Have you ever desired to study the Bible in a deeper, more intimate way, to be able to understand the truths of Scripture and apply them to your life? Have you ever wished that someone would come alongside you and help you learn how to become a more fervent follower of Christ?
In the short story A Scandal in Bohemia, Sherlock Holmes asks his assistant Dr. Watson, how many stairs led to their 221B Baker Street apartment. "You have frequently seen the steps which lead up from the hall to this room," Sherlock Holmes posed to Dr. Watson.
"Frequently," responded Watson.
"How often?" asked Holmes.
"Well, some hundreds of times," mused Watson.
"Then how many are there?"," quizzed Holmes.
"How many? I don't know," responded a bewildered Watson.
"Quite so! You have not observed. And yet you have seen." quipped Holmes. And he continued, "That is just my point. Now, I know that there are seventeen steps, because I have both seen and observed."
I wonder how many times we have turned through the pages of the Bible and read the words on the page so that we have "seen" but not "observed". To observe the truths in the Bible goes much deeper than a physical observation; it requires looking through a spiritual lens and letting the Holy Spirit bring to life the truths that you would never see otherwise.
There have been many times when I have read a portion of the Scripture, and in that moment, God would reveal something new to me that I had never noticed before.
The only way to really know God's heart is to study his word. That does not mean a casual reading, but rather reading it over and over with a prayerful heart.
You may be asking: "What exactly is 'discipleship'"? My simple definition is "discipleship is the process of reproducing yourself by intentionally pouring yourself into the life of someone else with whom you have a genuine relationship, to build maturity in their walk with Christ through teaching, learning, growing, and practicing their faith."
In other words, discipleship is about training up the next generation of Christians to be well-grounded in God's Word, so that his truths are evident in our lives, so that the world recognizes we are different. And because of the way we live our lives, others will be attracted to the gospel and will come to salvation in Jesus Christ and change their eternal address from Hell to Heaven.
We are to be a pattern that is created in the image of the original - Jesus Christ - and we are to help create more patterns with each new generation. This requires that we teach them how to study God's Word and how to apply it to their daily lives. The Bible is not just for consumption; Christianity is not a spectator sport. We must study God's Word and put the learnings into practice every day, demonstrating that we are true followers of Jesus. Our lives should look different than those who do not know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
This study through the book of John will help you grow as a disciple and provides a tool to help you as you follow the Great Commission and disciple others.
