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Abide in the Vine

Help Restoring the Church of Jesus Christ 

Truth that sets men free, can only be experienced when the Word of God is constantly obeyed and practiced.

TEACHING

LAYING AN EXCELLENT FOUNDATION

 

 

Session 6

 

 

Making Disciples

Part 2

The Spiritual Basics

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Disciples are Christians

Before we can answer the question what is a 'disciple' we must first answer a very important question: When did the NEW Testament start?

When did the New Testament start?

Matt 26:26 - 29 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread and, praising God, gave thanks and asked Him to bless it to their use, and when He had broken it, He gave it to the disciples and said, Take, eat; this is My body. 27 And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, Drink of it, all of you; 28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which [ratifies the agreement and] is being poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. [Exo. 24:6-8] 29 I say to you, I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it with you new and of superior quality in My Father's kingdom.

 

  • Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread and,

    • praising God, gave thanks and asked Him to bless it to their use,

    • and when He had broken it,

    • He gave it to the disciples and said, Take, eat;

      • this is My body.

  • And He took a cup, and

    • when He had given thanks,

    • He gave it to them, saying, Drink of it, all of you;

      • For this is My blood of the new covenant,

        • When do you think did the New Covenant / Testament begin?

        • What is a Testament?

        • When is a Testament opened and the terms in it revealed?

        • Heb 9:17 For a will and testament is valid and takes effect only at death, since it has no force or legal power as long as the one who made it is alive.

          • At the death of the testator!

        • which [ratifies the agreement and]

        • What would ratify the agreement of the new Covenant?

          • The Broken body of Jesus Christ

          • The Blood poured out by Jesus Christ

        • When was the body of Jesus broken and His blood flowed?

          • At the whipping post and the cross

        • When was the new covenant officially ratified?

          • At the death of Jesus Christ, when He said: “It is finished!”

        • is being poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. [Exo. 24:6-8] 29

          • Only after Jesus had lived a perfect life and then poured out His blood, could He become the source of eternal salvation for all who believe

  • I say to you, I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine

    • Jesus told His disciples an amazing mystery: He said He shall NOT drink this cup again UNTIL!!!

      • Why did Jesus make this awesome statement?

      • What was He revealing to His disciples?

    • until that day

      • Jesus referred to a specific day – The day,

        • When the covenant which He ratified would come to fulfillment in His disciples!

        • When He would wash away the sins of His disciples and freed them from all that kept them captive!

        • This day for us would be when we fully accept the sacrifice Jesus has made for us!

      • when I drink it with you

        • Jesus would AGAIN drink this cup of the covenant in a NEW WAY after a certain time

        • Jesus would drink it WITH His disciples (John 15:11-13 - My joy will be in you)

        • new and of superior quality

          • When He drinks it again it will be of a MORE superior quality!

          • Why would it then be MORE superior? It would be drunk after the fulfillment of the promise of the covenant

          • in My Father's kingdom.

            • Where would He drink it? IN His Father’s kingdom (John 3:5-6)

            • When are you IN the kingdom of God?

              • When you are born again!

              • When you are born of NOT only water, but also the Spirit

              • This begins when you are born of the Spirit, with baptism in water as the sign of the death of your old man and when you are baptised with the Holy Spirit

 

WHEN WOULD THE CUP BECOME NEW AND MORE SUPERIOR?

WHEN IT FINDS ITS FULFILMENT IN HIS DISCIPLES UNDER THE NEW TESTAMENT

The Old Testament disciple

WHEN WE HAVE ANSWERED THIS IMPORTANT QUESTION, WE CAN START TO TRULY DETERMINE THE CORRECT DEFINITION OF A NEW TESTAMENT DISCIPLE! IF WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS WE WILL FALL INTO A TERRIBLE TRAP OF WORKS AND PERFORMANCE!

 

THERE IS A GREAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN OLD TESTAMENT AND A NEW TESTAMENT DISCIPLE? HOW DO WE DETERMINE WHETHER A DISCIPLE IS AN OLD OR NEW TESTAMENT DISCIPLE OF JESUS?

The Definition

Luke 9:23 And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also].

​

  • Jesus told the people if they wanted to follow Him then, they had to:

    • deny himself

      • People had to deny themselves

      • [disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself]

    • and take up his cross daily

      • People had to put themselves to death daily

      • This was a daily dying process!

