Embracing God's Presence: The Journey of Discipleship

 

Summary

In today's reflection, I invite you to embrace two transformative practices: invoking the presence of God throughout your day and seeking Jesus' guidance in every task you undertake. By consciously reminding ourselves of God's presence, we cultivate an awareness that He is with us, watching, listening, and caring. This awareness is not just a passive acknowledgment but an active invitation for God to be part of our daily lives. As we engage in various tasks, we should ask Jesus how we can perform them in a way that serves others, adds creativity, and becomes a gift of love. This approach transforms mundane activities into opportunities for discipleship, aligning our actions with the essence of being a follower of Jesus.

The concept of discipleship is further enriched by the idea of apprenticeship. Drawing from the teachings of Dallas Willard, we understand that being a disciple is akin to being an apprentice, learning from the Master, Jesus, how to live our lives. This apprenticeship is not about perfection but about being willing to learn and grow, even amidst doubts and imperfections. The story of fixing a doorknob with the help of a friend illustrates the importance of seeking guidance and being open to learning. It emphasizes that being an apprentice is an active process, requiring us to engage with our Master and take steps, even if we fail at times.

Ultimately, the invitation to be an apprentice of Jesus is the greatest opportunity offered to humanity. It allows us to live in the kingdom of God, experiencing His presence and guidance in our daily lives. By focusing on our actual tasks and doing them for God's sake, we can transform our lives and become a blessing to others. This journey of apprenticeship shifts our identity, enabling us to embrace challenges we once thought impossible. It is a journey of growth, learning, and transformation, where we walk with Jesus and allow His power and grace to flow through us.

Key Takeaways:

- Invoking God's presence throughout the day is an active practice that transforms our awareness and invites God into our daily lives. It is a reminder that God is with us, watching, listening, and caring, and it opens our hearts to His guidance and love. [00:27]

- Discipleship is best understood as apprenticeship, where we learn from Jesus how to live our lives. This process is not about achieving perfection but about being willing to learn and grow, even amidst doubts and imperfections. [02:03]

- Seeking guidance from Jesus in every task transforms mundane activities into opportunities for discipleship. By asking how we can serve others and add creativity to our tasks, we align our actions with the essence of being a follower of Jesus. [01:05]

- Being an apprentice of Jesus involves actively engaging with Him and taking steps, even if we fail at times. It is a journey of growth and learning, where we seek guidance and embrace challenges with the help of our Master. [04:26]

- The invitation to be an apprentice of Jesus is the greatest opportunity offered to humanity. It allows us to live in the kingdom of God, experiencing His presence and guidance in our daily lives, and transforming our lives into a blessing for others. [10:40]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:27] - Invoking God's Presence
- [01:05] - Seeking Jesus' Guidance in Tasks
- [01:49] - Understanding Discipleship as Apprenticeship
- [02:32] - The Role of a Master in Apprenticeship
- [03:05] - The Doorknob Story
- [04:11] - Active Engagement in Apprenticeship
- [05:08] - The Realism of Discipleship
- [06:03] - Jesus' Faithfulness to His Disciples
- [07:01] - Living in the Kingdom of God
- [07:40] - Brother Lawrence's Insight
- [08:24] - Transforming Daily Tasks
- [09:19] - Walking with Jesus in Every Moment
- [10:02] - Embracing New Challenges
- [10:55] - Closing and Resources

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Hebrews 12:5-6 - "And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, 'My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.'"
2. Matthew 28:19-20 - "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."
3. Colossians 3:23-24 - "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

