The beginning of a new series: Elevation Fire. Digging into the 5 passions that Elevation is founded on. Week 1: Keep Discovering

If you want a study tool to go along with the podcast, see Lift Notes here:

Elevation Fire: Keep ____________

May 1, 2011

The VISION that put a fire in our belly is….____ Disciples. _______ Disciples.

In order to see God move us toward that vision, we want to intentionally live out 5 passions, the first of those is: Keep ____________.

We believe that in essence, what it means to be a _______________ is to keep discovering.

Even that word disciple, means _____________ or _______________.

Do you see yourself as an apprentice of Jesus?  Are you an actively engaged as a life-long learner?

 

This morning we are going to see from Peter’s example how the discipleship process is not a one-time ___________, it’s a continuous __________ of learning a whole new way of life from Jesus.

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God. ¹⁵ “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”… As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” ¹⁸ At once they left their nets and followed him.   Mark 1:14-18

 

The author of the book of Mark gives you a little snapshot into what Jesus has to offer-a whole new way of life where heaven invades your life little by little, and the way you experience it is by dropping everything and following Jesus, and that’s what Peter does.

 

Then in Mark 1:21-37, Jesus takes Peter on a road trip and begins to teach him through _________ what this new way of life with God is all about.

After a couple of years learning from the Master, Peter has discovered much of what life is all about, and reaches a great moment: Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” ²⁸ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” ²⁹ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.” Mark 8:27-29

Jesus responded with a breakout affirmation that Peter is so blessed to know this.  But, in the very next scene Peter rebukes Jesus for saying he has to die and then Jesus says: “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” Mark 8:33

 

Peter is one of the heroes of the gospel, but he shows the example for us that none of us will ever have it all together, we all need to humbly keep discovering.

On the night of Jesus’ betrayal, after the last supper, he told his closest 12 apprenctices:“You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written: “ ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ ²⁸ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” Mark 14:27-28

Galilee is where the journey of discipleship ________, it’s where Jesus first said “Come follow me.”  And now he is saying, “I’m going ahead of you into Galilee”, meaning, we are not done yet, you all are going to fall away but I’m not done with you yet, what started at Galilee will continue. This once again teaches that discipleship is never over, we always have more to learn, more to grow.

Peter responds to Jesus’ words and proves how he still has so much more to learn, as he discounts what Jesus says, puffs himself up and throws his friends under the bus. Peter declared, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” Mark 14:29

 

We are passionately convinced that discipleship is that humble place of knowing that we don’t have it all together but that we are invited to learn from Jesus as his apprentice on an amazing adventure of discovering more and more of the new way of life that Jesus called the kingdom of God.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download