    • and follow Me

      • The people had to follow Jesus Christ

      • [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also].

  • What do you see about Jesus’s command?

    • People had to, by their own effort deny / put to death / follow Jesus Christ?

    • Can men perfectly follow Jesus Christ? No

    • Jesus is actually asking something that is impossible with man

    • But Jesus said what is impossible with man is possible with God

      • Man cannot save Himself

      • If man does try and save Himself He will fall into a trap of self-righteousness

      • Man needed a Saviour

The New Testament Disciple

 

LET’S NOW FIND OUT WHAT IS THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE NEW TESTAMENT DISCIPLE?

 

About 8 years after Jesus has resurrected from the dead, the church had spread to the heathen world and reached to the large capital of Antioch:

​

 

Acts 11:25-26 [Barnabas] went on to Tarsus to hunt for Saul. 26 And when he had found him, he brought him back to Antioch. For a whole year they assembled together with and were guests of the church and instructed a large number of people; and in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

 

  • The disciples were first called Christians.

    • These were new Testament disciples

    • What the true definition of the word Christian?

      • To be Christ-like

    • When you look into the mirror you must compare yourself with the Word and with Jesus Christ

      • When we look into a mirror we see our image

      • When we are Christ-like we are the same image as Jesus Christ

        • When people saw these people they were reminded of Jesus Christ – therefore they were called Christians

      • We must allow the Word to change us, changing our lifestyle, being like Jesus Christ, doing what He had done

    • We were all called to grow up into maturity and into the complete knowledge of the Son of God

    • God called us to be like Jesus, being sons of God!

Disciples are known for their Love

John 13:34-35 I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. 35 By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves].

  • I give you a new commandment:

    • What was the old commandment? Love your neighbor as yourself!

    • that you should love one another.

      • Just as I have loved you,

        • How did Jesus love us? He gave up His life for us!

        • WHY did Jesus give up Hid life for us? Because He so dearly and intimately loves us

    • so you too should love one another.

  • By this shall all [men] know

    • For what will true disciples or followers of Jesus Christ be know?

    • that you are My disciples,

      • if you love one another

        • Disciples love others, BECAUSE they were first loved by God

        • This love was demonstrated IN Jesus Christ, through the crucifixion of Jesus Christ

        • Therefore they love others above themselves

      • [if you keep on showing love among yourselves].

A True Disciple

John 8:30-32 As He said these things, many believed in Him [trusted, relied on, and adhered to Him]. 31 So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. 32 And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.

​

  • As He said these things, many believed in Him

    • [trusted, relied on, and adhered to Him].

  • So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him,

    • If you abide in My word

    • Many people believe in Jesus today, but do they actually abide in the Word of God?

    • Those who believe in something will act on it

    • Faith without works are dead (James 2:14-26)

      • [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them],

        • you are truly My disciples.

          • True disciples of Jesus Christ can be identified by the following statements of Jesus Christ:

        • And you will know the Truth,

          • We must learn to know the truth by experience and not by knowledge

          • We gain experience by putting the Word of God to the test and actually believing it and acting on the promises of God

          • and the Truth will set you free.

            • The truth will always set you free and not put you into bondage

            • This is how the truth can be identified from the lie / counterfeit!

Giving up everything for the sake of Christ

Php 3:7 But whatever former things I had that might have been gains to me, I have come to consider as [one combined] loss for Christ's sake. 8 Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One), 9 And that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him, not having any [self-achieved] righteousness that can be called my own, based on my obedience to the Law's demands (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired), but possessing that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ (the Anointed One), the [truly] right standing with God, which comes from God by [saving] faith.

 

  • But whatever former things I had that might have been gains to me,

    • Paul considered his life and looks at all that could be to his advantage in man’s eyes

      • He looks at his upbringing, his background, his ancestral rights

      • What do you think is to your advantage?

        • Growing up in a Christian/religious home?

    • I have come to consider as [one combined] loss

      • What have you come to realize about your life and all that you live for?

      • Why do you live for what you live for?

      • What is your motive for living?

      • What do you think is truly worth living for?

      • There is NOTHING worth living for, but for Jesus and for the good news of life!

      • for Christ's sake.

        • Remember the question? What can a man give in exchange for his soul?

        • Look at what Paul was willing to give in exchange for his salvation!

