Everyday Discipleship with Real People
Teaching #1: “The Journey to Christlikeness!”
Introduction:
I invite you to participate in the First Baptist Church’s 90-Day New Testament Reading Challenge
Purpose: To train in godliness according to 1 Timothy 4:7b-8, every day for 90 days by reading God’s Word and meditating upon it day and night. To take the next step in your journey of following Jesus and becoming like Him. A 90-day New Testament reading plan is available to you at the church and will be emailed out to you.
Method: I invite you to read three (3) chapters of the New Testament every day over 90 days, starting on Monday, January 8. That’s 21 chapters a week. Before every chapter, I invite you to pray – to reflect upon what you have just read and to invite the Holy Spirit to give you insights and wisdom into what you are about to read. The Bible is God’s Word, and it must be discerned with spiritual eyes; therefore, you must pray and read, read and pray, praying at all times as you read. An example prayer is this: Sovereign God, I ask that You open the eyes of my heart to accurately read and spiritually discern Your inspired Word. Holy Spirit, please lead me in greater understanding and right application of all that I read and meditate. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. I will also be inviting you how to write a S.O.A.P. journal entry on your daily readings so it will also benefit you to grab a pen and some paper and keep it with your Bible through this 90-day New Testament Reading Challenge.
Accountability: While we will meet every Sunday morning for a discipleship training during our weekly worship service, and I will ask you if you are keeping up with the reaching challenge, it will be easy to hide in the pews. Therefore, I invite you to have a spiritual friend that you can meet with each week to sit down together, or talk with on the phone. You will pray together, review the week’s discipleship training from Sunday morning, discuss your readings from the week, share your journal entries with one another as you feel led, and talk about how you are experiencing growth in your Christian life through this experience. This is a time of encouragement and sharing the journey of following Jesus, to become like Him as you learn to walk in His easy yoke. This is best done in a rhythm of personal time with Jesus and community with friends and family. You are invited!
Today’s Lesson Outline:
Teaching #1: “The Journey to Christlikeness!”
Christian Discipleship is the intentional journey to Christlikeness!
Read Romans 8:29:
+ “predestined to become”
+ “conformed to the image of His Son”
God chose you to look like Jesus!
Look at the context. Read Romans 8:26-28:
+ “according to the will of God” (27)
+ “to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (28).
What is that purpose? “To become conformed to the image of His Son – to be God’s “image bearer” (Genesis 1:26-28).
Read Colossians 1:15.
+ “the image of the invisible God”
When we look like Jesus – Christlikeness – we do that which Christ came to do (Luke 19:10 & Matthew 28:18-20)!
17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”
+ The Call = “Follow Me”
+ The Promise = “I will make you become…”
Discipleship is the life-long journey of learning and manifesting who you are as a “disciple” through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. A disciple is a person who intentionally follows the ways and teachings of Jesus Christ.
FOCUS: The call of discipleship requires you to “follow” Jesus. The promise of discipleship requires you to trust the work of the Holy Spirit to “make you become.”
Read Philippians 2:12-13.
+ “work out your salvation with fear and trembling”
+ “it is God at work in you … for His good pleasure”
Christian Discipleship is a BOTH-AND: Hard work + a lot of trusting God! This journey is a long obedience in the same direction of Christlikeness (Matthew 11:28-30)!
Read 1 Timothy 4:7b-8.
+ “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness”
+ “godliness is profitable for all things”
We are to train ourselves according to godliness – the pattern of Jesus’ life (“godliness” = “Christlikeness”).
Action Items for this week:
1) Start the 90-Day New Testament Reading Challenge, reading Matthew 1-21 this week. Pick up a reading plan.
2) Start a notebook or journal about your reading plan. Bring it next week as I will teach you how to write a SOAP journal entry for either each chapter or each day.
3) Pray through this handout as you prepare to read your Bible every day. Invite the Holy Spirit to help you “become” conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.
MATERIALS TO DOWNLOAD & PRINT:
If you would like to watch this lesson on YouTube, click HERE.
If you would like to view the entire service including music, etc. click HERE.