Observation Questions:
1. What does the sermon suggest about the importance of invoking God's presence throughout the day? How does this practice transform our awareness? [00:27]
2. How does the sermon describe the concept of discipleship as apprenticeship? What is the significance of this analogy? [02:03]
3. In the sermon, what role does seeking Jesus' guidance play in transforming mundane activities into opportunities for discipleship? [01:05]
4. How does the story of fixing a doorknob illustrate the process of being an apprentice of Jesus? What does it teach about seeking guidance and learning? [04:11]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the passage from Hebrews 12:5-6 relate to the idea of being an apprentice of Jesus and experiencing growth through discipline and guidance? [06:19]
2. In what ways does the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 align with the sermon’s invitation to live as apprentices of Jesus, learning from Him in our daily lives?
3. How does Colossians 3:23-24 encourage believers to approach their daily tasks, and how does this relate to the sermon’s emphasis on doing tasks for God's sake? [08:07]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between doubt, imperfection, and the journey of discipleship? How does this perspective impact one's understanding of faith? [05:08]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your daily routine. How can you actively invite God's presence into your day-to-day activities? What specific reminders or practices could help you maintain this awareness? [00:27]
2. Think of a task you find mundane or routine. How can you approach it with creativity and love, transforming it into an opportunity for discipleship? [01:05]
3. Consider a challenge you are currently facing. How can you seek Jesus' guidance in this situation, and what steps can you take to learn and grow from it? [04:26]
4. Identify an area in your life where you feel inadequate or doubtful. How can embracing the role of an apprentice help you shift your identity and approach this challenge with a learning mindset? [10:13]
5. How can you apply the principle of working for the Lord in your professional or personal life? What changes might you need to make to align your actions with this mindset? [08:07]
6. Reflect on a recent situation where you felt God's discipline or guidance. How did it impact your growth as a disciple, and how can you remain open to such experiences in the future? [06:19]
7. Identify one person in your life who could benefit from your support or guidance. How can you serve them in a way that reflects your apprenticeship to Jesus? [09:49]

Devotional

Day 1: Inviting God's Presence into Daily Life
Invoking God's presence throughout the day is an active practice that transforms our awareness and invites God into our daily lives. It is a reminder that God is with us, watching, listening, and caring, and it opens our hearts to His guidance and love. By consciously reminding ourselves of God's presence, we cultivate an awareness that He is with us, watching, listening, and caring. This awareness is not just a passive acknowledgment but an active invitation for God to be part of our daily lives. [00:27]

"The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." (Psalm 145:18, ESV)

Reflection: How can you create a moment today to pause and consciously invite God's presence into your current activity or situation?


Day 2: Discipleship as a Journey of Learning
Discipleship is best understood as apprenticeship, where we learn from Jesus how to live our lives. This process is not about achieving perfection but about being willing to learn and grow, even amidst doubts and imperfections. The concept of discipleship is further enriched by the idea of apprenticeship. Drawing from the teachings of Dallas Willard, we understand that being a disciple is akin to being an apprentice, learning from the Master, Jesus, how to live our lives. [02:03]

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:29, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel challenged to grow as a disciple? How can you actively seek Jesus' guidance in this area today?


Day 3: Transforming Tasks into Acts of Love
Seeking guidance from Jesus in every task transforms mundane activities into opportunities for discipleship. By asking how we can serve others and add creativity to our tasks, we align our actions with the essence of being a follower of Jesus. As we engage in various tasks, we should ask Jesus how we can perform them in a way that serves others, adds creativity, and becomes a gift of love. [01:05]

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." (Colossians 3:23-24, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a routine task you have today. How can you approach it with a mindset of serving others and offering it as a gift of love?


Day 4: Embracing Growth Through Failure
Being an apprentice of Jesus involves actively engaging with Him and taking steps, even if we fail at times. It is a journey of growth and learning, where we seek guidance and embrace challenges with the help of our Master. The story of fixing a doorknob with the help of a friend illustrates the importance of seeking guidance and being open to learning. [04:26]

"For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity." (Proverbs 24:16, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a recent failure or mistake. How can you view it as an opportunity for growth and learning in your journey with Jesus?


