My church is teaching about discipleship, so I've been thinking about discipleship as well. Below are my answers to some questions about discipleship. I'd love to have your feedback on any of this; let me know what you think, whether good or bad.
What is a disciple?
- Someone who has been baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and is learning to obey everything that Jesus has commanded us.
Why be a disciple?
- I want to be a fruitful seed and not fall away or be seduced by wealth (Matthew 13:18-23)
- I want to be gathered into Jesus’ barn and not burned (Matthew 13:24-30)
- I want to be a wise virgin not a foolish one (Matthew 25:1-13)
- I want Jesus to say, “well done, good and faithful slave” and not call me and evil and lazy slave (Matthew 25:14-30)
- I want to be a sheep and not a goat (Matthew 25:31-46)
- I want what I build to endure when the storm strikes and not get swept away (Luke 6:46-49)
- I want what I build to survive and not be consumed by the fire (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)
- I don’t want our lampstand to be taken away but to eat from the tree of life (Revelation 2:1-7)
- I want to receive the crown of life and not be harmed by the second death (Revelation 2:8-11)
- I don’t want Jesus to make war against me, but to receive from him the hidden manna and a white stone on which my new name will be written (Revelation 2:12-17)
- I don’t want to endure the terrible disease which Jesus will inflict on the followers of Jezebel, but to receive authority over the nations and the morning star (Revelation 2:18-28)
- I don’t want Jesus to come like a thief against me, but to have him declare my name before the Father and his angels (Revelation 3:1-6)
- I want to be a pillar in the temple of God, with the names of God, the new Jerusalem and Jesus written on me (Revelation 3:7-13)
- I don’t want Jesus to vomit me out of his mouth, but to be able to sit with him on his throne (Revelation 3:14-22)
- Etc.
How does someone become a disciple?
- Be baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit
- Learn what Jesus has commanded by studying Scripture and learning from godly teachers
- Learn how to do what Jesus has commanded by imitating his example and the examples of disciples who have gone and are going ahead (1 Corinthians 11:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; Hebrews 6:12, 13:7; 2 Thessalonians 2:14; Philippians 3:17)
Why make disciples?
- So Jesus can be glorified in the lives of others as I hope to glorify him in my own life
- So they can enjoy the benefits of knowing Jesus that I hope to enjoy myself
- Because Jesus has commanded us to do so, and this is part of the obedience of discipleship
Who makes disciples?
- Disciples make disciples.
