Discipleship Matters – Making a Commitment to Follow Jesus

What is involved in the commitment to follow Jesus?: What holds you back from making a whole-hearted commitment to Jesus? What needs to happen?

A STORY:
One of the fellows in the Navigator Ministry at San Diego State University felt God led him to do missionary work in the Philippines. He wanted to follow Jesus and make disciples. He lived there two years and returned to the United States to continue his training in disciple making. His training involved living in a Navigator home and then moving on to Seattle to attend a Navigator Training Center. It was remembered when he was in the Navigator Home, he hung a picture over his bed. The picture was of Jesus on the Cross. The words over the picture said, “Whatever it takes!” He was willing to do whatever it took to follow Jesus. His life was incredibly fruitful with disciples. His love for God was wholehearted. The Lord took him home five years later.

DIGGING INTO THE BIBLE:
Then Jesus said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
These were the words of Jesus to his disciples. Every new believer who has made this commitment has to consider the cost of following Jesus. This is not about attending a church group, or meeting or even make financial contributions. This is about a willingness to go all out in this relationship. This is about denying yourself and placing Jesus Christ in the center and number one place in your heart and life. That is why he gives these two commands to his disciples establishing the reality that this is a love relationship. This is not a religious relationship. Look at his words in Luke 10:27: ‘He answered,
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself”

DISCUSSION AND DISCOVERY:
1. What do you think it means to love someone with all your heart?
2. What do you think it means to love someone with all your soul?
3. What do you think it means to love someone with all your mind?
4. What do you think it means to love someone with all your strength?
5. Which those areas are the easiest for you to do?
6. What is the most difficult for you?

APPLICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY:
7. How do you feel when you hear Jesus ask you to make this kind of commitment to him?
8. How does loving your neighbor fit into all this?
9. Who is our neighbor?
10. What could you do to show love to your neighbors at work, at play or at home?
11. Let’s sum up the commitment Jesus is asking us to make.
12. What is one area you would like to start working on?
13. When will you get started?

DIGGING IN DEEPER:
1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you? Explain.
2. How do you see applying aspects of this lesson of it to your life?
3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?
4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?

For further information check out: https://coachthebible.com

Discipleship Matters – Making a Commitment to Follow Jesus

Help me understand the good news of Jesus:
What have you learned so far in telling your story of your relationship with Jesus? How skilled are you in sharing that good news?

A STORY:
In 1970 a fellow on a ship in the US Navy was feeling guilty about some decisions he has made while on” liberty” from the ship. He felt so bad that he wanted to take his life and jump off the ship. Another Christian sailor was called into help. The sailor shared form the Bible the good news of God’s love and forgiveness. The guilty sailor listened to the Bible and saw the good news of Jesus. He discovered that Jesus wanted to forgive his sins, give him eternal life and live with him forever. This was
such great news he put his trust in the truth of the words of Jesus. His life was changed forever.

DIGGING INTO THE BIBLE:
Jesus came onto the earth as a baby and grew up, at age 30 he began his public ministry. He came with a message of good news about the coming Kingdom of God. For three years he explained to the people and his disciples the values of the kingdom, the actions in the kingdom and the kingdom’s many mysteries. These were unfolded in his parables. As a growing Christian who has made this commitment to follow Jesus into his kingdom, it will be valuable to understand what has happened in your life and how to explain it to someone else. Let’s use a letter written by one of Jesus’ followers the Apostle Paul who wrote a letter to the Christians in Ephesus about what has happened in their lives now they have made this commitment. Let’s look at Ephesians 2:1-10:
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

DISCUSSION AND DISCOVERY:
1. What was our condition before we followed Jesus in vs.1-3?
2. What did God do in verse 4-5?
3. How does this make you feel in your relationship with Jesus?
4. What key words stand out to you?
5. What is it that is hard for you to understand?
6. How would you explain grace?
7. What does it mean to be saved?
8. How does faith fit in this process?
9. Describe your journey of faith.
10. What does it mean “that not of yourselves in vs. 8?
11. Describe how vs. 10 affects your view of your future life?

APPLICATION AND ACOUNTABILITY:
12. How would you use these verses to sum up the good news of Jesus?
13. Who could you share this within the next week?
14. How would you use these verses in Eph. 2:8,9 to tell your friends how they can be saved?

DIGGING IN DEEPER:
1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you? Explain.
2. How do you see applying aspects of this lesson to your life?
3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?
4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?

For further information check out: https://coachthebible.com

Discipleship Matters – Making a Commitment to Follow Jesus

Where does the church fit into my commitment?:
How does the Bible illustrate fellowship? What has been your experience in fellowship with other Christians?

