Discipleship Revisited

 

I recently blogged about The Great Commission and making disciples and I just threw down some notes from a sermon I preached last year, but I've been thinking about what it is to be a disciple and thought it is something worth continuing to spend some more time on. I mentioned a sermon from Matt Chandler that I found helpful so I thought I would share some notes I took from his sermon:

Village Identity (Part 2): The Mission of the Church

Matt Chandler

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

·      V. 18 – all authority, it doesn’t matter what He says next, it’s not gonna fail

·      As you go, as you live your life make disciples

·      Facts about you from Scripture:

o   You have been uniquely designed by God – 1 Cor. 12 Gifts; Psalm 139

o   You have been uniquely placed by God – Isaiah, Jeremiah, Acts 17

·      Make disciples

o   He didn’t say “converts”

o   Follower, learner, glad submission to, teachable, humble, longing to know more and follow more faithfully

o   Proclamation – telling others about Jesus, you gotta share the gospel

o   Movement & Maturity – transformation in lives, growth

§  A disciple is someone who observes all that Jesus commanded

§  The church must always be willing to humbly confront sin

§  It’s gotta be about depth

§  Where there is repentance over sin there is always a home among the covenant community of God

§  Community of consistent repentance

·      And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age

·      Are you a disciple?

·      Are you actively both intaking and outflowing?

Chandler says that "a disciple is someone who observes all that Jesus commanded." I think that is very true and very true to the text. It is a challenging description when you think about it. It has caused me to ask myself, "am I really observing all that Jesus commanded?" That is a good question to ask ourselves and a good test to see how we are shaping up as his followers. I would also add that a true disciple is someone committed to reproducing other disciples which is another test that shows "fruit" in a true disciples life. 

I have also been reading a book called "Godology: Because Knowing God Changes Everything" in which author Christian George talks about "Radical Discipleship." Here are some quotes from that portion of the book:

• Instead of leaving us books, Jesus left us believers. He injected His thoughts, ambitions, values, and lifestyle into twelve men. He taught them how to live and die, how to fish for men and spread the gospel. (p. 113)
• Jesus introduced a different kind of discipleship. In most ancient forms, students chose their master, but Jesus reversed the trend. Jesus handpicked His disciples, one by one, and called them to follow Him. "You didn't choose me," He reminded them, "I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit" (John 15:16). (p. 113)
• Before we can disciple others, Jesus must disciple us. (p. 114)
• Discipleship requires a life of total conformity to God. It demands a constant awareness of Christ's presence. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, "Christianity without the living Jesus Christ remains neccessarily a Christianity without discipleship; and a Christianity without discipleship is always a Christianity without Jesus Christ." The two go hand in hand. (p. 115)

Discipleship is central to Christianity and I love George's comment that we must first be discipled by Jesus if we are going to disciple others. That quote reminds me of what Paul had to say in the first chapter of Galatians. Paul says in verses 11-12,  "For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ." Paul wasn't out to promote some man-made message, it was the very message Jesus Himself relayed to Him. Paul was discipled by Jesus first and that's what gave him authority as an Apostle and authority behind his message to the gentiles. 

Spend time with Jesus, sit as His feet and glean all that you can from the Great Teacher, but don't stop there, observe all of His commands and spread the gospel to others, make disciples as you go and live your life.