Right On Discipleship Series

This sermon was preached by Scotty L Killingsworth to the Evergreen Church on October 26, 2003.

It is the fourth installment in a series of sermons on the Biblical church that includes The Biblical Church is right on growth, worship, leadership, discipleship, family and money.

The series is taken from First Timothy chapter four.

The sermon title is: The Biblical Church is right on discipleship

In our First Timothy study we have seen that a Biblical church is right on church growth, right on worship, right on leadership/governance and today we will look closely at chapter four and see that the Biblical church is right on discipleship.

The second step in the Great Commission is discipleship. 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, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. We baptize and then teach.

Christian ministry can never distance itself from teaching. Are you growing as a Christ follower? Many parents make a mark on the wall by the door to indicate a child’s height as the child grows year after year. If the Heavenly Father did that, would some of us be shorter instead of taller, more immature instead of more mature? Or would we stand taller every year?

We need to grow mentally. It is vital that you remain a learner for all your life

We need to learn more. Philippians 1:9; And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,

2 Peter 1:5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge

We need to remember more. Jesus quoted Scripture when He was tempted. Do we know enough Scripture to get ourselves out of trouble? Do we know enough Scripture to keep from getting into trouble?

We need to understand more 1 Corinthians 14:20 Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults; It will do little good to learn and remember if we do not understand what we have learned.

We need to grow physically. All of us need to be healthier; We are God’s temple.

We need to get proper rest, diet and exercise. We need to be balanced in all things (vis a vis) moderate in all things)

We Need to Grow Socially.

We need to be kinder to our friends Friendship is never to be taken lightly. Abraham was called “the friend of God” and Jesus called his disciples friends. Friendship can be a bridge for bringing people to Christ. Many times we try to influence people without first making them our friends. It seldom works.

We need to know how to treat our enemies (Luke 6:27). “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic

Jesus not only told us how to treat our enemies he showed us.

His last miracle before the Crucifixion was for an enemy. Luke 22:50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.51But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.

One of His last prayers was for an enemy “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”.

We Need to Grow Spiritually 2 Peter 1:5-7 tell us how to do this. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We need to pray and read our Bibles more. We need to give more as we grow in the Lord as an exercise of faith and discipline. We need to resist temptation more.

There are things that will stunt or stop your growth in these areas. There are deceptive ideologies in our world that come from the enemy of our souls which are designed to destroy.

The church has two ways to teach—Godly teaching and right living. They must never be made to separate or the integrity that is absolutely vital to the strength of our testimony is in question and weakened.