- Acts 14:21-28
- follow-up discipleship required to grow new believers so they can be sent out and disciple others!
- Billy Graham’s ministry touched lives of over 215 million people, but only 25% of them truly believed and became life-long Christians…
- it’s the responsibility of the church to mature and multiple disciples
If I’m to be maturing and multiplying disciples…
- I need to be pursued and pursuing (v21)
- Paul’s heart was to grow disciples! Therefore, he headed back and poured himself in them
- sometimes 4 weeks, sometimes 2 years…
- danger of lack of firmly rooted relationship with Christ when we focus on church #’s rather than quality of believers
- Jesus was the master disciple maker; poured into His disciples for 3 years and then left them with the Spirit to move forward
- True discipleship requires commitment
- remember: doesn’t matter where you go, but you must go!
- True discipleship requires time
- need to schedule and be intentional
- True discipleship requires action
- we know what God tells us to do, but we struggle to do it
- if you’re a parent, start with your children
- join a discipleship group
- True discipleship requires commitment
- Paul’s heart was to grow disciples! Therefore, he headed back and poured himself in them
- I need to be taught and teaching (v22a)
- want others to be strengthened and edified in the faith
- Mt 13
- 2 Tim 3:11 (references Acts 14 actually!)
- Eph 4
- have you understood that the trials and tribulations of being a believer is worth it?
- only the Word of God can build you up; it grants you faith that endures and stands firm
- only the Word of God can be your strong foundation
- head knowledge and study of Word isn’t sufficient…
- want others to be strengthened and edified in the faith
- I need to be exhorted and exhorting (v22b)
- exhort and encourage others; it presses into the heart of the believer
- urges people to take action; similar to the role of a coach, “Don’t quit! Keep going!”
- remember that through the many tribulations we will enter the kingdom of God
- wanting to be godly is a guarantee for opposition and tribulation
- Heb 3:13; exhort daily
- 1 Thes 2:12; 5:11; encourage
- How to do it?
- Invite it in your life
- Bring people into it
- Appreciate and thank them when they’re in
- If you have it, give it to others
- Invite it in your life
- exhort and encourage others; it presses into the heart of the believer
- I need to be shepherded and shepherding (v23a)
- structure still important
- elders take care of the church (1 Tim 3; Titus 1)
- appointed elders for their church not for Paul’s benefit/control
- the structure and order helps grow disciples
- 1 Pet 5
- each has different capacities and calling but common goal/focus of growing disciples
- structure still important
- I need to be surrendered and surrendering (v23b)
- the human responsibility never trumps God’s sovereignty to grow people
- we must surrender people to the Lord
- “God, if You don’t show up, it doesn’t matter…”
- Spurgeon re: Hudson Taylor’s conversion
- work hard at discipling, but even harder in praying for others!
- are you aware you are being prayed for?
- are you praying for others?
- I need to be reminded and reminding (v24-28)
- reminders work powerfully on hearts
- Paul and Barnabas have faithfully fulfilled God’s mission
- Proclamation of Gospel is hard work to be fulfilled
- everything accomplished was with grace of God
- every aspect is Spirit of God working
- He is sufficient in us!
- the Spirit of God is everywhere
- privilege to be used by God in any way
- the work done by Paul and Barnabas wasn’t by them alone, it was with the efforts and involvement of whole church
- reminders work powerfully on hearts