Disciples in the Church Age. Number one, the disciple learning his Lord's will. Now there isn't much point in our talking about being disciples unless we begin by finding out what the Lord wants done, what he wants us to know. Number one of this first section, elementary knowledge. We have schools which we call elementary schools, and we who are the children of God have to begin with elementary education. Eh? Sins forgiven. First John, too, in verse twelve, says I write unto you little children because your sins are forgiven. Now, if you don't know this, you're not one of his children. You simply haven't begun at all. You can't even be admitted to the kindergarten if you don't know this. Sins were given. This is elementary knowledge. And D, grace and truth. Colossians one and six, you knew the grace of God in truth, he said. Now this was from the first day, from the time they first heard the gospel at Colossae through epiphras, the man who had served the Lord faithfully there and who was in jail with Paul at the time he wrote this official, he said from the first day that he knew the grace of God in truth, and see God as Father. First John, I write unto you little children, because you have known the Father. You don't have to tell a newborn babe in Christ to call God his Father. I remember the time I saw a cowboy led to the Lord out here on the plains of Colorado. And he didn't know a thing. He never attended church. He didn't have any knowledge of Christian things. I had to begin very simply to teach him what the Bible said about his sinfulness and about what Christ had done for him. When he understood it, he said, That's for me. He said, I'll take Christ for my Savior right now. He said, I'm saved. I said, how do you know you're saved? He said, well, that's just what the Lord said. So I said, don't you think we ought to thank Him? He said, you don't mean me. I said, well, you're the one that said you were saved. I've already thanked Him for my salvation. He said, I don't know if I've known how to pray. I never did. Well, I said, let's try it. So we get down on our knees and I thank God for salvation. And then I waited. He was quite a little while getting started, and I saw he was trying to get his hands fixed right. He thought he ought to have them clasped properly in front of him. And then he shut his eyes real tight, and he said, Father, and then he opened him again and looked all around at the big smile, and he said, Shut him again. He said, It sure is good to call your father. I didn't tell him to call God's father. I didn't mean to. He has sent forth the spirit of his son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. If you don't know this, you haven't started. And D, the dangers. Every child of God, even the most elementary, are to learn the dangers. First John chapter two, eighteen to twenty-six, tells about the Antichrist, tells about false teachers. This must be taught to the youngest babe in Christ. Otherwise, he's going to be misled by all kinds of false teachings. and ease the anointing of the Holy Spirit. In that same chapter, First John two, he says you have anointing of the Holy One. He said the anointing that you have, and the word anointing and the word unction are the same, teaches you so that you have no need that any man should teach you. Now this is elementary knowledge. This is true for the youngest believer. He may not know how to put it into words, but he knows that he's true. Number two, progressive knowledge. Don't be satisfied just to be saved. A little girl fell out of bed every night. Her mother would have to go and tuck her in. Finally, she said, how is it that when you get in bed, you always fall out, and when I put you in bed, you stay? And she said, I guess as opposed to those I knows to stay close to the place where I did sin. That's what's happened to too many Christians. We go to sleep too close to the place where we get in. We're satisfied to know our sins were given. We're satisfied to know that God is our Father and that the Holy Spirit has anointed us. And so we say, well, now I'm all fixed. Thanks, Lord. I'll meet you up in heaven. Now, don't be satisfied with this. God has a great deal more to teach you. What is this progressive knowledge, A, of his will? Colossians one, nine. That follows knowing the grace of God in truth. You must now learn his will. Now this isn't altogether his will for your life. This is his plan, his purposes. Learn what God is doing. Learn what God wants you to know about his plans and be pleasing him. Just learn what pleases him. Colossians I think it's very nice in Hadley Moles, Bishop Moles, the translation where it says, pleasing the Lord, it says, anticipating his pleasure. We ought to learn what pleases the Lord and seek to do these things for him. And then see, the word abides. First John, two fourteen, he says, after he writes to babies and he writes to young men he said now you young men the word of god abides in you that means that it is at home there it stays put when you hear something it can either go in one ear and out another or it can go into your ears and down into your heart and go out at your hands and feet now if you do something with the word if it abides in you you become a strong Christian. Sometimes doctors have an awful time with children who can't keep food on their stomachs. And they, of course, don't grow. And some Christians don't digest what they learn from the Word of