The Essentials for The Essentials for Making DisciplesMaking Disciples

Luke 1:1-4Luke 1:1-4

Our Prayer for TodayOur Prayer for Today

• Psalm 119:18 “Open Thou mine Psalm 119:18 “Open Thou mine eyes, that I might behold eyes, that I might behold wondrous things out of Thy law.” wondrous things out of Thy law.”

• Psalm 119:130 “The entrance of Psalm 119:130 “The entrance of Thy Word gives light; it gives Thy Word gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.”understanding to the simple.”

Word FleshWord Flesh Word FleshWord Flesh

Word FleshWord Flesh WordWord

Word FleshWord Flesh

IncarnationIncarnation

Essentials for Making DisciplesEssentials for Making DisciplesLuke 1:1-4Luke 1:1-4

The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke

• Written by the only Gentile writer Written by the only Gentile writer of Scripture of Scripture • Dr. Luke Dr. Luke • Four essential characteristics of a Four essential characteristics of a

world-visionary, world-impacting, world-visionary, world-impacting, multiplying disciple makermultiplying disciple maker

Luke and TheophilusLuke and Theophilus

• Accepted Accepted personal responsibility personal responsibility for growing for growing TheophilusTheophilus

• Engaged in Engaged in painstaking research painstaking research on behalf of on behalf of Theophilus Theophilus

• Developed Developed precise resources precise resources to equip to equip TheophilusTheophilus

• Did everything humanly possible to generate Did everything humanly possible to generate persistent reproduction persistent reproduction of other disciples of other disciples through Theophilusthrough Theophilus

Personal ResponsibilityPersonal Responsibility

• ““It seemed good to me, also.”It seemed good to me, also.”• I assume personal responsibility for the man God I assume personal responsibility for the man God

has given me.” has given me.”

• The New Testament StandardThe New Testament Standard• YOU MUST TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSEBELITY FOR YOU MUST TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSEBELITY FOR

BUILDING PEOPLE INTO NEW TESTAMENT BUILDING PEOPLE INTO NEW TESTAMENT DISCIPLES.DISCIPLES.

• Luke Luke saw saw one one man ‑ Theophilus man ‑ Theophilus • God saw many generations, including us! God saw many generations, including us! • Luke wrote one document to one manLuke wrote one document to one man• God prepared an incredible Gospel for all future God prepared an incredible Gospel for all future

generations!generations!

Personal ResponsibilityPersonal Responsibility

• The History of the ChurchThe History of the Church• Tragically easy for human minds to missTragically easy for human minds to miss• The Gospel is based upon our agreement with God The Gospel is based upon our agreement with God

• Romans 10:9; Matthew 10:32Romans 10:9; Matthew 10:32• ““confession” means agreement withconfession” means agreement with• Our entire life thereafter is to be an agreement with Our entire life thereafter is to be an agreement with

God and His willGod and His will• Examine His command and His standard for Examine His command and His standard for

making disciplesmaking disciples• We must choose against ourselves and fully agree We must choose against ourselves and fully agree

with Godwith God• ““deny ourselves” Matthew 16:24deny ourselves” Matthew 16:24

Personal ResponsibilityPersonal Responsibility

• God Chose You! - John 15:16God Chose You! - John 15:16• ““YouYou (major emphasis) did not (major emphasis) did not

choose Me, but choose Me, but II (major emphasis) (major emphasis) chose you, and appointed you, that chose you, and appointed you, that youyou (major emphasis) should go and (major emphasis) should go and bear (continuous action) bear (continuous action) fruitfruit (major emphasis) and that your fruit (major emphasis) and that your fruit should remain (present infinitive), should remain (present infinitive), that whatever you ask of the Father that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you.” in My name, He may give to you.”

Personal ResponsibilityPersonal Responsibility

• What is the practical use of fruit? What is the practical use of fruit? • A tree which bears fruit never eats its own fruit; it is A tree which bears fruit never eats its own fruit; it is

for for someone elsesomeone else• One part of the fruit is for food, but the other part is One part of the fruit is for food, but the other part is

for reproductionfor reproduction• The seed in the fruit perpetuates the process of the The seed in the fruit perpetuates the process of the

production of food and the reproduction of fruitproduction of food and the reproduction of fruit• You have been brought into the Kingdom of God You have been brought into the Kingdom of God to to

take personal responsibility for the next available take personal responsibility for the next available manman

• Unless you “see and hear” from Unless you “see and hear” from God’s point of view God’s point of view you will you will never fulfill your personal responsibility for never fulfill your personal responsibility for the next available manthe next available man

““Am I my brother’s keeper?”Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Painstaking ResearchPainstaking Research

• Your Life Must Reflect Jesus’ LifeYour Life Must Reflect Jesus’ Life• YOU MUST DO PAINSTAKING RESEARCH OF THE YOU MUST DO PAINSTAKING RESEARCH OF THE

WORD FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR DISCIPLEWORD FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR DISCIPLE

• Jesus said, “For their sakes, I sanctify Myself,” and Jesus said, “For their sakes, I sanctify Myself,” and your life must reflect Hisyour life must reflect His

• It is not enough to simply study the BibleIt is not enough to simply study the Bible• Anyone can read the Bible for himselfAnyone can read the Bible for himself• The focus then is on self rather than on othersThe focus then is on self rather than on others• Produces Produces terminal intake terminal intake of the Gospelof the Gospel

• World impact only comes from the lives of those who World impact only comes from the lives of those who intentionally do diligent research for the purpose of intentionally do diligent research for the purpose of truly knowing and following Christ and making Him truly knowing and following Christ and making Him known to others!known to others!

