Week 8 - DARE
CONNECT
What are you thankful for?
What challenge are you facing?
Have there been any answers to prayer?
Pray for each other.
How did praying, caring and sharing with those around you, especially Your 3, go this week?
Did anything stand out to you from last week’s follow-up Bible readings?
How did your “I will …” statement from last week go?
How did your sharing goal from last week go?
PRACTICE
How’s your memory work coming along?
John 15:5 (NIV)
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
Have each person share their story (15 Second Testimony).
Have each person share Jesus’ Story (a passage or presentation).
DISCOVER
Let’s start with a review.
Our mission is to Join Jesus in making disciples of those around us by living a Prayer > Care > Share > Dare lifestyle.
JOIN JESUS
Jesus calls us to partner with Him in the mission of making disciples.
JESUS-JOINED
Only as we remain in Jesus can we bear the fruit of making disciples.
WHERE?
Look around you to see your ripe-for-harvest mission field.
PRAYER
Pray for others to encounter Jesus.
CARE
Care for others’ needs.
SHARE
Share each others’ stories and Jesus’ Story.
And now …
DARE
Dare others to be disciples of Jesus.
Ask God to speak to you as you read His Word.
The Apostle Paul is in prison in Rome for daring to make disciples of Jesus. From prison, he writes to the Christians in Philippi.
Philippians 1:12-14 (NIV)
12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.
Have someone retell the passage in their own words.
What stands out to you in this passage?
What does this passage say about God (The Father, His Son Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit)?
What does this passage say about people, including ourselves?
What does this passage say about the life God invites us to live?
Digging Deeper
Did Paul’s imprisonment stop him from making disciples of Jesus?
Why would Paul’s imprisonment encourage other believers to dare to make disciples? Wouldn’t you think it would have the opposite effect?
Dare to Make Disciples
Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT)
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Why does it take courage to go and make disciples?
Why is Jesus’ authority and presence so important to our mission of making disciples?
Acts 18:8-11 (NLT)
8 Many others in Corinth also heard Paul, became believers, and were baptized.
9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! 10 For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” 11 So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God.
Why did Paul need to be encouraged to keep making disciples in the Greek city of Corinth?
How did Paul respond to Jesus’ encouragement?
On a scale of 0-10 (0 being low and 10 being high), how courageous are you at making disciples and why?
Dare Others to Be Disciples
Matthew 28:19-20 (NLT)
19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.
Jesus highlights two components of being His disciple: 1) baptism and 2) obedience.
Why might it take courage to be baptized as Jesus’ disciple?
Luke 6:46-49 (NLT)
46 So why do you keep calling me “Lord, Lord!” when you don’t do what I say? 47 I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. 48 It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. 49 But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.
Why does it take courage to obey all that Jesus has commanded us?
Count the Cost
Matthew 7:13-14 (NET)
13 Enter through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 How narrow is the gate and difficult the way that leads to life, and there are few who find it!
Luke 9:23-24 (NIV)
23 Then [Jesus] said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”
Luke 14:26-33 (ESV)
26 If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
It may be helpful to think of a disciple in terms of today’s apprentice (or intern, trainee, mentee, medical resident). What’s the purpose and what’s the process of an apprenticeship? Why would becoming a disciple of Jesus to become like Jesus be so costly?
Why is the cost of being a disciple of Jesus so high, but the cost of not being a disciple even higher?
As we saw in FAITH, how can God’s gracious offer of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ be both a free gift and cost us everything?
How has accepting the free gift of righteousness in Jesus Christ and giving up everything to follow Jesus been a blessing to you? Do you consider this a good “deal”?
Everyone Discipled > Everyone Discipling
Hopefully, Follow The Way has been helping you grow as a disciple of Jesus. And as we have just seen, an important part of being a disciple is making disciples.
Whom could you invite into a discipling relationship?
Is anyone from Your 3 ready?
How can Follow The Way help you make disciples?
Remember Follow The Way - Part 1 - FOLLOW is a 1-week introduction to following Jesus. Who might be ready for this? Spend some time in listening prayer asking God to give you some names.
Mission Assignment
Continue to Join Jesus in making disciples of those around us through a Prayer > Care > Share > Dare lifestyle, especially Your 3.
Keep practicing and sharing your 15 Second Testimony and a Gospel passage or presentation.
LIVE
What truth have you discovered from today’s Bible passage(s) and conversation?
What would stop you from believing and obeying this truth?
How will you live out this truth this coming week? Finish this statement: “I will ….”
Who else needs to hear this truth? How could you share it with them?
When will we meet again?
Who will facilitate that meeting?
Pray for God’s help as you seek to follow Jesus this coming week.
FOLLOW-UP BIBLE READINGS
Here are the Bible passages you are encouraged to read this coming week:
BUDDY SYSTEM
Connect with your buddy this week and ask each other these questions:
How are your readings going?
How’s your “I will …” statement coming along?
How’s your sharing goal coming along?
How can I pray for you?