LIVE LIFE’S GREATEST STORY WEEK 5: MAKE DISCIPLES MATTHEW 28:18-20; ACTS 2:41-47 DISCUSSION GUIDE

MAIN POINT

We are called, and therefore equipped, to make disciples of all nations; we start in our own backyard.

INTRODUCTION

When you have something important to share, what’s your favorite means of communication? Do you prefer talking over a cup of coffee, posting on Instagram or Twitter, or something different?

Who has been instrumental in teaching you about and the ?

When we have significant news, we share it. It’s just too good to keep to ourselves. The gospel message is the most significant news we’ll ever hear and Scripture teaches us that we’re to tell others about Jesus and the salvation He offers. But, Scripture doesn’t stop there. According to Matthew 28, Christ followers are also commanded to make disciples. We’re to teach others what it means to know and follow Christ.

UNDERSTANDING

> HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ MATTHEW 28:18-20.

In your own words, how would you describe the task that Jesus gave the disciples?

As Christ followers, we’re given the same task. What do you find most challenging about this assignment?

What “tools” are we given to aid us in accomplishing this task?

Jesus’ command to the disciples is also our own: make disciples. It’s a big task and highly important, which only makes it more daunting. Thankfully, we’re not left on our own to accomplish this. God has given us the Holy Spirit, other believers, and His Word as tools we can use to communicate who Jesus is and what it looks like to follow Him in our daily lives.

> HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ ACTS 2:41-42.

To what practices were the early Christ followers committed?

Why was it important for the earliest Christ followers to gather for study and prayer?

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LIVE LIFE’S GREATEST STORY GREATEST LIFE’S LIVE in the first application question. A cookout hosted at someone’s home, an outreach event at your church, oryour church, at event an outreach home, at someone’s hosted cookout question. A in the first application building begin and people new meet to atmosphere non-threatening a all offer movie/concert outdoor an group. Bible study your new friends to your personally invite to Be sure relationships. Here’s where your group will need to decide what and how they’ll and how decide what identified will need to connect with the people you group your where Here’s experienced. God was at work in individual lives as well as the corporate body of Christ—and it was as the corporate as well in individual lives work at God was experienced. have only God could that growth experiencing they were Individuallypowerful. and corporately, out a redeemed live and to salvation trust Jesus for to it meant what learned together They orchestrated. as partlife of the church. Luke continued to describe the early church by focusing on the unity, power, and community they and community power, on the unity, focusing by describe the early church to continued Luke continue to be the bedrock for all spiritual growth. When we spend time in God’s Word, prayer, and with prayer, Word, spend time in God’s we When growth. all spiritual for be the bedrock to continue in knowledge and faith. grow we other believers, In Acts 2, we get a glimpse into the lives of the earliest Christ followers. Luke, the author of the Book of Acts, Luke, earliest Christ followers. of the the lives get a glimpse into In Acts 2, we their identify us to it easy enough for their daily activities makes which and habits, record to made a point spiritual disciplinesThese the list. topped and prayer other believers, with fellowship Bible study, priorities. give announcements, provide snacks, follow up with guests, and so on. give announcements, provide snacks, follow up with guests, and so When and where will your new Bible study begin? Nail down specific details about when your When and where will your new Bible study begin? Nail down specific to help. Enlist people to new Bible study will begin and be sure to secure numerous volunteers What will we do to personally connect with these individuals? APPLICATION of our small group? Who is God calling us to reach out Who do we need to invite to be a part names of friends, a specific apartment complex, or a nearby to? Be specific. This could include neighborhood. What does this passage teach us about God’s intention for His people? about God’s What does this passage teach us > HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ ACTS 2:43-47. A VOLUNTEER > HAVE use to describe the atmosphere in this passage? What words or phrases would you What do we stand to gain from consistent time in prayer, fellowship with other Christ followers, other Christ followers, fellowship with time in prayer, from consistent we stand to gain What do Word? and time in God’s worship, your own spiritual growth? part of a Bible study group impacted How has being a

