Discipleship - Always Reaching

A disciple is one who learns. In Christian life the knowledge is not abstract information. Instead, a disciple is one who learns and applies. Every saved person is to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to learn and apply the new insights we gain.

• If I learn the importance of forgiveness but don’t forgive those who have wounded me – then I’m not really being a disciple.
• If I hear the significance of having a personal devotion, but never learn how to practice a personal devotion – again, I’m not really being a disciple.

 Are you learning? Is your life becoming different as you grow?

The Third Truth about Discipleship

You never stop learning new things about Christ and about Christian living. AND, you should never stop applying these new things we learn. We never outgrow being a disciple. I've been preaching a few decades, but learn something new about the Lord or about serving Him - almost every day.

So, there are three key ideas connected to discipleship

1. Learning
2. Applying
3. Learning more and applying what we learn. 

A keepsake from my childhood is a New Orleans Saints football helmet of the

sort used in American style football. My upbringing in Louisiana made me a Saints fan, though they were persistently dismal. The helmet was given to me as a gift when I was a child. I wore it when the neighborhood kids played football. These days, even the crown of my head won’t fit in that helmet. I kept growing.

 I’m not a professional football player, but if I were I’d need something more than a larger helmet. For me to have any chance of being effective I’d have learned more about football every year.

In the sport, a team always has new plays to learn. If a player doesn’t learn their responsibility, they cannot carry it out. There is always more to learn about Christ. The more you know, the more the Lord Jesus Christ is able to put you to work. 

• Think about this:  what do you know about Jesus that you did not know one year ago?
• Think further:  what do you know about Christ’s work that you did not know six months back.
• A final question:  what are you doing about you have learned?

And an extra question. What do you next want to learn about Him? What are the resources you may need to learn? 

Your journey as a disciple is one of always reaching for the next thing. 

Two Problems Can Exist

We stop learning, becoming like the graduate student who told me, “Thank God I’m done with that. I’ll never read another book.” My rejoinder informed him that he would soon become useless if he did not read another book.

We do not apply what we learn. As a Bible Teacher I’ve come to realize that application is more important than information or inspiration.

 As a Pastor, Bible Teacher and Author my greatest frustration is found in those who have no passion to learn about Him. Christ is wonderful beyond compare. 

Don’t stay in the kid’s helmet a day longer. Begin learning and growing. One way to do this is by establishing a personal devotion. My church told me I need to have a personal devotion but forgot to tell me how. Later, I realized that many people were in the same situation. The first in my Keep it Simple Saints (K.I.S.S. series is on Personal Devotion. If you struggle with knowing what to do to have a personal devotion this book is for you.

Regardless of whether you get my book or not – keep learning, keep applying – and do it again – and again – and again . . . and.