Discipleship
I dare not attempt to expand on what a Disciple is. Countless faithful saints have written Volumes of extra-biblical material on the subject and have done far more justice than I could hope to do – and should we even have to consult anything other than the scriptures themselves (2 Tim 3:16)? I believe scripture to be plainly clear on the topic, So instead of attempting to write anew, I aim to remind us that making Disciples is one of the foundational commands given in scripture to a follower of Christ. I certainly do not believe there is any lack of clarity in the command Jesus so clearly proclaimed to his Disciples in the all so familiar words recorded in Matthew 28:18-20 known as ‘The Great Commission”:
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The scriptures never refer to this command as “The Great Commission” and while I certainly believe it is a “Great” command I also think that may steer some people to believe it is a calling above and beyond basic Christian life. That certainly is not the case. I believe the word Great is accurately used in the context that it is surely “Great” work, It is surely a great challenge to make Disciples of all the Nations and it can be a “great” blessing for those that embrace and follow this command obediently. However, it is not reserved for certain Christians who have ascended to some so-called Greater level of spiritual maturity or special calling. Instead, let us take it for what scripture reveals it as, a command from our Lord and Savior to all who follow him to “Go and make disciples of all nations”.
In this context Discipleship is a primary and foundational calling for all Christians. Unfortunately, many people believe that going to service on Sunday and perhaps a few other times a year is all that is required of a Christian. Meanwhile, others who may know and confess Discipleship as important still find themselves too busy with daily life and a ‘routine’ to devote time to discipleship. I was certainly guilty of the ladder.
Remember, the first Disciples did not meet once a week, twice a week, or even five times a week. They were together with one another, and more often than not Jesus, every day from the time Jesus started his ministry until the evening of the last supper.
What did Jesus say Discipleship looks like:
Luke 14 Tells us:
26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Jesus clearly states that anyone who does not “bear his own cross” can not be his Disciple. What does bearing your own cross look like? Luke also has this recorded for us in Chapter 9:
23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very soul?
The path of Discipleship is one that must be walked by anyone rightly to be called a disciple of Christ. This involves our entire mind, body, spirit and soul. It requires us to rely on the power and counsel of the Holy Spirit, the wisdom and truth of God the Father and a sincere inward desire to be conformed to the likeness of his Son Jesus Christ -and to see and help others do the same.
Conclusion
Discipleship is not easy, it is not popular and it is not done with an expectation of worldly gain. However, there is no higher calling and no greater cause than glorifying God, being conformed to the likeness of Christ and helping others do the same.
If you are not under the discipline of a sound local church as well as have a group of fellow believers that truly bear each other’s burdens (Gal 6:2), Pray for one another (James 5:16) , Hold each other accountable (Prov 27:17 / Mat 18:15-17) and Worship and study Gods word together (Col 3:16), I encourage you to be intentional about finding such a group of believers. This site may very well have an existing group that would be just that for you and I am sure you would be a blessing to them as well.
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