Video Transcript: What is a Disciple?
Francis - For some of you, this is the first time you've ever actually discipled someone else. And I remember when I was 17 was the first time I was going to this camp, and my youth pastor said, Hey, you're actually going to be the leader for the freshmen guys. Man, you know, like, it was just kind of scary to me thinking, I'm going to teach someone else, you know, I'm 17. And I got these 10, 14 year olds, I've got to teach now a little intimidated. And I remember just, over time working out, you figure it out. I don't know if you remember?
David - Absolutely. Like, I remember the first time I was with a small group of guys thinking, Alright, I've got a responsibility to teach them, show them how to follow Christ. But man, where do I begin? And I was same thing, looking back, I'm like, Man, I had no clue. But that's the great thing about making disciples is that God has promised to give us His grace and His presence to make this thing work. So just to know from the very beginning, that making disciples is not really dependent, ultimately, on your gifts, your abilities, what you can do, this is dependent on the Spirit of God. And when we give ourselves to the plan that he's outlined, he's promised to bless it. And so we know we're assured of his blessing. And so there's a lot of confidence that comes in.
Francis - Yeah. And I remember just struggling with arrogance, too. And I wanted to be able to answer every question. And, you know, I think we all have some of that where someone asks you something, you go, yeah, you know, you make something up. And it's like, don't feel that pressure to know everything. And that's where we want to resource people. You know, you got your pastor, your church is should you know, when you have questions that you don't know how to answer, that's what I loved about having my youth pastor with me, was I'd have throughout the week, or had someone that asked me this, how do I answer that? And hopefully, you have someone like that in your life, that you can go to yourself with those types of questions and not feel this burden. Like I have to know everything, or every answer when someone asked,
David - and even even along those lines, it's just such a humbling journey. Like we, as we walked through questions, and maybe even if you didn't have somebody that you can go to, okay, immediately, you're gonna question I don't know how to answer, but to even look at the person who's asking the question. So let's think about that, together. Let's investigate that together. Let's walk through that together. I just got back from some time in India with some brand new believers who have just no biblical backgrounds, and they're working this thing out as they go with the word in the spirit and the word and the spirit is sufficient for this picture. And so we definitely don't, I think sometimes people have the idea that, well, I gotta have everything figured out in order to really start making disciples. No, that's, that's not the point at all. We, we there's a lot that
we figure out as we make disciples. In fact, I think if we're not making disciples, we'll end up not figuring out a lot of things because it'll all be about us when we're walking through a journey with somebody else. That's where our Christianity just takes on a whole new life.
Francis - Yeah, this first session was about, you know, what is disciple and this is huge, because now you're going to look at the people that you're, you're sharing with and, and really figure out where they're at with God. You know, what, what do you struggle with, because I think, when it comes to surrendering to Jesus Christ, in His promises in His commands, some people will struggle on the grace side, like it's hard for them to actually believe that Jesus forgives them. And in this free gift, because maybe they grew up trying to earn the favor of their parents and never feeling like they, they got there. And then other people will struggle with Jesus as Lord. And like, I need to surrender and submit to Him because maybe they grew up in a home where, you know, they didn't take their parents seriously, or there wasn't a whole lot of authority. And so we kind of take this baggage into our relationship with Jesus. And I don't know what you you know what you struggle with more for me, it was definitely Grace like to believe that. I'm forgiven this promise. And it's nothing of myself and why there's this?
David - Yeah, I feel in my own life. I've seen a lot of the people that I've walked through and have kind of relationship with where people think, Alright, okay, so if I do these things, then I'm earning favor, the favor of God. And and it kind of misses the point from the start. I think that's where this lesson in particular just really needs to focus on are you trusting in the righteousness of Christ for you, the price he has paid on the cross, this is the foundation and if we don't get this foundation, right, we'll miss the whole point because we'll walk through a journey where somebody will think in okay, if I read the Bible, if I pray, if I do these things, then okay, then I'm going to be right before God but to say no, you're by grace through faith right before God so really to make sure that that understanding is there, but then to make the connection that doesn't lead to some passivity where we sit back and say, Okay, well everything's figured out, but saved by grace through faith. This propels us to live with abandon to Christ and following it with all of our hearts and minds, soul and strength, loving him. That's an overflow of grace. And so that keep that tension, I think you'll have to really be careful to keep coming back that over and over again. Are you trusting in the righteousness of Christ for you? Are you trying to earn God's favor and make sure that's not happening? At the same time? Is his grace compelling you to lay down your life on daily basis?
Francis - Yeah. And this is your job is really as a leader to listen to? Where is this person at in their walk? Which way are they struggling, and this is what no
one else can do for you, that's your job is to hear them and then respond with the Word of God accordingly. And that's what I see Jesus doing is with each individual. I mean, that's why his message was different to each person was, you know, he knew what they needed to hear, and how the Word of God came to bear in their life. And that's really what all this material is, is to get you more familiar with the Word of God so that you know how to answer people better. We're all in this process together.
David - So listen to that person well, and really make sure in this lesson, that we get this right what does it mean to be a disciple help serve that person by really focusing on trusting in Christ, and then living a life as a Christian out of the overflow of trust in His grace?