Jesus did not say, “Go therefore and make Christians of all nations…” But He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” (Mt. 28:19). Now, in reality, a Christian is a disciple and a disciple is a Christian, but perhaps some have come to see the word “Christian” as meaning something more lax and casual than the word disciple. Or, they see the word Christian merely what one becomes when he obeys the Gospel. The purpose of this lesson is to give emphasis to what the Lord wants His church to produce. One thing is very clear… He does not want us to merely lead people to become Christians, but true disciples of Christ. Let’s study together…
A disciple is one who is a learner of another with the objective of becoming like that person. Jesus said in Luke 6:40, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” Disciples are students of Jesus in order to become like Jesus! Obviously, this entails much more than being baptized and “going to church!” Christ has left His followers an example that they “might follow in his steps” (1 Pt. 2:21).
In the “Great Commission,” Jesus indicates the mission of His people is to make disciples and they do so by “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Key to anyone becoming a genuine disciple is ongoing teaching and learning that transforms the mind and the life (see Rom. 12:1-2). Christianity itself is a taught religion (see Jn. 6:45). Through reading and studying the Gospel accounts, newborn babes come to understand not only the pursuit and passion of Jesus, but their own!
Sixteen times in the Gospels, Jesus said, “Follow me.” Many times this phrase entailed going with Jesus somewhere, but it wasn’t just for a walk, but for training and work. Notice just a few such examples:
1. Mt. 4:19 – “And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’” It is interesting that Jesus begins with sharing the ultimate mission of His disciples!
Mt. 8:22 – “And Jesus said to him, ‘Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.’” In short, disciples are not those who make excuses for not really following Christ.
Mt. 16:24 – “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’” Discipleship involves the denial of self for the sake of following Jesus wherever that leads, even bearing one’s own cross. Luke adds the word “daily” to this cross-bearing pursuit (see Lk. 9:23).
If we aren’t careful, we can insinuate to those who come to Christ that the Christian life is about being saved and meeting with the church (at least when it is convenient). We are not minimizing those things, but we need to teach, even before conversion, that a Christian is one who strives to follow Christ in all things no matter where that leads. There is cost to count (see Lk. 14:28).
Jonathan Jones II, in a gospel meeting, said this about discipleship:
“Jesus does not just call His followers to be His students. He’s not just calling us, ‘Come and learn my teaching. Come and learn the facts of my doctrine so that you’ve got all the right answers in your mind.’ He is calling us to fundamentally have our lives transformed and changed in a very real world, real life, practical ways so that my language, my behavior, my attitudes, my actions are literally being reshaped and molded after the ways of Jesus… So a student is one who learns information, but a disciple is one who copies the lifestyle of the Master. Much more than just a learner or a student, a disciple is a follower.”
Let’s be disciples, true followers of Jesus and lead others to be the same!
Daren Schroeder
