Basics of a Disciple

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THE BIBLE:

The Bible is more than just a book: Hebrews 4:12

The Bible is our sole source for faith and practice:

  1. General revelation: Psalm 19, Romans 1:18-21, Psalm 107:9, Acts 14:17, Romans 2
  2. Special revelation: John 1:1-18 (the foundation of the Christian faith, all we know about God is found in these pages)
  3. The Bible: it’s influence, divine origin, and reliability leading to it being authoritative and transformational
    • Influence: billions of copies with billions of followers
    • Divine Origin: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Jeremiah 1:9, 2 Peter 1:16-21
    • Reliability:
      • The trustworthiness of the biblical manuscripts (1000 copies close to the originals)
      • The unity of the Scriptures (40 authors, 3 languages, 1500 years, 3 continents)
      • The preservation of the Scriptures (all the attempts of burn, ban, and eliminate it)
      • The fulfilled prophecies of the Scriptures (1239 in the OT, 578 in the NT)
      • The archaeological record: Hittites were once imaginary, Tel Dan inscription confirms King David, Dead Sea Scrolls)
    • Authoritative: Psalm 119:162, Hebrews 4:12, John 8:31-32
    • Transformational:
      • Divine origin – we can listen to it
      • Reliable – we can trust it
      • Authoritative – we must submit to it
      • Transformative – we are blessed when we live it

From God to Us:

  1. Revelation: it is a book of God’s self-revelation of himself and his dealings with mankind. We don’t know everything (Deuteronomy 29:29) but we know everything pertaining to life and godliness (1 Peter 1).
  2. Inspiration: the process whereby the Holy Spirit wrote through supernaturally guided authors, using their own personalities and styles. They recorded the message God wanted us to know.
  3. Inerrancy: that Scriptures are without error in matters of faith and theology, and that modern translations accurately represent the original text.
  4. Canonicity: The OT and NT are written under divine inspiration and early church leaders agreed upon criteria to distinguish God-breathed writing from mere human writings, then collected this writing into the book we have as the Bible.
  5. Illumination: The work of the Spirit to enable God’s people to understand and apply the written Word of God (Luke 24:44-45, 1 Corinthians 2:11-14). Illumination happens when our eyes read the text and we have this “aha” moment, seeing what we did not see before.

GOD:

One God in Three Persons: the Trinity

  1. Why do Christians believe in the trinity?
    • Oneness of God – Deuteronomy 6:4
    • Three distinct Persons:
      • Father – 1 Corinthians 1:3
      • Son – Hebrews 1:6-8
      • Spirit – Acts 5:3-4
  2. A vivid snapshot of God:
    • Forgiving: Psalm 103:3, 9, 10, 12 (pardon)
    • Abounding in Love: Psalm 103:4, 8, 11, 17 (loving-kindness)
    • Tender: Psalm 103: 4, 8, 13 (compassion)
    • Holy: Psalm 103:8-9, 11, 13, 17 (fear of the Lord)
    • Eternal: Psalm 103:14-17 (what lasts in this world)
    • Ruling the Universe: Psalm 103:19-21 (established his throne)

God’s Attributes:

  1. Eternal: Genesis 21:33, Psalm 90:2, Revelation 1:8
  2. Good: Exodus 33:19, Psalm 145:9
  3. Holy: 1 Peter 1:16, 1 John 1:5
  4. Immutable: Psalm 102:27, Malachi 3:6, James 1:17
  5. Infinite: 1 Kings 8:27, Psalm 145:3, Acts 17:24
  6. Just: Acts 10:34-35, 17:31, Romans 2:11
  7. Loving and Forgiving: Psalm 103:17, Ephesians 2:4-5, 1 John 4:8, 10
  8. Omnipotent: Matthew 19:26, Revelation 19:6
  9. Omnipresent: Psalm 139:7-12, Jeremiah 23:23-24
  10. One: Deuteronomy 6:4, 1 Corinthians 8:6
  11. Sovereign: Ephesians 1:4-14, 21
  12. Transcendent: Psalm 13:1, Isaiah 8:17
  13. Triune: Ephesians 4:4-6, Hebrews 1:6-8, Acts 5:3-4
  14. True: John 16:6, 17:3

JESUS – THE SON:

