Living Discipleship: Integrating Faith into Daily Life
Summary
In our journey of faith, we are called to navigate the ordinary events of daily life through the principles and power of God's kingdom. Jesus may not have spoken directly about every modern issue, like driving the speed limit, but His teachings encompass the essence of how we should live. Our task is to discern how to apply His teachings in various contexts, whether in family, business, or community life. This is the essence of discipleship—learning to live as Jesus would in our unique circumstances. It is not an additional burden but a transformative process that integrates into our daily lives, lifting the burdens we carry.
The church plays a crucial role as an outpost of the kingdom of God, extending its influence through the transformation of its members. Our focus should be on those present, nurturing them with love and grace, and equipping them to live kingdom-centered lives. This involves learning to act with God's power, particularly through prayer, which is a power-sharing device for a world of recovering sinners. Prayer requires character, as power without character can lead to failure. We must seek to grow in character so that we can handle the power God entrusts to us.
Discipleship is not confined to the church; it is a way of life that permeates every aspect of our existence. Our work, relationships, and daily activities are all arenas for discipleship. We must learn to rely on God's power rather than our own, doing our best while trusting in Him. This approach challenges us to preach a gospel that naturally leads to discipleship, rather than merely creating consumers of religious goods and services. The gospel of the kingdom invites us to live in God's presence, experiencing His action in our lives and the world around us.
Key Takeaways:
1. Discipleship involves applying Jesus' teachings to every aspect of life, not just within the church. It is about living as Jesus would in our unique circumstances, integrating His principles into our daily activities. This process lifts the burdens of life, transforming ordinary events into opportunities for spiritual growth. [02:10]
2. The church is an outpost of the kingdom of God, focusing on transforming those present rather than worrying about those absent. By nurturing members with love and grace, the church equips them to live kingdom-centered lives, extending God's influence in the world. [03:53]
3. Prayer is a power-sharing device for a world of recovering sinners, requiring character to handle the power God entrusts to us. We must grow in character to ensure that our use of power aligns with God's will, avoiding the pitfalls of power without character. [09:04]
4. Discipleship is a way of life that extends beyond the church, encompassing work, relationships, and daily activities. We must learn to rely on God's power, doing our best while trusting in Him, and allowing His presence to guide us in all we do. [14:25]
5. The gospel of the kingdom invites us to live in God's presence, experiencing His action in our lives and the world. It challenges us to preach a gospel that naturally leads to discipleship, transforming us into people who walk in fellowship with Christ. [27:51]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:25] - Navigating Daily Life with Kingdom Principles
[01:16] - Discipleship in Everyday Contexts
[02:21] - Integrating Faith into Daily Life
[03:06] - The Church as an Outpost of the Kingdom
[04:32] - Focusing on Present Members
[05:13] - The Power of Prayer
[06:27] - Understanding God's Promises
[07:44] - Power and Character
[09:39] - Learning to Act with God's Power
[12:10] - The Presence of the Kingdom
[14:25] - Discipleship in All Areas of Life
[16:29] - Living in the Kingdom of God
[18:57] - The Importance of Personal Transformation
[20:53] - Preaching a Gospel of Discipleship
[23:11] - The Gospel of Kingdom Life
[27:51] - Discipleship as the Key to Transformation
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Colossians 3:1-17 - This passage emphasizes living a life that reflects the teachings of Jesus in every aspect, aligning with the sermon’s focus on discipleship in daily life.
2. John 14:12-14 - This passage highlights the power of prayer and acting in Jesus' name, which is a key theme in the sermon.
3. Matthew 8:5-13 - The story of the Roman centurion illustrates faith and authority, which relates to the sermon’s discussion on the power of words and prayer.
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Colossians 3:1-17 suggest about how we should approach our daily activities and relationships?
2. How does the story of the Roman centurion in Matthew 8:5-13 demonstrate the concept of authority and faith?
3. According to John 14:12-14, what is promised to those who believe in Jesus and act in His name?
4. In the sermon, how is the church described in relation to the kingdom of God? [03:53]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does Colossians 3:1-17 guide believers in integrating their faith into their work and personal lives?
2. What does the Roman centurion’s understanding of authority teach us about the nature of faith and prayer?
3. How can believers ensure that their use of power through prayer aligns with God’s will, as discussed in the sermon? [09:04]
4. What role does character play in handling the power that comes from prayer, according to the sermon? [07:44]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your daily routine. How can you incorporate the teachings of Colossians 3:1-17 to make your work and relationships more Christ-centered?
2. Think of a situation where you need to exercise faith like the Roman centurion. How can you apply his understanding of authority and faith in your life?
3. The sermon emphasizes the importance of character in prayer. What steps can you take to develop your character to better handle the power of prayer? [09:04]
4. How can you rely more on God’s power rather than your own in your daily activities, as suggested in the sermon? [14:25]
5. Identify one area in your life where you can practice being a disciple of Jesus outside of church. What specific actions will you take this week to live out your faith in that area?
