Isaiah 43:7 (NLT) “Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for My glory. It was I who created them.”
Matthew 28:18-20
“”Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”• Making disciples is our purpose on earth because seeking God’s glory is our ultimate and infinite purpose! 1st John 4:19 implores us that “We love Him [God or Christ] because He first loved us.” And this is great to know in light of the greatest commandment, which Jesus tells us in Matthew 22:37 is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” God’s love is what divinely empowers us to do all things. Including Verse 39 which follows saying that “the second greatest commandment is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Praise God that it’s all about love! Love warns others about God’s wrath against sin, and tells of God’s paradise for our eternal delight! Love cares for another in the basic sacrificial ways now. But without God’s loving grace given to us by Christ we can do nothing. Every victory is in Him! We fulfill purpose by Him!
John 15:4-13
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another AS I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
To make a disciple we first have to be a disciple. Our fruitfulness and obedience outflows from our abiding in Christ’s love. When we dwell in the grace and fruitfulness of Christ, and see that His perfect obedience and sacrifice to the Father on our behalf was sufficient for our salvation, redemption and freedom in and to love, our hearts are activated to renew our mind and Spirit in the same good likeness of the Lord, by faith, as this is why we were created – to dwell together in love and unity with the Father, Son and one another, enjoying and displaying His glories forever.
How does this look practically?:
• Where and how do we start? — I believe it starts where we literally start. In the beginning, from Genesis, we’re taught that God made the world and then mankind in His image- with Spirit and purpose. But we, His creation, fell from that holy image into sin or “works of iniquity”- godless and corrupt ambitions. However scripture goes on to tell what was recorded: that God in His grace sent a message through Moses, His prophet, about holiness (the ten commandments, which all have broken, in unrighteous, unloving behavior) to wake us from our blindness and faults. But then scripture goes on to share the good news, about how God sent His Son, for salvation, who saves us from the power of sin and its wages, and restores us to our original fruitful making/ to godliness and purpose. • We must know that we live in a fallen world, and that it is God’s will and by God’s active and living love are we redeemed.Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his [God/Christ] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”This is what leads us to abide in Him and grow/ set apart from the world onto His kingdom.
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
2nd Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
1 John 4:8 “….God is love.”
Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
John 4:23 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.”
So, practically, day by day, we showcase God’s spirit and truth again. Begin by:
- Re-identifying. From fallen to Christ’s workmanship. We imitate Christ.
- Be Baptisted.
- Proclaim yourselves as an adopted child of God. (From the dead world, to God’s living kingdom.
- Be Baptisted.
- Living! With Purpose.
- Steward your gifts well, and make disciples.
God gives gifts [spiritual and physical abilities/skills/talents] and a mission- ability and direction.
GIFTS:
1st Corinthians 12:1-12“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.” • Discover your Spiritual gift. Our everyday, natural abilities are from God and beneficial to serve Him as well.- James 1: 17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
- Corinthians 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
- Jesus served others as a carpenter before He healed others and preached His ministry. David was able to serve King Saul with his musical abilities.
MISSION:
And as you go, using your talents and entire being to the glory of God, you are sharing the same good news/ Gospel that has brought you into this new life!Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
You also fulfill Jesus’s call to “Make Disciples”!• Disciples are made when a person is converted by the acceptance of the Gospel [1Peter 2:24-25] you share with them, and then when they know they are to use their spiritual gifts and physical talents/ whole life to love, glorify God and make disciples too. • We share the gospel with anyone, but only God transforms a heart. It is not our responsibility to get someone to embrace it. But when we meet a brother or sister who does, we go on to teach them these things, so that the kingdom of God will come. That all the nations may hear and rejoice. That God may get His full glory! It is told that disciples make disciples. Be, and go!