What's Next? Be the Church and Learn to Disicple Others

Our pastor is leading us into a new Bible study series titled “NEXT.”  We all have a “next.”  There is always a next step, a next day, and a next part of God’s plan for our lives.  The following are my Bible study notes based on my pastor's sermon.

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The focal scripture passage for today is Ephesians 3:11-21.

Be The Church

This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.  Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,  that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,  and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. – Ephesians 3:11-21

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20

GOING to church is important, but we need to place more emphasis on BEING the church.

What’s NEXT for us?  Part of what’s next for Jesus-followers is BEING the church.

Part of BEING the church is discipling others.

We exist to glorify God by discipling one another to reach and raise the next generation to live out God’s truth.

We might ask ourselves is we are capable of disciplining someone else.  We are capable if we are following Jesus, changed by Jesus, and committed to the Jesus Kingdom Mission.

Discipling is  a process through which Jesus turns us into people who trust and follow Him.

Discipling is intentionally learning from Jesus.  Ask, “What is Jesus saying to me?”  Then ask, “What am I doing in response?”

Disciple-making is helping people trust and follow Jesus.

Be open to being discipled. Look for opportunities to disciple others.

BE The Church!