This week we have been considering that ‘Disciples Say “Yes”’ - they say yes to making disciples. They want to learn from Jesus and help others to learn from Him. Let’s make no mistake, this is God’s will and the devil wants to trip you up and keep you from doing this. How much misery and failure from marriage break-ups to losing our faith could have been avoided if everyone had a brother or sister to love, encourage and rebuke them!
So let’s to get practical. ‘Running Partners’ is a simple method of having the more intimate discipleship that is often lacking in church life.
Sunday teaching and Community Groups are important, but only in smaller, single-sex relationships, can we go really deep.
Running partners are groups of 2 or 3 brothers or sisters who support one-another to grow as disciples.
Their aim is to help one another to do as God urges us,
‘Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.’ (1 Corinthians 9:24)
They help us fulfil the promise of God,
‘As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.’ (Proverbs 27:17)
To learn more about starting a Running Partnership please go to:
Pray: “Lord Jesus, I thank you that you have called me and commissioned me to make disciple-makers. I am aware of my many limitations, but I thank you that you have the authority to command and overcome all obstacles. I commit myself to your will. Amen”
To memorise this week: Isaiah 6:8
‘Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”’ (Isaiah 6:8)
COMMUNITY GROUP STUDY - DISCIPLES SAY "YES"
Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
Suggested opener/Ice-breaker
What was your favourite subject at school and why?
Introduction - please share in your group
On Sunday, we continued in our series on discipleship. Last week, we considered how disciples are those who are 'learning to live like Jesus'. This week, and in our devotionals, we will see that 'disciples say "yes"'; those who want to follow Jesus, hear his command to make disciples in The Great Commission and they seek to be disciples and make disciple-makers in any way that they can. Let's remind ourselves of Jesus' commission to us,
‘Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Making disciples is God's will for all of us. There are many reasons why we don't get involved such as being too busy, feeling that we don't have much to offer, not realising this is Jesus' will... but let's be clear, if you are a disciple, you need to say "yes" and get involved in making disciples. David Watson summarised what this means when he wrote,
'The verb to disciple describes the process by which we encourage another person to be a follower of Jesus; it means the methods we use to help that person to become mature in Christ and so be in a position where he or she can now disciple someone else.' (Watson Discipleship)
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