God, and, of course, they don't grow. Now, the next thing, D, they overcome the devil. First John, two, thirteen and fourteen. The Word of God abides in you, and he says you have overcome the wicked one. We're getting stronger as we're learning more of the Word of God and learning more dependence on the Spirit of God to help us and to teach us and to lead us. The power of God in our lives. And E, discerning the world, discerning it, of course I mean by that, really knowing what it is and turning away from it. Discerning the world and turning away. First John two, fifteen, seventeen. Love not the world. neither the things that are in the world. Then he says all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world. So if you're growing, if you're making progress, if you're growing in the knowledge of God's ways, you are thinking less of the world. Number three, full knowledge. Now the word for full knowledge, you know that the word for knowledge, common word for knowledge, is gnosis, G-N-O-S-I-N. From that we get the word Gnostic, the people who claim they knew everything, and the agnostic, the people who claim they don't know anything. I never was quite sure of why they were proud of it, why they didn't use the Latin term ignoramus instead of the Greek term agnostic. because it means the same thing exactly. But now in the book of, well, many times in the New Testament, but especially in the book of Colossians, fifteen times in the book of Colossians, twenty times all told in the New Testament, we have the term epigenosis, which means super knowledge. So the Lord wants you to have full knowledge. There is nothing that is kept from you that you need to know, that you need to learn. A, the knowledge of God, Colossians I and X. Now in Colossians I, he begins with knowing the grace of God and truth, going on in the knowledge of his will, until finally we come to the knowledge of God. Knowing him is much more than knowing about him. And you have the same thing in John's Gospel. I mean, in John's epistle, be all treasures, that is, of knowledge. Colossians two, one and three. All treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in the Lord Jesus. Nothing is reserved. Nothing is held back from you that you need to know. And see, you have known him that is from the beginning. In Mr. Darby's translation of the Bible, he calls attention to the fact that the word knowledge here is in the perfect tense. There is nothing beyond knowing him that is from the beginning. So when he addresses the babies and then the young men and then the fathers, he does this twice. The first time, He addresses the children, the second time there's an advance. First time he addresses the young man, and the second time there's an advance. But when he addresses the fathers, the second time he says exactly the same thing he said the first time, because there is no advance upon really knowing God. We have no words separate for this. I say, I know a man if I was just introduced to him. But a wife says, I know my husband, and she means something entirely different. She means, I know him. I almost know what he thinks. I understand him thoroughly. We have no good word for this. Now, God wants you to get acquainted with himself in this way. Number four, progress matches desire. I can't overemphasize this. A, babes. First Peter two, two, three. He says as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word. Now don't be surprised if there are things in the Bible you can't understand. Do just what a baby does. When it gets something you can't chew, it spits it out, then reaches for something else. If you find something in the Bible you can't understand, don't let what you can't understand spoil what you do understand. Well, have a desire for it, even as a babe in Christ. How about if you're more mature? All right, be maturity. In Hebrews five, we're told that we ought to be going on to take in the strong meat or the solid food of the Word of God. See, true disciples have this desire. And I've given you two Old Testament references here so that you'll see that this is not something that's peculiar to the disciples of the Lord Jesus while he was here on earth, nor even to his disciples now. Jeremiah said, Thy words were found, and I did eat them. And Ezekiel said, when he was told to eat this roll, he said it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. Do you really want the Word of God? Do you really want the knowledge of the Lord? If you do, your progress will match your desire. Now the second section, discipleship begins at home. One, true character is demonstrated here, that is, at home. True character is demonstrated here. A, we let down. You do this, we all do it. What do you like when you let down? A little boy said to his father, who was a preacher, his father told him something. He said, do you mean what you say, Daddy, or you're just preaching now? What about you? Do you have a religious atmosphere about you when you attend meetings? And then when you're at home, you have an irreligious atmosphere? Let's think this through a little bit. Discipleship ought to begin at home. Be with self-control. Galatians five, twenty-three. One of the graces, which is called the fruit of the Spirit, is temperance. The word temperance is really self-control. Do you keep yourself under control at home? What kind of person are you in your home? See, our prayers may be hindered by, I'm going to use a word