DISCIPLESHIP - VOLUME - 1

SESSION - 1 - WHAT JUST HAPPENED ?

Reflect

In this study, we'll explore what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. You may have been a disciple of Jesus for many years, or may have recently made a decision to take a step of faith. Regardless, this decision to follow Jesus may seem like something you initiated, but God has been at work in your life and pursing you for quite some time. Take a moment to describe some of your encounters with God.

Describe the first time you heard about God.

Describe the first time you prayed to God.

Describe a time that God may have been present and active in your life but you didn't recognize it at the time.

Pray

One of the ways we communicate with God is through prayer. At its core, prayer is simply talking to God telling Him what's on your heart and actively listening for His response. When you're starting out, it might feel uncomfortable, erratic, and difficult. If so, don't worry. That's normal.

Spend a few moments with God by bowing your head to acknowledge who He is. Close your eyes to block out distractions. If you need help getting started, here's a five-point prayer for guidance. We'll be looking at other approaches to prayer in the next few sessions.

• Greet God. How you address God may depend on what you want to talk to Him about. He functions in a limitless capacity : Father, Daddy, Friend, Almighty, Savior, and Redeemer.

• Tell Him what you're thankful for.

• Tell Him what you're concerned about.

• Ask Him to help you understand the elements of the study today.

• Take time to listen for His response.

Introduction

New creation. Saved. Born again. Redeemed.

These are just a few ways the Bible describes conversion. Conversion is the process of salvation through which we respond to the message of salvation by repentance and faith and are forgiven by the grace of God for our rebellion against the will  and the person of God. Jesus called His original disciples by saying, "Follow me," and He later explained that we must be "born again." But what does those terms mean?

Ultimately, salvation, or being born again, includes leaving your old ways behind and trusting God. He initiated a relationship with you and offered you a way to experience that relationship. And you responded. You've turned from your old life and turned toward God. You've been freed from sin and made right in His eyes. And you've been rescued from Satan, the enemy of God, and adopted into God's family.

Read 2 Corinthians 5:17. What old things are you hoping will go away?

What new things do you hope Jesus will bring to your life?

The way we experience God's grace and mercy looks different for different people. Perhaps it felt as though you turned a corner in your life and discovered God right in front of you, or maybe you felt like He chased you down and caught you from behind. Regardless of how you describe your own journey, all such stories share a few things in common - a change in what you believe, a transfer of loyalty, and a reversal of direction. God forgives, saves, restores, and reconciles.

Are there people you've "followed" over the course of your life? There are a few ways you can follow someone or something. You can follow people on social media. You can follow a favorite sports team or celebrity gossip. You can follow a philosophy or an idea. But when the Creator of the universe - God in the person of Jesus Christ - says, "Follow me" (Matt 4:19), we intuitively know that's something much different.

Know The Story

One day Simon Peter was cleaning his fishing nets after an unsuccessful day on the water, Jesus climbed into his boat. Jesus offered some unusual instructions for Simon Peter, and the resulting miracle brought the fisherman to his knees. He told Simon Peter to push back out into the water and to cast out his net again. He did as Jesus said, and the net filled up with fish. After the massive amount of fish began to sink his boat, Simon Peter realized who Jesus wad and it brought him to his knees.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon. "Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch." 5 "Master," Simon replied, "we've worked hard all night long and caught nothing. But if you say so, I'll let down the nets." 6 When they did this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets began to tear. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them; they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus's knees and said, "Go away from me, because I'm a sinful man, Lord!" 9 For he and all those with him were amazed at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, Zebedee's sons, who were Simon's partners. "Don't be afraid," Jesus told Simon. "From now on you will be catching people." 11 Then they brought the boats to land, left everything, and followed him.

Luke 5:4-11

 

What are some practical examples of what it looks like to follow Jesus in your life?

What makes it difficult to follow Jesus? What makes it easier?

 

Being a Christian isn't about following rules; it's about following a Person. It's not about  asking Jesus to follow us but about deciding to follow Him. Jesus doesn't stand in a far off place and demand that we get out act together before approaching Him; rather, He invades the reality of our lives and beckons us into a life larger than our own.

Following Jesus is ultimately about doing what Jesus did the way He did it. It's that simple. We love the people He loved, serve the people He served, and do things He did. We strive to replicate His character, ways, and mission.

Unpack The Story

Creation. Fall. Redemption. Re-creation. These four events represent the great story of God - the gospel story. It was the story Simon Peter was swept into and it's the story you have now been swept into. Our lives make sense only as we understand them against this backdrop. Let's examine each of these events.

Creation -

In the beginning, God created. At the sound of His voice, galaxies were hurled into orbit and the smallest organisms were established. Water was pure, creation was untainted, and life was perfect. Then God created man and woman. Fashioned with His own hands and infused with His own breath, He created Adam and Eve to be in relationship with Him and to be steward of His creation.

 

Why do you think it's important to know God as Creator?

 

Fall -

Then, the Villain entered the story. Twisting the words of God and promising a better life, Satan planted a seed of unbelief in the woman's heart. Eve doubted the goodness and trustworthiness of God and reached for the very thing that compromised her relationship with Him. Adam and Eve believed a lie, turned against God, and pursued a story of their own making which left them separated with their Creator. Sin entered the world through humanity and everything broke. And that's what sin is: turning away from God's desire with actions, attitudes, or thoughts.

 

What have you been taught about the nature and consequences of sin?

How do you see sin's effects today?

 

Violence. War. Dishonesty. Greed. Sickness. The perfect creation became overgrown with evil, chaos, and despair. It was soon overrun with people who searched for meaning and salvation through selfish ambition. The world needed a Savior.

For centuries, God pursued His people. He gave them leaders, prophets, and priests to guide them into relationship with Him. But over and over, the people became distracted and turned their attention to man-made gods. God's complete redemption was yet to come.

Redemption -

In order to reverse the disastrous effects of sin, to free people from the clutches of the Villain, and to restore people to God the Father, Jesus came to the earth with His eyes on the cross. Fully God, Jesus made the perfect sacrifice to pay the debt of our sin and to cancel the curse of death on our lives. Fully human, Jesus was able to completely represent man before God. Redemption has come. On the third day, Jesus rose from the grave to conquer sin and death once and for all.

 

What is significant to you about Jesus being both fully God and full man?

Re-creation - 

The story 

 

 

SESSION - 2

DISCIPLESHIP - VOLUME - 1

DISCIPLESHIP - VOLUME - 1

DISCIPLESHIP - VOLUME - 1

DISCIPLESHIP - VOLUME - 1

DISCIPLESHIP - VOLUME - 1

DISCIPLESHIP - VOLUME - 1

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