 I do anything, Lord. I want to follow you. I want to come after you. I want to follow you closely and Lord I Even as I follow you closely, I thank you for the promise that you have made that you will make me a Fisher of men you will make me a minister Whatever the Lord has called you to be that Lord is Making the Lord is that transformation is happening. He has promised that transformation so we can say intentionally say Lord I Commit myself to that process. There's a second thing you can phrase Lord. I just want to be Obedient, you know with that intentional immediate obedience, right? So let's pray Father, we thank you Lord We thank you for the call that you have for each one of us and Lord even as you've called us Lord into various things That you have planned for us Lord we see In the in the verses that we read this morning just now that Lord you have said Lord that as we follow you, you will be you will make us Lord and I thank you that you've called us to follow you first You call us to follow you the the teachings the instructions the precepts Lord the commands and Your life pattern itself Lord and we thank you We thank you for the work of your Holy Spirit who enables us who teaches us and who leads us into all that you have taught into all that you have Lord shown Lord that the Holy Spirit teaches and reminds us Lord And we thank you for the work of your spirit and this morning Lord We yield to the work of your Holy Spirit even as you lead lead us even as you teach us Yes, Father God and Lord we pray that our obedience will be intentional and immediate Lord Our obedience to follow you What will be intentional and immediate that we'll be conscious of the fact that And you are a shepherd that you will always lead us and lead us into good things Father God It might be difficult challenging, but Lord, we know that you have our good In mind when you lead us We thank you because you're a good shepherd Father God, you've come to give us life and life in all its fullness We thank you that we can remind ourselves You are reminding us of these verses. You are reminding us of who you are Lord Hallelujah, we thank you. We thank you Lord. We come at ourselves into your mighty hands even today or even as we Look into your word. We thank you. We give you all the praise and all the glory in Jesus matchless name. We pray Amen Okay right, so last last we We started off on discipleship Right, we looked at a few things on discipleship Like who are disciples where the Christians were called disciples or the disciples were called Christians We looked at that And we are called to be disciples. We are called to make disciples, you know, which is again Different from being just a believer Right. We are called to make disciples. It is a process and Jesus the Lord's desire is that As disciples that we will go on to make disciples And then we also looked at the marks of a disciple or what are the distinguishing marks of a disciple, you know We looked at a few things like I obey his word. I remain in his word. I continue in his word As a disciple and how a disciple will walk in love how a disciple will Go after fruitfulness or pursue fruitfulness and And so on and as and lastly, I think we saw how as a disciple we carry our cross and it comes to sacrifice and separation and suffering the cross which Which You know, which is a symbol of that which which is a reality the cross talks about sacrifice separation from the world and sin and It is also a place of suffering. So as disciples We experience that and when we say Lord it wants us to carry the cross means that it's life of sacrifice It's a life of separation from the world and sin and it is a life which involves suffering for the sake of the gospel sake of christ, right? Um, then we also saw how one makes disciples the process Right how the lord jesus made disciples. He called them. He was with them They they continued journey together as a team He sent them out to do what he himself Taught them and they learned from their experiences. He never gave up on them, etc So we we looked at all this In the last class. Yes. So today we look at, you know, as disciples how there is a Like we said, there is a process and there is a process to disciple making But it's good for us also to understand. There is a there is a path, you know, uh, there are several stages That a disciple or a believer will go through Okay, uh, like a let's say a person we share the gospel with someone The person became becomes a believer now as we begin to journey Together in this process of making disciple those disciples that believer in the lord jesus learns to Become a disciple or becomes a disciple Okay, so the believer becomes a disciple that is one stage and the believer goes on to become Uh From a disciple He goes on to become a leader or or sorry a minister Right, he goes on to become a minister. So he's a believer Then he goes on to become disciple And as he he or she Continues being a disciple An intentional follower of the lord jesus then Learning and discovering the plans the purposes of god the will of god And wanting to please him And wanting to live a life that is pleasing. So what happens is there is an overflow of that In just being with the lord In being with jesus and continuing with jesus then there's an overflow of that life And we call that a life of ministry Begins to serve begins to testify. So one begins a becomes a minister And from that place Um as a minister one goes on to become a a leader Right, so So we're going to look at that we're going to look at that growth this growth path now It is helpful for us. It is helpful for us to keep this in mind even as we