here that was coined by a lady who did a great deal of work for the Lord in India, Amy Carmichael, the word unloved. Our prayers may be hindered by unloved. Is there a lack of loving concern between husband and wife? Is there a lack of loving care between parents and children? between siblings in the family. If there is, this may result in the hindrance of our prayers. First Peter, three tells us how we should behave in the home so that our prayers will not be hindered. Number two, Christ is the head, capital H, not of the home, not of the house. I've seen signs up on the wall that say, Christ is the head of his house. This isn't true. The husband is the head of the house. So, let's put Christ is the head, capital H, of the head of the home. First Corinthians eleven. Does that sound complicated? Well, it says that the man is the head of the wife, and it says Christ is the head of man, and it says God is the head of Christ. That isn't a matter of inferiority. You know that the Lord Jesus is not inferior to the Father. He has taken the lower place in the economy, in the present order thing, that is the order thing when he was here on this earth. But it's not a matter of inferiority. The husband is not the head of the wife because he's superior, but it's because there has to be a head to everything. And if a husband is acting as he ought to be, he's not going to be a tyrant. He's going to be the loving provider. But Christ himself must be his head. Acknowledge him. Acts, verse twenty-seven, twenty-three, the Apostle Paul said, Who's I am and whom I serve? Don't be afraid to say this anywhere in any time. Acknowledge Him as your Lord. And be, have family devotions. Why? Well, I've given you a reference here, which I hope you will memorize. Deuteronomy twenty-nine, twenty-nine. He says, The secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong unto us and to our children. So if you want to have the things that are revealed for you and for your children, spend time every day in reading the Word of God and praying together, and see, decide every issue by the Word of God. Second Timothy three refers to Timothy learning from a child of scriptures. And then he goes on to say all scriptures given by inspiration of God and is profitable. And then he says that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished for every good work. So if you decide everything by the word of God, discipleship will really begin in your own home. Number three, home is the place to show genuine love. home is the place to show genuine love. A great deal is called love that isn't love. There is such a thing as erotic love, which is the love of sexual desire, but true love is unselfish, and we need to be very careful that we show genuine love, a genuine concern A. Between mates. Ephesians five, twenty-five. Husband and wife cannot be too concerned about each other, looking up for each other. And B. To children. Titus two says that the older women should teach the younger women to love their children, to love their husbands. C. True love. You read about this in first Corinthians thirteen. This is a passage that every Christian ought to study very carefully. And then honestly face up to it, how much do I know about true love? Love is unselfish. Love is not her own. Love is not easily provoked. Am I the bristly kind? Do I know what it is to show true love? D, love serves. Galatians five, thirteen. Not seeks to be served, but love serves. Number four, home is the place to practice hospitality. Home is the place to practice hospitality. A, welcome Christ. begin with this. But you say, the Lord is near on earth. I can't make him welcome. Well, Revelation three twenty says, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in unto him. So you can learn personal fellowship with the Lord Jesus, and then you can teach it to your family. And be his people. That is, welcome his people also. and see non-Christians. Give them a chance, give non-Christians a chance to see Christianity. Not just hear about it, but see it in your home. Second Kings twenty says, what have they seen in thy house? That might be a good question to ask every young couple when they set up housekeeping. What do people come into your house see? Do they see a place where true discipleship is practiced? And number five, home is the place to study God's word. A, set aside a place. Now, it's all right to read sitting in the living room, read whenever you can find a few minutes, but if you really want to study, you'll have to have a place where you can do it. Home is a place to study God's word. A, set aside a place. B, and a time. Now, if you don't have a time, you're probably going to end up not finding any time. You'll have to make time. You get time to eat, don't you? Feed your body, fill your stomach three times a day. Surely you can find some time out of the day. when you can study God's Word. Not just read a chapter or a verse or read something on a Christian calendar, but some time when you can study. C. Acquire some help to study. There are many helpful books to study. And D. Share what you learn. If you don't pass it on, you'll become like a dead seed. share what you learn. And E, practice each truth learned. There's no point in learning how to do anything if you can't get some handles on it. If it isn't practical, it isn't true. Now, section three, the disciple at work or business. One, his reason for working. Have you ever