Back to Basics - Part 4

 

  This message was preached at Word Of Grace Church on July 7th 2024 by Colin. For the audio & video please click here.  For the worship please click here.

Stages of Discipleship

How does transformation take place? You see some ads that promise change if you use their products. 

If you have put your faith in Jesus, there is a transformation that takes place in you.

We have a B.C life and an A.C life - Before Christ and After Christ

Discipleship is the method Jesus used. 

He invested 3 years in the lives of His disciples and then those 12 transformed the world. The end goal of discipleship is to fish for men and women. After the resurrection, Jesus told them to go to all nations. 

The 2 bookends of the gospel are "Come, follow me" and "Go, make disciples".

There are 5 stages in the journey of a disciple. 

1. Unsaved

2. Infant 

3. Child

4. Young Adults

5. Parent

Every believer can go through all 5 stages but not everyone does which is very sad.

Today we're going to look at the first 3 stages. 

1. Unsaved:

These are the people without Christ. They are spiritually dead. 

Ephesians 2:5 - made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

People may come from Christian background but they could be spiritually dead

They are not immature, weak or rich but dead. They are heading towards God's wrath.

Ephesians 2:4 - But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,

Only Christ can make them alive. 

We can identify people at this stage by the words they speak and deeds they do.

Ex: I don't believe there's a God. All gods are one. I don't believe in heaven. 

The spiritually dead people hurt others. They need to hear the gospel. This requires a relationship - someone needs to share the gospel with them. God uses humans as his ambassadors. 

Luke 15:7 - I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Romans 10:15 - And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!

Are we investing in the people who are not saved? They need to see the life of Jesus in us. They need answers to questions and a clear explanation of the gospel when the time comes. 

2. Infant:

The moment a person comes to faith he reaches this stage. People at this stage repent of their sins, believe that Jesus is the Lord and Saviour. 

1 Corinthians 3:1 - Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ.

John 3:5 - Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again

There's a great rejoicing when a baby is born. 

There's a great rejoicing in heaven when there's born born-again Christian. 

Just as babies need milk and care, spiritual babies need spiritual food and care. They don't know anything. 

We know people at this stage when they are - 

* New Born Again Christian

* Born Again but even after many years, there's no spiritual growth

Heb 5:12-14 - 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Eph 4:14 - Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

* They can't discern what spiritual food to eat. They may get misled if there's no guidance.

Signs:

Mixed up philosophies, demanding, all about themselves, only consumers.

They may say things like - I didn't know the Bible said this. Tithing? What's that? 

I don't need anyone. It's just Jesus and me. 

I thought Jesus would fix everything for me.

They need someone to care for and feed them so that they survive and grow. They need protection and guidance.

There's no shame in whatever stage we're in but we must move to the next stage. 

Christian faith is to be taught and modelled for them

They must develop new habits and develop right patterns

3. Child:

Children are more advanced than the infants. 

1 John 2:12 - I am writing to you, dear children,

    because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.

John refers to children, young men and fathers. 

1 Thessalonians 2:10 - 12 - 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

1 Thessalonians 2:7 - 8 - 7 Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.

They need encouragement, comfort, urging.

Spiritual children may attend church and also serve, but they are self-centred. 

They need a relationship and identity in Christ. They need to learn to feed themselves. They also need a parent to teach and guide them. 

Ex: maybe I should try another Church for my needs, didn't like the music, nobody says hi, nobody calls me, the pastor doesn't care for me, nobody appreciates me and so I quit.

Young Adults and Parents have seen God's plan and are willing to invest in others, help grow and advance God's Kingdom. We all need discipleship because we want to get better.

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that has people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called RegionsBeyond.To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.