Acts: Spirit-led Discipleship

One of our Core Values at The Centre is discipleship. We are striving to be a church with disciples who make disciples who make disciples who make disciples. More than growing numerically at The Centre, we want each person who calls us home to grow in depth and maturity in their relationship with Jesus (what the apostle Paul calls growing up into Christ – see Ephesians 4:1-16). But the only way that will happen is if we’re led and directed by the Spirit.

Acts 8 gives us a great picture of what it means for people to be led by the Spirit in their discipling relationships. The first half of the chapter tells the story of Simon the Sorcerer who wanted to buy the power of the Holy Spirit so that he could give the power to other people, likely for a fee. He wanted to control the Spirit rather than being controlled by God. The very next story is about Philip and the Ethiopian. Here is a man who was being led by the Spirit into truth and saving knowledge of Jesus. He wanted to live in obedience, and without delay.

This is a good reminder that in each of our discipling relationships there needs to be three parties involved: the disciple, the one being discipled, and the Holy Spirit. If the Holy Spirit is not guiding and directing this relationship then what will likely happen is the person may become more morally upright, but they will not be any closer to God.

At The Centre we do not want to pursue behaviour modification, we must pursue heart transformation, and this is only done through the power of God’s Spirit.

To help you prepare for this Sunday’s message, read through all of Acts 8, and compare the different responses of Simon the Sorcerer and the Ethiopian Eunuch. See you Sunday at 6pm!

Pastor Mike