Learning Jesus

Pastor Gary Oser

Over the last couple of months, I have been sharing with you about disciples—people “learning Jesus” who are devoted and growing followers of Jesus Christ. I want to share a few more identifying marks of disciples.

Life in Community - First, disciples live out their lives in community with other believers. We live in a world where people tend to separate and isolate themselves from one another. There are a lot of what we call “lone rangers.” These things should not be true of disciples.
In 1 Corinthians 12, it says Christians are a member of a body, and as such, should care for one another. The great “one another” statements found throughout the Word of God (Bible) help us to understand how we are to live out our lives in relationship with others.
Author Stephen Macchia well says, “The process of growth to Christ like maturity is one through which we need to patiently walk in the context of community because it is impossible to experience any kind of significant growth on our own.” To be a good disciple, we need one another!
Fruit of the Spirit - Second, disciples give evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. The fruit of the Spirit is found in Galatians 5:23-24, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” These qualities are not something we can manufacture in and of ourselves. Rather, they are the result of the Holy Spirit working in our lives as we yield more and more to Him.
As we grow to be more like Jesus, the fruit of the Spirit should be more evident in our lives. Are the qualities found in Gal. 5:23-24 increasingly evidenced in your life?

3. Spiritual Gift(s) - Third, disciples both know and use their spiritual gift(s). In 1 Peter 4:10 it says, “As each one has received a special gift, employ (use) it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” There are three great passages where spiritual gifts are listed: Romans 12:5-8, Ephesians 4:11-12 and 1 Corinthians 12:28-31.

I would agree with the person who suggested that most disciples have a “gift-mix,” a mixture of various gifts. After understanding what your gifts are, you need to use them in serving the body of Christ and advancing God’s Kingdom.

Jesus told a story in Matthew 25 about a master who put his servants in charge of his “talents” while he went on a journey. The only man the master was upset with when he returned was the one who did nothing with the talent entrusted to him. God wants us to use what He has entrusted to us!

Are these identifying marks evident in your life? How can you be a better disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ?