Lessons of Discipleship Session 2

Session 1

In Hosea 4:6 it says: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” There is a growing danger in the church today because so many do not know the Truth of God. So many in the church are like the eunuch for they have never been properly guided to become a disciple who knows the Scriptures and who knows the ways of the Kingdom. And so it says in “2 Timothy 3:16: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” God intends the earth to be flooded with His Glory, thus His Truth, but for now the world is suffering because of a lack of truth, thus the prevailing darkness.

Indeed, we desperately need to make disciples again who are guided in the truth of God and who knows the truth, so that they can guide others. Disciples who know the presence of God and to dwell in such Presence, thus dwellers in His Glory. And here the house churches, as found in Acts 2, plays a pivotal role in creating an environment for true discipleship, where the disciple is guided, activated, and mobilized in his or her calling.

In Acts 16, when God opened the jail doors for imprisoned Paul and Silas to be set free, we read the following of the jailer’s reaction: “29 Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.”

What happened in Acts 16 reflects Acts 8. Paul and Silas obeyed God. They worshipped God until the power of God touched the willing heart of the jailer. Paul and Silas were not angry at the jailer, but in the love of God, like Philip, guided the jailer in the liberating power of the Gospel. The jailer wanted to be saved, so he needed someone to guide him. They even evangelized to his household, and yes, this serves as another testimony that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). And like Philip, Paul and Silas didn’t hesitate, they took action, they proclaimed the Word and they baptized those who were willing to come to the Lord. This is discipleship in action. Deliberate. Full of intent and full of purpose.

See also
Statement Of Faith

We continue reading in Acts 8: “34 So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.” Take now, Philip opened his mouth. He was willing to serve. Willing to share. It reminds us of how Stephen, before being stoned, opened his mouth to testify to the goodness and greatness of God (Acts 7). Stephen truly allowed God to speak, calling the people stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears (verse 51) for they resisted the Holy Spirit. We also read how what Stephen said cut to the heart of the people (verse 54), and they gnashed at him with their teeth. You see, Jesus spoke as one with authority and not as the scribes (Matthew 7:29, Mark 1:22). We need to learn to yield and submit to God so that He can speak through us, for then in the Spirit of God we shall speak by His authority and truth, for the truth of God truly does set free (John 8:32).

So many times we might think we are not prepared, or might feel we are not ready for the task to declare the Gospel, but we are called to only obey and allow the Spirit of God to lead. Paul writes in “1 Corinthians 2: 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” The true power in evangelism and sharing the Word is speaking as the Spirit leads, not solely relying on one’s own intellect or upon your own reasoning. In our wisdom and power, we shall fail, but in the might and power of God, we shall preach the living word of God. After all, Peter preached such a living word of power and might by the Spirit directly after Pentecost (Acts 2), and 3000 lives were touched.

In Ephesians 4 we read that Paul says from verse 19 “that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” We must just open our mouths boldly and speak the Word of God!

See also
To Be a Reborn Disciple 4

Riaan Engelbrecht

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