Bible Study

Tuesday, 12 August 2008

From the Bible Study: The Disciple’s Cross

By: Avery T. Willis, JR.

In my walk with Christ, it is always a blessing to learn more about my relationship with Christ. I enjoy learning more about God. The Lord has led me to a Bible Study that I will be using to learn more. I will be sharing with you every day the things that I have learned from this study. Please feel free to study with me. You can leave comments to me about what a certain scripture says to you. This is an old study, but God is always the same, never changing. So, it proves true today as it did yesterday. God Bless you on your journey.. I will be taking quotes from this book, quotes that I feel will be of use to you.

Day One

The First Priority

Am I going to be a disciple who gives everything to Christ?

The Bible says that a disciple of Christ is someone who makes Christ the Lord of his or her life. If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23

Have you every made excuses? Excuses to why you can’t go to church, why you can’t read your Bible, why you can’t pray? I know that I have. It is time for me to either be a real disciple of Christ or a mediocre Christian for the rest of my life.

The Bible says: The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9

WHAT IS A DISCIPLE?

We begin this study by looking at who a disciple is and what a disciple does. The New Testament uses the term disciple three ways. First, it is a general term used to describe a committed follower of a teacher or a group.

Read Mark 2:18. “John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, ‘How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?’ “

The verse mentions three groups of individuals who have disciples. Who are they?

1. ____________________________

2._____________________________

3._____________________________

The New Testament uses the term disciple to refer to the twelve apostles Jesus called. Mark 3:14 is very specific about why Jesus called these apostles.

“He appointed twelve-designating them apostles-that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.”

Underline the phrases that show two reasons Jesus chose the twelve.

Jesus also used disciples to describe a follower who meets His requirements. For example, He said that His disciples must forsake families, possessions, or anything else that might keep them from following Him.

Read these verses:” Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters-yes, even his own life-he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple’ “ Luke 14:26-27.

Write in your own words what Jesus did when people began to follow Him.

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Get the answer from Luke 9:23

Write Luke 9:23 three times.

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Begin learning the Disciple’s Cross by drawing a circle, representing you. Write Christ in the center of the circle. This circle will help you focus on ways of Christ is to bet he center of your life.

The empty circle you drew represents your life. It pictures denying all self for Christ. This means tht you lose not your identity, but your self-centerdness.

No one can become a disciple who is not willing to deny himself or herself. Christ must be the number one priority in your life.

Putting Christ First

Do you have a priority above Christ? Read

Matthew 6:25-34 after you have read this scripture, fill out the communication guide.

Communication
Guide
Matthew 6:25-34
What God said to me:
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What I said to God:

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