The Discipleship of All Believers – Four Spiritual Qualities of a Disciple (Week Three) 11/16/2003
Introduction: We began our look two weeks ago at what is a disciple by looking at Mark 1:16- 18:
And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men." They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
Remember what disciples are called to be:
1. Disciples are called to follow Christ and be fishers of men – Mark 1:16-18
2. Disciples are called to be a growing person, maturing in Christ – Ephesians 4:13-14
3. Disciples are Christian leaders called out to lead others in a new way.
a. The lost to a new life in Jesus Christ.
b. The new Christian to a fullness in Jesus Christ.
c. The mature Christian to greater walk with Jesus Christ.
Also, remember the five natural qualities of a disciple. Notice that these are natural qualities. These are not spiritual qualities or gifts. These are qualities that, with the help of God, we can develop in our lives. These are five qualities that are essential to being a disciple of Christ.
1. A Disciple knows his God designated priorities.
a. His relationship with God and his obedience to God comes first!
b. His relationship to his spouse is second only to his relationship with God!
c. His relationship with others comes second to these first two.
2. A Disciple has discipline to follow Jesus every day.
a. A Disciple dedicates himself daily to his following of Jesus.
b. A Disciple will deny his own self will to follow Jesus.
c. A Disciple will take up his Christian identity each day to follow Jesus.
d. A Disciple will discipline himself each day to learn from the teachings of Jesus.
3. A Disciple knows the reality of Jesus.
a. A Disciple is aware of people and circumstances around him and realizes that each is an opportunity to share the power, love and mercy of Jesus.
b. A Disciple looks at a situation and asks the question, “What can Jesus do for this situation?”
c. A Disciple not only asks the question, but believes that Jesus can make the difference.
4. A Disciple experiences empathy for those around him.
5. A Disciple lives a life of generosity.
Today, we’re going to look at four spiritual qualities that should be evident in the life of every disciple of Jesus Christ. These are the result of “following Him” and investing in His life.
I. Four Spiritual Qualities of a Disciple
A. A Disciple has Growing Faith – A Disciple believes not only in God but that all is possible with God!
1. Even the Disciples suffered from a faith that needed to be increased - And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith.” So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ’Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. Luke 17:5-6
2. Paul spoke to the Corinthians in II Corinthians 5:7 about their faith, For we walk by faith, not by sight.
3. Jesus gave us the key in Mark 9:23, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."
4. Faith must be a growing thing, you to not mature from a baby to full grown adult without experiences along the way…look at Peter:
a. Peter called to follow Jesus (Matthew 4:19)
b. Peter walks on the Sea of Galilee and sinks (Matthew 14:29-30)
c. Peter finds coin in fish’s mouth for taxes (Matthew 17:24-27)
d. Peter cuts off Malchus’ ear in Garden of Gethsemene (John 18:10-11)
e. Peter denies Jesus at High Priest’s palace (John 18:25-27)
f. Peter runs into tomb and sees empty burial cloth of Jesus (John 20:3-8)
g. Peter speaks with boldness on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2)
h. Peter used to heal Aeneas of the palsy (Acts 9:34-35)
i. Peter used to raise Tabitha from the dead (Acts 9:36-41)
j. Peter sees a vision from God (Acts 10:9-16)
B. A Disciple has humility – Knowing that you have not “arrived,” but being fertile ground for the Holy Spirit; not taking credit for what God is doing and has done.
1. Jesus Christ modeled the humility that we should demonstrate in Philippians 2:3-8,
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
2. God resists the proud…we are directed to humble ourselves before God.
Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. I Peter 5:5-7
3. When you believe that you have “arrived,” you become lax in being fertile ground for the Holy Spirit.
C. A Disciple has a resilient hope – A Disciple has a Christ-like vision of the world, being sustained by God’s hope for himself and this world when human hope ends.
1. No matter what is going on in his life or in the world around him, a Disciple holds onto and demonstrates the hope given by knowing that someone bigger than you and I makes all the difference!
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; II Corinthians 4:7-9
2. A Disciple is one that anchors his life in the power of God, not in his own power.
Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 6:17-20
3. A Disciple, though discouraged at times, does not give up because of his hope in Christ Jesus!
D. A Disciple has Christ-like, sacrificial love – A Disciple has a love that reflects Jesus Christ in its attitude and actions.
1. Jesus said that this love is the way others will know that we are His Disciples.
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35
2. A Disciple of Jesus does not view loving others as a choice, it is a command of Jesus!
"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. John 15:12-13
3. A Disciple loves in such a way that it is apparent that this love is beyond his desire but it comes from Jesus’ desire to love through him.
II. Conclusion
Do you demonstrate the four spiritual qualities of being a Disciple of Jesus Christ?
Do you have a growing faith?
Do you have and demonstrate humility?
Do you have a resilient hope?
Do you have a Christ-like, sacrificial love?
