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The Commands of Christ*

Equipping A Disciple to Follow Jesus

An adaptation of George Patterson’s 7 Commands of Christ*

The “Sword” Bible Study Method Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double- edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” This picture of a sword helps us teach any passage of the Bible. The four parts of a sword represent six questions we need to ask during a Bible story discussion. The tip points up to the heavens:

• What do we learn about God? The handle is held by people:
• What do we learn about people? Use the acronym “ S.P.E.C. ” to remember four questions on the blade: The left blade :
• (S) Is there a sin to avoid?
• (P) Is there a promise to claim? The right blade :
• (E) Is there an example to follow?
• (C) Is there a command to obey? After telling and reading any story from the Bible, ask these questions one at a time and discuss the story to discover the answers. The answers you find will reveal the meaning of the story for our lives. Short-term Discipleship: Commands of Christ Use the Sword Bible Study Method to discuss true stories of Jesus from the Bible in the Commands of Christ (begin on next page). These stories and discipleship lessons are your short-term discipleship lessons. After you complete the Commands of Christ lessons and your disciples are obeying Jesus, move on to long-term discipleship.

Command of Christ #2 - Be Baptized Read Acts 2:36-47 to cast vision for being church together. Share an update on your life & obedience to Jesus (Grow & Go goals). Read the command : In Matthew 28:19, Jesus says... Tell the story: Philip and the Ethiopian Official (Acts 8:26-39) Retell the story together. Read the story aloud. Discover : Use the Sword Bible Study method to discuss the story and reveal its meaning for our lives. Practice telling the story. Explore More :

• What^ is “baptism”? Romans 6:3-4 - Baptism is a symbol of our life, death and resurrection. We have died to our old life and been raised to a new life with Jesus.
• Why^ should we be baptized? Matthew 3:13-15 - Jesus received baptism; so should we. Receiving baptism means we have identified Jesus as our Lord.
• Who^ should be baptized? Acts 2:38 - Everyone who repents and believes.
• How^ should we be baptized? Matthew 3:16 - Jesus went down into the water. Grow & Go Assignments :
• Go down into the water and be baptized.
• Begin growing by reading 2-4 chapters per day in the book of Luke this week.
• Share your story and Jesus’ story with others. Train new disciples to obey Jesus using the Commands of Christ. Prayer : “Lord, give me the strength to identify my life with you through baptism.”

Command of Christ #3 - Pray Read Acts 2:36-47 to cast vision for being church together. Share an update on your life & obedience to Jesus (Grow & Go goals). Read the command : In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus says… Tell the story : Jesus’ Prayer (Matthew 6:5-15) Retell the story together. Read the story aloud. Discover : Use the Sword Bible Study method to discuss the story and reveal its meaning for our lives. Practice telling the story. Explore More :

• What^ is prayer? Talking with God. He is^ our Heavenly Father.
• Why^ do we pray? Matthew 6:9-13 - God hears us. We desire his will to be done on earth.
• How^ do we pray? It’s simple. Just talk to him. “Our Father...holy is your name..” = Worship God. “Your Kingdom come…” = Pray for his mission to reconcile the world. “Give us today our daily bread…” = Pray for our needs. “Forgive us our debts…” = Pray for forgiveness. “Deliver us from the evil one…” = Pray for strength to resist temptation. Grow & Go Assignments :
• Start and end each day by giving thanks to God. Present your requests to him.
• Continue growing by reading 2-4 chapters per day in the book of Luke this week.
• Share your story and Jesus’ story with others. Train new disciples to obey Jesus using the Commands of Christ. Prayer : Lord, teach me to pray. Give me pure motives. May your will be done.

Command of Christ #5 - Persevere Read Acts 2:36-47 to cast vision for being church together. Share an update on your life & obedience to Jesus (Grow & Go goals). Read the command : In John 15:18-19, Jesus says... Tell the story : The Persecuted Church (Acts 5:27-42) Retell the story together. Read the story aloud. Discover : Use the Sword Bible Study method to discuss the story and reveal its meaning for our lives. Practice telling the story. Explore More :

• What^ trials will Christians face? John 16:33 - Many trials and challenges.
• Why^ should we persevere? James 1:12 - A promised, heavenly crown of life.
• How^ do we persevere? Hebrews 12:1-2 - We look to Jesus who persevered.
• Who^ will face suffering?^ Acts 2:42, 1 Corinthians 11:27-29 - Baptized disciples devoted to Jesus. Grow & Go Assignments :
• Continue growing by reading 2-4 chapters per day in the book of John^ this week.
• Share your story and Jesus’ story with others. Train new disciples to obey Jesus using the Commands of Christ. Prayer : “Lord, my life belongs to you. Train me to persevere through trials and temptations.”