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LIVE LIFE’S GREATEST STORY GREATEST LIFE’S LIVE 2:41 The church experienced tremendous numerical growth in those early days. Jesus’ followers followers Jesus’ in those early days. numerical growth tremendous experienced church Jerusalem The 2:41 The sermon. added after Peter’s thousand souls were about 120 in Acts 1:15, but about three numbered baptized. and were word Peter’s new Christians had accepted It takes every parable, every sermon, every word Jesus said and teaches them to the church. It the church. seeks to them to Jesus said and teaches every sermon, everyIt every word takes parable, and of the life accounts Testament ministry teaching The with the New begins individuals. Christlike develop Testament the Old and then incorporates Testament of the New the rest It to of Jesus Christ. expands death Testament Old fulfill Jesus to sent He God who God of long before planned and what is the foundation as new believers. to teach to of God is charged is the curriculum each Word entire This prophecies. a person has acknowledged Jesus, the risen Savior, as his or her personal Savior. Baptism incorporates the Baptism incorporates as his or her personal Savior. the risen Savior, a person has acknowledged Jesus, faith. of making of means one also confession is Baptism a public church. the into officially believer new our sins. Jesus died for is doing. the new Christian Jesus did and what what Baptism pictures or symbolizes having pictures Baptism also the believer’s life. to death Him God from raised buried in the tomb. He was the ages. through is eternal that a life in Christ, a new life to sin and being raised died to instruction the earthly to back This reaches ministry of Jesus. action second is teaching. in discipling The the gospel made explicit and clear. Disciples under Christ’s authority must leave their comfort zones and comforttheir zones authority leave must Christ’s under Disciples clear. and explicit made gospel the every nation incorporate to their horizons must expand They home. at the people with whom they feel and energies, gifts, use the talents, to and strategies plans must devise church The people on earth.of discipling the nations. member must be on the move, Every of every one of its members. resources only afterto occur which is is baptizing, first The other actions. two discipling involves In going, addition to And look here, I am with you all the days, until the completion (or perfection) of the age.” The introductoryThe (or perfection) the completion until of the age.” all the days, I am with you look here, And “having phrase The 18. authority verse in established Jesus’ to Commission connects Great the “therefore” go as it is a command is not so much a call to phrase This the Commission. to assumes obedience gone” onlyThe one major task. authority have Christ’s Disciples who recognize do certainto things on the way. authority disciple the task. that Disciples under Christ’s formulates in these verses form verb imperative discipling by Building the church in Christ. grow the gospel and help believers they share is, That nations. of nature universal is the Here Itnations. the sends them to journey. the disciple’s expands the nations 28:19-20. On the basis of His authority, Jesus issued the . Disciples had to accept the accept had to Disciples Commission. Jesus issued the Great 28:19-20. On the basis of His authority, in the Greek. formulated is intricately commission The the commission. accept to authority if they were as follows: reads Commission the Great language, the Greek from as translated literally somewhat Stated and of the the name of the Father baptizing them into disciple all the nations, gone, having “Therefore, you. commanded I as much as obey) persistently to (or keep to them teaching SonSpirit, Holy the of and 28:18. Matthew noted that Jesus came near or approached. Here was no case of mistaken identity. The identity. case of mistaken no was Here near or approached. Jesus came that noted 28:18. Matthew had arrested. Pilate whom Person same the One was this see that and the eye in Jesus look disciples could Jesus’ years. several for to they had listened the voice clearly and know it was the voice hear could They and on earth.” Me in heaven to authority has been given “All clearer: decision even for claim made the need This authority reign. to King had received The kingdom about (4:17) had been established. The Jesus talked Only One such a declaration. make Only God could of the Roman Empire. the size kingdom far exceeded as on earth as well claim such power. could who ruled in heaven Thank God for the task He’s given us to make disciples. Ask Him for wisdom and opportunities wisdom and Him Ask for walk disciples. to make us to given task He’s the God for Thank know Christ. of Jesus you what them others and teach alongside ACTS 2:41-47 COMMENTARY 28:18-20 MATTHEW PRAY