        • What did Paul have that made him have this attitude towards Jesus Christ?

          • Do not try and make up this feeling and attitude

          • We often have all the right answers, but it does not come from our hearts, but only our minds

  • Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss

    • Paul was a truly disciple according to Jesus definition of a New Testament disciple

      • He gave up ALL things to follow Jesus Christ

      • Paul considered his own life worth nothing, but He did not deny himself

      • He did what He did BECAUSE of Jesus Christ and His love for him

    • compared to

      • We must compare what we have with what God offers for those who believe

      • When we truly realize the awesome love and the intense price God, IN Christ has paid for us, nothing will ever be too much to ask to give up or change in our lives

    • Let’s look at Paul’s awesome conviction, understanding of value and thankfulness for what God, IN Jesus Christ has achieved for mankind:

      • the possession of the priceless privilege

        • Paul says no price can compare with this price and sacrifice

        • Paul consider it a privilege what God has done for him

          • He is very thankful for the intense price Jesus has paid!

      • (the overwhelming preciousness,

        • Paul is overwhelmed by that which Jesus has done

        • Paul sees that which Jesus has done for him as of great value

        • Paul says this is something to not only believe, but to cherish with all your heart

      • the surpassing worth,

        • When Paul compares anything else, these things have no value compared to Jesus Christ

      • and supreme advantage)

        • Paul realizes the absolutely awesome and overwhelming advantage of Jesus’ love and that which Jesus, in His great love for us has acquired for us!

        • of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord

          • Paul did not only want to follow Jesus, but wanted to become LIKE Him

          • Paul did not only want to become LIKE Jesus, but wanted to KNOW Him

          • Paul wanted us to know Jesus Christ in a very intimate and very personal way

      • and of progressively becoming

        • Paul realized that he would not overnight become like Jesus Christ

        • He knew that it would be a progressive process.

        • more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him

        • Paul wanted a very intimate and very personal relationship with Jesus Christ

        • [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly].

          • We get to know Jesus Christ perception recognizing Him in the Spirit

          • We get to know His character and nature through His Word

  • For His sake I have lost everything and

    • Everything Paul did was done for only ONE reason – because of God’s love for him

  • consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs),

    • All other things in life, Paul considered like rubbish, compared to knowing Jesus Christ

    • in order that I may

      • win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One),

      • And that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him,

        • not having any [self-achieved] righteousness that can be called my own,

          • A very great secret for the New Testament disciple is hidden here!

            • If we try to be right in God’s sight by our own obedience we try to please God by our works!

          • based on my obedience to the Law's demands

            • We cannot keep the law

            • When we break one law we break them all

            • Whenever we try to perform to be accepted by God we are trying to keep the law again

            • Trying to keep the law is self-righteousness!

          • (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired),

        • but possessing that [genuine righteousness]

          • Who was the only person who was perfectly righteous? Jesus Christ

          • Where does true righteousness come from? From God, through Jesus Christ

          • God, out of His love, imputes – freely give us Jesus’ righteousness

          • which comes through faith in Christ (the Anointed One),

            • There is only one way of receiving this imputed righteousness from God – you need to believe God's love you and accept that love

          • the [truly] right standing with God,

            • God wanted to restore the broken relationship between us and Him

            • In His great love, did everything He could to bring us back into right standing with Himself

          • which comes from God by [saving] faith

A Disciple will be where His Master was

John 12:24-26 I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains [just one grain; it never becomes more but lives] by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces many others and yields a rich harvest. 25 Anyone who loves his life loses it, but anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. [Whoever has no love for, no concern for, no regard for his life here on earth, but despises it, preserves his life forever and ever.] 26  If anyone serves Me, he must continue to follow Me [to cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying] and wherever I am, there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

 

 

  • I assure you, most solemnly I tell you,

    • Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,

      • God calls us to die to ourselves – to our old nature

      • We are not dead until we have died!

      • God is not calling us to dying to ourselves – but to be dead to ourselves!

      • When we are dead to ourselves we live a completely unselfish and selfless life!

      • it remains [just one grain; it never becomes more but lives] by itself alone.

        • We cannot fully fulfill what we were called to be and live until we have died

    • But if it dies,

      • it produces many others and yields a rich harvest.

