June 2024
DISCIPLE-MAKERS: DOING WHAT JESUS DID –Based on the Gospel of Matthew.
In the journey of becoming a disciple-maker, one of the fundamental steps is to follow the actions and the teachings of Jesus Christ. By closely examining the Gospel of Matthew, we can learn how to lead our lives from the ways Jesus preached the Gospel, lived the Gospel, and taught others how to live the Gospel. We will explore these themes over the next five weeks in June to learn how we can follow Jesus and truly become disciple-makers.
WEEK ONE: Preaching The Gospel
Verse: Matthew 4:17 (NKJV)
"From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'"
Jesus' ministry began with clear and powerful messages: The need to repent and the need to see that the Kingdom of Heaven was near. By preaching the Gospel, Jesus shared the Good News and also called people to renew their relationship with God. As followers of Christ, we are called to spread this message of Hope and Salvation as we fulfill the Great Commission. Our words and our actions must reflect the urgency and the importance of turning towards God.
WEEK TWO: Demonstrating The Gospel
Verses: Matthew 4:23-24 (NKJV)
"And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them."
Jesus did more than preach the Gospel: Through His acts of healing and delivering others from afflictions, Jesus showed the power of the Gospel. The miracles of Jesus were testaments to His compassion for others and of His divine authority. As disciple-makers, we must share with others the love and the power of the Gospel. We do this through our acts of kindness, through our praying for the healing of others, and by standing up for those who are suffering from injustice. All of us are called to share the transforming power of Christ's message of salvation and eternal life.
WEEK THREE: Jesus Traveled Beyond Borders
Verse: Matthew 9:35 (NKJV)
"Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people."
Jesus’ ministry was wide-reaching, with Jesus traveling throughout the land to teach and preach the Gospel to the multitudes who came to hear Him. Jesus taught and preached in many towns and cities, showing how we too must be willing to go wherever people need to hear the Gospel.
WEEK FOUR: Space for the Gospel: Hospitality
Verses: Matthew 9:10-13 (NKJV)
"Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, 'Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?' When Jesus heard that, He said to them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.'"
Hospitality was central to Jesus’ ministry. By dining with tax collectors and sinners, Jesus ignored the barriers of social classes and extended His special grace to those who society shunned or despised. These examples of how Jesus lived are to teach us how we must welcome everyone into the realm of the Gospel, and in our actions be living examples of the Gospel. Welcoming everyone, especially those who society considers outcasts, is what Jesus taught us to do. We are to seek out and deliver the message of the Gospel to those who are lost.
WEEK FIVE: Jesus' Example of Service
Verses: Matthew 20:28 (NKJV)
"Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
Matthew 23:11-12 (NKJV)
"But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Jesus lived a life of service and humility. He came to serve others and to give up His life as a ransom to pay for the sins of all humanity. The sacrificial love of Jesus and His humility are our guidelines for living a Christian life. As disciple-makers, we must serve others selflessly, and in all ways placing the needs of others over our own needs. By living this way, we embody Christ’s love and humility, as we touch the lives of others as Christ taught us to do.
The journey of a disciple-maker is preaching the gospel, demonstrating the power of the Gospel in our own lives, bearing witness to others who are different than we are, being hospitable to all others, and serving others with humility. By following these ways of the Jesus we see in the Gospel of Matthew, we too can share the Good News and make new disciples of Christ, fulfilling our mission to be devoted followers of our Lord Jesus Christ.