Post by disciple on Oct 11, 2010 10:02:37 GMT -5
Chapter 12: The Potential of Disciple Making (Isa. 60:22)
- Passage is a rebuke of our small vision, commitment, & action (“with plans no bigger than yours, you don’t need My power”) and a revelation of God’s intended beginning point (“a little one”), process (“will multiply”), & product (“into a thousand”)
“The least one shall multiply into a thousand…”
I. Because of God’s purpose—Jesus modeled disciple making in His ministry, explained disciple making through His teaching (multiplying symbols such as seed, money), and mandated disciple making in the Great Commission
II. Because of multiplication’s power—“Be (spiritually) fruitful, (spiritually) multiply, & fill the earth with others who do the same” (Gen. 1:28, 9:1)
III. Because of 1 man’s potential—unfulfilled potential is one of our greatest sins. If we truly knew the Christian’s potential, it would dismay us to see how far short we come. God only needs ONE to change the world! (Heb. 11:17)
- Things needed to fulfill our potential: clear understanding of disciple making, clear plan of action (have one disciple, begins a movement of multiplication, results in an army of disciple makers), complete devotion to the standard, intentional curriculum for building disciples
IV. Because we are all “least ones”—we are all equal in this (1 Cor. 1:29, 2 Cor. 4:7). World always exalts men; God chooses the “least ones.” Being “nobody” is an advantage!
V. Because the harvest is great--harvests must be gathered when ripe, or they are lost forever (Matt. 9:37)
VI. Because the work is done by individuals—“fishers of men” catch fish one at a time & prepare them by hand
- “A crowd is just a bunch of ‘one persons’” -Warren Wiersbe