Day 5: Living in the Kingdom of God
The invitation to be an apprentice of Jesus is the greatest opportunity offered to humanity. It allows us to live in the kingdom of God, experiencing His presence and guidance in our daily lives, and transforming our lives into a blessing for others. By focusing on our actual tasks and doing them for God's sake, we can transform our lives and become a blessing to others. [10:40]

"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14:17, ESV)

Reflection: How can you intentionally live out the values of God's kingdom in your interactions and decisions today?

Quotes


all through this day invoke the presence of God that is just simply to keep reminding myself keep reminding yourself God you are right here God you are watching God you are listening God you are present God you you care as I look at the world around me and I see the beauty of it when I look at other people and think I've Got Friends I have people that love me those are constantly reminders God you're here God you're here I want you to be here to invoke God's presence mean both that I am aware of it but I invite it [00:00:20]

as soon as you have a task to do and life presents itself as a series of tasks ask Jesus how can I do this instead of Simply being passive or running on autopilot Jesus how can I make what I'm doing right now useful to somebody else how can I bring Flair to it how can I do it with Pizzazz How can there be some creativity to it to it how can I make this a gift of love to other folks [00:00:56]

and if you do those two things today invoke God's present constantly and then continually ask for his help with whatever task you face next what you are doing is being a disciple of Jesus and that's the essence of it it's not all of it also life involves different practices that we're engaged in in the process of transformation and so but this is the centrality of it [00:01:27]

the person who has helped me and lots of other folks understand what it means to be a disciple of Jesus particularly as Dallas Willard and one of the words that he would say is actually a better word for disciples something that helps us understand it better is the word apprentice and that the old uh Greek word that's used in the New Testament for disciple methetes was also used for apprentices [00:01:49]

to be an apprentice of the master is not a passive thing it doesn't mean well I'll just sit and wait and see if Jesus fixes the doorknob uh I call the one under whom I am apprenticing and then he will give me appropriate guidance and he will know what kind of risks I ought to take and what it's safe for me to try it very very often I will fail [00:04:24]

if you want today to live as a disciple of Jesus part of what's wonderful about this is you don't even have to believe to any particular level you don't have to conjure up a lot of faith you can have all kinds of doubts and still be an apprentice Dallas Bullard writes this in the Divine conspiracy that people when they're asked are they apprenticing to a musician or a lawyer a screenwriter or a politician would not need to think one second to respond [00:04:47]

for to be a disciple in any area or relationship is not to be perfect one can be very raw and incompetent beginner and still be a disciple it is part of the refreshing realism of the gospels that we often find Jesus doing nothing less than balling out his disciples you of little faith he will say how long must I put up with you that however is very far from rejecting them it is in fact a way of being faithful to them [00:05:50]

a good Master takes his apprentices seriously and therefore takes them to tasks as needed that's what a good coach does that's what a good leader does so a disciple or an apprentice is simply someone who has decided to be with another person under appropriate conditions in order to become capable of doing what that person does or to become what that person is [00:06:30]

he's good at living in the awareness and the presence and fellowship with and under the guidance and empowering of his father and applying that to life for the good of others and uh that's what he invites us to do as well now if I'm a disciple of Jesus then I'm with him not to try to live his life but to learn from him how to live my life [00:07:14]

he said our growth does not depend on changing our works often people think I must do something else something that's more religious or more important no no no no it doesn't depend on changing it works but in doing that for God's sake which we commonly do for our own in doing that for God's sake that I commonly do for my own sake [00:07:41]

and if you do that if you walk through this day God you're right here right now now how can we do this together and then Jesus help me let go of the outcome so that I can walk into the next moment and be fully present there and make my life as much as possible a blessing to other people because that power and Grace is flowing through me into them [00:09:28]

you will be a disciple an apprentice of Jesus and that remains the greatest opportunity that has ever been offered to the human race at first I thought I can't do this and then there's kind of an interesting identity issue that goes on at a certain point when you become Apprentice you cease to say I'm the kind of person who could not do that and you say well actually I'm in the process of learning [00:09:51]

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Transcript
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