      • Once our old man is dead – we can be used by God

      • Only when we live in God’s righteousness can we truly be dead to ourselves and our performance and seeking after acceptance

  • Anyone

    • who loves his life loses it,

    • When do not want to give up all that we have and are we will lose out on the great life God has for us

  • but anyone

    • who hates his life in this world

    • Our love for Jesus will be so committed to Him that we will seem to hate anything else

    • Our goal and aim in life will NOT be the same anymore!

    • Our love for God is so great that our normal love for and commitment to this world will seem like hate for it!

    • will keep it to life eternal.

      • [Whoever has no love for, no concern for, no regard for his life here on earth, but despises it,

      • preserves his life forever and ever.]

  • If anyone serves Me,

    • he must continue to follow Me

      • For Jesus, to serve Him, is to follow Him

      • [to cleave steadfastly to Me,

      • conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying]

        • Those follow Jesus Christ with ALL their hearts, minds and souls will follow Him in every example He has set for them – He is their perfect role model / hero!

    • and wherever I am, there will My servant be also.

      • Where do you think Jesus would have been today?

      • What would Jesus have spent most of His time doing? This is what you would be busy with if you truly have laid down your life and have committed to follow Him and be like Him

  • If anyone serves Me,

    • the Father will honor him.

I have been Crusified

Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

 

  • I have been crucified

    • Paul speaks to the Galatian church believers

    • He says that he HAS been crucified with Christ

      • Paul speaks in the PAST tense and NOT in the future continues tense

      • The PAST is GONE the NEW has come!!!

    • with Christ

      • When we accepted the loving price that Jesus Christ paid, our old man DIES / DIED

      • [in Him I have shared His crucifixion];

        • I once was granted a great, great privilege to understand! Experienced what the Word of God means: “I have been crucified WITH and IN Christ on the cross!”

    • it is no longer I who live,

      • We must realize when God does a job He does not do it half way!

      • but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me;

        • The old man has been replaced by Christ Jesus now HE is living your NEW life through you

    • and the life I now live in the body

      • Paul speaks of two ‘I’s’ – I have been / I no longer live, AND I live by faith

        • The first ‘I’ is the OLD man, who HAS died

        • The second ‘I’ is the NEW man, who has been resurrected in Christ

      • I live by faith in

        • There is only one WAY to live this NEW life – BY FAITH and trust because of a love relationship between God and man

        • (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God,

  • Who loved me

    • Everything God does, is done out of love!

    • Jesus loves us and He has been and will always be motivated by His LOVE for us!

    • and gave Himself up for me.

      • Jesus went all the way for us, to save us from death in all its forms

      • Now we, motivated by God’s love for us, IN and THROUGH Christ Jesus, also give up our lives for other people who need Jesus’ HELP

Disciple must be like His master

When Jesus sent out His first disciples after He had given them their instructions He concluded saying:

 

Matt 10:24-25 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor is a servant or slave above his master. 25 It is sufficient for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant or slave like his master.

 

  • Jesus expected His disciples to be like Him

  • It was enough to be LIKE Jesus in every way:

    • In character and nature

    • In authority and power

  • Jesus’ instructions were clear and full of wisdom and experience

  • Jesus knew what would happen when these disciples went out

 

Jesus gave His disciples very specific instructions when He sent them out:

 

Matt 10:5-14 Jesus sent out these twelve, charging them, 5 Go nowhere among the Gentiles and do not go into any town of the Samaritans; 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand! 8 Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely (without pay) you have received, freely (without charge) give. 9 Take no gold nor silver nor [even] copper money in your purses (belts); 10 And do not take a provision bag or a wallet for a collection bag for your journey, nor two undergarments, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the workman deserves his support (his living, his food). 11 And into whatever town or village you go, inquire who in it is deserving, and stay there [at his house] until you leave [that vicinity]. 12 As you go into the house, give your greetings and wish it well. 13 Then if indeed that house is deserving, let come upon it your peace [that is, freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin]. But if it is not deserving, let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever will not receive and accept and welcome you nor listen to your message, as you leave that house or town, shake the dust [of it] from your feet.

 

  • Go nowhere among the Gentiles and do not go into any town of the Samaritans;

  • But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

  • And as you go,

    • preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand!

      • How did Jesus tell His disciples to preach the kingdom of God?

      • Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons.

