Women's Bible Study - September 25th, 2024 - Called to Follow: Worship and Discipleship

In one paragraph

Natalie taught from Matthew 8 through 11 on what it actually means to be a disciple, using the ten-thousand-hour rule as a framework for understanding spiritual formation. She argued that following Jesus is not a passive agreement with his teachings but an active apprenticeship requiring the same kind of deliberate, sustained practice that produces mastery in any craft. The three goals of that...

Read together

1. Matthew 9:9 Jesus calls Matthew to follow him
2. Matthew 9:36-37 Jesus has compassion on the crowds like sheep without a shepherd, the harvest is plentiful but workers are few
3. Romans 12:2 do not conform to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind
4. Luke 10:38-42 Mary and Martha, Mary has chosen what is better sitting at Jesus' feet
5. John 15:5 I am the vine and you are the branches, apart from me you can do nothing
6. Matthew 5:19 whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven
7. Matthew 7:14 small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, only a few find it
8. Matthew 10:5-8 Jesus sends out the twelve, go to the lost sheep of Israel, proclaim the kingdom, heal the sick
9. Matthew 28:19 go and make disciples of all nations, Jesus' closing words to his apprentices
10. Ephesians 2:10 God created good works in advance for us to walk in, referenced by Monique

Talk about it

1. Natalie described the ten thousand hour rule and how it applied to her learning photography. Where in your own life have you seen that kind of deep, repeated practice produce real mastery, and what would it look like to bring that same commitment to your faith?
2. Natalie pointed out that the word 'disciple' appears nearly 300 times in the New Testament while the word 'Christian' appears only three times, and that there was no middle category of people who agreed with Jesus but did not follow him. What is the difference, in your day-to-day life, between agreeing with Jesus and actually apprenticing under him?
3. Natalie talked about the Mary and Martha story and said she is only now, ten years in, learning to sit at Jesus' feet rather than always staying busy like Martha. What is the biggest thing in your schedule or habits that crowds out time with God, and what is one small change you could make this week?
4. Natalie said that Christian formation is counter formation, because culture is not pulling us toward Christ-likeness, and that it takes real work to become what God intends rather than what the world has already shaped us into. Who are the people you spend the most time with, and how are those relationships shaping the direction of your formation?
5. Natalie described Jesus' three rhythms of ministry as making space for the gospel, preaching the gospel, and demonstrating the gospel, and she challenged everyone to have a ready answer if someone asks why they have hope. How would you explain the gospel to someone who asked you about it today, and where in your current circles of influence is there someone who might be ready to hear it?