by Heather Carreiro

Created on: June 28, 2008

In the New Testament the word "Christian" is used only three times. The church started among the Jewish people in Jerusalem, but they considered themselves as Jewish followers of Jesus. They did not say, "I am a Christian" or "He is a Christian." They said, "I am a follower of the WAY." They said, "I am a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth." It was at the city of Antioch, years later, that the word Christian began to be used.

Now although Christian is used only three times in the New Testament, the word "disciple" is used over 200 times to describe the followers of Jesus. The word disciple literally means "student" and "follower." If we are to be a disciple, we must be a student of Jesus. We must be a student of Jesus' word. In order to be a "follower of the WAY," we must know the way! Jesus shows us the way and gives us all the instructions, the "map" we need to follow the Way. If we don't read our instructions, if we don't look at the map, we won't go anywhere. In today's session we will talk about the power of the Word of God, why we need to know it, and how we can study it to truly be a disciple of our Savior Jesus Christ.

So why study the Bible? Isn't it enough to come to meetings once or twice a week? Isn't it enough to listen to a preacher preach the Word of God on Sunday meetings? I'm telling you, no it's not enough. Why? Because God has called us to be transformed and made new by the renewing of or minds (Romans 12:1-2). If we come every Sunday and on the inside, in our hearts, we remain the same, then we are not growing. We are not becoming a student and a follower of Jesus. We are merely listening to someone else. God wants us to know His Word in our hearts and in our minds.

Let's look at Acts 20:32; in this chapter Paul is leaving the church at Ephesus. Ephesus is in modern day Turkey. The apostle Paul spent three years in Ephesus and he is now saying goodbye to the elders of the church. As he leaves, this is what he tells them: "Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." Paul is leaving. He will no longer be the shepherd over this flock. He commits the Ephesian church to God AND to the word of his grace, being the Bible. Now he says two things about what the Word can do. Here we see that the Bible, the Word of God, has supernatural power.

The word can build you up. When you build a building you start with the foundation and then you build up up up. Sisters

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