1. DISCIPLESHIP IN THE CHURCH OF ACTS Penge Baptist Church 13 th June 2010

2. The New Testament purposes ► Evangelism ► Worship ► Discipleship ► Ministry ► Community

3. What ’ s discipleship? ► Jesus said “ 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. ” (The Great Commission, Matthew 28:19- 20)

5. How did the early church “ do ” discipleship ► Mainly relational approach, speaking, listening and debating with Apostles ► Bible study and preaching ► Acting as Jesus ’ hands and feet ► Experience of the power of the Holy Spirit ► Personal approach, prayer and reflection on Scriptures

6. Consequences of discipleship ► Knowledge is important but not enough ► James 1:23; “ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ” ► Discipleship is not just a matter of knowledge. It is a choice.

7. Fruits of discipleship ► Sharing in fellowship ….[community] ► Humility in service ….[ministry] ► Attraction of others ….[evangelism] ► … and willingness to bear the costs of discipleship “ If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? ” (Matthew 26:24-26)

8. Stephen bears the full costs of discipleship ► “ yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “ Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. ” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “ Lord, do not hold this sin against them. ” When he had said this, he fell asleep. ” (Acts 7:57-60)

9. Discipleship in the church today ► Dallas Willard “ discipleship is the great omission of the Great Commission on the part of churches ” ► Further means of discipleship in Penge  How to develop discipleship through relations in community – discipleship groups  Becoming Jesus ’ hands and feet for the needy ► Consequences of discipleship in Penge  Rejecting non-Christian beliefs  Bearing the costs of discipleship

10. Detecting counterfeits D ear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)

11. Bonhoeffer, discipleship, grace

12. ► “ Suffering then is the badge of true discipleship. The disciple is not above his master … If we refuse to take up our cross and submit to suffering and rejection at the hands of men, we forfeit our fellowship with Christ and have ceased to follow Him. But if we lose our lives in His service and carry our cross, we shall find our lives again in the fellowship of the cross with Christ. The opposite of discipleship is to be ashamed of Christ and His cross and all the offence which the cross brings in its train ….. ”

13. Bonhoeffer, discipleship, grace ► “ Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate. ”….

14. Bearing costs in today ’ s world Today’s “me” culture of self Consumer Control Keep Protect yourself Family as a “possession” Work for status, income Risk of not knowing Jesus or making him known Jesus’ “him” culture of discipleship Giver Follow Give away Become vulnerable “Give away” family Work for “only duty” Knowing Jesus and making him known The bridge: Developing as a disciple of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit Costs of crossing Subordinate needs Lose independence Less time/money May suffer ridicule Family may reject Efforts unrewarded