Living as Missionaries: Personal Discipleship in Daily Life

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Personal Missions

Each believer is called to a personal mission, a divine assignment to share the gospel with at least one person in their sphere of influence. This is not a task to be taken lightly, but a crucial part of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ. It is through these personal missions that individuals are led towards knowing Jesus. ([12:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYydjJgk4fM&t=750s))

Bible Passage: Acts 1:8 - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Reflection: Who is one person in your life that you can share the gospel with? How can you start that conversation today?

Day 2: Living as Disciples

Discipleship is not a program or an event, but a lifestyle. Each believer is called to live their life according to God's design, experiencing fruitfulness, fulfillment, and Kingdom advancement. ([22:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYydjJgk4fM&t=1335s))

Bible Passage: Luke 9:23 - "Then he said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.'"

Reflection: What does it mean for you to take up your cross daily? How can you live out your discipleship in your everyday life?

Day 3: Witnessing in Everyday Life

God has placed each of us in our specific career fields and surrounded us with family for a purpose - to be a witness to those around us. Sharing the gospel and letting others know about Jesus should be a part of our daily lives. ([34:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYydjJgk4fM&t=2040s))

Bible Passage: Colossians 3:23 - "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters."

Reflection: How can you be a witness for Jesus in your workplace or at home? What opportunities do you have to share the gospel in your everyday life?

Day 4: Submitting to God's Way

Submitting to God's way, even when it goes against our pride and desires, is crucial. When we choose to live for Jesus in a way that He didn't call us to, we not only harm ourselves but also the cause of Christ. ([45:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYydjJgk4fM&t=2735s))

Bible Passage: Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

Reflection: What is one area in your life where you struggle to submit to God's way? How can you surrender this area to Him today?

Day 5: Building Personal Relationships

Personal relationships are key in spreading the message of Jesus. It is through personal connections that people are reached for Jesus, not through organizations or events. Believers are challenged to actively live out their faith, leading others to Jesus. ([58:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYydjJgk4fM&t=3485s))

Bible Passage: 1 Peter 3:15 - "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."

Reflection: Who are the people in your life that you have a personal relationship with who do not know Jesus? How can you share your faith with them in a gentle and respectful way?

Sermon Summary

The sermon begins with the pastor emphasizing the importance of personal missions and discipleship. He challenges the congregation to see themselves as missionaries in their everyday lives and to identify one person they can share the gospel with. The pastor quotes Robert Coleman, stating that preaching to the masses and occasional prayer meetings and training classes are not enough to prepare leaders for evangelism. Instead, individual men and women are God's method for discipleship.

The pastor then reflects on the importance of following Jesus and being willing to give up worldly attachments. He uses the example of the disciples in Matthew chapter 4, who immediately left their ship and their family to follow Jesus. The pastor acknowledges that these are not easy decisions to make, but encourages the congregation to hold their careers, jobs, and entire lives with open hands, ready to obey God's calling.

The pastor emphasizes the importance of being a witness for God in every aspect of our lives, not just in traditional ministry roles. He reminds the congregation that God has called each person into their specific career field and surrounded them with family for a purpose - to be a witness to those around them. The pastor encourages the congregation to share the gospel and let others know about Jesus as they go about their daily lives.

The pastor shares a personal experience of a conflict at a baseball game. He admits that his initial reaction was to handle the situation in his own way, but he realized that God had a different method for handling conflicts. The pastor emphasizes the importance of choosing to submit to God's way, even when it goes against our pride and desires. He explains that when we choose to live for Jesus in a way that He didn't call us to, we not only harm ourselves but also the cause of Christ.

The sermon concludes with the pastor emphasizing the importance of personal relationships in spreading the message of Jesus. The pastor reminds the congregation that God will never leave or forsake them, and it is through personal connections that people are reached for Jesus, not through organizations or events. The pastor challenges the congregation to choose whether they will complain about the state of the world or actively live out their faith, leading others to Jesus.

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Sermon Clips

"When will the church learn this lesson: preaching to the masses, although necessary, will never suffice in the work of preparing leaders for evangelism. Individual women and men are God's method for discipleship." [51:39]

"Look what the disciples gave up in Matthew chapter 4 verse 22. When Jesus said 'follow me,' they immediately left their ship. That was their livelihood, their careers, their jobs. That might have been where they found some of their identity." [43:53]

"We need to be willing to hold our careers, our jobs, and our entire lives with Open Hands to Jesus. So if he says, 'Hey, drop it,' we drop it. My life will be difficult, but in this life, you shall have trials and tribulations. But be overcome with joy because I have overcome the world." [45:04]

"God has called you and maybe into your particular career field to be his witness in that career field. He has your family around you so you could be a witness to that family. Who you are in Christ is who God wants to use to reach people for him." [46:16]

"When we choose to go at it a way God doesn't call us to, we end up not only harming ourselves, we can harm the cause of Christ." [32:54]

"People reach people for Jesus, not organizations, not programs, not events. They're great methods, they're good ideas, but they should be the outpouring of what's taking place in the individual lives of the Believers involved in them. For if they are not, they are worthless." [54:36]

"Do we utilize God's methodology of my own individual life as I've been created to lead others to Jesus and help others follow Jesus? Or do I seek to complain about everything going on and wonder why nothing is getting better and wonder why other people are sad and depressed and all this stuff's happening when we have the answer?" [55:08]

"Who is the one person that you could share the gospel with this month? Who is the one person in your life you could share your testimony with so that they would know Jesus more?" [17:17]

"God's plan for discipleship is not something but someone, and you are that someone. When we decide to stop trying to live our lives for God with some methodology and in some way that he did not design us for, we'll find fruitfulness and fulfillment in what God's called us to." [52:12]

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?