Jesus Our Strong Foundation
Making disciples is all about connecting people to Jesus. Jesus is the good shepherd and he wants His disciples to know His voice and follow Him. He has chosen us, not only to tell people about Him, but He has also empowered us to help disciples build strong foundations that will cause them grow and be close followers of Jesus.
The Call to Discipleship
(19) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
(20) and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
What mission has Jesus for us?
Disciples Know the Shepherd’s Voice
John 10:4 (NIV)
(4) When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
John 10:14 (NIV)
(14) “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—
Why is important for people to know God’s voice?
(4) For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?
(5) What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task.
(6) I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.
(7) So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
What can we learn from these verses about God’s role?
What do the following verses tell us about our role?
(8) The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.
(9) For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.
(10) By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care.
(11) For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
(19) My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,
(17) For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.
(2) And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.
(16) All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
(17) so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Why Is It Important for Disciples to Disciple Others?
(37) Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
(38) Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Application
- Who introduced you to Jesus? How did they do it?
- How did they help you grow?
- What are some small steps you can take to introduce your friends to Jesus?
- How can you help others grow?
Prayer
Jesus, please help me tell others about my new life with you. And teach me how to help hungry people grow.
Key Verse
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
