DAILY DISCIPLESHIP DISCIPLINES
BECOMING SERVANTS OF JESUS CHRIST
Compiled by Pastor Leonard Roy Harris
Making the transition from a church of members to a church of ministers. From sitting to serving.
The Lord Jesus Christ expects his local churches to bear the fruit of disciples. Many churches are plateauing, declining and dying because they are not bearing the fruit of disciples. AS CHURCHES WE ARE LIKE JESUS’ FIG TREES. HE PERIODICALLY CHECKS LOOKING FOR THE FRUIT OF DISCIPLES. “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” Mark 11:13-14; 20-21 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. 20In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” “ Please Lord, one more year!”
Luke 13:6-8 6Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. 7So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ 8“‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’” “ If you bear fruit, you are really my disciples. This glorifies our Father” Jesus John 15:8 Is Jesus really talking about the fruit of disciples?
In John 15 he talks about the 2 fruits of a disciple of Jesus Christ: 1). The fruit of the Spirit: “Bear fruit”John 15:1-7 1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
2). The fruit of disciples: “ Go and bear fruit” John 15:16-17 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17This is my command: Love each other.
EACH OF US WAS CHOSEN AND APPOINTED BY THE LORD TO MAKE DISCIPLES. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS YOUR LEADERS TO MODEL FRUITBEARING DISCIPLESHIP AND TO TRAIN AND ENCOURAGE YOU IN YOUR MINISTRY. IT IS YOUR RESP0NSIBILITY TO MAKE DISCIPLES IN YOUR WORLD. WE WERE EACH RESCUED FROM THE DOMINION(KINGDOM) OF DARKNESS AND BROUGHT INTO ( TRANSLATED) THE KINGDOM OF THE SON HE (the Father) LOVES. Colossians 1:13
We are responsible to announce to all in our world that the kingdom of heaven has come. We have been given the gospel of the kingdom to preach. Greatness in this Kingdom is through being and making disciples. Matthew 5: 19 19Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
AS A CHURCH FAMILY WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF THE THESSALONICANS 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10 4For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
THE LORD HAS CERTAIN EXPECTATIONS OF HIS BODY : 1. To be purpose driven to be and make disciples as the primary means of practicing the everyday commission. 2. To practice the everyday commandment by specializing in being sensitive to the needs of people around me that I might witness to them of the sufficiency of Christ. 3. To grow in fellowship and ministry with small cell groups of believers for mutual edification and outreach to our “most wanted” through planned outreach events 4. To work along with my church family through special church family outreach events. 5. To receive training and oversight into my ministry development and gift recognition. 6. To practice a life of holiness to be like and please God my Father. 7. To practice unity and harmony in my church family so that nothing will bring shame on or in any way hinder or distract from the Gospel of the Kingdom. 8. To stay clear of the world and its distractions and its entanglements so that I can be free to live for and serve the Lord.
THE BATTLE CALL TO BE A MINISTER OF JESUS CHRIST: 2 Timothy 2:1-7 1You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. 3Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. 5Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. 6The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.
