Building
Who Is PCI? – part 4
January 27, 2013
Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. King was a man who built something, a better America. It wasn’t built “overnight,” and it wasn’t built “in a day.” It wasn’t built at his leisure, “in his spare time,” or as a hobby. He didn’t “dabble” at civil rights. He knew what “ought to be” and he dedicated himself to the task. He was committed. Finally, he built wisely–only the non-violent method could have prevailed.
God calls us to be builders of His kingdom. You have a part in making disciples. We are engaged in building marriages, families, and people’s lives, especially broken ones. As we saw last week, every one of you is indispensable for the task of building! It’s time to dig in!
DAY 1
Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore, as you are going make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”
1. Jesus starts out with a profound statement in v. 18. What is He claiming?
2. With divine authority He gives us our mandate. There is one objective and two activities.
a. What is the one objective in 28:19?
b. What do you think a “disciple” is?
3. For each of the following verses jot down what a “disciple” is:
John 15:8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.
Luke 6:40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully taught will be like his teacher.
Luke 14:26 “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.
Luke 14:27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.
4. What strikes you most about becoming a “disciple?”
5. Which of these needs your attention this week?
DAY 2
Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore, as you are going make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”
Yesterday, we learned that our mandate is to “make disciples” of all nations.
1. What two activities are necessary to do that? One is in verse 19, the other in verse 20..
2. The first activity is baptism. Why do you think baptism is so important in making disciples?
3. The second activity involves “teaching” them, but Jesus is very specific about the kind of teaching they are to get! (v. 20)
a. What is the “curriculum?”
b. What is the outcome of the teaching to be?
4. Obedience is one of the hallmarks of a disciple.
Luke 6:46 “Why do you call me, “Lord, Lord,” but not do what I tell you?
5. What is Jesus saying to us in Luke 6:46?
6. Is there an area of your life where obedience is lacking? What is it?
7. Could you use some help in this area? If so, who is someone you know that you could have coffee or breakfast with this week?
8. Set up your appointment. Then pray for your appointment. Ask God to give your friend wisdom, and to give you an open heart.
DAY 3
See if you can fill in the rest of our 5 B’s: Bro______ ; Belov_____ ; Belon______ ; Bui_______ ; Brid________ .
Yes, we are called to be builders, builders of disciples, of marriages, of families, of people’s lives, yet of ourselves it is an impossible task. Thankfully, God is the Master Builder and He calls us to be co-laborers with Him.
Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
1. This is the O.T. text Jesus read at the local synagogue where He grew up in Nazareth. He saw this as a fulfillment of prophecy: the One who could do these things for people had come!. In this verse look for four different kinds of people in need, and list them below:
a. __________________
b. __________________
c. __________________
d. __________________
2. Next to each group you list above, jot down what you think each group’s need is.
3. The first two groups are readily apparent while the second two are not.
a. “Captives” – a reference to those under sin’s captivity (“slaves of sin”):
Ephesians 2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
b. “Prisoners” – an image of our hopeless state while under Satan’s influence and power.
Colossians 2:13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
4. Look back at Isa. 61:1. List the four things God will do for the four groups of people:
a. “The afflicted” – He will ________________________.
b. “The brokenhearted” – He will ___________________________.
c. “The captives” – He will _____________________________.
d. “The prisoners” – He will _____________________________.
5. God is the Master Builder, on a world-wide scale, to anyone who will allow Him to be so in their lives. What strikes you about today’s study?
DAY 4
Ephesians 4:11 And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love.
1. God is the Master Builder, and we are His co-laborers. In this passage Paul begins by identifying different spiritual gifts given to church leaders. (4:11) What are these folks supposed to do with those gifts? (4:12)
a. In 4:12 “equip” means to “mend” as in a broken arm, or to “train” as in a soldier. What does that say about a pastor’s job?
b. Those gifted in 4:11 are to “equip” who?
* “Saint” means “holy one,” a person “set aside for holy purposes.” “Saint” in the New Testament doesn’t mean “Super Christian.” It is a reference to the common Christian.
c. According to 4:12 who is supposed to do the ministry? The “saints?” Those gifted in 4:11?
2. What is the central task we as a church are to be about in 4:12? What is the point of the gifts and equipping?
3. The “body of Christ” is the church, the people of God. Whatever you do in a church, however you relate in a church, and what you pray for in a church is to be directed at that target: building up the body of Christ.
a. How would that affect why you go to church?
b. How would that affect your involvement in church?
c. How would that affect your interactions with people at church?
4. What’s your biggest takeaway from today’s study?
DAY 5
See if you can fill in the 5 B’s: B___________; B___________; B___________; B__________; B__________.
1. We finish the week with a splattering of verse that have to do with BUILDING.
a. In each of the verses below, circle “build(ing).” HINT: some verses have more than one instance!
b. Underline the points you find important:
Ephesians 2:19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Colossians 2:6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Acts 20:32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Jude 1:20 But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit;
Matthew 16:18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.
Romans 15:20 thus making it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on another man’s foundation,
1 Corinthians 10:23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.
2. A final word. When we go about building anything that we think more important than God we invite Him into the process to “UN-build.” This is learning the hard way, the unnecessary way.
Malachi 1:4 If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the LORD… says “They may build, but I will tear down, till they are called the wicked country, the people with whom the LORD is angry forever.”
Zephaniah 1:13 Their goods shall be plundered, and their houses laid waste. Though they build houses, they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they shall not drink wine from them.”
3. It is a privilege to be a builder. It is remarkable that God takes broken people and turns them into builders. What is your biggest take away from the week?