After I am baptized into Christ, what should be my goal?

Col 3:1ff  Since, then, you have been raised with Christ...

If you had to summarize what Paul says in the rest of chapter 3, what would it be?

§    To live a life that glorifies and pleases the Lord

§    To become more and more like Jesus Christ

How do we achieve that goal?

§    How do we become more and more like Jesus?

THE BIBLE SAYS THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS THAT YOU NEED:

1.  With the Holy Spirit

Rom 8:9-14

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation-but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

2.  With the Father

Phil 2:12-13

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

§    Our relationships with OA cannot be a substitute for our rel w/the Lord

§    Too many times, when we are discouraged, angry, anxious, weak and tempted, we turn to other b/s BEFORE we turn to the Lord

§    We've all done it!  Oh, I've gotta call this brother or that sister...

§    "Well, I was really tempted and I couldn't get hold of anyone, so I fell into sin..."

§    What's wrong with that picture?

§    1 Peter 2:19 For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.

§    1 Tim 4:7 Rather, train yourself to be godly...

3.  With One Another

1 Cor 12:21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!"

§    there are several doctrines that separate us from most denominations, but the practice of discipling is definitely a practice that separates us

§    the practice of the OA verses

§    I need my brothers to become more like Jesus

§    Most changes that are needed in our lives come about thru relationship with the Lord AND one another

§    Share one change that has taken place in your Christian life as a result of the Lord using another brother to disciple/train you [OPEN IT UP FOR SHARING]

§    HAVE BROTHERS READ FOLLOWING ONE ANOTHER VERSES:

Scriptures from Discipling by Gordon Ferguson

Discipling and One-Another Relationships (Chapter 2)

John 13:34-35

    "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. [35] By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Hebrews 3:13

    But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

Hebrews 10:24

    And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

James 5:16

    Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Ephes. 5:21

    Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Romans 15:14

    I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another.

Ephes. 4:32

    Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Philip. 4:2

    I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord.

§    What do you think, brothers, do we need OA?

There are changes that we are recommending in the way we interact with one another and in the way our relationships have been in the past

§    But please don't interpret that to mean we are not going to practice discipling!

WE STILL NEED ONE ANOTHER!

RELATIONSHIPS ARE NOT OPTIONAL IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE!

§    You cannot become more like Christ and be a spiritual island!

In fact, Jesus says that we will be identified as disciples of Christ, by our relationships with one another!

§    John 13:34-35  "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

§    This really needs to be our theme verse for this series [and really for our lives!]

REDEFINE "DISCIPLING"

Discipling has come to mean correcting or rebuking.  "I got discipled today..." is not usually a positive statement

Discipling really should mean more training than rebuking.  That carries with it more positive than negative. 

§    Helping people to become more like Jesus

§    Gal 4:19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you...

§    Col 1:28-2:5

We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,  in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.  For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.

§    This needs to be the goal of discipling

§    This is discipling in its purest form

§    Synonym:  training

FRIENDSHIPS

1.  We need friendships

Eccl 4:9-10

Two are better than one,

because they have a good return for their work:

If one falls down,

his friend can help him up.

But pity the man who falls

and has no one to help him up!

2.  Life is enriched by close friends

§    Jonathon/David 1 Sam 20:42 Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the LORD, saying,

§    Ps 55:12-14

If an enemy were insulting me,

I could endure it;

if a foe were raising himself against me,

I could hide from him.

But it is you, a man like myself,

my companion, my close friend,

with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship

as we walked with the throng at the house of God.

§    Prov 18:24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

§    Some of us have been around long enough to where we have friends around the world!

§    These are people I would never know outside of Christ

§    Married Men:  we need friendships with other men!

§    It is such a mistake to let that disappear when we get married!

4.  Friendships are the way to help others become more like Jesus

Paul did not just have "disciples"--"students"--he called them his friends

FRIENDS BY NAME

Rom 16:5-12

5 Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia...8 Greet Ampliatus, whom I love in the Lord... 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys...12 Greet my dear friend Persis,

Col 4:14-15

4 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.

Philemon 1 To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker.

FRIENDS IN SIDON

Acts 27:3

The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs.

Practicals of building close friendships:

1.  Choose [Mark 3:14]

§    Jesus chose 12

§    You can't be close to everyone

§    But you can be close to a few

§    Learning how to say no as well as yes

§    There have been times when I have said yes to too many, and consequently no one felt very close to me--anyone relate to that??

2.  Mutual/reciprocal [Mark 3:14]

§    That's why the verses say ________________one another, not love others, serve others, confess to others

§    God intends for our relationships to be TWO-WAY, not one-way

·   Too many of our relationships have been modeled after the military

·   Can you have two-way relationships in the military?

§    Relationships that both give as well as receive

§    Look for those brothers you can strengthen and build up AS WELL AS those brothers who can build you up [two-way relationships]

§    Too many times our relationships have been one-way

·      Either one-way in challenging direction

·      Or one-way in the encouraging and giving direction

·      Relationships that "suck you dry" are not godly relationships

·      Relationships that "fire-hose" you to death are not godly either

3.  Make time together, have fun, and build memories

§    Jesus spent time with his friends

§    He was called the friend of tax collectors and sinners--why?  Because he spent time with them

§    Some of us have forgotten to have fun together

§    Reason?  I'm so busy...

§    Go out with the guys sometimes

§    Remember:  what enriches our lives?  FRIENDSHIPS

Assignment:

Come back next week prepared to share about a memory with a brother

--plans to build deeper friendship w/oa