Painstaking ResearchPainstaking Research

• ““investigated” (v. 3)investigated” (v. 3)• Same word as “fully known” in 2 Timothy 3:10,Same word as “fully known” in 2 Timothy 3:10,• Paul said to Timothy, “You have fully known my Paul said to Timothy, “You have fully known my

doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, charity, patience ...“ suffering, charity, patience ...“

• parakolutheo = parakolutheo = “to trace”“to trace”• means “to accompany side by side, to follow means “to accompany side by side, to follow

closely, to attend to carefully” closely, to attend to carefully” • another shade of meaning = “to trace” another shade of meaning = “to trace” • Luke sets out to trace the character and reproduce Luke sets out to trace the character and reproduce

the heart and passion of Jesusthe heart and passion of Jesus• Luke’s gospel is unlike any other – you see the Luke’s gospel is unlike any other – you see the

humanity of Jesushumanity of Jesus

Precise ResourcesPrecise Resources

• An Orderly, Detailed, Written AccountAn Orderly, Detailed, Written Account• YOU MUST DEVELOP PRECISE YOU MUST DEVELOP PRECISE

RESOURCES TO BUILD OTHER RESOURCES TO BUILD OTHER DISCIPLES.DISCIPLES.

• In v. 1 Luke uses a military termIn v. 1 Luke uses a military term• Anatassomai = Anatassomai = a placing of soldiers, or a placing of soldiers, or

things, or facts, into their proper orderthings, or facts, into their proper order• Luke reminded Theophilus that he had Luke reminded Theophilus that he had

researched Jesus from top to bottom and researched Jesus from top to bottom and placed his findings in “consecutive order” placed his findings in “consecutive order”

• Luke’s clear purpose - to precisely Luke’s clear purpose - to precisely systematize curriculum for maximum systematize curriculum for maximum efficiency in the life of anotherefficiency in the life of another

Precise ResourcesPrecise Resources

• Rightly Divide the Word - Luke 6:40Rightly Divide the Word - Luke 6:40• Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:10 that Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:10 that

“you have fully known my doctrine” “you have fully known my doctrine” • Paul had systematically arranged the great Paul had systematically arranged the great

truths of the Gospel so Timothy could fully truths of the Gospel so Timothy could fully grasp them and correctly reproduce them in grasp them and correctly reproduce them in somebody elsesomebody else

• Luke was discipled by PaulLuke was discipled by Paul• Now Luke provides a perfect example of Now Luke provides a perfect example of

what Paul modeled for himwhat Paul modeled for him• Jesus said, “When the process is completed, Jesus said, “When the process is completed,

the disciple will be like his teacher” - Luke the disciple will be like his teacher” - Luke 6:406:40

Persistent ReproductionPersistent Reproduction

• A Visionary Disciple MakerA Visionary Disciple Maker• YOU MUST DO ALL THAT IS HUMANLY YOU MUST DO ALL THAT IS HUMANLY

POSSIBLE TO PROCURE PERSISTENT POSSIBLE TO PROCURE PERSISTENT REPRODUCTION OF DISCIPLESREPRODUCTION OF DISCIPLES

• These disciples must clearly see the world These disciples must clearly see the world as their field of operation just like Jesus as their field of operation just like Jesus diddid

• They must intentionally live to impact that They must intentionally live to impact that world just like Jesus did here on earth!world just like Jesus did here on earth!

Persistent ReproductionPersistent Reproduction

• Did Luke's Gospel Accomplish Its Did Luke's Gospel Accomplish Its Purpose?Purpose?

• What did Theophilus do with the What did Theophilus do with the document? document?

• He preserved it and passed it on to He preserved it and passed it on to others!others!

• Written to only one man, but you Written to only one man, but you hold hold a copy of it in your hand today!a copy of it in your hand today!

Persistent ReproductionPersistent Reproduction

• Luke’s ExampleLuke’s Example• Luke won Theophilus to Jesus Christ by Luke won Theophilus to Jesus Christ by

writing to him what we now call “the writing to him what we now call “the Gospel According to Luke” Gospel According to Luke”

• When Theophilus responded in personal When Theophilus responded in personal faith in Christ, Luke immediately set out to faith in Christ, Luke immediately set out to disciple Theophilus by disciple Theophilus by writing another writing another document, twenty‑eight chapters in lengthdocument, twenty‑eight chapters in length

• The Book of ActsThe Book of Acts• To show Theophilus how to impact the world To show Theophilus how to impact the world

with the method of Jesus with the method of Jesus

Persistent ReproductionPersistent Reproduction

• What an What an amazing and awesome amazing and awesome example example of God’s of God’s word to flesh word to flesh standard! standard!

• practiced by a layman practiced by a layman • who practiced medicine to pay the who practiced medicine to pay the

bills bills • but whose whole vocation was but whose whole vocation was

“turning people into disciples”“turning people into disciples”