Discipleship Class 101
A MOVING EXPERIENCE TOWARDS MEMBERSHIP
TRUTH: Salvation brings the believer to belong to Yeshua the Messiah, then to a local body of believers.
Acts 5:14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.
PART 1 - BELONGING TO THE MESSIAH
Salvation brings the believer to belong to Yeshua the Messiah
1. SALVATION: refers to the full doctrine of redemption accomplished by Yeshua through His death and resurrection.
2. WHY MAN NEEDS SALVATION
a. Fellowship between God and Man in the Beginning
In the beginning there was unbroken fellowship between God and man Scriptures show that in the Garden of Eden, God would visit and talk with man. Genesis 1:27; 2:8; 3:8a
b. Fellowship Broken When Man Sinned Against God
God provided for all the needs of man. But He also gave them a command (Gen 31:6) Adam and Eve disobeyed & sinned.
Sin is now in all descendants of Adam and Eve.
just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. Rom 5:12
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Rom.3:23
c. Physical Death and Eternal Judgment for Man Because of Sin The principle of physical death immediately took effect in Adam's and Eve's life.
Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment Heb 9:27 22
But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars-their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." which is eternal lake of fire called the second death Rev.21:8
And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Rev 20:10
3. SALVATION PROVIDED THROUGH THE DEATH OF JESUS THE MESSIAH
Rom 5:8 God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, the Messiah died for us.
the Messiah's death was a
a. Substitution - The Messiah took our place on the cross
b. Covering - Messiah's blood was 'covering' for our sins
c. Reconciliation - because of the Messiah's death our enmity with God was changed to peace and fellowship
d. Ransom - The Messiah paid the ransom that we may be released from captivity.
4. SALVATION IS A GIFT AVAILED BY REPENTANCE AND FAITH
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in the Messiah Yeshua our Lord. Rom 6:23
a. REPENTANCE- changing course. It is the act of recognizing sin, confessing it, turning from it, and forsaking it completely.
b. FAITH - trusting God. It is to forsake all confidence in self & resources and trust completely on the mercy of God for our eternal destiny.
5. THE SAVED BELONG TO JESUS
Tit 2:14 He gave himself for us, to rescue us from all wickedness and to make us a pure people who belong to him alone
Act 20:28 the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
1Co_6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
2Ti1:9 He saved us and called us to be his own people, not because of what we have done, but because of his own purpose and grace. He gave us this grace by means of the Messiah Yeshua before the beginning of time
PART 2 - BELONGING TO THE CHURCH
Those who believed and are saved are added to the church It is God adds every believer to the church.
Acts 2:47 And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved 24
Acts 5:14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.
1. THE TRUE CHURCH CONSTRUCT
a. The English word 'church' was derived from root word which means 'that which belongs to God'. The Greek word 'ekklesia' means "the called out and called unto". In the New Testament it refers to people who are called out from sin and called unto God.
b. Two Aspects of the Church - like the two sides of a coin:
Universal Church - all people who believe in Yeshua the Messiah for salvation, from every tribe, tongue and nation
Local church - local gathering of believers under specific leaders.
2. EVERY BELIEVER IS APART OF THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH.
Every believer has the hope of the great gathering in eternity future of the universal church.
Rev 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou was slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.
3. BUT MEMBERSHIP IN UNIVERSAL CHURCH IS NOT ENOUGH.
It is difficult to conceive what membership in a church means unless he joins himself to a local body of believers. In the Bible there are several pictures used to refer to the church. These pictures reveal that the way believers are to relate with one another are possible only if they are in a local setting.
PICTURES SHOW HOW BELIEVERS RELATE WITH ONE ANOTHER
Picture = Assembly Eph. 1:22 -- We must accept one another
Picture = Workmanship Eph. 2:10 --Recognize that God is at work in one another
Picture = Family Eph. 2:19 -- Love & loyalty to one another
Picture = Body Eph. 1:23 -- Dependence on one another
4. MEMBERSHIP IN A LOCAL CHURCH
Scriptures clearly show membership is in a local body of believers:
a. Yeshua addressed local churches Read through Rev. chapters 2 & 3
• Rev_2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus
• Rev_2:8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna
• Rev_2:12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos
• Rev_2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira
• Rev_3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis
• Rev_3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia
b. The apostle Paul wrote to local assemblies, so we have the Pauline Epistles
c. Paul organized local assemblies in his missionary journeys and appointed local leaders.
Acts 14:21-23 They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, !conium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said. Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
d. The pattern set by the New Testament church: believers gathered together regularly for prayer , teaching and fellowship.
Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
e. Believers are exhorted not to neglect their regular meetings
Heb.10:25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
5. MEANING & VALUE OF MEMBERSHIP IN A LOCAL CHURCH
a. Identity - identifies us as part of a body.
Rom 12:5 so in the Messiah we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
b. Support - provides spiritual family & support in their walk with the Messiah
Gal 6:2 ..Carry each other's burdens...
c. Protection - places them under spiritual protection of leaders Ads 20:28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
d. Accountabillty - membership puts you in mutual accountability with others.
Eph 5:21 Submit to one another out of reverence for the Messiah.
e. Place of Ministry - where believers discover & use their gifts.
1Cor12:7 to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
ACTIONS DEMONSTRATING COMMITMENT:
You are invited to commit as a covenant member of your local church, by:
• Signing up for Membership making sure your Church has no commitments to the Roman church and does not transmit data to other authorities. That their lists are for those who need support and not for those who can be milked.
• Proceed to next Discipleship Class 201
Always be aware that the holy scriptures are the final authority lead by the holy spirit. Let no one deceive you, know your bible!
• Schedule for Water Baptism
• Invite at least one person to attend next Church Celebration