What is a Disciple

Are you a disciple?

Matthew 28:18-20 “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.””

Jesus tells us to “GO” and make disciples.

Has anyone here ever wondered, just what IS a disciple?

What does that mean?

In Jesus day it had a clear meaning that most men knew and were expected to become.

Let’s start by defining what is a disciple.

Discipleship is the condition or situation of being a disciple, a follower, or a student of some philosophy, especially a follower of Christ

1. A disciple is someone who believes in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, intentionally learns from Him, and strives to live more like Him

2. For Christians, discipleship is when a person trains and equips a fellow believer to spread the message of Jesus Christ

3. A simple definition of discipleship is "the process of training people incrementally in some discipline or way of life"

Point 1

1. A Disciple is a lifelong learner.

The act of learning or following someone in order to learn all they know and to become like them.

In the time of Jesus this was a well-defined process.

Understanding the relationship of rabbi to disciple – understanding what discipleship means – will help us to better understand Jesus’ teachings because they help us better understand the teacher (Jesus) and His audience (the disciples).

There was not anything mysterious in the first century and prior centuries for a person to leave their families for days, weeks, or months to follow a rabbi around the countryside listening to a rabbi teach. Jesus was not the only one. If you remember John wrote about another teacher, John the Baptist, who did the same thing and had many disciples. Many of them left John to follow Jesus. The first part of the book of John spells some of that out. Jewish society encouraged and celebrated discipleship.

Jewish men were encouraged to follow a sage or teacher for part of their lives. Ancient rabbi’s had a trade to earn money and did not get paid when they were teaching or traveling as a teacher. Here is an interesting part of the disciple rabbi tradition, A married man could not leave for more than 30 days without permission from his wife. Another interesting fact is that a disciple was expected to listen to his rabbi over his parents. There are a couple of stories that illustrate this.

1 Kings 19:19–21 ESV

19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him. 20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” 21 And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.

I want you to see a contrast here. This is the time of Elijah and Elisha. They lived somewhere around 900 BC. 900 years before Christ walked the earth in human flesh. Ahab, was King around 873BC. If you know the story of Elijah you know this is near the end of his time on earth and he is calling a new disciple or replacement in this case. It would be somewhere around 852BC.

This calling a disciple or placing your mantle on someone to carry on is not new in Jesus time, it was common.

Let’s take a look at how Jesus called his disciples.

Luke 9:57–62 ESV

57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

What is the difference in the call of Elisha and a call to Jesus disciples?

The one under Elijah was usually temporary. Jesus call is permanent. Look at the differences here. Elisha was allowed to go back and say good bye to his parents and he threw a feast of his team of oxen for the village he was leaving. Being called was a great honor because he was leaving his life to take Elijah’s place.

Point 2

2. A disciple is dedicated to becoming like the one they follow, Jesus.

When Jesus called, what did he say and what’s my favorite question?

Jesus calls you for life. Why???

WHY?

Because the Christian life of the believer is not temporary, it is eternal.

Jesus said: ““Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”

There is no turning back…

Why? Because you are dedicating your life to learning and becoming like Jesus, the one you say you serve.

Point 3

3. A disciple of Jesus is called for life, 24/7/365, not just Sunday.

We have to be careful not to confuse Jesus’ demand as a permanent way of life with the call of another rabbi. While a disciple was seeking a deeper relationship with God through following a rabbi for a short time. The call to serve Jesus is a life-long call, but the historical call for intense spiritual training and indoctrination was a temporary call.

The call to discipleship in Matthew 28 18-20 is permanent “Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.

Jesus is the boss!

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

This is the order or command the church was built on. If it had been temporary there would not have been a church or a number of other things we know now.

Point 4

4. You cannot teach what you do not know.

The traditional call was only temporary, Jesus call is permanent.

Paul was a student of Gamaliel, one of the most renowned rabbi’s. Gamaliel was the grandson of Hillel who was followed by the Pharisee’s. Those who followed he school of Hillel were known for their missionary zeal.

Every disciple was encouraged to make a friend (haverim) who would partner with the to study and discuss religious texts. This was used to help aid them in learning.

Jesus was recorded by John 15:20, “Jesus said, “Remember the word that I said to you…” That at its basic meaning is what every true disciple obsessed over.

Who is your haverim, your accountability partner?

Point 5

5. You must be committed.

Says who?

Jesus, that’s who!

You are accountable!

Is it important for you to be a lifelong learner and obsess over Jesus words?

My answer is yes.

Why? (remember my favorite question?)

1 Thessalonians 2:13 ESV

13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

What is a Disciple?

He or She is a lifelong learner, committed to knowing and being as much like Jesus as they can be.

Should I be a disciple (learner)?

Yes, Jesus commanded it in Matthew 28:18-20. As God he directs us, but he also protects us.

Psalm 119:11 ESV

11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Hebrews 4:12–13 ESV

12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

We will talk more about these last few verses next week when we look at How to be a disciple.

Today I believe I have made clear, what is a disciple. Come back next week to see how.

Let’s pray!