Every Kingdom has a culture. Its culture sets its citizens apart from other Kingdoms. Likewise, in this Kingdom of the dear son, we have a culture as citizens or disciples. Our Culture is called ''Continuing in the Word, pursuing intimacy with truth' As we uphold this culture, we know the truth and the truth we know sets us free. This lesson was passed on in our King-Priest Meeting to young people from various denominations on the 30th of April,2022 @Manzini Library (Eswatini).
2. THE CULTURE OF DISCIPLES INDEED
John 8:31-32
Definitions
Culture
The customs and values shared by a society (Oxford Dictionary)
The norms, attitudes or habits that incubate a society which are inherent by citizenship and are
cultivated through laws which reflect the values or acceptable behavior within that society which
distinguishes or sets it apart. (K.M.R.H)
Disciple
The Greek term Mathetes refers generally to a:
1. student [The Teacher: Holy Spirit; The Syllabus: Jesus; The Prescribed Text book: The Bible;
The School: His feet; The Qualifications for enrollment: Grace through Faith]
2. follower [Of the Syllabus], or
3. adherent [Of the Teacher and instructions in the Prescribed Text book]
3. The Concept and Practice: Isaiah 8:16 and 50:4
The Concept: Involved in the concept of being a disciple is a willing, listening,
and obedient heart
The Practice: In Jesus time, discipleship meant more than just a transfer of
information but it also referred to imitating the teachers life, inculcating his
values, and reproducing his teachings.
4. Jesus’s Three-fold call to Discipleship
A) Discipleship as a call to Personal Commitment To Jesus
The call: To be with Him and to Know Him (Mark 3:14)
To be with Him 1 Corinthians 1:9
To Know Him Philippians 3:10
The Goal: To Enjoy Him and become like Him (Luke 6:40)
Enjoy God: Many live in a legal relationship with him instead of a Grace relationship
Jesus has summoned us to his side, but not simply to put us to work. His summoning _make no
mistake about it, His summoning- is first a call to Know Him, to have intimate fellowship
(Koinonia) with Him and to enjoy Him. This is primary and necessary.
It is primarily through fellowship with the Master that we begin to look, feel and act like the
Master.
5. B) Discipleship as a call To Follow Jesus
Unlike the Jewish religious leaders who focused more on the Torah and steered theory disciples
away from themselves. Jesus on the other hand pointed people to Himself and still does and
calls them to a radical commitment to follow Him.
Jesus’ call to discipleship is a call to Christlikeness which includes at least three related facts: the
demand, the added promise; and the grace
Luke 9:23 The Demand
Luke 1:28-30 The Grace
The demand of Jesus’s call to discipleship is impossible for a human being, unaided, to fulfill.
We must have the resources to accomplish this kind of life.
Those resources come directly from Christ as we abide in Him John 15:1-11
Mark 10:28-30 The Promise
The call to follow Jesus may have heavy demands, but it is not without its Promises!
6. C) Discipleship as a Call To Make
Disciples [Matthew 28:19-20]
KJV : 18 ‘’And Jesus came and spoke unto them saying , All power (Exousia-
authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth.(Basis upon which he issues
the command/commission)
Amp :19 Go then (Commission), and make disciples(1.Evangelism-preach the
Gospel of the Kingdom) of all nations (whole field-not Israel only now), baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit
(2.Baptism).
Amp :20 Teaching them( 3.Spiritual Education) to observe everything that I have
commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly
and on every occasion), to the very close and consummation of the age. Amen (so
let it be).’’
7. Sevenfold Notable things about the
Great Commission
1. It consists of 3 simple steps, outlining the mission : Evangelism, Baptism and
Education.
2. The field is now is all Nations(Every creature) not only Israel (Commission of the 12 &
70- Matthew 10:5-7 & Luke 10:1).
3. The message is the Gospel of the Kingdom-Mark 16:15-16
4. The equipment for effectively carrying out this mission is the Holy Spirit- Acts 1;8
5. The Focus of the church is on the mission
6. The Focus of the Commissioner (Christ) is on the outcome of the mission (He saves
the lost, Heals the sick through the believer, transforms the believer to
Maturity/Christlikeness through the effectual working of the Holy Spirit by the word-
Education.
7. The end of the age (Christ’s return) will determine the end of the mission!
8. EVANGELISM
It is about the Proclamation/Preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom. The
Gospel of the Kingdom:
Is centered on a person : CHRIST. CHRIST is the Gospel – Evangelist Philip
preached Christ to the Samaritans : Acts 8: 5
The Gospel is that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that
he was buried, and he rose again the third day according to the Scriptues-1 Cor.
15:3-4
9. Why the Preaching of the Gospel is so
important in the Kingdom:
1. It is when the Gospel is preached that Salvation to the lost is produced on the basis of their
Faith in Christ’s atonement at the Cross, his burial & resurrection-Romans 1:16
2. In the Gospel, the righteousness which God ascribes is revealed both springing from faith (the
right standing is obtained by faith on what Jesus has done not what the believer has done) and
leading to faith (the life of righteousness is lived daily by faith in the son of God who lives his life
inside the believer producing his righteousness which the believer by Faith manifests)- Romans
1:17.
3. Through the Gospel, God delivers us from the power(authority; dominion) of darkness and he
translates us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. Colossians 1:13
4. The primary purpose of the Gospel of translating us into the Kingdom of God as Kings and
Priest is realized through the preached Gospel!-Revelation 1:6
5. Now we can offer spiritual Sacrifices as priests (after the order of Melchizedek not the Levitical
Priesthood) and reign over darkness as Kings- Hebrews 13:15
10. Baptism
Water baptism is the act of immersing (Grk: baptizo-means to fully immerse not
pouring or sprinkling) the new believer in water as a testimony that he has
experienced the reality of the conversion experience.
It is basically about identification with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection and
identification with the local body of believers.
The act is not to be equated with Regeneration but with salvation from the cosmos
– Mark 16:15
Which is Correct: Baptismal Regeneration or Baptismal Salvation?
The Symbolic importance of Water Baptism :
Romans 6 ‘Represents our death to sin and burial of old nature, picturing the Gospel
v4 . Represents our Hope in a future resurrection v5. Ultimately, it symbolizes our
new life v4&6
11. SPIRITUAL EDUCATION
The Ultimate purpose of God’s choice to save us is Christlikeness-Romans 8:29
To achieve this goal, the new believer (acting upon his will) should learn to continue
in the Word- John 8:31,Acts 2:42, 1 Peter 2:2
The Mind should be constantly renewed by the Word of God! Romans 12:2,
Ephesians 4:23-24,,,Romans 6 : Knowing what Christ did for the believer at the
cross(v 3,6,9), Believing it(v8), Considering/Reckoning themselves(v11) to be what
God says about them, Yielding their members (v13) to that truth & Finally, Giving
thanks (v 17) to God for the cross and the Holy Spirit through which we can walk in
Newness of Life is the basis upon which the New believer can constantly live freely
from sin’s power and become more Like Christ!
Conclusion: The Church should not choose one step or two of the Great Commission
and neglect the rest! The Commission is to do all three!