Jesus is the fullness of Deity in bodily form – Colossians 2:9

The Nature of Christ: both God and man

  1. The Humanity of Jesus
    • Descendant of David: Matthew 1:1
    • Born of a woman: Matthew 1:18, Galatians 4:4
    • Felt hunger: Mark 11:12
    • Got tired: John 4:6
    • Experienced stress: Matthew 26:38
    • Had a human body: John 1:14, Luke 7:38, 1 John 1:1
    • Felt grief: John 11:35
    • Ate and drank: Luke 7:34
    • He slept: Mark 4:38
    • He sweat: Luke 22:44
    • He experienced thirst: John 19:28
    • He bled: John 19:34
    • He died: 1 Corinthians 15:3
    • Paul referred to Jesus as a man: 1 Timothy 2:5
    • He was fully human in every way: Hebrews 2:17
    • Face all common human temptations: Hebrews 4:15
  2. The Deity of Jesus
    • This child would be mighty God: Isaiah 9:6
    • Claimed a unique relationship with the Father: Matthew 11:27
    • Claimed authority to forgive sins: Mark 2:5-7
    • John, his closest intimate friend, called him God: John 1:1
    • He claimed authority over death: John 2:19
    • He claimed to be from heaven and sent by God: John 3:13, 6:38, 13:3, 17:8
    • He called God his Father, making him equal with God: John 5:18
    • He called himself the name God revealed to Moses: John 8:58
    • He claimed his death was his choice, not a result of a plot: John 10:17
    • He claimed oneness with the Father, being declared a blasphemer: John 10:30
    • He claimed that if you had seen him you had seen the Father: John 14:9
    • He claimed ownership of all God owns: John 16:15
    • He accepted Thomas referring to him as, “my God”: John 20:28
    • Paul referred to him as the very nature, the image of the invisible God, and all deity in bodily form: Philippians 2:5-11, Colossians 1:15-17, 19
    • He is the radiance of God’s glory, the exact representation of his being: Hebrews 1:3, 13:8

Conclusions About the Life of Jesus:

  1. When a small group brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus: Mark 2:5-7, 10-12 (power over sins)
  2. When he found himself in the middle of a sudden storm: Mark 4:37-39 (power over storms)
  3. When he come upon a funeral procession: Luke 7:12-15 (power over death
  4. Consider the statements by and about Jesus: John 8:46, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:22, 1 John 3:5 (Jesus lived a sinless life)
  5. When he experienced passion week: Isaiah 53:5-6, Matthew 20:17-19, Mark 14:65, 15:29-30, Romans 4:25, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 John 3:16
  6. The empty tomb: Luke 24:1-7, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, Acts 9:2, 19:9, 23, 24:14, 22
  7. The future: Matthew 24:44, John 14:3, Hebrews 9:28, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, Revelation 22:12

Why Jesus Came to Earth:

  1. To fulfill the law: Matthew 5:17
  2. To call sinners to repentance: Matthew 9:13, Mark 2:17, Luke 5:32
  3. To seek the lost: Luke 19:10
  4. To save the lost: Luke 19:10, 1 Timothy 1:15
  5. To preach the gospel: Mark 1:38
  6. To reveal and explain God: John 1:18, 14:9
  7. To bring judgment: John 9:39
  8. To serve: Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45
  9. To give his life as a ransom for sin: Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45
  10. To save the world, not judge it: John 3:17, 12:47
  11. To bring light to the people: John 1:9, 12:46
  12. To give abundant life: John 6:33, 50, 10:10
  13. To do the will of the Father: John 6:38, Hebrews 10:9
  14. Because he was sent by the Father: John 3:16, 6:39, 7:28, 8:42, 9:4, 16:28
  15. To testify to the truth: John 18:37
  16. To be a king: John 18:37
  17. To suffer and die: John 12:27
  18. To be a blessing to people and turn them to God: Acts 3:26
  19. To bring power to new creations: Romans 8:3-4
  20. To confirm the promises of God: Romans 15:8
  21. To redeem sinners: Galatians 4:4-5
  22. To be a merciful and faithful high priest: Hebrews 2:17
  23. To atone for sin: Hebrews 9:28, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 John 4:10
  24. To give us an example to follow: 1 Peter 2:21
  25. To destroy the works of the devil: 1 John 3:8
  26. To break the power of the devil and cast him out: Hebrews 2:14, John 12:31
  27. To proclaim good news to the poor: Luke 4:18
  28. To set prisoners free: Luke 4:18
  29. To give sight to the blind: Luke 4:18
  30. To proclaim the year of the Lord;s favor: Luke 4:18

THE HOLY SPIRIT:

Your indwelling Counselor and Guide – John 14:26

The deity of the Spirit: Acts 5:3-4, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Hebrews 9:14, 1 Corinthians 2:10

The Personality of the Spirit: John 16:13-14, Ephesians 4:30, 1 Corinthians 12:11, Romans 8:26, Isaiah 11:2, Acts 10:38, 1 Corinthians 2:4, Romans 15:30

The Names of the Spirit: Hebrews 10:29, John 14:16, 26, Romans 8:15, 1 Peter 1:10-11

