Intro
● Paul encouraging Archippus to fulfil or complete his ministry
● We are all to be minister of the Kingdom of God
● We know this because just as Jesus sent his Disciples in Matthew 28 and Mark 16 it also applies to us
● Mathews recording of the event is straight to the point
So what does is look like for us
What does it mean to make disciples? Jesus said, "Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you."
Simply put, it means that you demonstrate discipleship for them by the way that you live. And of course, verbally communicating God's Word.
● There is an assumption here that you are already obeying the truth you have received
● Does your life reflect the new creation, the person you have been saved to be?
● I was reminded again this week, it's about our Character, our Character matters
● you can be the most gifted, anointed person on the planet but without the godly character its nothing. While I was being prayed with, Colossians 3 was read out to me, God reminding me that my character matters to him.
● We have to model this in the way we live our lives in the good the bad and the ugly of life – When I first Joined this Church I felt God simply say to me I was to stand with the Leader and that’s what I did for nearly 30 years and yes sometimes it was good sometimes bad and sometimes it got ugly, but I simply did what God asked of me.
● The challenge for us today is to become a disciple of Jesus Christ - not just a fair-weather follower or simply a churchgoing person. you may have made a decision to follow Jesus but haven't started or maybe you never have!
● Would you be His disciple? If so, your life will never be the same.
● Whatever our ministry, gifting, calling – whatever you want to call it, it was always meant to be worked out in the context of the community of believers, not independently no super heroes, No special ones but everyone being dependant on one another working it out together.
● The great commission is Gods mission we get to partner with him and one another
I could have used several passages from scripture concerning Gifts but will just look at what Paul says to the Romans in Chapter 12 v 4-6
● Dependant on one another
● Not in competition with one another
● For a body to function we need each other and to work together.
Romans 12:4-6
Romans 12:6-8
God has not set the bar so high we cannot attain the standard it's that we are to do what we do well! Not because we have to, or ought to, it's not that that’s the rules
And finally
Romans 12:9-10
Conclusion
When Jesus chose his first disciples they were not ready for what was about to happen
If he can train teach and equip them and much of it was on the job training he can use anyone of us. It doesn’t depend on our upbringing, training, level of education position in society. Jesus has a whole mix from the illiterate to the Doctor
He can use anyone who truly believes and is willing to lay down their life for the sake of the Gospel.
Questions
1. In what ways can our life reflect the new creation, the person we have been saved to be?
2. How can we demonstrate what discipleship is and looks like that makes it easy for others to believe
3. If we are to work out our service to God in the community of believer
a. How do you think this best works?
b. What are the benefits of doing it together? Are there any negatives?
4. When Paul tells us to really love and not fake it, what are the challenges to this, how do we overcome them?
