Deliberate discipleship – Dependence on God

Like an iceberg, discipleship is not just the external stuff that people see but also the internal issues below the surface - who we see ourselves to be as our identity in Christ, how we deal with relationships in our life, the walls we encounter, or the baggage we carry.  All of these things form the foundation of our lives, which if well built, allow us to develop healthy Christian disciplines. Healthy discipleship brings encounter with God leading to transformation. It is not just developed individually but needs the support of community. 

Jesus showed this in his ministry to people and his development of his disciples. He taught them what it looked like to be his followers who actively participate in the kingdom of God. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches his disciples about kingdom living.   This sermon is not about rules or a code of ethics but descriptors of what a disciple looks like. Likewise, the blessings are not part of a reward system but the naturally produced effects of lives lived this way.

Read Matthew 5.1-10

Link to Study Here