minister Maybe in our churches or whatever ministry Right, it is helpful for us to keep this pattern or keep this path growth path in mind So it will it will help us to impart a vision to The ones whom we are mentoring the ones whom we are teaching It will also help to for us to you know Have this in mind so we can know that okay now I can move this person or I can I can pray and teach and You know go with this person so that this person develops into A disciple, you know, what what are the things that I can do to develop this person from a disciple to Being a minister, right? And what are some things that I can do in order to you know, help this person become From a minister to a leader where they themselves Are leading others where they themselves are maybe raising up other leaders Right, so it will be helpful for us as well. Okay, so let's let's look at that today I just share the screen and we'll get Just coming up okay, so So growth path, okay, so that is what we're saying the the growth path or a map for For a child of God and one who's going okay now So as a believer, okay, what happens as a believer We embrace the Lord Jesus as our savior We repented we have faith in God, right? So this is all this happened the ass believers now as believers now we need to Talk about some foundational things right some very basic things that the believer needs to be strong in Okay, um, what is it? That is repentance from dead works So there is repentance that is moving away That I turn away intentionally turn around turn away From sin from doing those things in the flesh Right, so turn away from that trauma ungodliness Everything that does not please God. So as a believer one needs to be strong in that Okay, so So we need to teach the believer. Okay. These are some things that that you need to That you need to walk in that repentance Do things that please God And do not Get into things that displease and Displease him or that that grieves the heart of God Okay, and secondly how to have faith in God Okay, it's again a very basic thing Now I've believed him. I've had faith in him for salvation Now how to have faith in God? So basically the whole thing of you know, how faith comes How you grow in faith through the word of God? And how to have how to exercise our faith in him for our daily life Right, uh, when we face challenges and when we when we just go through life how to live by faith Okay, then also You know when it comes to baptism Okay, because baptism, you know There are three three things that are mentioned when it comes to baptism or three baptisms, right? Firstly the fact that we are baptized in the body of Christ We become believers. We see in 1 Corinthians 12, right? We are actually baptized. We are placed. We are immersed in this spiritual Body of Christ. So so there is one baptism second baptism baptism in water Okay, so as a believer You teach the you know You know to teach the new believer about baptism about water baptism That it is an expression of the death burial and resurrection Of Christ and how you identify with it and and how it's a proclamation that you belong to Jesus It's a proclamation that you are dead to sin and alive to Christ right So and it's a it's again a command of the Lord. So we are doing this in obedience To what the Lord Jesus commanded us. So, uh, what about this then thirdly? Baptism in the Holy Spirit Right, so the Bible talks about all three We read in the book of acts that you know, we Holy Spirit The Lord Jesus baptizes the believer in the Holy Spirit and that is something for every believer Okay, so then the the next one is Of laying on of hands, you know praying blessing healing the ministry of laying on of hands I'll just move to the next one then Faith in the resurrection of the dead, you know, some of the basic doctrines that That you and what happens to a believer when one of the believer dies and what what happens in You know when Jesus comes and And and the reality and the truth of all that to be strong in that Okay, and the understanding of eternity and judgment. So um, that we will come to that place of Standing before God For the judgment seat of God as believers as believers, you know for the works that we have done And it's a judgment of rewards not of condemnation Because we have already believed in the Lord Jesus. Okay, so these are some things that Or we can say foundational principles that we can teach the believer, you know, it's not a one-day thing But a believer needs to be Taught this over a period of time It should not be something that a believer is ignorant about right, so believer needs to be um, so we as believers we need to know it and uh, and Whom we are teaching and whom we are developing into discipleship Or whom we are making as disciples. They also need to know these things. Okay, so then a disciple grows Sorry a believer grows and progresses into becoming a disciple. Okay So a disciple one who is pursuing one who's following the Lord closely one who wants to be like the Lord Right, who's in other words, we can say the one who's pursuing Christ likeness I want to be like Jesus in character in compassion in power in love in everything like pursuing Christ likeness Wanting to be like him Okay, now this is a lifelong thing. You know, we never Stop being a believer Okay, at the same time we never stop being pursuing to be like Jesus Right, we we all we continue to grow in Christ likeness um If you look at Ephesians 4 verses 13 and 15 Ephesians 4 which talks about the five-fold ministry and so on It says let me just read the verse before that Ephesians 4 um, so From leaven onwards he himself gave some to be apostles some prophets