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LIVE LIFE’S GREATEST STORY GREATEST LIFE’S LIVE were being saved. He did not say how this took place, but it appears that evangelism took place primarily place took evangelism but it appears that place, this took how He did not say being saved. were resurrection crucifixion and The and in individual houses. of Christians in the temple the gathering through anyone from response immediate which called for the heart at of early Christian preaching, of Christ were of the Jewish leaders. the attention attracted eventually growth Such enormous numerical who listened. 2:47 One result of the early church’s worship and witness was having favor with all the people. In these early with all the people. favor having and witness was worship of the early church’s 2:47 One result on, the Jewish leaders tried to Later the Christians. open to generally the people of Jerusalem were days (4:1-22). restrict their public preaching those who added to the Lord every that day recounted Luke church. an evangelizing was early church The relatives. Quite house. to house from bread broke Christians these complex, temple the in together Besidesgathering Christians did not Supper. and the Lord’s worship in houses for regularly this means they gathered likely in homes, they gathered When so they met in homes. buildings in the early centuries, typically build church simplicity a or by marked were gatherings These meals. shared their for gratitude expressed disciples these God. put on airs; they genuinely worshiped did not need to They of heart. “sincerity” 2:46 Although these believers understood Jesus to be the fulfillment of the Jewish hope for the Messiah of the Jewish hope be the fulfillment to Jesus understood these believers 2:46 Although the to still went They primarily Jewish in background. were church (2:36), the members of the Jerusalem was the perfect Jesus since longer, any not participatesystem in the sacrificial would They complex. temple their Jewish heritagecontinuity between the to demonstrate wanted have may They for their sins. sacrifice opportunities their Jewish friends and found witness to to have they may Also, and their new faith in Christ. it was logistically difficult and fraught with potential abuse (see ch. 4-6). abuse (see ch. with potential fraught difficult and logistically it was needy (4:32). No one remained one heart and soul” “of were members these church that noted Luke Later, the to brought money was The need. quickly to responded and generously long because the church for of Barnabas in this the role highlighted (4:34-35). Luke of the distribution in charge who were apostles, who lied about their actions and Sapphira, of Ananias the hypocrisy (4:36-37), but he also noted generosity (5:1-10). established Himself as a consistent prayer, so His followers should pray as well. should pray so His followers prayer, established Himself as a consistent materialits sharing its was church Jerusalem the of characteristics amazing most the of One 2:44-45 part As of their who needed help. with anyone shared voluntarily Christians The needy. possessions with the a short of members Distribution to of goods for a community practiced time. the early church fellowship, because likely did not last long, practice This individual need. to according place took the faith community ministry as well as explaining Jesus’ fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Biblically-based preachingBiblically-based prophecy. Testament of Old fulfillment ministry Jesus’ as explaining as well Fellowship fellowship. experienced the church Second, life. church to still fundamental are and teaching the breaking they shared Third, “sharing.” or “participation” and means koinonia, word the Greek translates scholars believe many meal, be sharing a common think this could some Bible students Although of bread. meal with Jesus in the a celebrated disciples had The Supper. the Lord’s to of referring way this is Luke’s Christian movement early The prayers. to themselves devoted the church Fourth, in Jerusalem. upper room Jesus had 11:1). (Luke pray to them how teach Him to disciples had asked Jesus’ in prayer. bathed was 2:42 Luke reported four distinctive practices or activities in the Jerusalem church. First, they devoted devoted they or activities distinctive practices reported First, four church. in the Jerusalem 2:42 Luke church and some persecution, experienced the church Eventually, teaching. the apostles’ to themselves (8:1). Reviewing in this church minister to continued however, apostles, original The leaders left Jerusalem. doctrinal the major themes reported of Acts reveals and teaching the sermons chapters in the opening his earthly with Jesus during report experiences apostles could their own The important church. the early to

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