TEN COMMANDS OF JESUS
(A Jesus Disciple Resource)
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” – Jesus
John 14:15
(A Jesus Disciple Resource)
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” – Jesus
John 14:15
Introduction
Someone asked, “Did Jesus really give us ten commandments?” The truth is, Jesus gave us many more than ten commandments and instructions, but in this discipleship study, we’ll focus on ten of His most important commandments.
Before we begin our study, you should understand two things:
First, Jesus does not want us to be distant slaves. He deeply loves us and wants to have a close relationship with each one of us. He has already proven His love for us by becoming a human being and dying to pay for our sins. He did that so we could be saved and become part of God’s family.
The second thing you should understand is that there is nothing we can do to earn God’s salvation and forgiveness. Every human being has been compromised by sin and owes God an unpayable debt. Our only hope was to have a Savior; someone without sin, who was willing to take the punishment for our sin. That’s what Jesus did. He paid the full price for our redemption by dying on the cross in our place. And because He did, every human being on earth now has the opportunity to be saved, and forgiven for their sins, by His grace. Ephesians 2:8–9 says to all who have put their faith in Jesus, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” The Bible is very clear that forgiveness and salvation can only be received by grace, not by being good enough. However, the blessed life that God wants for us comes through obedience. Thankfully, Jesus also made it possible for us to be free from the control of our fleshly passions so we can walk according to His Word and receive all that God has planned for us. This discipleship study will help you to do that.
Jesus’ desire is that our hearts change when we hear how He sacrificed His own life for us, and that we choose to love Him the way He loves us. He said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” In 1 John 5:3 the Bible says, “For our love for God means that we obey His commands. And His commands are not too hard for us.”
Through His commandments Jesus is inviting you into a daily relationship with Him; to follow Him, to love Him, and to be loved by Him. We are not saved because we keep His commandments. We keep His commandments because He saved us, because we love Him, and because we want to experience the life that He has for us.
So, let’s study––and obey––these Ten Commandments of Jesus.
TIP TO LEADER: Accelerate the fulfillment of the Great Commission by discipling in groups. Jesus discipled 12 men together, and they continued in partnership for life after He ascended to heaven. Invite others to join this discipleship study, and ask your student(s) to invite others to join.
Someone asked, “Did Jesus really give us ten commandments?” The truth is, Jesus gave us many more than ten commandments and instructions, but in this discipleship study, we’ll focus on ten of His most important commandments.
Before we begin our study, you should understand two things:
First, Jesus does not want us to be distant slaves. He deeply loves us and wants to have a close relationship with each one of us. He has already proven His love for us by becoming a human being and dying to pay for our sins. He did that so we could be saved and become part of God’s family.
The second thing you should understand is that there is nothing we can do to earn God’s salvation and forgiveness. Every human being has been compromised by sin and owes God an unpayable debt. Our only hope was to have a Savior; someone without sin, who was willing to take the punishment for our sin. That’s what Jesus did. He paid the full price for our redemption by dying on the cross in our place. And because He did, every human being on earth now has the opportunity to be saved, and forgiven for their sins, by His grace. Ephesians 2:8–9 says to all who have put their faith in Jesus, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” The Bible is very clear that forgiveness and salvation can only be received by grace, not by being good enough. However, the blessed life that God wants for us comes through obedience. Thankfully, Jesus also made it possible for us to be free from the control of our fleshly passions so we can walk according to His Word and receive all that God has planned for us. This discipleship study will help you to do that.
Jesus’ desire is that our hearts change when we hear how He sacrificed His own life for us, and that we choose to love Him the way He loves us. He said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” In 1 John 5:3 the Bible says, “For our love for God means that we obey His commands. And His commands are not too hard for us.”
Through His commandments Jesus is inviting you into a daily relationship with Him; to follow Him, to love Him, and to be loved by Him. We are not saved because we keep His commandments. We keep His commandments because He saved us, because we love Him, and because we want to experience the life that He has for us.
So, let’s study––and obey––these Ten Commandments of Jesus.
TIP TO LEADER: Accelerate the fulfillment of the Great Commission by discipling in groups. Jesus discipled 12 men together, and they continued in partnership for life after He ascended to heaven. Invite others to join this discipleship study, and ask your student(s) to invite others to join.
Commandment #1: REPENT & FOLLOW JESUS
Read: Mark 1:14–20
Discuss:
Respond:
Obey:
Read: Mark 1:14–20
Discuss:
- What two responses did Jesus call for when He preached the gospel?
- What does “repent” mean? (see Proverbs 28:13)
- What does “believe” mean? (see Romans 10:9)
- What does “gospel” mean? (see John 3:16)
- What did Jesus say to Simon and Andrew? What did that mean?
- What did these four disciples sacrifice to follow Jesus? (see also Mark 8:34–35)
Respond:
- What do I need to do this week to obey this command?
- Who will I teach Jesus’ commandments to this week?
Obey:
- Repent of sin and sacrifice whatever is necessary to follow Jesus.