Becoming a Stronger Disciple

HOW A DISCIPLE TRAINS

Training to be a strong disciple is a challenging and rewarding process.

(Mark 6:6b-13) Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. Calling the Twelve to Him, He sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits. These were His instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff - no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.” They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

1. TRYING

(7) Calling the Twelve to Him, He sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.

A. We may not have previously displayed any talent for serving the Lord.

B. We may not have had previous experience serving the Lord.

C. We may not be very courageous about serving the Lord.

D. We still need to be willing to TRY!

2. TRUSTING

(8-10) These were His instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff - no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town.”

A. Training to be a stronger disciple is always going to involve an element of TRUST.

B. Jesus teaches us “how” to trust Him by putting us in situations where we have no choice but to trust Him.

3. TOUGHENING

(11) “And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.”

A. Sometimes, when we are serving the Lord, He allows adversity into our lives.

B. God uses adversity to strengthen and toughen us and grow us into strong disciples.

(Hebrews 12:7, 10-11) “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

4. TESTING

(12-13) They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

A. We need to be willing to put Jesus’ instructions to the test in our lives.

B. Not, “I’m going to test Jesus’ instruction and I bet it’s not going to work.” But, “I’m going to test Jesus’ instruction and I bet IT IS GOING TO WORK!”

* John 3:18 – Getting saved.

* John 15:7 – Praying

* Witnessing – Acts 1:8

* Tithing – Malachi 3:10

* Resting – Matthew 11:28