86 14 Habits of Highly Effective Disciples
Encourage Application
- Write on a marker board: Partial obedience is total disobedience.
Invite members to ask God to help them examine their actions over
the last week, looking for times when they were only partially obe-
dient to God. Distribute note cards and encourage them to write
down specific areas of their lives where they are not totally obedi-
ent to God. Instruct them to place the card in their Bibles at this
passage as a reminder of what can come from partial obedience to
God. Close with a prayer of commitment.
Teaching Plan—Lecture and Questions
Connect with Life
- Begin by reading the following story:
The city installed red-light cameras at intersections where
drivers frequently crossed after the light had turned red.
Over the course of the first few months after the cam-
eras had been installed, several citations were issued and
the number of wrecks at the intersections were reduced.
However, a group of citizens lobbied the city council to
remove the cameras. After a heated debate, the issue was
put to the city for a vote. By a slim majority, the citizens
voted to remove the cameras, so the cameras were taken
down. Incidents of red-light running returned; accompa-
nied by more wrecks.
Ask, Why would the citizens vote to remove the cameras? Allow
time for discussion. Say, While a number of issues may have been
involved, one reason given was that people wanted to be able to run
the red-lights without the fear of being caught. They wanted to dis-
obey the law with impunity (freedom from punishment). Say, To d a y
we will consider how highly effective disciples choose to obey God
completely.