Discipleship 101 - The Apostles' Doctrine - The Word of God

As we consider the four main practices of the Christian disciple, as seen in our key verse of Acts 2:42 (They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.), we should remember that these have both individual and corporate implementation.  Because the corporate practices are built on the activity of the individual, the next series of articles will consider the individual implementation of these habits of discipleship.

What is the apostles' doctrine, anyway?  Why do we say it is the Word of God?  The Apostle Peter, speaking in reference to the writings of the Apostle Paul, saidn in 2 Peter 3:16, "as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction."  The emphasized section talks about how the Apostles viewed each other's work - as making Scriptures - or revealing the Word of God.  (I do realize that Peter is on a different topic here, but his reference is still there and still in context).Okay, so if it's the Word of God, why should it be studied?  After all, don't Christians have the Holy Spirit inside them to guide them into all truth?  YES!  We do.  And the Word of God, that is the Scriptures, are the mechanism that He uses to do just that.  King David said in Psalm 119:105, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."  God's chosen King of His people recognized that it was the Scriptures that were to be his direction and guide for his life.  In fact, David goes on to say in verse 125, "I am Your servant; give me understanding, that I may know Your testimonies."  So what are we actually studying?

John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was [the] God."  [An incorrect translation has the word was "a" god - the Greek actually has the definite article "the," which we drop in English.]  That Word of God is none other than our Saviour Jesus Christ.  So studying the Word of God is studying the life, the actions, and the works of Jesus.  Does that mean we restrict ourselves to the red letters in some of our Bibles?  Not at all.  Consider His works - verses 3-5 say "All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."  And we need to comprehend everything about Him and His works.  We need to get to know Him - through the Word.

Practically, what does this mean?  Personally, I set aside time every day to spend time reading His Word, worshiping him, fellowshipping with Him, and praying in His name.  It doesn't have to be a long time.  You don't have to read the entire Bible in a week, for example.  But if you were to read a chapter a day, that would take up about 15 minutes in the morning, and 15 minutes in the evening if you read a chapter each time and prayed about it, then worshipped God for a few minutes.  That is what is meant by practical discipleship.
How does one study the Bible then?  Whenever I read, I ask three questions:

1. What does it say?
2. What does that mean (specifically to me)?
3. What am I going to do about that?

Known as the Inductive Method, or Chapter Summary, it is a way to focus on specifics of what God wants to share with you personally, in terms of direction, things that He wants to perfect in you, and the like.
As you take the time to read the Scriptures, God will begin to reveal Himself to you through the words you read, and begin to speak to your heart and change your character.  Reading the Bible is like eating a healthy, balanced meal every day.

As always, if you have questions, feel free to contact me.

Gerry Brinkman
Administrator
The Christian Disciple

Original article posted here:
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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)

Discipleship 101 - What is discipleship anyway?

The story recorded in Acts 2 gives a great model of discipleship by showing us what the very first group of Christians did among themselves. Verse 42 reads: "And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." (NASB)


This says several things about discipleship, but the most important of those can be found in the phrase "they continued steadfastly." The Christian journey is one that will require ultimate commitment from all of us to our Lord Jesus. He gave His all for us, and expects no less from us as we learn to follow Him. Dictionary.com defines steadfast as firm in purpose, resolution, faith, attachment, etc., as a person: a steadfast friend. Once we have decided to follow Jesus, that must be the Christian's highest goal. But what does that mean? How can we put this into practice?



The very first group of people that became Christians (about 3000 we are told in Acts 2) followed four basic categories of activity as follows:


1.The Apostle's Doctrine - The Word of God
2.Fellowship - Spending time with God and with other believers
3.Breaking of Bread - Worship
4.Prayers - for themselves, for each other, and several types


They also performed these activities at two very different levels. First, they practiced these at a personal level, on their own as a follower of Christ, they studied the Word, they fellowshipped with God, they worshiped God, and they prayed. Second, they did this as a group, corporately - they had Bible studies, they fellowshipped with each other (the image of God, and member of His family), they worshipped together, and they prayed together.


There is a lot to be said on each of those four categories of activities, and I will be periodically posting notes about each of them, both for individual and corporate exercise. And as they did so, Acts 2:43-47 began to happen: "And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."



It is my sincere hope that as individuals begin to practice this kind of following Jesus, that we will experience the revival we as a Church, His body, so desperately need, and especially that the Lord will add daily to the numbers of the saved, as it says in Acts 2:47.

God bless!

Gerry Brinkman
Administrator
The Christian Disciple

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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)