A STORY:
“YOU BELONG TO THE FAMILY” was the phrase used as we met Sue, Bernice and Darrell. Another new believer expressed how lonely he was in this life. He wanted to meet Christ, but he also expressed his need for people. He said that he could not find people who would love and care for him. He was alone. When we told him that as a new believer he belonged to the family of God and our local family, the smile and tears began to run down his face. He had found what he was looking for as he discovered and made his commitment to follow Christ. It was very moving to see this emptiness be filled in his life.

DIGGING INTO THE BIBLE:
When someone is born into God’s family as a result of a commitment to follow Jesus, the Bible describes them as “Born Again.” In John chapter 3 you can read more about being born again. This means you are born into God’s family. You belong to a family. That means there are relationships to develop in knowing others in this family. The strengthening of these family ties will help you grow and deepen relationships with others who belong to God’s family. The Bible gives some key steps for us to get involved with other followers of Jesus. This can happen in a local church fellowship or small group or one to one relationship. A key verse to look at this is Hebrews 10:24-25:
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and more as you see the Day approaching.”

DISCUSSION AND DISCOVERY:
1. What does it mean to spur one another on toward love and good deeds?
2. Why is meeting together so important?
3. How do you see these meetings happening?
4. What should happen in these meetings? What is the day approaching?

APPLICATION AND ACOUNTABILITY:
5. How have you been encouraged in your commitment so far?
6. What step can you take to find this level of relationship?
7. When would you like to get started.
8. What is hindering you so far from being with other family members in God’s family?
9. How do we overcome that?
10. How can I help?

DIGGING IN DEEPER:
1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you? Explain.
2. How do you see applying aspects of this lesson to your life?
3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?
4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?

For further information check out: https://coachthebible.com

Discipleship Matters – Making a Commitment to Follow Jesus

How Do I Listen to God and Have a Conversation?:
What is an example of something you have heard from God? What has helped you be obedient to what God has said?

A STORY:
Scott grabbed his ancient King James Bible with the pages showing their age. He was new at following Jesus. He wanted to know how prayer and listening to God worked. We demonstrated to him how to listen to God from reading his Bible every day. We encouraged him to write down key thoughts that God gave him. We suggested certain Bible verses for him to meditate on. He began to do that, and you could see the joy on his face. “I heard from God” he said. Now I just naturally respond with conversation about what I read and thought about. It was so exciting.

DIGGING INTO THE BIBLE:
Jesus said to us in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me.” So, this tells us that a relationship or conversation with the Father is going to have to happen through Jesus. When we hear his words then we can respond in prayer. We will look at a passage to give you a glimpse of how this communication will take place.

Let’s look at Romans 8:16,
“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”

DISCUSSION AND DISCOVERY:
1. What does it mean the Spirit testifies with our spirit?
2. What is our Spirit?
3. How do we get a Spirit?
4. What does Jesus teach in John 3 about being “Born again”?
5. What does this tell us about being born again and our Spirit?
6. What does his Spirit tell our spirit?

APPLICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY:
7. How does this help you in listening to God?
8. How can you grow in the conversation?
9. Where does time fit into all this?
10. When do you want to get started?

DIGGING IN DEEPER:
1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you? Explain.
2. How do you see aspects of this lesson to your life?
3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?
4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?

For further information check out: https://coachthebible.com

Discipleship Matters – Making a Commitment to Follow Jesus

What is the Commitment Jesus is Asking Me to Make?: What do you think it means to follow a Jesus? What examples have you seen who successfully follow Jesus?

A STORY:
Steve was a student at San Diego state University. He was not a Christian. He heard the good news of the Gospel of Christ. He was so excited about the change in his life in knowing Christ, he devoured the Bible and began to grow deeper in his relationship with Jesus. He came to hear Jesus say in Matthew…” Follow me and I will make you a fisher of men.” Steve took this so deeply to heart he wanted to see God give him men who would come to Christ. He eventually prepared himself to go overseas to reach men in the Philippines for Christ. He followed, and Jesus made him a “FISHER OF MEN.” Filipino men trusted Christ. What is the commitment Jesus is asking of his disciples?

DIGGING INTO THE BIBLE:
When Jesus began his public ministry, he began to teach about the Kingdom of God. There were many people who came around to listen and try to understand this Kingdom teaching. He preached “Repent of your sins for the Kingdom of God is near.” From this teaching there were some who were drawn to Jesus and wanted to know more. There were four fishermen who heard this message and they began to spend time listening. Soon there was a time that Jesus said to them Matthew 4:19:
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

DISCUSSION AND DISCOVERY:
1. What is the commitment Jesus was asking for in this passage?
2. What does it mean to follow Jesus?
3. What does it take to trust Jesus in this invitation?
4. What did Jesus say he would do? How does this request from Jesus work itself out?
5. What did he promise he would do?

APPLICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY:
6. Why are these statements relevant to us?
7. What do you feel the commitment Jesus is asking from you?
8. When will you make that decision?
9. What will you start doing to follow Jesus?

DIGGING IN DEEPER:
1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you? Explain.
2. How do you see applying aspects of this lesson of it to your life?
3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?
4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?

For further information check out: https://coachthebible.com

Discipleship Matters – Making a Commitment to Follow Jesus

How do I know the Bible is true?:
What questions do you have about the Bible’s authenticity? What questions do you have about the Bible’s authority?

A Story:
Jose was in class, and he questioned the group. “How can I trust this book the Bible? I have heard it has all kinds of errors and contradictions.“ Jose was not alone in questioning the validity of the Bible. Is it a book of myths? Do we have any evidence of the Bible’s authenticity? We shared with Jose that some don’t believe it because they don’t want to. Others have had experiences with people who believe the Bible, yet their lives are in shambles. We asked him if he felt like his reasons for questioning were well thought out. Dale, responded, “I have never had anyone explain it to me to help me believe.” We shared our stories and helped him take steps in his journey toward truth. The Bible is an amazing book that claims to be God’s inspired word. Either it is or it isn’t. There is much evidence for its reliability that is expressed in an excellent book called EVIDENCE THAT DEMANDS A VERDICT by Josh McDowell. If you need to strengthen your intellectual foundation of the Bible’s origin, historical and archeological evidence, you will find help in this book.

Dig Into the Bible:
One verse that has been very helpful is John 7:17. Jesus in this Book written by one of his disciples is traveling about and speaking about what God has told him to say in proclaiming His Kingdom. He had some folks question whether his teaching was from God or not. He gave them these thoughts: John 7:17,
“If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.”

Discover what the Bible says by answering the following questions:
1. What is the choice one has to make to know whether this teaching is from God?
2. How does one demonstrate that he has chosen to do the Will of God?
3. What will he know if he chooses to do the will of God?

Apply God’s Word:
4. What step can you take to grow in your understanding and
confidence in the Bible?
5. How will you proceed to grow in your trust in the Bible?
6. Can you think of any situation where you have told God you want to do His will? Would you like to pray that now and tell him you trust Him?
7. How will you record your discoveries of truth?

Digging Deeper:
1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you?
2. How do you see applying aspects of this lesson to your life?
3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?
4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?

For further information check out: https://coachthebible.com

Discipleship Matters – Making a Commitment to Follow Jesus

I have a Reading and Daily Devotional Plan:
What has been your experience in reading the Bible regularly? What have been barriers to having a daily devotional?

A Story:
“How often do you read the Bible“, George asked his businessman friend from a small group meeting. Bill responded, “I read it when I can, but I am so busy I can’t find time between work, family time, house maintenance and other activities. George asked him how often he eats meals. He responded, “three times a day when I can.” George responded, “What would happen if you didn’t eat?” Bill, with a curious look said, “I would get weak and eventually die.“ “It sounds like eating is important to a vibrant life”, said George. He continued with the metaphor and said, “IF we don’t feed on God’s Word the Bible, we will get weak, and it will impact the strength of our spiritual vibrancy and life.” Bill responded, “That makes sense.” What do I need to do to feed on the Word of God regularly? George with excitement said “I will show you a scripture that lays a foundation for this and a few ideas on how to get started on your daily spiritual eating plan.

Dig Into the Bible:
Jeremiah 15:16,
Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.

When I first received Jesus I tried reading the Bible and struggled with understanding it. I realized that I was trying to read into it instead of letting it reveal God’s mind to me. Once I let the Bible lead me, even in the difficult hard to understand parts, things began to make sense and I wanted to know more.

Discover what the Bible says by answering the following questions:
1. In this verse what does “your words “mean?
2. How does someone eat the words of God?
3. What happens when you eat something? What is the metaphor here?
4. Why do you think the words of God were a joy and a heart’s delight?
5. What has been your experience in eating the Word of God?
6. What happens when we eat the Word of God like our spiritual food?
7. What do you think it means to bear his name?
8. When you are born in a family whose name do you take?
9. When you were born into God’s family who’s name do you bear?

Apply God’s Word:
10. What has been your experience in reading or eating the Word of God?
11. What will you experience if you read and eat the word of God daily?
12. What will stop you from eating the Word of God everyday like eating physical food?
13. What plans have you experienced in regularly reading the word of God?
14. How open are you to begin a new Bible reading plan?
15. What steps can you take to strengthen your Bible reading?

Digging Deeper:
1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you?
2. How do you see applying aspects of this lesson to your life?
3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?
4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?

For further information check out: https://coachthebible.com/

Discipleship Matters – Making a Commitment to Follow Jesus

How Can I Understand the Bible?:
What is important about knowing the Bible? What is your current grasp on how the Bible comes together?

