I am a Disciple

2019-02-03 – I am a Member series – Part 2 – The Rev. Christopher M. Klukas

Deuteronomy 6:1-9; Psalm 119:162-172; 2 Timothy 3:14-17; Matthew 11:25-30

  • A disciple is the “pupil of a teacher.”
  • “Discipleship was based on a call by Jesus…It involved personal allegiance to him, expressed in following him and giving him an exclusive loyalty…in every case [it meant] readiness to put the claims of Jesus first, whatever the cost…Such an attitude went well beyond the normal pupil-teacher relationship and gave the word ‘disciple’ a new sense.”
  • Matthew 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me…”
  • Vision Statement: “Love God” – Deuteronomy 6.
  • So how do we learn how to love God? How do we learn from Jesus?
    • Scripture and Prayer are the two foundational disciplines of discipleship
    • They also happen to be the two things which stood out most strongly as values of this church according to our values survey.

Study

  • The scriptures were always the first stage of learning for Jewish children. They read and memorized large portions of the law.
  • If we want to be disciples of Jesus, it would make sense to spend time reading and studying the Bible which records Jesus’ own words and those of his disciples.
  • Value: “Scripture – The Holy Bible is the word of God and it is trustworthy and true, providing us with a reliable guide for direction, teaching, correction, and equipping us for the work of ministry (2 Timothy 3:16).”
  • Covenant: “2. Engage regularly in the reading and study of Holy Scripture and the Doctrine of the Church;”
    • Scripture: “read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them.” Another way to say this would be “read, study, and meditate.”
    • Doctrine simply means our theology or our beliefs as a church.
      • Doctrine and scripture go together. Doctrine must be tested and proved by the scriptures. Doctrine also helps us to read the scriptures in the context of other believers and to make sure that our personal interpretations are not going off the rails.
      • Richard Hooker: Scripture, tradition, and reason
      • The Catechism and the Book of Common prayer are great places to start learning doctrine.

Prayer

  • As we fill our heads with all of this knowledge of scripture and doctrine, we may wonder how to apply it in particular situations. We need to hear from God through prayer.
  • Value: “Prayer – God is actively involved in the world today and he loves to hear the thoughts, needs, and desires of his children. We seek to be under God’s authority and so we pray in thanksgiving, making our requests known to him and seeking his direction in the way we should go (Matthew 7:7-11, Philippians 4:6).”
  • Covenant “3. Pray regularly for my own needs and those of others, for the Church and its mission, and for the concerns of the world;”
  • How do we pray? What should we say? The Lord’s prayer is a good model.
  • ACTSS – Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication, Silence.
    • The Daily Office is a wonderful part of our Anglican heritage which helps us to make sure that all of these types of prayer get included in our daily prayers.
      • It is like a Prayer multivitamin!
    • It also includes a built-in Bible reading plan!
    • Your weekly announcements contain all of the readings for the week ahead as well as the collect for the week and the church prayer list.
  • Scripture reading and prayer together are the foundational individual spiritual disciplines. “Read your Bible, pray every day, and you’ll grow, grow, grow.”

Corporate Life

  • There are also some disciplines in an Anglican rule of life that are more corporate.
  • Covenant “10. Receive worthily the Sacrament of Holy Communion as often as reasonable;”
    • Communion is important because it binds us to one another as the body of Christ. It also binds us individually to Christ himself.
    • Communion also sustains and strengthens us in our walk with God.
    • When we come together for communion we are praying together.
  • Covenant “11. Observe the feasts and fasts of the Church set forth in the Anglican formularies;”
    • Another corporate discipline is to participate in the church year. This means showing up for various Holy Days, but it can also mean bringing these seasons of the church year into your home through family worship and family traditions.
  • Covenant “13. Continue my instruction in the Faith so as to remain an effective minister for the Lord Jesus Christ;”
    • We should study the scriptures and doctrine on our own, but we should also study together.
    • You should never stop learning and growing as a Christian.

Conclusion

  • To be a disciple, we have to be in communication with our master through scripture and prayer, and we have to engage in these same disciplines with our fellow disciples so that we can sharpen one another and grow in Christ together.

Join the Discussion

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top