TEXT: 1 JOHN 2: 12 – 14, HEBREW 5: 10 – 14
MEMORY VERSE: 1 CORINTHIANS 13: 11 when I was a child I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I am a man I put childish things away.
INTRODUCTION
The development of Christ discipleship is parallel to the natural development from apprenticeship to ‘mastership’ and it could also be compared to the natural course of a man, from babyhood to fatherhood just as change feature at each stage, so also most disciple grow from one level to the other until he get to the level of fatherhood. The determining factor of each stage is the word.
LESSON: THE STAGES OF DISCIPLESHIP GROWTH
- Birth (John 3: 3)
- Babyhood (1 Corinthians 3: 1, 1 Peter2: 2, Hebrew 5: 11 – 13)
- Childhood (Galatians 4: 1 – 3, 1 Corinthians 13: 11, Ephesians 4: 14, 1 John2: 12, Mathew 11: 1516 – 17)
- Youth (young man)(Ecclesiastics 12: 1, 1 Timothy 4: 12, 1 John 2: 13 – 14, Titus 2: 6)
- Fatherhood (1 Timothy 5: 1, Hebrew 12: 7, 1 John 2: 13, 1 John 1: 1, Hebrew 5: 13 – 14, James 1: 4, 1 Corinthians 2: 6)
CONCLUSION
Jesus passed through all the stages of development: born in a manger, dedicated in the temple as a child: discussing with lawyers and doctors in the temple as a child; started and completed the work of redemption as a young man of 33years old and now seat at the right hand of God as everlasting father (Isaiah 9: 6). All disciples must be willing to identify his stage and be willing to pay the price to get to the next stage of his Christ walk.