        • By demonstrating the love of God through our authority and power – the dominion - over the kingdom of God over the kingdom of darkness

    • Freely (without pay) you have received, freely (without charge) give.

      • Jesus has willingly given up His life for us because He loves us

      • God freely forgave our sins, because He loves us so much

      • If we really understand and appreciate what He has done we will also willingly give up our lives from Him

  • Take no gold nor silver nor [even] copper money in your purses (belts);

  • And do not take a provision bag or a wallet for a collection bag for your journey, nor two undergarments, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the workman deserves his support (his living, his food).

  • And into whatever town or village you go,

    • inquire who in it is deserving, and stay there [at his house] until you leave [that vicinity].

    • Find a deserving house

    • As you go into the house, give your greetings and wish it well.

      • Bless the deserving house

    • Then if indeed that house is deserving, let come upon it your peace

      • Let your peace come upon that house

      • Love and invest in those people in that house

      • Do not move on and move around too much – stay focused and make them disciples first

      • [that is, freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin].

    • But if it is not deserving, let your peace return to you.

  • And whoever will not receive and accept and welcome you nor listen to your message,

    • When people do not believe us and do not receive the message we give them they do not reject us

    • They actually reject the One who called them to follow after Him

    • as you leave that house or town, shake the dust [of it] from your feet.

      • We should not argue with people, but rather show them love and leave them if they refuse to live the life Jesus has called them to live

A Disciple does what Jesus has done

1John 2:5-6 But he who keeps (treasures) His Word [who bears in mind His precepts, who observes His message in its entirety], truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected (completed, reached maturity). By this we may perceive (know, recognize, and be sure) that we are in Him: 6 Whoever says he abides in Him ought [as a personal debt] to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself.

​

  • But he who keeps (treasures) His Word

    • We must develop a love for the Word of God

    • [who bears in mind His precepts, who observes His message in its entirety],

      • truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected

        • There are two ways we can view love:

          • From our perspective: Love FOR God

          • From God’s perspective: God’s love FOR us

        • Which one is it referring to here? The LOVE OF God for us!

        • There is a process that the LOVE of God for us must complete

        • The love of God must make us mature spiritually

        • The love of God for us, has a purpose!

        • How does the LOVE OF God for us perfect us?

          • What is the purpose of the Love of God for us?

          • To help us know that we have value in God’s sight!

          • That we could find the true meaning why God created us

        • (completed, reached maturity).

          •  God wants mature believers

          • The love God has for us, wants us to become mature and complete!

  • By this we may perceive

    • By what shall we know that we are IN HIM?

      • By our acceptance of the LOVE of God!

      • How will we know that we are IN HIM?

        • We will perceive the LOVE of God that God has for us and that is in us.

    • (know, recognize, and be sure)

      • In order to hear God’s voice we must learn to perceive or recognize God’s voice in us

      • We know God’s voice through the LOVE of God

    • that we are in Him:

      • We must be enfolded and controlled by love in ALL that we do then we are IN HIM!

      • God is love and when we are in LOVE we are IN God.

  • Whoever says he abides in Him

    • We must abide – stay constantly in Christ

    • We will remain living in His character and nature and will do what He has done and be where He would have been.

    • ought [as a personal debt]

      • In the next study will look at the motive WHY we want to be disciples of Jesus Christ?

      • We have a personal debt towards Jesus Christ who loved and loves us so much we that He died for our sins to set us free and give us great benefits! (Ps 103:1-6)

    • to walk and conduct himself in the same way

    • in which He walked and conducted Himself.

      • Jesus loved the poor and needy

      • Jesus did not come to judge

      • Jesus gave up His life for others

      • Jesus was a fisher of men

      • Jesus preached the kingdom & healed the sick

      • Jesus made disciples and walked with His disciples, training them

The Image of the Son

Rom 8:29 For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren.

​

 

  • For those whom He foreknew

    • [of whom He was aware and

    • loved beforehand],

      • God loved man and in His great wisdom determined beforehand that we should be His children

  • He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them]

    • What was God’s original purpose with man? To be His loved sons and daughters

    • to be molded

      • To be shaped and formed or developed

      • Can you become like Jesus in your own effort? No

      • How do you become like Jesus? Unlearn what you learnt – renew your mind!

