Application Guide: The Gospel of Jesus Part 2

 

July 11th, 2004: “The Gospel According to Jesus Part 2” by Shane Fuller, Pastor of Singles Ministries. This Sunday’s message on Matthew 4 focused on what it means to be a disciple of Christ in his Kingdom and the way that ought to play out in every aspect of one’s life.  This application guide has been broken up into the three aspects of the Christian Life that he defined – 1) Reality, 2) Resolution, and 3) Rhythm.

 

Note to Leader: Since this is part 2 of Shane’s presentation of this topic, it would be wise to summarize the first message (use last week’s application guide, check over your notes, get the tape, etc) before moving into this guide.

 

  1. Reality (Vision) – Shane noted that the first step of the Christian Life is to reveal the “true truth” about God and life.  Jesus summed up in John 10:10 - “I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full.” – Are you experiencing life to the full?  How does this happen?

 

    1. Shane stated – “Being a disciple of Christ is the greatest opportunity an individual can have in his life.”  Do you honestly believe this?  Then how is it revealed by your life, priorities, worldview, etc?  How has being a disciple of Christ revolutionized your way of life (or has it)?

 

    1. The truth is that to be a disciple of Jesus 2000 years ago is the same today.  In essence, “to be a disciple of Jesus is, crucially, to be learning from Jesus how to do your job as Jesus himself would do it” (Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy, p 285).  How does this fact totally change your understanding of work?  As Shane said, we are all in “full-time Christian service.“

 

    1. How have Shane’s sermons challenged and molded your understanding of:

 

                                                               i.      Work (everything can glorify God)? 

                                                             ii.      Being a Disciple (it is a daily decision not a one-time prayer)? 

                                                            iii.      The Gospel (letting go of our agenda for God’s Kingdom)? 

                                                            iv.      The Scriptures (God’s life-story that we can be a part of)?

 

  1. Resolution (Intention) – The “true truth” about God and life forces each one of us to make a decision – What kind of people are we going to be?  To not become a fully immersed disciple of Christ and take up his yoke (Mt 11:28ff) is to reject God’s goal for your life (which is spiritual formation).

 

    1. Shane noted that the vast majority of Jesus’ life was spent doing physical work, carpentry. These years of Jesus’ life were just as much worship as singing a song, witnessing, or healing the lame.  How ought this truth change the way you view the “9 to 5”, Monday-Friday?  What do you need to do to stop segregating your life into two sections – the “sacred” and the “secular”?

 

    1. Shane said, “Jesus comes to ordinary human beings in the mundane parts of life. ” How can being a disciple of Jesus transform even the minutest aspects of living?  As Brother Lawrence stated, “Our sanctification does not depend upon changing our works, but in doing that for God’s sake which we commonly do for our own…It is a great delusion to think that the times of prayer ought to differ from other times” (The Practice of the Presence of God).

 


  1. Rhythm (Method) – Once we resolve to follow Jesus, we are called to live in the Spirit and follow His rule of life.  This includes practicing Spiritual Disciplines, both privately and as part of a community.

 

    1. What does it mean to walk in the Spirit (study Romans. 8, Ephesians 5:16-26; think of other verses)?  What’s blocking the Holy Spirit from flowing in your life?

 

    1. Make a list of Spiritual Disciplines we are to practice along with Scripture that explains how they ought to be a part of our lives (e.g. – Solitude, Fasting, Service, Prayer, Fellowship, etc).  Place them in two categories, private disciplines and communal disciplines.  How ought the Spiritual Disciplines shape our lives to be like Christ, especially in relation to other believers?

 

    1. They rhythm of the Christian life calls us to community.  We are not merely called to be an audience on Sunday mornings, and sermons are not meant for our personal enjoyment. As a member of College Park and a believer among the saints of Christ’s church it is your obligation and responsibility to use your gifts to serve others.  Have you been standing on the wayside letting others do the work?  Take time right now to confess this sin of not being an active part of the body of Christ (and read 1 Corinthians 12) and for wasting the spiritual gifts God has given you.  Purpose to get involved in the Church.  What are you going to do?

 

Suggested Reading: Ortberg, John. The Life You’ve Always Wanted. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997).

            Sherman, Douglas & William Hendricks. Your Work Matters to God. (Colorado: NavPress, 1987).

            Tozer, AW. The Pursuit of God. (Christian Publications, 1994).

            Willard, Dallas. The Spirit of the Disciplines (HarperSanFrancisco, 1999 – Reissue).