The Original Disciple Makers

Review
• As believers, we hold to the faith that was once for all delivered
• Jesus gave the disciples a life style to live out that made their message credible and He gave them and a process to follow
• Every believer is a Disciple –Following Jesus, Changed by Jesus, Committed to His Mission (Matthew 4:19)

• Share –Connect – Minister – Disciple

2 Timothy 4:1–3 (NIV) — 1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
Matthew 28:19 (NIV) — 19 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,

Acts 2:42 (NIV) — 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
The focus of last week –Ministry
A. Rather than a consumer we become a minister with all we have
B. We have a ministry mindset in every sphere of our lives –the five spheres connection
C. We minister with our gifts collectively as a body – a Ministry movement that makes disciples
A disciple is intentional as they minister
• We do what we do in Jesus name – He is the Hero and we point to Him
• A disciple is intentional – they understand the end goal is to help people start a relationship with Jesus
• We help people take the next step in their journey personally–S-C-M-D
• We remain part of the overall movement of God – the Church

Acts 8:1–14 (NIV) — 1 And Saul approved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. 4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city. 9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.” 11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. 12 But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. 14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.

Next steps
1. Become a disciple of Jesus today
2. If you have surrendered to Jesus but didn’t know that you were a disciple, take the next step today –Get connected – no disciple of Jesus is unconnected
3. In Connection, begin to allow Jesus to change your heart – become a Minister – as an individual and as a part of the church
4. Learn to become intentional

For Small Group Discussion:

Opening Question: Who is someone that you would want to model your life after?

Main Point: Jesus commanded His followers to make DISCIPLES of others. As we grow in spiritual maturity, we are to bring others along with us.

Read/Tell the Story: 1 Kings 19:19-21, 2 Kings 2:1-15 (Elisha succeeds Elijah)

Questions:
1. Why do you think Elijah kept asking Elisha to stay behind?
2. Being tested reveals what we are committed to. How have you been tested recently? What did you learn about yourself?
3. What area of your life do you wish you were more committed to?
4. How did Elisha model his life after Elijah?
5. What qualities have you observed in others that you would like to make a part of your own life?
6. What does it look like to disciple someone?
7. How can you encourage others to serve the Lord, particularly when you’re not there to help them?
8. What do you hope someone will take from your life and reproduce with others?

Supporting Scripture:
• Matthew 28:19-20, 2 Timothy 1:13, 2 Timothy 2:2