some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry for the edifying of the body of christ Till we all come to the unity of the faith And of the knowledge of the son of god To a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fullness of christ That we should no longer be children Tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine By the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. Okay, uh, so Something uh verse 15 also but speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things Into him who is the head christ? Okay, so here we see that you know the the Work of the five-fold ministry to equip the Saints for the work of ministry and in doing so that all believers all the saints Come to or grow up In unity and grew up to the measure and stature of the fullness of christ. So which means to be Like jesus right So as we are making disciples as we are encouraging believers on to the path of discipleship. So this is one of the things that we come Um, it's not it's not just okay. I you know, I come to church. I attend, you know, uh, bible study Um, so the intention the objective of it is you know are you or am I becoming christlike Is the walk with jesus changing me in my decisions my thoughts My lifestyle the way I talk to people The way I face challenges Uh, the you know, when I'm disappointed when I'm scared when I'm irritated when I'm angry You know, has it changed the way I respond to these things I react to these things Like is it a righteous response? Is it is it a righteous reaction? right um to to all these things right, so Otherwise, um, you know, it can be a very frustrating thing for a believer If we are not growing in christlikeness. So god's desire for us will for us is that we grow in christlikeness okay, so In galatians 4 19. Okay, so Paul writes and he says my little children for whom I labor in birth again Until christ is formed in you Okay, uh, the message bible says that you know christ's life becomes visible in your lives So he's Paul is saying, you know, I'm you know, we've been studying about galatians right in the other class. So um About all these false teachings and everything happening and then we are Turning from the gospel. So Paul is saying, you know, I'm praying I'm ministering I'm literally laboring in birth in my in my prayers and ministry so that christ's life becomes visible Life of christ becomes visible like it's tangible. So people interacting will know That you are becoming more christlike You're becoming like jesus Until christ is formed in you And several other scriptures also colosians 128 29 28 and 29 him we preach That is who christ We preach christ warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man Perfect in christ jesus And that word perfect, we know means complete full mature in christ jesus So you're saying to this end i labor for this goal for this objective i labor, you know, i'm i'm working hard i'm putting in effort Striving according to his working which works in me mightily which means that you know, i'm i'm putting in effort I'm laboring i'm working hard according to his working Because the holy spirit is stirring me up He is working in me and he's empowering me. He's he's directing me according to that In accordance with that I'm striving you know, i'm doing this And so it's a spirit led labor. It's a spirit led striving So that others might become more like jesus Okay, so that is that is always You know the end result the objective Okay, and several other uh, you know scriptures. We'll we'll look at this also, you know, uh first contents three one contents three one to three We saw this last semester. So uh paul is saying, you know, i brethren could not speak to you as to spiritual people But as to carnal as to babes in christ I fed you with milk and not with solid food for until now you were not able To receive it and even now you are still not able But you are still carnal for where there are envy strife divisions among you Are you not carnal and behaving like mere? men One contains 13 when i was a child i spoke as a child i understood as a child i thought as a child But when i became a man i put away childish things so to as believers to come to a place of maturity becoming disciples of the lord jesus so When we say becoming disciples of the lord jesus, yes, you know, there are several other things which means that you discover The call of god we discover in in the process of becoming disciples You know, we we go through this exciting process of discovering the call of god discovering the gifts of god upon our lives the holy spirit you know Giving us revelation the gifts of the spirit and we Of course, there's so much of adventure and excitement in walking in this, you know in being activated in these gifts And using these gifts for the glory of god right, so But we should understand that like paul says pursue love and desires spiritual gifts So the love of god, which is the character of god becoming more like jesus Is a pursuit Meaning is something that we go after it's something that we chase after Knowing him and becoming like him okay So as believers Who are walking as disciples? We focus on these things right So we continue this through our lives. We need to understand that okay then Is for all the Ones who are continuing on the path of discipleship To come to a place of serving Okay So god has given me this god has poured this all these into me now I pour out And I serve So this this phase of ministry right, so the believer grows up Comes to a place of maturity of christ likeness And begins to serve others So that is what we call as ministry of serve others so that they can be