thought, why you expect to do a certain thing? Why you expect to have a job? A, it is commanded. Now that's the best reason I know for doing anything. The Lord tells you to do it, you ought to do it. Second Thessalonians chapter three says, We command you that if any work not, neither shall he eat. And that would be the best cure I know for lazy people. just let them go hungry for a little while and they'll be glad to find the job. That's God's order. It's found hard, but it's true. If they don't work, they shouldn't eat. Be honest trades. This is a revised reading of Titus three, fourteen. It says, let ours learn to maintain good work. But that is translated in me in some of the modern translations. Let them learn to profess honest trades. You'll have to decide whether a job is honest or not. I don't think I'd want to be a liquor seller. I don't think I'd want to run a gambling table. I don't think I could do those things as a disciple. Could I? But find a job that you can do which is honest and which will honor your Savior. Then see for the family. These are reasons now for working. One reason is for the family. First Timothy, five, eight. If you don't provide for your own, if you've denied the faith, then you're worse than an infidel. If you've got a family, take care of them. And D, to give. Ephesians four talks about a man who used to be a thief. He says, let him that stole, steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands that he may have to give to him who needed. Isn't that a switch? Isn't that a change? He used to be a thief, now he's a giver. That's what Christianity does. Very practical. He's not, repeat, not riches. That is not a reason for working. If you're looking hard to lay up something, you've got a wrong motive. And F as unto the Lord. As unto the Lord. Do it heartily as unto the Lord. Do it because you want to please the Lord. Now, number two, using the time properly. A, if employed, the time is the bosses, the employers. He bought it. He paid for eight hours of it. And you have no business to give him seven and a half. If employed, the time is the employers. See, some jobs allow time to think. Suppose you're driving a truck. Is that a marvelous opportunity to memorize Scripture? Wonderful time to think and pray? Use your time. A lot of jobs that you do really don't take all of your thoughts. You'll be surprised how your thoughts are rambling. while you're working at a job. Now, you don't want to let them ramble too much. You may get hurt or hurt somebody else. But you'll find that you can use your time well. And then, see, use your coffee breaks profitably. If your employer allows you some time, what are you doing with that time? Trading jokes that the rest of the fellows, some of them, maybe a little on the shady side. I won't do you any good. Carry a little testament with you in your pocket. You can get little thin ones that hardly take up any room. They're only about one-third as thick or heavy as a cigarette pack that you used to carry. And it's a fine thing to have it where you can pull it out and read a little something, whenever you have a few minutes. Do we, if in business, now we're assuming now that the Christian is not employed, but that he has his own business. Adjust your goals to the word, capital W, God's word. Adjust your goals to the word. That is, decide what am I really trying to do? Am I really trying to get rich? Am I really trying to become famous as a man who has the biggest business of this kind in the world? What am I really trying to do? use business contacts for witnessing. Now, you have to be tactful and you have to be careful, but don't hold back from speaking to somebody about the Lord because you're afraid it might lose your little business. Remember, you're here on business for the king. And S, if still in school, pray about your occupation. What are you going to do when you get out of school? It isn't a foregone conclusion that you ought to be a doctor. It isn't a foregone conclusion that you ought to follow your father's footsteps. Find out what God wants you to do. And you never take advantage of another person. In business or in any other way, if you're a true disciple, you're not going to take advantage of anybody. Now just let me say a word about this fourth one. The disciple needs some recreation. Recreation not amusement. Amuse means not to think. Recreation means to recreate. Now recreation will build up your body and mind. Amusement will simply keep you from thinking. You don't need amusement, you do need recreation. Number two, you are responsible to care for body and mind. God brought them. B. You gave them, didn't you? Present your body a living sacrifice. Romans twelve. C. Bodily exercised profits. Is profitable. How long? For a little time. It says profits little in the King James Version, but it means for a little time. Bondly exercise is profitable. D. God knows your frame is weak. Psalm hundred three. He knows it better than you do. E. The Lord called his own aside to rest. He said, Come ye apart and rest a while. Somebody said, If you don't come apart and rest, you may come apart. That's probably what's the matter to me right now. And number three, the limits of recreation. It must not hinder fellowship, A. It must not hinder fellowship with God, and B. It must not stumble anyone. These are the two tests to limit your recreation. It must not hinder fellowship with God. It must not stumble anyone.