Faith In Action Series; wk. 2 - Ephesians 1:15-23 The Heart Behind Effective Discipleship 2.15.26

Title: The Heart Behind Effective Discipleship
Key Verses: Ephesians 1:15-23
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

The Heart Behind Effective Discipleship

On a recent Sunday at Emmaus Church, we had the joy of welcoming Bradley Lincoln, Discipleship Strategist with the Nevada Baptist Convention. Bradley serves alongside nearly 170 churches across our state, helping leaders cultivate healthy, disciple-making churches. And his message fit perfectly into our current series: Faith in Action.

Throughout Scripture, we see bold moments of faith. David stepping toward Goliath. Peter stepping out onto the water. The woman reaching for the hem of Jesus’ garment. These are dramatic, unforgettable examples.

But faith in action is not only found in the extraordinary. It is found in everyday obedience. It is found when we resist sin. When we step up to serve. When we share the gospel. And one of the clearest ways we put our faith into action is when we make disciples.

Jesus said in Matthew 28, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples.” When we respond to His authority with obedience, that is faith in action.

Bradley pointed us to Ephesians 1:15–23, where the Apostle Paul reveals his heart for discipleship. From that passage, we see three characteristics of effective disciplemakers.

1. Grateful for the Salvation of the Lost

Paul begins by thanking God for the believers in Ephesus. He had heard of their faith and their love for one another, and he “did not cease to give thanks” for them.
Effective disciplemakers are marked by gratitude.

Paul never lost his wonder at salvation. He never got over what Jesus had done in his own life. That gratitude fueled his desire to invest in others. He was not content to celebrate conversions from a distance. He mentioned believers by name in his prayers.

For a young church like Emmaus, where we have seen salvations and baptisms over this past year, this is a powerful challenge. Are we just applauding moments, or are we consistently thanking God for specific people? Are we investing in them because we are deeply grateful that God saved them?

When gratitude fades, discipleship becomes someone else’s responsibility. But when gratitude is alive, it compels us to action.

Communion itself is meant to rehearse this gratitude. Every time we remember what Christ has done, our hearts should be stirred again. A grateful heart becomes an active heart.

2. Dependent on God for Spiritual Growth

Paul does not simply celebrate these believers. He prays for them.

In Ephesians 1:17–18, he asks that God would give them wisdom and revelation, that the eyes of their hearts would be enlightened. That language is intentional. It reminds us that spiritual growth is ultimately God’s work.

We can teach. We can model. We can encourage. But only God opens eyes.

This is true in parenting. It is true in mentoring. It is true in church leadership. We are responsible for obedience, but we are dependent on God for transformation.

Even Jesus made this clear. In Matthew 16:17, He tells Peter that it was not flesh and blood that revealed truth to him, but the Father in heaven.

Effective disciple-makers understand this. They work diligently, but they pray fervently. They trust that the same Spirit who saves also sanctifies.

Discipleship is not behavior modification. It is spiritual formation empowered by the Holy Spirit.

3. Passionate for Others to Experience All That Is Theirs in Christ

Paul’s prayer reveals his passion. He wants believers to fully experience what they already possess in Jesus.

He highlights three realities:

In Christ, There Is Hope

Biblical hope is not wishful thinking. It is confident expectation. It is the certainty that what awaits us in Christ outweighs any hardship we face now.

Like an athlete training for a future reward, believers endure because they know something greater is coming. As Peter writes in 1 Peter 1, we have a living hope and an inheritance kept in heaven for us.

Paul wanted believers to live with that hope shaping their perseverance.

In Christ, There Is Wealth

Earlier in Ephesians, Paul speaks of the inheritance believers receive. But in 1:18, he shifts perspective. He speaks of God’s glorious inheritance in the saints.

Astonishingly, we are part of what brings Him glory. Our lives, redeemed and transformed, display His greatness.

That truth changes how we see ourselves. We are not insignificant. We are glory bearers. Our spiritual growth magnifies Him.

In Christ, There Is Power

These believers lived in a culture filled with opposition, temptation, and spiritual pressure. Paul reminds them that they have access to the same power that raised Christ from the dead.

The power that exalted Jesus above every authority is at work in His church.
We are not called to make disciples in our own strength. We are empowered by the risen Christ.

Grateful. Dependent. Passionate.

Bradley summarized it this way:

• Effective disciplemakers are grateful for the salvation of the lost.
• They are dependent on God for spiritual growth.
• They are passionate to see others experience all that is available to them in Christ.

Discipleship flows from having experienced Christ personally. When you have tasted hope, you want others to have it. When you know the assurance of belonging to Him, you want others to know it. When you’ve experienced His power, you want others to walk in it.
Emmaus Church, this is how our faith moves from belief to action. We do not need dramatic moments to prove our faith. We put our faith into action every time we intentionally help someone else follow Jesus.

Because all authority belongs to Him.

And based on that authority, we go and make disciples.