Being a Disciple

The Great Challenge

Pastors throughout the world are challenged by the Great Commission -

Matthew 28:18–20 NIV

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Specifically, Jesus told the disciples to go and make other disciples. This challenges me. Churches are facing challenges that they didn’t face 50, 30, or even 20 years ago. They face pressures to be entertaining more than engaging. (Is it possible to be both?) They are told to preach shorter, simpler, and have fewer Biblical references. I’m told that the current fad for church promoting is the coffee shop, dark sanctuary, and smoke and lights.

Don’t get me wrong…sometimes sermons ought to be shorter and simpler. I’m not opposed to entertaining if it has a higher purpose. Church ought to be fun. I have no issue with the comforts of a coffee shop or the special effects of lights and smoke. I’ve seen it done well and the people were all participating. I’ve seen it done poorly when the congregation were just watching. My issue is engagement. Are we being engaged as disciples ourselves? Are we engaging others to be disciples?

I have results of a survey on Christians in America. In each question, the highest percentage that strongly agrees with the statements occurs in the groups where people are most engaged in discipleship.

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This survey resonates with me because it confirms the importance of what Jesus called us to be … disciples and disciple makers!

Discipleship is Action

Matthew 28:18–20 NIV

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

When this is read in English, the primary impact Jesus intended is often missed. But the intent is quite clear in the original language of the New Testament. Greek is a language of action. In the primary sentence that begins with "Therefore go....", you will find one main verb and several other verb forms. The main verb is amplified by the other verb forms, but the main verb dearly identifies the action to be taken. The main verb is, "make disciples". "Disciples" is actually a part of the verb itself.

In Matthew's account he places these words of Jesus as the final conclusion. They are the final instructions from the Lord to His disciples. Like a final will and testament, they are intended by their placement to carry great significance. After all that Jesus had taught them and done among them for over three years, these were His parting words, His Great Commission.

‘R’ You a Disciple?

Let’s go back to the survey I talked about earlier. Apparently, Christians aren’t very quick to adopt a ‘discipleship’ mindset.

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This chart suggests the number 1 reason that people are not being discipled is that it is not something they think about. Well, guess what, that is what I am attempting to do today…get you to think about it. As believers we are challenged to both be and make disciples for our Savior.

In 2004 I began as the lead pastor of our church. At the same time there was a powerful movement of the Spirit happening at Sam Houston State University. Over the next 15 years they would see hundreds of college students saved, discipled, and many sent around the world.

Jason and Kim Bell – formerly at SHSU

Josh and Jamie Bell – UH at Clear Lake

Ted and Bethany Burnett – Egypt

Daniel Clark – Turkey

Steve and Jennifer Cuttino – Saudi Arabia

Eli and Mary Gautreaux – formerly at SHSU now in global church planting.

Will and Angela Lester – Israel

Austin and Amy Mangham –

Cody Miller – Palestine

Josh and Mayra Renfro – Chile

Joe Sedillo – Buffalo, NY

Taylor and Lauren Simmons – Chaplain and XA at SHSU

24 individuals saved, discipled, and sent! These are just the ones that we personally support as a church.

I was talking to Taylor Simmons last week and I asked him how he responds to the question, “What is a disciple?” and he told me that when discussing disciples, they have identified 3 characteristics. They call them the 3 ‘R’s – Reading, Relationship, and Responsibility.

Reading

I know. I just lost all the people who don’t enjoy reading. Steve and Jennifer attended church here during their last internship. If you ever talked with Steve, you would find out that he loves basketball and reading. Steve has read and retained amazing Christian classics. The authors have become his mentors. This is true of all the men and women from XA that I know – Eli, Mary, Jason, Josh, Taylor – they were all hungry to learn more about Jesus and become better mentors for others.

The Bible describes a group of people called the Bereans who demonstrated an eagerness to know the Gospel

Acts 17:11 NIV

Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Reading isn’t just about books; it is about intentionality. In our last Bible study, the lesson was titled “Listen Carefully”. Some of you are old enough to remember the posters that were abstract colors and meaningless until you stood a distance away and tried to cross your eyes a little. Suddenly, a plane emerged! An object came into focus. You must intentionally look. Disciples must intentionally learn through reading, listening, and seeing.

Even the early church had its own training ground – Antioch.

Acts 11:25–26 NIV

Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

In Antioch they learned about the teachings of Jesus, they shared prophetic knowledge, cared for one another, and were led by the Spirit.

Relationship

Relationship must be both vertical and horizontal. At our church we express this as “Connect to God and Others”.

Vertically - there needs to be a lifeline with Jesus through the Spirit. That relationship should be growing all the time. As a result, we become Christ-like. We are listening, feeling, submitting, and learning. Having a relationship with Jesus provides the life blood for our spiritual existence.

John 15:5–6 NIV

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

Horizontally – Christians need community. Harvey Hermann in Discipleship by Design says:

People gather together all the time. They join lodges, neighborhood associations, charitable organizations, unions and so on. But the community of God is very different. It is more than Christians associating together -much more. The discipling method of Jesus demonstrates how Christians are to live with one another. Rather than joining a Christian organization which has programs designed for the public welfare, the challenge for today's church is to live with one another in dynamic relationship sharing the Lord and initiating Jesus. Community is costly, often today's church life is not.

His final statement is powerful…community is costly, often today’s church life is not. Sadly, people remove themselves from community. Community sometimes takes blood, sweat, and tears. To make real connections with other it takes honesty, confidentiality, frequency, humility, and courtesy.

Responsibility

2 Timothy 2:2 NIV

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.

For the last several weeks we’ve been looking at what the Bible has to say about serving. That is discipleship. That is what a disciple does. Do you remember how James linked faith and works (serving) together. Isn’t that what responsibility is?

As children grow, they take on more and more responsibility. They take on household tasks like cleaning their rooms, feeding the cat, or washing the dishes. Responsibilities become more significant when they watch their younger brothers and sisters or take your car to HEB for some groceries. As parents, you have entrusted your children to care for themselves and others.

Jesus entrusted the disciples and then they were sent out.

Being a disciple of Jesus meant carrying your own cross. It meant total commitment to Jesus and His mission. Being Jesus' disciple meant giving yourself away unselfishly, loving as Jesus had loved them. Jesus showed them how to understand the Word of God. He taught them how to pray. He gave them assignments in ministry and then reviewed their ministry upon completion. He held them accountable for what they were learning and the responsibilities He had given them. Jesus worked with them until they began to produce fruit in keeping with their ministry. And then even after they had been discipled, He promised that He would never leave them as they carried out the Father's will.

Jesus called His disciples to “Come” “See” “Follow” and “Be”. Bit by bit they grew until they had been given the Holy Spirit and entrusted with the Gospel.

‘R’ You a Disciple?

How are you measuring up?

Reading? – pursuing the Truth

Relationships? – vertical and horizontal

Responsibility? – can you be trusted

Dallas Willard in his book The Great Omission pointed out a major flaw in the American church:

For at least several decades the churches of the Western world have not made discipleship a condition of being a Christian. One is not required to be, or to intend to be, a disciple in order to become a Christian, and one may remain a Christian without any signs of progress toward or in discipleship…. So far as the visible Christian institutions of our day are concerned, discipleship is clearly optional.

The idea of legacy has been heavy on my heart lately. As a pastor I’ve thought, what will be the legacy of Grace Chapel? I’m listening to the Spirit but this I know already…Grace Chapel needs to be a disciple making church.

Today would be a great opportunity for you to make a commitment to the Lord.