blessed Serve others so that they can be helped they can receive strength and so on um Let's read uh hebrews 5 okay talking about The writer of hebrew saying you know We have much to say hard to explain since you have become dull of hearing for though by this time you ought to be teachers Okay, so these believers have spent time being believers being disciples um, so he's So the writer of hebrews is actually kind of rebuking and saying no by this time though by this time you ought to be teachers now You need someone to teach you again The first principles of the oracles of god And you have come to need milk and not solid food For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness for he is a Babe But solid food belongs to those who are of full age. That is Those who by reason of use Have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Okay, so from this what do we understand? What do we? You know, what do we learn? the The will of god The plan and the desire of god is that everyone Comes to a place of maturity Everyone comes to a place of serving Okay, so so here The writer of hebrews is saying that yes by now you ought to become teachers. You know, you ought to be helping others understand you ought to be Helping others learn you ought to be taking others from a place of Immaturity to maturity or taking others from a place of ignorance to knowledge and understanding but You have need to teach some you have need for someone to teach you The basic principles The first principles Right, so something has happened there. What has happened is maybe people You know um, living a life of carnality Not really pursuing god Not wanting to be wanting to be wanting to be like jesus because here, you know, it says Um You have come to need milk and not solid food Right when we read the previously in one Corinthians three right we Paul talks about that right he says I could not speak to you As to spiritual people but as to babes in christ So that's what we That's what you see here. So he's Why were they, you know, not able to receive spiritual food? And then he uses the you know the terminology Um I had to feed you with milk. I fed you with milk Okay Why because you are still carnal. So maybe that's You know, that's one of the reasons and they were still Carnal Still fleshly and they are thinking still fleshly in their pursuits in their living Okay, so so here Um The desire we see the the actual desire the will of god is for those To leave behind all that and come to a place grow to a place of Helping others serving others Okay So so that others can be nurtured others can be helped others can be instructed In the ways of the lord Okay, and it's it's not something that you know the same way we have learned We just begin to teach others All right, so that others can come to a place of being ministers as well Okay The second thing that we need to understand is that we Find our place in the body of christ Okay, now we discover that god has placed us in the church Um in the The body of christ because we have all been placed in the Spiritual body of christ. So in the body of christ to Um, you know to be to be placed there and and to help Others So to discover where has the lord or how has the lord placed me in the body? Uh, well, some of us could be you know in the five fold to preach and teach The gospel Preach and teach the word of god So it could be that yes God has called me to be an apostle pastor prophet evangelist teacher right in the body Or it could be several other things Right to be a deacon to be uh to to minister in compassion to to minister in You know, uh, helps and administrations to several other things to leadership generosity giving So many other things right so we we begin to find our place and In the body of christ and and then we begin to minister we begin to serve So It comes with great responsibility. It comes with Uh, you know accountability Right, there is a responsibility Because uh, you are no longer children. We are growing up. So yeah So which means we are responsible We are accountable It means the lord will actually ask, okay, these were the people that were interested in your hands What did you do? Right, so we are accountable to god and And you know james three talks about how Uh, if we are you know, uh, there is a greater accountability that is stricter judgment for those who are Teachers who are called to be teachers Right in the way they live their lives in the way they teach others in the way You know, are they building them up? There's a greater accountability Right, so Which means that it's not to you know discourage us from nurturing If you if you look at that verse james a bit three It's not discourage us. It's not to Uh, you know say that okay Uh, oh, I I need to be careful. So I I should not desire to be a teacher Let me just be an ordinary, you know, believer just do ordinary things Well, the fact is that if god has called you to Do something It can just be that right if he has called he has he has a good plan right So, uh, we need to do that But the fact is that it's a responsibility It comes with the accountability It comes with even stricter Judgment right because people's lives are tied to your life. You need to understand that people are looking up to you right people are uh It's not that we are trying to be a people pleaser. Yeah god pleases but good but god brings people And sets people Under maybe your leadership Under your ministry people are looking up to you so And they are the flock of god right we see in In an episode of peter's that there is a flock of god, which means that god will require Us to you know be accountable to his flock Accountable to him Regarding his flock because they are god's flock ultimately right so so all these things so therefore he minister we teach And uh, and of course it's a two-way thing, you know, it's it's not just okay. I go on teaching I go on ministering and then Uh, you know, the other person also is responsible Right the one who is being taught is also responsible the one who is a believer who is You know who's walking as a disciple is also responsible to receive put to practice actively pursuing God in order to grow up Change and be christlike. It's a two-way thing Right, but the fact is that we as ministers of god We need to you know actively do this be accountable live a life of example And not only in our teaching but in our life itself, right? So, um, so that's the second thing. So we Bring others to a place of becoming ministers Okay, so this is something for us personally that we move from being a disciple to being Uh, to being ministers I believe us disciples ministers, but we take others along the same path To be able to serve others, you know, what is it that god has called so to help others? You know, what does god call god's call on your life pray? Right find out What has he graced you with? And what are you moved towards? Right, what is it that you know sometimes even frustrates you you want to do something? But do you frustrates you and what is god pulling you towards? You know, your heart is yearning to do something Like the more you study the word of god the more you know read about it You you feel pulled in a direction in wanting to help in a certain way now that may not be the same case with others Like the others might be doing something else, but we're not comparing ourselves to others, but then you You know uniquely called to do something right, so What is it to help discover that and maybe the other person also, you know the one who to whom you're teaching and helping The other person feels compelled. There's an inner You know kind of a compulsion to go and serve in a different way do certain things And our responsibility is to encourage them And so that they thrive flourish in that You know, but we we put all these foundational things We teach all the foundational things But to really encourage them to find that place And not to stifle that Not to put out that fire and say, okay, you be quiet You know you you sit in a corner. It's not that but to really encourage them to find their place and to thrive For them to thrive and flourish. Okay, so So we do that and then you know for them to move on to come to a place of leadership Okay, first Timothy three. Let's Let's Let's read that first Timothy three versus one two seven Okay, so Paul is actually Out, you know, he's just laying out the qualifications for someone who wants to serve And serve in a position of leadership really So this is a faithful saying if a man desires the position of a bishop other words overseer He desires a good thing good work The bishop then must be blameless the husband of one wife temperate sober-minded of good behavior hospitable able to teach Not given to wine Not violent not greedy for money But gentle not quarrelsome not covetous One who rules his own house well having his children in submission with all reverence For if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of god? Not a novice less being puffed up with pride. He fall into the same condemnation as the devil Moreover, he must have a good testimony among those who are outside lest he fall into reproach And the snare of the devil. Okay, so we see the listing of character the listing of character qualifications the listing of ability the listing of How one should be relationally with the family? And so on or also in terms of experience or in terms of him the person Not being a novice or a new believer but one who is You know one who has a good testimony the one who's continuing with the lord Okay, so as leaders There are three things we can look at for ourselves And to see that others also Have these qualities in them We lead by example Okay, we lead by example. So there's no directing or giving some Theory or some teaching And we not following it ourselves or we not having it in our own lives Right, so which means that when we when we want others to Be something to to have something You know to do something I think it's to ask ourselves, you know, am I doing that? Am I doing that? Am I having this established in my own life? Okay, so first Timothy 4 It's moved to chapter 4 and verse 12. Let no one despise your youth but be an example to the believers Okay, so this who's writing this fall to whom is he writing to timothy? And where is timothy in Ephesus? And what is he doing? He's actually a spiritual leader. He's a is a pastor of the church in Ephesus So to him he's writing and saying he's a young person and he's in a place of leadership So to this spiritual leader Paul is giving this instruction saying Be an example to the believers In several things but the the important thing is be an example So which means as a spiritual leader as a leader you be an example you lead by example In several things, you know, he talks about be an example to others in word In conduct In love in spirit in faith in Purity be an example You know in the in the way you live your life and though in the words that you speak in in your behavior in an expression of love In in spirit, you know in any with your motives with your intentions in the depths of your heart You be an example in that Okay, let it not be something that is superficial Let it not be just an outside thing Or just because people are watching you But even when people are not Right, you'll