6. The sermon challenges us to preach a gospel that leads to discipleship. How can you share your faith in a way that encourages others to become disciples rather than mere consumers of religious services? [20:53]
7. Consider your prayer life. How can you use prayer as a "power-sharing device" to address both personal and communal needs effectively? [05:34]
Devotional
Day 1: Living Jesus' Teachings in Daily Life
Discipleship is about integrating Jesus' teachings into every aspect of life, transforming ordinary events into opportunities for spiritual growth. It involves discerning how to apply His principles in various contexts, whether in family, business, or community life. This process is not an additional burden but a transformative journey that lifts the burdens we carry, allowing us to live as Jesus would in our unique circumstances. By doing so, we experience a deeper connection with God and a more meaningful life. [02:10]
"Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." (Colossians 2:6-7, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one ordinary event in your daily life where you can consciously apply a teaching of Jesus. How can this transform your experience of that event today?
Day 2: The Church as a Kingdom Outpost
The church serves as an outpost of the kingdom of God, focusing on transforming those present rather than worrying about those absent. By nurturing members with love and grace, the church equips them to live kingdom-centered lives, extending God's influence in the world. This transformation is not just for personal growth but for the collective impact on the community, as each member becomes a beacon of God's love and grace. [03:53]
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)
Reflection: How can you contribute to your church community today in a way that nurtures others with love and grace?
Day 3: Prayer as a Power-Sharing Device
Prayer is a power-sharing device for a world of recovering sinners, requiring character to handle the power God entrusts to us. It is through prayer that we learn to act with God's power, aligning our actions with His will. This requires growth in character, as power without character can lead to failure. By seeking to grow in character, we ensure that our use of power aligns with God's purposes, avoiding the pitfalls of power without character. [09:04]
"Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." (Romans 8:26, ESV)
Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to grow in character to better handle the power God entrusts to you through prayer?
Day 4: Discipleship Beyond the Church
Discipleship is a way of life that extends beyond the church, encompassing work, relationships, and daily activities. It challenges us to rely on God's power, doing our best while trusting in Him, and allowing His presence to guide us in all we do. This approach transforms every aspect of our lives into an arena for discipleship, where we can experience God's action and presence in the world around us. [14:25]
"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: What is one specific area of your life where you can more fully rely on God's power today, rather than your own?
Day 5: The Gospel of the Kingdom
The gospel of the kingdom invites us to live in God's presence, experiencing His action in our lives and the world. It challenges us to preach a gospel that naturally leads to discipleship, transforming us into people who walk in fellowship with Christ. This transformation is not just about personal salvation but about living a life that reflects God's kingdom, impacting the world around us with His love and grace. [27:51]
"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 share the gospel of the kingdom in a way that naturally leads to discipleship in your interactions today?
Quotes
"now secondly what we're learning is to handle the ordinary events of daily life within the principles and power of god's kingdom rule, there are a lot of things that jesus didn't say anything about, you didn't say anything about driving the speed limit did he, i don't mean to, it's just an illustration of what he didn't talk about for obvious reasons, right, their vehicles were not very fast, and i'm sure there were some rules that needed to be observed, but there are just lots of things he didn't talk about, some i think not because they weren't there, but because they were covered in what he did say or something of that sort, but sometimes you need more instruction, it's one thing to know that you should love your family or your neighbor but then how you do that and what your neighbor is like and what are the different particular circumstances or in business, you're running a business, you need to be able to do that as jesus would run that business if he or you, not quite the same as what would jesus do, that's a little different, it's not a terribly bad idea, but for one thing you you need to sort of not have to ask that question in a lot of circumstances you need to know what he would do and just do it and you learn that by being with him, so a difficult committee meeting a family dispute a church fight writing a book living through some political dispute how would he do all that that's discipleship that's what you're learning as a disciple of jesus" [00:13:44]
"now you're learning all this in ways that will simply lift the burdens of life off of you, this is not something an extra job, this is something you learn as a part of what you're going to do anyway, so you're having you have to make a living you have to deal with people in various ways in real life, you have to get an education you have to enter a career finding someone to be wedded to and raise a family and all of that, that's where you want to understand that jesus is your teacher" [00:135:84]
"the church is not the kingdom of god it is an outpost of the kingdom of god and it extends the kingdom of god through its influence, that influence is primarily the transformation of the people who are there, that can keep you out of the mistake of worrying about the people who aren't there, see in church we want to deal with the people who are there we can do something for them i've preached a lot of empty chairs in my life some of them may have been converted and gone to heaven by now as far as i know, but what we need to do is to pay attention to the people who are there and we need to do that in a loving gracious way with the anointing of the power of god on us, and we need to be able to get to know their lives and talk to them helpfully about living in the kingdom of god wherever they are" [00:227:04]