Command of Christ #6 - Love Read Acts 2:36-47 to cast vision for being church together. Share an update on your life & obedience to Jesus (Grow & Go goals). Read the command : In Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus says... Tell the story : The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) Retell the story together. Read the story aloud. Discover : Use the Sword Bible Study method to discuss the story and reveal its meaning for our lives. Practice telling the story. Explore More :

• What^ is “love”? John 15:13 and 1 Corinthians 13.
• Why^ do we love? John 13:34-45, Because Jesus loved us first. Love teaches the world about Jesus.
• Who^ do we love? Matthew 22:37-39 - First we need to love God, then we need to love our neighbors.
• How^ do we love? John 14:15 - Loving Jesus means we obey him. John 21:17- Loving others means telling them what God has done for you. Grow Assignments :
• Take time each day to intentionally show love by serving^ your neighbors.
• Continue growing by reading 2-4 chapters per day from the book of John this week.
• Share your story and Jesus’ story with others. Train new disciples to obey Jesus using the Commands of Christ. Prayer : “ Lord, help me to love you by obeying you. Help me to love others so that they will learn that you also love them.”

Command of Christ #8 - Give Read Acts 2:36-47 to cast vision for being church together. Share an update on your life & obedience to Jesus (Grow & Go goals). Read the command : In Luke 6:38, Jesus says... Tell the story : The Generous Widow (Mark 12:41-44) Retell the story together. Read the story aloud. Discover : Use the Sword Bible Study method to discuss the story and reveal its meaning for our lives. Practice telling the story. Explore More :

• What^ should we give to God? Psalm 16:5 - God is the source of all we have and our future.
• Why^ should we give to God? 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 - Give generously, and we will receive abundance. God loves a cheerful giver.
• How^ do we give to God? 2 Corinthians 9:7 - Cheerfully, not under compulsion, Matthew 6:1-4 - Secretly, not for recognition.
• Who^ do we give to? Acts 4:34-35 - The church gave to all who had need. 2 Corinthians 9 - A collection was given to a church. Grow & Go Assignments :
• Decide with your family an amount of time and money you will give for the work of the church this week.
• Continue growing by reading 2-4 chapters per day in the book of Matthew this week.
• Share your story and Jesus’ story with others. Train new disciples to obey Jesus using the Commands of Christ. Prayer : “Lord, everything I have is yours. Teach me to give. Show me needs to which I can give my time and money.”

Command of Christ #9 - Gather Read Acts 2:36-47 to cast vision for being church together. Share an update on your life & obedience to Jesus (Grow & Go goals). Read the command : In Hebrews 10:24-25, Jesus says... Tell the story : The First Church (Acts 2:41-47) Retell the story together. Read the story aloud. Discover : Use the Sword Bible Study method to discuss the story and reveal its meaning for our lives. Practice telling the story. Explore More :

• Why^ should we meet together? Hebrews 10:24-25 - Encourage and spur one another on towards love and good deeds.
• Who^ should we meet with? Acts 2:41 - Baptized believers.
• What^ should we do when we meet together? Acts 2:41-47 - Pray, worship, fellowship, and discuss God’s Word.
• When^ should we meet together?^ Acts 2:
  • The early believers met together every day.
• Where^ should we meet? Acts 2:46, Philemon 1:2 - Homes & places of worship. Grow & Go Assignments :
• Discuss this question: “Do we want to agree that we are church?” If so, make a covenant and commit to meet weekly as a church.
• Continue growing by reading 2-4 chapters per day in the book of Matthew this week.
• Share your story and Jesus’ story with others. Train new disciples to obey Jesus using the Commands of Christ. Prayer : “Lord, you have adopted me into your kingdom family, and I commit to serve you through a local fellowship of my brothers and sisters in Christ.”

Long-term Discipleship Now that you have completed the short-term discipleship lessons (Commands of Christ), continue on to long-term discipleship using the T4T Format (next page) and the Sword Bible Study Method as your Bible discovery tool. Each new lesson will be a Bible story. Mark’s gospel is the best place to start. Use this schedule to make disciples.

Discipleship Meeting Format In Matthew 28:20, Jesus commands, “ Teach them to obey my commands. ” As we obey Jesus’ Great Commission, we must ensure that our disciples are obeying his commands. Every time you gather for individual or group discipleship, a church meeting, or leadership training, the primary goals are to:

- Care for one another. (Look Back) - Hear from the Lord through the Bible. (Look Up) - Make a plan to obey Jesus. (Look Forward) The following discipleship meeting model has been field-tested all over the world in most contexts and provides what is necessary to train new disciples to obey Jesus. This method has multiplied healthy disciples, groups, and churches. When you gather with your disciples, commit to using the following “three-thirds” process*: *The T4T “three-thirds” process created by Ying & Grace Kai

The Commands of Christ Overview

1. Repent & Believe - Command: Mark 1:15 +^ Story: The Sinful Woman (Luke 7:36-50)
2. Be Baptized - Command: Matthew 28:19 +^ Story: Philip and the Ethiopian Official^ (Acts 8:26-39)
3. Pray - Command: Matthew 6:9-13 +^ Story: Jesus’ Prayer (Matthew 6:5-15)
4. Go and Make Disciples - Command: Matthew 28:19-20 +^ Story: The Samaritan Woman (John 4:4-42)
5. Persevere - Command: John 15:18-19 +^ Story: The Persecuted Church (Acts 5:27-42)
6. Love - Command: Matthew 22:37-39 +^ Story: The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)
7. Lord’s Supper - Command: Luke 22:19-20 +^ Story: Jesus’ Last Supper (Luke 22:7-20)
8. Give - Command: Luke 6:38 +^ Story: The Generous Widow (Mark 12:41-44)
9. Gather - Command: Hebrews 10:24-25 +^ Story: The First Church (Acts 2:41-47)