A Story:
Kenny looked at Dennis and asked, “Do you want to grasp and understand the Word of God? Dennis responded, “You bet!” Kenny began to tell Dennis,” the Bible is a huge book, it has 66 books, 39 books are from the Old testament which means the Old Covenant that God made with Israel. The New Testament has 27 books and represents the New Covenant that God made with all mankind. Many people have spent their lives seeking to know God through reading and studying the Bible. I will show you five ways to grasp the Bible.” He taught and modeled these five ways for Dennis to grasp the truths of the Bible.

First: Hear the Word of God…this can be done at church services, online, and by just listening to the Bible being read. Romans 10:17

Second: Read the Word of God…this can be done by setting up a reading plan that is in your capacity. There is a reading plan online called “THE BIBLE PROJECT” It is a great plan in how to understand the major parts of the Bible. Revelation 1:3

Third: To study the Bible…Here is where you begin to study major subjects in the Bible or to understand different books of the Bible. There are tools available for this step.
II Timothy 2:15

Fourth: To memorize key verses in the Bible…Here is where you can start with some memory systems to hide the Bible verses in your heart. In this guidebook there are verses you can memorize under making your commitment to follow Jesus. Psalms 119:9-11

Fifth: To meditate on the verses in the Bible… The Bible teaches us that meditation will take you deeper in understanding. This takes time and skills of meditation. Joshua 1:8

Dig Into the Bible:
A key passage of Scripture is 2 Timothy 3:16-17:
16 All Scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Discover what the Bible says by answering the following questions:
1. What are the four things that the Bible is profitable for?
2. What do these four things mean?
3. What does it mean to be inspired by God?
4. How would understanding the Bible be profitable?
5. What does it mean to rightly divide the Word of Truth?

Apply God’s Word:
6. Of the five ways to understand the Bible which one would you like to get started in?
7. What can you do to improve your hearing of the Bible?
8. What can you do to improve the reading of the Bible?
9. What can you do to improve your study of the Bible?
10. What can you do to improve the memorizing of the Bible?
11. What can you do to improve the meditation of the Bible?
12. What will be your first step?
13. When will get started on that step?

Digging Deeper:
1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you?
2. How do you see applying aspects of this lesson to your life?
3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?
4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?

For further information check out: https://coachthebible.com

Discipleship Matters – Will God Guide My Life?

Understanding the Message of the Bible:
What area of life are you seeking guidance? How has God guided you in your life so far?

Dig Into the Bible:
Proverbs 3:5-6,
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Trust doesn’t come easy. We believe trust must be earned and hold back giving it again once our trust has been abused. Can we trust God? We can’t rightly know until we come to know Him.

Discover what the Bible says by answering the following questions:
1. What does it mean to trust someone?
2. How do you grow in trust?
3. How do you know if you are trusting someone with all your heart?
4. What is the problem of trusting in our own understanding?
5. How do you acknowledge him in all your ways?
6. What are some of the ways in your life that you have not acknowledged Him?
7. What can you do with that area to trust Him with it?
8. What is the promise in this verse?

Apply God’s Word:
9. What experience have you had so far in God directing your path?
10. What area of your life can you take a step in trusting Him to guide you?
11. How and when will you take steps to seek his direction?

Digging Deeper:
1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you?
2. How do you see applying aspects of this lesson to your life?
3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?
4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?

For further information check out: https://coachthebible.com/

Discipleship Matters – How Will I know that my sins are forgiven?

Understanding the Message of the Bible:
What does it feel like to be forgiven? How well do you forgive?

Dig Into the Bible: Let’s look at a verse of Scripture that gives us God’s thoughts on forgiveness. We will look at 1 John 1:9,

1 John 1:9,
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

When we’ve done something of which we are ashamed healing can’t happen if we don’t seek forgiveness for what we’ve done. What often stops us from asking for forgiveness is the uncertainty that we will be forgiven. But that isn’t true with God.

Discover what the Bible says by answering the following questions:
1. What does it mean to confess your sin?
2. What is your definition of sin?
3. What has been your biggest challenge in dealing with sin?
4. What feelings do you experience when you know you have sinned against God?
5. What did you discover about God in this verse?
6. Why is it so important to see God as faithful?
7. Why is it so important to see God as just?
8. How can God forgive our sins?
9. What does it feel like to be cleansed from all unrighteousness?

Apply God’s Word:
10. When you know that this will happen when you confess and agree with God about your sin, what do you experience?
11. What sin are you holding on to that you need to confess and believe that God has forgiven you?
12. When will you do this time of confession?

Digging Deeper:
1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you?
2. How do you see applying aspects of this lesson to your life?
3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?
4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?

For further information check out: https://coachthebible.com