The purpose of discipleship isn’t merely conversion but a journey towards perfection and Christlikeness. This is a transformation that renews our minds and conforms us to His image. This process of discipleship involves education, interaction, correction, and submission, all aimed at nurturing our spiritual growth and maturity. Jesus calls us not only to know the truth but to live it out in community, embracing the cost of time and convenience. As we reflect on our plan for discipleship, we must remember it’s important to gather, interact in groups, and consider the role of spiritual guides in our journey of faith. Let’s commit to actively pursuing growth and transformation, embracing the teachings and example of Jesus.
Worship is an expression of our relationship with God, going beyond music to things like caring for others and living peacefully. This sermon shares the significance of communal worship, where believers come together for teaching, fellowship, celebration, and prayer, as exemplified in Acts 2. The sermon also challenges common pitfalls in worship, including self-centeredness, busyness, consumerism, and hard-heartedness, urging believers to prioritize worship in their daily lives and explore ways to honor God collectively and individually.
We were built for relationships with one another. Because of how God created us, we should strengthen one another, model righteous living, pursue peace, and take responsibility for one another. This involves getting in the know, being known yourself, and knowing others by listening. As believers, we should be walking through life together so that we can live righteously.
As believers, we should be satisfying the needs of others together. Because God owns everything, we are the managers who notice needs and share with others. Throughout Acts, we see that the early church had no needs because all needs were being met by the community. Let’s be a body of people who use everything for God’s glory and not our pleasure.
Leadership is an essential element for the church. Leaders must be qualified, called, committed and coordinated together to have the right impact in our community. As leaders, we should also be steering forward, speaking up, serving with others, and searching within. Let’s be a body of believers who have a sensitivity of how God is moving and model obedience for others.
As ambassadors for Christ, we are called to grow spiritually and actively engage in sharing the gospel. Each of us have the responsibility to go and spread the message of Jesus, to engage in ministry with a spirit of reconciliation, and to lead lives that glorify God. Ambassadorship involves both internal and external transformation, emphasizing the importance of personal holiness, visible Christian living, individual and communal engagement, local and global outreach, and intentional pursuit of gospel conversations. We are called to grow and go as ambassadors!
