Discipleship and Following Through

Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:18-23)

There are four types of places for the seed to be planted:
1). Beside the road
2). Rocky Ground
3). Thorny Road
4). Good Soil

1). The seed takes root in all the places but the roadside. Why? Because there was no soil. Relate that in a human/spiritual sense, and you can say that there was no growth because there was no faith. (v. 19)

2). Rocky ground, it has some soil to it. Basically saying that there's not a lot of Bible teaching and that the person's faith is weak. That person has the wrong solutions. Life's good, until calamity strikes, and the person collapses. Their faith is not strong enough.

3). Thorns are basically related to weeds in this concept. Weeds choke off the growth and fruit of good plants. Seed takes root, but outside influences crowd out the plant and it therefore does not produce. The weeds and/or outside influences can be any details of life that will throw you off track or cause you to stress and lose focus.

4). Good soil. Basically says that the person hears WITH faith and FOLLOWS THROUGH with positive volition and determination and faith. He hears, understands, and bears spiritual fruit.

Some will accept the seed, others will reject it. What will people do when they accept it? Will they know what to do?

Let's take a look at seeing how to make sure they will know what to do by digging into Ephesians 4:11-12.

It lists five spiritual gifts or occupations. What do each of these people do?

Some might say, well the teacher teaches, the prophet prophesies, and the apostle disciples. Well, that's right, but still wrong. Those people need to do MORE.

An apostle who is always helping or discipling but is never helping others or showing others how to disciple is not doing the work of a disciple. A prophet who prophesies but doesn't show someone how to prophesy is not doing the work of a prophet. An evangelist who shares the gospel with people but doesn't help people to believe the gospel and teach them to share it is not doing the work of an evangelist.

So basically, if you take another look at verse 12, it states that the spiritually gifted individuals are given to the church BOTH to function within their giftings AND to help others function within those giftings as well.

So when you decide to disciple someone, make sure you aren't just helping that person, but also showing and teaching them how to disciple as well. And just because you're spiritually gifted in an aspect doesn't mean that you should work in that all the time. It is time for the "equippers to stop doing all the work and start equipping others to do work." This may mean at times that the equippers may need to step out of the way so others can function as God has gifted and prepared them.

Are you teaching AND equipping?