Jesus gave his followers two essential components for making disciples. The New Testament writers would often address their readers by citing the first component of right thinking or doctrine, to be immediately followed by the practical implications of teaching disciples how to live Godly lives.
Observations: Orthopraxy
- The church is built by and responsible for Kerygma (Preaching) and Didache (Teaching)
Kerygma = the truth – (whether you believe it or not)
Didache = the implication/application of that truth
Conclusions:
- You can’t make disciples without teaching them
- You can’t become a disciple without obedience
- You can’t pick and choose what you want to obey
- You can’t obey without a relationship
Application:
- Head – Adjust your attention by becoming a learner in relationship with Jesus
- Heart – Allow God’s truth to change your heart by adopting the heart of Jesus
- Hands – Obey Jesus’ commands by serving as the hands and feet of Jesus
Titus 1:1
“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness.”
Titus 1:9
“He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.”
Titus 2:1-8
“You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.”
Luke 6:46
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”
John 10:27
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
Matthew 7:21-23
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”
John 15:14-15
“You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
John 13:34-35
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”