"now we have to learn to act with the power of god and bringing the kingdom to bear, sometimes that is as simple or complex as simply learning how to pray, because prayer is a major part of what you need to learn, see prayer is a power sharing device for a world of recovering sinners, that's what it is, i say prayer, prayer is a power sharing device for a world of recovering sinners, that's what it is, and you know all that power can't be turned loose without some preparation, you have to learn how to do that, you read the wonderful promises in scripture and if you don't understand that then you'll read something like jesus saying in john 14 whatever you ask in my name that i will do that the father may be glory died in the son and he you know makes that statement and the things that i do my followers will do also and greater things than these that will they do because i go to my father" [00:305:28]
"and you just want to say well he must not be talking about me, but see that's a learning process, and the promises that are given along these lines are designed to help us understand there is nothing impossible, but of course there's some things that would be better if they didn't happen unless you can handle them, think of what your what would happen in your life if you started raising the dead, are you ready for that, well you'd have lots of business wouldn't you, people would be showing up at your door with corpses, so maybe i don't want to be that powerful, i actually spend a significant time in my own prayer with the lord asking him to make sure that i don't ever have enough power that my character can't stand it, see power without character is another one of the lessons that you learn as you read your bible, that's where you get your sampsons and your souls and that's where you get a lot of failures in public leadership, there's people who have got more power than they have character you say well why does god do that well actually god gives power to help people" [00:376:80]
"and sometimes when we think about gifts we want to remember that they're not for the benefit of the bearer therefore the benefit of others, and so when we think about prayer you have to understand that character is always involved with prayer, you don't want someone who can make a lot of things happen unless they've got the character to stand it, so if we want to get involved in then we say well lord lead my character on, very few of us i think come to the point where we have our ego in such abeyance that we could do anything very big and live through it, so that's why i say prayer is a power sharing device for a world of recovering sinners, learning to act with god's power in bringing your kingdom to bear on obvious human need individual and social" [00:527:20]
"so for example if you haven't come to the point to where when you pray for something you're not wondering about whether or not it's going to be answered, well you need to grow a little, i remember a pastor and i think he was characteristic he just hated to visit sick people in the hospital because he thought i'll have to pray for them and what if i pray for them and nothing happens, well maybe the issue isn't you, you've made it the issue, and so you have to learn how to move beyond that so you're not thinking about yourself when you're engaged in that, and that has a lot of implications for the use of power we said this morning that kingdoms work by words, remember that, and that's how kingdoms work" [00:592:56]
"the presence of the kingdom is with us mainly in god's action with us that's power, not force, but power, that's what we're learning as disciples, now, where do i do it, and the important thing is to under this understand the place where i learned this, you get some help at church hopefully if it's not a bunch of disciples you may not get much help, but if it's a people who are operating on jesus is charged to us then they would be ready to help us with these things, now i know many of you are leaders pastors and related to churches and organizations and so i'm really throwing a challenge right in your teeth, is this what you do, is this what you teach is this where you put the pressure so the place of discipleship is wherever i am, it's now, it's whatever i'm doing now, that is the place of discipleship, it may be home work play or the church, the church is a wonderful place for discipleship" [00:768:32]
"our work or job is of special importance in discipleship for that is where we put most of our time and effort, and to leave god out of that is to exclude him from most of our life, so i need to learn how to learn when i'm working what, and some of you have been talking about things that are real serious issues at your work, where you're being pushed in a direction that you don't believe is godly that's a part of what we have to learn how would jesus deal with that, so we go to him and ask the question and listen and study, we listen in our community and we try to learn how to do the things that he would do" [00:928:39]
"so now the gospel of the kingdom faith his confidence in jesus and his present kingdom that naturally leads to seeing my whole life as as the place of redemption, interactive relationship and to discipleship as learning from him how to lead my life as he would lead my life if he or i, okay, now in talking about transformation we cannot bypass discipleship, cannot do it, discipleship is the key to transformation, and that's a part of the good news of a life from above" [01:38:84]
"and uh given all of this you would expect perhaps if you came in from alpha centauri or someplace else in the universe you might say well i've been reading the bible you know on the trip down and so i assume that when i find a local congregation of christians they will be entirely devoted to spiritual formation of those who are in attendance, and unfortunately it doesn't work out that way, there's so much distraction, the demands of the organization, our traditions are faith and practice, and often there is a realization that what we wind up quote having to do in our role is not what we really feel it should all be about, and that actually is true across the professions now in medical field, in law i have so many of my students that go on in law and they come back two years later and they say man this is not what i had in mind, or maybe they get it past law school and get into practice and they thought they were going to do justice and they find out that justice is now due process, when you've had due process you've had justice, and you sit there and blink your eyes you say is that what that was, was that justice, so it's very discouraging to be pulled away from the ideals of what you thought your work was about by the traditions and practices that are prevalent" [01:68:84]
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