Being A Disciple
The Prayer of Discipleship (Part 2)
August 10, 2014 • Pastor Ron Finch
Last week we focused upon The Prayer Life of Jesus in our “Being A Disciple” series. Prayer is vital to the life of a disciple! Jesus’ Disciples recognized this and asked Him to “teach us to pray”. He did teach them, but what did He teach? That is the task before us this morning — learning from Jesus about prayer. Someone has said, “Some things are more caught than taught.” Prayer is one of those things! We learn to pray by being around people who pray, but we also learn how to pray by what Jesus taught! That was certainly true of Jesus’ Disciples, they watched Him but they also listened!
The Prayer of Discipleship
August 3, 2014 • Pastor Ron Finch
Jesus was a man of prayer and it had an impact upon His disciples! It is interesting that prayer was the only thing that His disciples specifically asked Jesus to instruct them in. If it was that important to the disciples that He called, it must also be important for us as His disciples, today. Let us remember the words of Jesus when He said, “A disciple is not above his teacher, a disciple when he is fully taught will be like his teacher.” (Luke 6:40). Therefore, as a disciple of Jesus, we must learn from Him regarding prayer. Come with me this morning to examine The Prayer of Discipleship by first looking at the Prayer Life of Jesus.
The Mission of Disicipleship
July 27, 2014 • Pastor Ron Finch
This morning we are returning to our series “On Being A Disciple” with a focus upon “The Mission of Discipleship.” So far we have looked at: • The Plan of Discipleship • The Cost of Discipleship • The Evidence of Discipleship In all of these messages the emphasis has been on living as a disciple of Christ — on “being a disciple”. This morning let’s move into our series one step further and look at what a disciple is to be doing in mission.
The Power of Discipleship
July 6, 2014 • Pastor Ron Finch
This week as I drove East on I-10 I saw a billboard that said, “We are not taking applications, we’re looking for commitments!” I thought, that’s a description of DISCIPLESHIP if I ever read one! Although the U.S. Marine’s placed that Ad on the billboard, it certainly describes Christ’s call to DISCIPLESHIP. We do not become a disciple of Christ because we “apply” for a job; we become a Disciple because by FAITH we receive Christ as Savior and become a FULLY COMMITTED FOLLOWER of Him. A BIG difference between the Marine’s call to commitment to be a Marine and Christ’s call to commitment to be His Disciple is one of how it is to be accomplished. The Marines say it is through sheer self-determination, self-effort; Christ says it is by self-denial, dying to self and being dependent upon a supernatural power source — the Holy Spirit! Let’s look at this in more detail this morning from John 14.
Let's Talk About Baptism
June 29, 2014 • Pastor Ron Finch
We are in a short series on “Being A Disciple”. Thus a study on baptism is appropriate because baptism and discipleship go together like a horse-and-carriage or a hand-and-glove. Also, we have learned that one “identifying mark” of a disciple is obedience to all that our Lord has commanded and His first “command” is baptize every disciple! But why? Why is baptism important? Obviously it is important because our Lord commanded it, but there are other reasons.
Unpacking AGAPE!
June 22, 2014 • Pastor Ron Finch
Last Sunday we began to look at “The Love of Discipleship.” This morning we want to go a little deeper into this thought, but first let’s review. We learned from John 13:34-35 that ... a. Jesus gave the command to “love one another” to His disciples in the Upper Room the night before He was betrayed. b. He gave it after He had washed their feet! c. It is a “new” command! d. It has a pattern: “As I [Jesus] have loved you!” He washed feet! e. It is a specific love: AGAPE which is an act of the will, not an emotion! f. It is “other’s-focused,” not self-focused! g. It has a purpose: it is the “badge” of discipleship!”
The Love of Discipleship!
June 15, 2014 • Pastor Ron Finch
When I talk about The Love of Discipleship I’m not talking about how much we should “love being a disciple”, but how a disciple should love. I believe we should love being a disciple because God saved us and called us into a discipleship relationship. It CAN’T GET any better than that! But “being a disciple” includes a call to love others as Jesus’ disciple; in fact, it is a badge of discipleship. We began this point last week, so let’s continue it today
The Evidence of Discipleship
June 8, 2014 • Pastor Ron Finch
There’s an old saying that my father reminded me of often, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating!” What that means is something may look very good by observing it, but you really know it is good when you eat it. The Apostle John uses the same reasoning in the opening chapter of 1 John where he made it clear that simply saying something proved nothing, it was the doing or the practice of it that gave proof. (see especially verses 5-10). So it is with discipleship. How can we show others that we are a disciple of Christ? What is the “evidence” of discipleship? Jesus gave three things which clearly mark us out to be His disciples.
The Cost of Discipleship!
June 1, 2014 • Pastor Ron Finch
This is the second message in the series I am calling, “On Being A Disciple.” If you did not listen to the first message, please go on-line or get it in our book store. The focus of our message this morning is on “The Cost of Discipleship!” Beloved, let us be clear about one thing: Discipleship is COSTLY! Jesus planned it that way as we will see this morning. I am approaching this message different than I usually do. I am asking you to do three things with me: Ponder, Refresh, Consider. PONDER: Sharing from a Pastor’s heart. Before I get into the study this morning, please bear with me as I share a few “fatherly” thoughts. Let’s call it a “Fireside Chat.” a. The role of a Pastor which I take seriously! 2 Timothy 4:2-4 b. A “thank you” for allowing Gwen and me to get away! c. The purpose of my time away: Clarity, Direction & Focus! d. A stark reality: Our discipleship materials are greatly lacking!
The Plan of Discipleship! Follow Jesus!
May 18, 2014 • Pastor Ron Finch
Welcome to a short series of messages called, On Being A Disciple. This will not be a “how to make disciples” series, but on “being a disciple!” I sense a compulsion by the Holy Spirit to bring these messages because I believe the Church in America has lost its understanding of genuine discipleship. If we fully understood biblical discipleship and were committed to it, it would radically change our lives and consequently the church in America. I do not believe there is a lack of information regarding discipleship, but there certainly is a lack of application. Will these messages change that? I don’t know, but we will pray fervently that God will grip our hearts with His Word unto true discipleship.