The Works of the Spirit: Genesis 1:1-3, 2 Peter 2:21, Luke 1:35, John 16:8, Titus 3:5, Ephesians 1:13-14, 2:18, 1 Corinthians 6:19, 12:13, Romans 8:14, 16, 26-27, 15:16, John 16:12-14, 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, Acts 13:4, Ephesians 5:18, Galatians 5:16-17, 22-23, Philippians 3:3

  1. Brings life to those spiritually dead: John 3:3-7, Titus 3:5
  2. Moves in the lives of believers, giving power: 1 Corinthians 6:19
  3. Unites us permanently in the body of Christ: 1 Corinthians 12:13
  4. Is an ever-present teacher and guide: John 16:13-14, Galatians 5:25

Divine Attributes for Each Person of the Trinity (Father-Son-Spirit):

  1. Eternal: Romans 16:26-27, Revelation 1:12-17, Hebrews 9:14
  2. Creator: Psalm 100:3, Colossians 1:15-16, Psalm 104:30
  3. Omnipresent: Jeremiah 23:24, Ephesians 1:20-23, Psalm 139:7
  4. Omniscient: 1 John 3:20, John 21:17, 1 Corinthians 2:10
  5. Wills and Acts Supernaturally: Ephesians 1:3-5, Matthew 8:3, 1 Corinthians 12:7-11
  6. Give Life: Genesis 1:11-31 (John 5:21), John 1:4 (John 5:21), Romans 8:10-11
  7. Strengthens Believers: Psalm 138:3, Philippians 4:13, Ephesians 3:16
  8. Savior/Salvation: Psalm 62:1, Acts 4:12, Titus 3:3-5

THE CHURCH:

Realizing your need for community: Matthew 16:18

Jesus suffered three great humiliations: the incarnation, the cross, and the church – Dorothy Sayers

What the Bible Says About the Church: Matthew 16:15-18, 1 Corinthians 3:11

Universal and Local:

  1. Local: 1 Corinthians 1:2, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, Revelation 1:11
  2. Universal: Matthew 16:18, Ephesians 1:22-23, Colossians 1:18, Hebrews 12:23

NT Metaphors for the Church:

  1. An Inheritance: Ephesians 1:18
  2. A New Humanity: Ephesians 2:15
  3. God’s Household: Ephesians 2:19
  4. A Building: Ephesians 2:20-21
  5. A Body: Colossians 1:18
  6. A living House: 1 Peter 2:5
  7. A Chosen People: 1 Peter 2:9
  8. A Royal Priesthood: 1 Peter 2:5, 9
  9. A Nation Set Apart for God: 1 Peter 2:9
  10. A Flock: 1 Peter 5:2
  11. A Pure Bride: Revelation 21:9, 2 Corinthians 11:2, Ephesians 5:22-33

Think Rightly About the Church:

  1. The church is not a building
  2. The church is not a man-made organization
  3. The church is not a group of people who have it all together
  4. The church is not a self-serving enterprise
  5. The church is not a calendar of activities
  6. The church is not a resort of club
  7. The church is not meant to be internally focused
  8. The church is not a place to get my needs met
  9. The church is not a disposable option
  10. The church is not a cruise ship, but a battleship

Commands to the Church:

  1. Show sacrificial love to others: John 13:34
  2. Honor brothers and sisters: Romans 12:10
  3. Living in harmony: Romans 12:16
  4. Refuse to judge others: Romans 14:13
  5. Accepting others: Romans 15:7
  6. Showing warmth: Romans 16:16
  7. Be agreeable: 1 Corinthians 1:10
  8. Encourage others: 2 Corinthians 13:11
  9. Serve others: Galatians 5:13
  10. Be patient and forgiving: Ephesians 4:2
  11. Preserve unity: Ephesians 4:3
  12. Do the work of God: Ephesians 2:10, 4:16
  13. Be truthful: Ephesians 4:25
  14. Build up others: Ephesians 4:29
  15. Demonstrate kindness and compassion: Ephesians 4:32
  16. Submit to others: Ephesians 5:21
  17. Be humble and servant-hearted: Philippians 2:5-8
  18. Forgive others: Colossians 3:13
  19. Warn others about straying: Colossians 3:16
  20. Inspire others: Hebrews 10:24
  21. Meet regularly: Hebrews 10:25
  22. Resist ill-talking about others: James 4:11
  23. Refuse to grumble and complain: James 5:9
  24. Practice hospitality: 1 Peter 4:9
  25. Give to the needs of others: 2 Corinthians 9:7, 12
  26. Grow up in maturity: 1 Peter 2:2, 2 Peter 3:18
  27. Use your spiritual gifts: 1 Peter 4:10
  28. Worship together: Acts 13:2
  29. Follow your leaders/shepherds: Hebrews 13:17

This is an outline of the Rose Guide to Discipleship, c. 2016, Rose Publishing LLC, with some of my own additional notes. There is way more information, teaching, and clarification, so please purchase the book [on Amazon]

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