The Six Marks of a Disciple Who Lasts - Part 2

The Six Marks of a Disciple Who Lasts 1. Grounded in Scripture – John 4:23-24           Worship in Spirit and TruthTruth:             You cannot worship who you don’t know. And you CANNOT know Christ apart from the Word of Christ.Self-Examination:  If your Bible is dusty, your theology is probably jacked up.Tie-in to Mark 1:     The Word doesn’t just inform you; it reforms you.Teaching:·       Scripture IS NOT a supplement — IT IS the soil.·       The Bible doesn’t just show us Jesus — it shapes us in His likeness.Application: If you’re not rooted in the Word, you’re one storm away from collapse.2. Formed by Jesus – Matthew 11:28-30           Come to MeTruth:             Discipleship is not self-improvement. It is surrender to apprenticeship.Self-Examination:  Jesus didn’t die so you could manage your sin — He died so He could master your life. New life calls for the death of the old, you can’t follow Jesus and remain in sin…Tie-in to Mark 2:     You don’t follow Jesus to “feel better” — you follow Him to become different.Teaching:·       Jesus doesn’t offer tips — He offers a yoke.• Joined two lives together• Directed their movement• Transferred the burden to the stronger animal·       Formation happens through submission, NOT information.Application: Stop asking Jesus to bless your plans. Start letting Him rewrite them.3. Devoted to Holiness – Luke 11:33-36             The Lamp of the BodyTruth:             What fills your eyes eventually fuels your appetites.Self-Examination:  You don’t just “fall into sin” — you stare at it until it feels normal.Tie-in to Mark 3:     You can’t shine light while flirting with darkness.Teaching:·       Holiness is NOT moral superiority — IT IS spiritual clarity.·       Darkness doesn’t announce itself before it enters the room — it dims you slowly.o   Said another way, it “hides in the shadows”Application: What you tolerate privately will eventually sabotage you publicly.4. Resilient in Suffering – Luke 9:23-25              Take Up Your CrossTruth:             There is no discipleship without death, death to: comfort, control and convenience.Self-Examination:  Jesus DOES NOT carry crosses for spectators. You can’t follow from inaction.Tie-in to Mark 4:     The cross you carry (daily hurts) might be the place God does His deepest work.Teaching:·       Pain doesn’t disqualify you — it defines you.·       Comfort produces crowds. Suffering produces saints.Application: If following Jesus hasn’t cost you anything, you’re probably not following Him at all.5. Abundant in Love – Mark 12:29-31                Love God, Love PeopleTruth:             Love is the evidence that transformation is real.Self-Examination:  If [you think] your theology is “right” but your love is wrong — your theology is wrong.Tie-in to Mark 5:     You can’t carry the heart of Jesus while holding grudges like trophies.Teaching:·       Love is NOT an emotion — IT IS sacrificial action.·       The deeper you go in Christ, the wider your heart grows.o   Vertical devotion ALWAYS produces horizontal compassionApplication: We don’t love people after they change — we love people so they can change.6. Multiplying the Gospel – Mark 4:26-29                      The Growing SeedTruth:             If it’s alive and living in its God-given calling, it reproduces.Self-Examination:  If your faith never multiplies, it is terminally ill and killing someone else’s.Tie-in to Mark 6:     You don’t measure success by seats — you measure it by stories of transformation.Teaching:·       Disciples DO NOT “collect knowledge” — they cultivate harvest.·       The kingdom doesn’t grow by addition — it grows by reproduction.Application: Who is coming to Christ because of your life?