115 Disciple Up Show Notes
The Essential Art of Application
By Louie Marsh, 7-3-2019
An Email Poured In!
Wayne wrote: “I have been listening for just over a month and find it a great places to grow spiritually! I am sharing this with all my family and friends! May God continue to bless and grow!”
“I am a Gideon and we conduct a weekly bible study at the county jail, I am always looking for a message of hope, a message of purpose, etc.to incorporate so I googled ‘disciple’ and found the ‘up ‘ I was looking for!”
NOTES:
On any given Sunday, approximately 53 million Americans hear preachers preach over one billion words of sermons. When it has been all said and done, a lot more will have been said than done
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. James 1:22 (ESV)
11 The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. Ecclesiastes 12:11 (ESV)
11 The wise man’s words are like goads that spur to action. They nail down important truths. Students are wise who master what their teachers tell them. Ecclesiastes 12:11 (TLB)
WHY is application so important?
- This is how to do what the Bible teaches us to do.
Your Pastor/teacher/small group leader should be doing this. But whether they are or not it’s still MY responsibility to do this for myself! And it’s yours as well. This is the only way to obey James command.
- Application mirrors how Jesus Taught
Look at how Jesus taught. About 90% of the Sermon on the Mount is pure application. There is some teaching, “You have heard that it was said…but I say…” Otherwise it’s almost all application.
- Personal Application mirrors how Paul taught.
Let’s look at a few New Testament books and see how much of them are teaching and how much are application.
Romans – 50% application
Ephesians – 50% application
Galatians – is maybe 80% application
James – also probably 80% application
1st Peter around 60% application
In most of Paul’s letters he first lays out the problems and what the Scriptures say about them and then deals with how and what the readers should do. He tends to be around 50/50 on this, not a bad goal for teachers and preachers to shoot for IMHO.
- Personal Application strikes at the root of a deadly spiritual disease – PRIDE.
1 Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. 2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. 1 Corinthians 8:1-3 (ESV)
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- Knowledge loves to compare – I know more than you and you and you!
- Love never compares. It just seeks to serve, help and enjoy the object of your love.
- Personal Application Helps me overcome sin and change my life
- All behavior is based on belief.
- Behind every sin is a lie or false teaching that I believe.
3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. Titus 3:3 (NIV)
Real, lasting change always starts in the mind.
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 (ESV)
- How Life Change Happens.
1, My beliefs must change before anything else can,
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32 (ESV)
2, My mind changes when I repent. Metanoia = change of mind, turn around, about face.
3, I don’t change minds, but God Word can and will!
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (ESV)
4, Changing the way I act is the RESULT of repentance.
8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. Matthew 3:8 (NIV)
20 First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. Acts 26:20 (NIV)
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