be this in your innermost being in spirit in intention in motive You be an example You know, so it's a it's a It's a high call But it's not something that's impossible But this it is a high standard right so lead by example the second thing we see is that we must have a servant heart which means The scripture talks about and the law and the law Jesus talks about a very different kind of leadership And yes, we need to be able to lead. Yes. We need to you know give instructions Yes, we need to be able to direct and delegate and all that right But it's to lead with the heart of a servant which means that the intention is to serve people The intention is to influence people For their betterment for their good Okay, so it's not A self-serving. No, it's not something to boost our ego our position our reputation It's not to build our empire Right our riches. It's not that It's not a self-serving Uh leadership, but it's really a servant leadership It's serving others so that You you understand that the Lord has placed you as a leader among people to serve them To help them to serve them right um Sorry Okay, the third thing is that we Learned to walk in Humility Humility is uh something that's um That's you know, we need to be clothed in something that we need to be You know, uh, we need to intentionally walk in Because God gives grace to the humble as a leader. We need the enabling grace of God right as leaders we need the enabling grace of God and We learn to walk in humility not in pride not, uh, you know because Pride will bring us down pride will really um, you know We cannot be pride or prideful or be boastful because all that we have we have received from God. So there's no pride is illogical right for a leader All that we have All that we do maybe the leaders the God has, you know raised you up And given you influence and given you a voice to speak maybe even to the nation or to the nation Do you understand that it's it's not something that by your own You know accomplishing because that will not stand right? um Because the Lord very clearly says that without me you can do nothing. So if if it's a work of the flesh Then the Lord is not in it Right and it's not Well, it might thrill people excite people but it will not really bless and edify them right So we see that we need to learn to walk in humility walk in submission Okay, so we see these qualities as the qualities of her Of a leader So in order to help others We personally first take this path As believers disciples ministers And as leaders we personally Take that path walk that path um, and Uh, we help others Walk that same path Okay, so uh, so this is um Something for us to think about something for us to you know learn and and this will really give us a vision You know if there are If there are you know, maybe as a pastor Maybe as a person who's discipling others. Maybe you're serving in a team right This will give us a vision. Okay. I see these people And uh, I see myself Uh in this stage. So I need to go go up You know to the next stage I see this person this person as a believer for many years But the person really needs to go to that next stage of being You know, it's like so here are the things that are pulling this person down You know, here are these many things that are actually preventing this person from becoming True follower of the lord It's their own struggles. Maybe it's some addiction. Maybe it's some stronghold. Maybe it's you know, the work of the flesh Maybe it's some anger issues These are preventing this believer from becoming a follower of the lord a disciple of the lord Maybe that person is not, you know, actively spending time in prayers pursuing god in worship or reading the word. Maybe it's a lack of understanding of the word So, you know, you begin to see that and say, okay Now if I if this person ever needs to move to being a disciple They need to, you know Change these things. So let me help them. Okay Then you see the disciple and you're saying, okay, hey, they are being disciples. They are following. They're very content But they're not serving. Okay, they need to be start You know, they need to start serving ministering because You know, we drive in Hebrews by this time you ought to be teachers, but You again need someone to teach you So because of carnality because of various things, they're not serving others. So how can I help them to serve? And you know, uh, maybe there are people who are serving, but how can we help them to be Leaders they are ministers. How can we help them to be leaders? So they can be even more effective. You know, they can grow in the will and the plan of God and and you know, whatever scope uh, the realm of influence that God has for them that they can actually step into that Okay, so, um about leadership, you know, how maybe there are issues that need to be fixed wanting to maybe they are looking for personal You know Reputation and fame and popularity maybe that needs to change that they need to have a servant's heart or Or it could be that yes, um You know that they're not leading by example They're teach telling others, but then they have issues in their own lives. They're not really setting that example themselves so Well, that needs to be maybe they need to learn Right, and maybe it's a issue of pride or maybe it's an issue of not willing to submit to God not willing to Be accountable to people all these things. We help them to take their place as You know spiritual leaders, right? Okay, so we'll we'll stop here take a break and then we will We will come back to look at some more on We'll look at the specifics of small group, you know, we'll start off on that. Okay