just sat there and watched it. In matter of minutes began to burn out.
• Without a word, preacher placed log back in fireplace. In matter of seconds was burning brightly again.
• Man hung head and said, “I’ll be there Sunday!”
6. See Hebrews 10: 24-25
7. Folks, you can’t
• Worship with body every third Sunday and become a disciple.
• Take three months out of every twelve off from corporate worship and become a disciple.
• Be a part-time worshipper and become a disciple.
8. If you are hungry to become a disciple, you are going to have to make worship a priority in your life!
CONCLUSION
1. Illus. of Emerald Point Water Park
• My favorite ride was where you got on inner tube, gently floated in never ending circle.
• Never got anywhere, just floated in same old circle.
2. Many of you have been content to float in same old spiritual circle, never getting anywhere and never accomplishing anything. To you, Christianity is a keepsake that you keep tucked safely away on a shelf, not an all-consuming passion that drives your life.
3. If you are tired of going in circle: study word, fellowship, worship.
