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).