    • into the image of His Son

      • When we look into a mirror we see our own image

      • God has sent us His Son that He could be a blue print to us of how to be

      • We were made to ALL be sons of God

      • We were made to be in the SAME image as Jesus Christ the Son of God

      • God wanted us to be exactly LIKE His Son, just like He is exactly like His Father in heaven

      •  [and share inwardly His likeness],

        • We are the SAME in love, character, nature, authority and power as Jesus Christ

        • that He might become the firstborn

          • Jesus was the first man on earth who perfectly lived as a Son of God!

        • among many brethren.

          • If we are sons of God then we are also brothers of Jesus Christ

          • Jesus is our big brother

Behold and be Transformed

2Cor 3:16-18 But whenever a person turns [in repentance] to the Lord, the veil is stripped off and taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom). [Isa. 61:1-2] 18 And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.

​

  • But whenever a person turns [in repentance] to the Lord,

    • the veil is stripped off and taken away.

    • God wants to strip away a veil that has kept us blinded

    • The veil is the wrong mindsets we had about God and His love for us

  • Now the Lord is the Spirit,

    • Who is the Lord? Jesus Christ

    • Here the Word of God declares that Jesus is the Spirit of God

    • and where the Spirit of the Lord is,

      • there is liberty

        • Jesus came to set us free from ANYTHING that kept us bondage

        • When we abide in God’s Word we will know/perceive the truth and be set free

        • People are kept in bondage in their minds due wrong perspectives of God

        • When a doctrine DOES NOT set us free it is NOT from God

        • (emancipation from bondage, freedom). [Isa. 61:1-2]

  • And all of us, as with unveiled face,

    • There is no more separation between us and God anymore – the veil/ separation is gone!

    • [because we] continued to behold

      • When we behold – we look/pay close attention/meditate on the Word of God

        • Paul tells us HOW to change – CONTINUE to imagine the truth!

      •  [in the Word of God]

        • We must ABIDE – We must have a habit of meditating on the Word of God and Jesus’ character and nature

        • as in a mirror

          • We must compare ourselves with the Word of God and change accordingly

          • The process of change is not –

            • Becoming something we are not, but

            • Stop being who we are not – we must unlearn the wrong mindsets and beliefs

          • the glory of the Lord,

            • When we look at Jesus, we are in awe of who He is and what He has done – This is His glory

            • We are amazed at His authority and power –

              • This is the glory of Jesus Christ

              • Jesus is the glory of God in the flesh

    • are constantly being transfigured

      • When we behold we become

      • When we continue to behold we are changed on the inside

      • into His very own image

        • We become, what Jesus has paid for, to restore us to…to be loved sons of God

        • in ever increasing splendor and

        • from one degree of glory to another;

  • [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.

Practical

The Old Testament was mostly outward and physical in nature, but the New Testament is more inward and spiritual in nature.

In order to test the attitude of your heart regards true discipleship you must ask yourself the following questions:

  • Why do I want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?

  • Why have I been a Christian all these years?

 

We also need the test the fruit of the doctrine you are following and holding onto find out whether it is counterfeit or real:

  • Does that which you preach give life or does it cause death? (The Spirit gives life!)

  • Does what I preach and proclaim and teach others, set people free of putting them into bondages, putting on their necks a burden they cannot bear?

 

Since the spiritual reality of true discipleship, in its heart, cannot be tangibly measured, we must look at what fruit it has produced in you?

  • Do you make disciples who know the love of God the Father AND the Lord Jesus Christ for them?

  • Do you truly BELIEVE that God loves you?

  • Are you asecure/insecuree person? What do you base your value on? Status and a need for acceptance and recognition / God’s love for you?

 

True change takes place in the heart and can be seen in its appreciation of the truth, willing actions and zeal for God as your loving Father?

  • What is you joy levels?

    • Has Christianity become a burden and allot of does and don’ts to you?

  • What truly makes you happy and makes you feel fulfilled?

  • Have you burnt out and feel you can’t continue doing what you have been doing?

  • Do you now do more than you have done at first?

 

Share your heart with a trust worthy disciple who is living the true life of a disciple

Make yourself accountable to someone whom you can trust and who knows God’s love for them

Go and love people, with God’s love for you!

Become an apprentice of Jesus Christ and be a loving representative of the love and the truth of the good news of God and the power of the kingdom of God!

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