Making Disciples

Making Disciples Matthew 4:18–25 (KJV) 18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. 23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. 24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. 25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan. Intro. - The ministry of Jesus Christ began with the call of Peter and Andrew, and James and John to be disciples; and it closed with the commission given to those whom He called His disciples to go into all the world to make disciples of all nations. • Throughout His ministry Jesus Christ was occupied with making disciples. His ministry was devoted to teaching and training men that these men might be His disciples. • From among those who called themselves disciples of the Pharisees and from among others who called themselves disciples of John, and from those who called themselves disciples of Moses, our Lord called men to be disciples of Jesus Christ. • His earthly life was invested in these men that they might be His disciples and that they might do the work of a disciple. • Jesus Christ is calling men today to be His disciples. If I asked you if you were a disciple of Jesus Christ, I imagine that almost without exception your answer would be, I am. • But before you give an answer I would like you to understand the requirements that Christ lays upon those who would be His disciples. To that end we will devote a number of studies to the subject of the disciples of Jesus Christ, for in the light of New Testament teaching few have any right to claim to be disciples of Jesus Christ; and that profession which we would so glibly make, in light of the demands laid down in the Word of God, would soon prove to be false profession. • There is a vast difference between being saved and being a disciple. Not all men who are saved are disciples although all who are disciples are saved. • In discussing the question of discipleship, we are not dealing with a man’s salvation. We are dealing with a man’s relationship to Jesus Christ as his Teacher, his Master, and his Lord. • More than 250 references are made to disciples in the gospels. One cannot read through the gospels that record the earthly life of Jesus Christ without recognizing that the relationship which existed between Christ and these men whom He called to be His disciples was a unique and special relationship. • It was a personal and intimate relationship — a relationship based on the knowledge of the person of Christ, a love for the person of Christ, submission to the person of Jesus Christ, and obedience to the commands of Jesus Christ. 1. What is a Disciple? a. The term disciple is used in several different ways. Until we are able to distinguish these, we will not comprehend what is involved in discipleship. b. First of all, the word disciple means a learner, a pupil, a scholar, one who comes to be taught. i. The idea of teaching and learning is preeminent in the word disciple. ii. In the fourth chapter of the gospel of Matthew as our Lord was walking by the sea, He saw two brothers, Peter and Andrew. They were partners in a fishing business. Later, He saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, who were active partners in a lucrative fishing business along with their father. iii. Our Lord summoned these men to Himself, away from the successful pursuits in which they were engaged. He called them to follow Him. iv. They abandoned their nets, forsook their business, and became close followers of Jesus Christ. c. Then in Matthew 5:1, we read: “Seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them.” i. The relationship between Jesus Christ and those who at this point called themselves His disciples was the relationship of teacher to pupil. They were learners. ii. Recognizing themselves to be ignorant and considering Christ the fount of wisdom and knowledge, they turned to Him for instruction. iii. They were what could be called the curious. That which characterized them at this point and stage in their development was a curiosity about His words, His doctrine, His teaching. iv. As disciples, pupils who had heard a teacher who differed from any other teacher to whom they had submitted their minds, they were curious about His teaching and about Him as a teacher. They were willing to be taught. 2. The Disciple Always has a Master a. We find in the gospels that the ministry of Christ was largely devoted to teaching, and that teaching was given to multitudes who called themselves His disciples. i. They testified of Him that never had man spake as this man spake. There were many teachers and rabbis, but this man came with a unique message and a unique method, and they were captivated by His teaching. ii. They were willing to listen to what He had to say. So Christ’s ministry was largely a ministry of teaching those who had come to Him as His disciples. b. This teaching ministry was undergirded by the ministry of performing miracles. i. In the fourth chapter of Matthew’s gospel, after our Lord had called Peter and Andrew, and James and John, and they had left their ship, their nets, and their father, Jesus Christ (verse 23) “went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.” ii. The miracles that Christ performed in His early ministry were to undergird His teaching. His miracles authenticated His message. iii. He had called these men to be His students, and to prove to them that He had the right to teach, He performed miracles. iv. It was only after He had established His authority by the miracles that He performed, that we read in Matthew 5:1, “ … his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them.” The miracles, then, were subservient to the teaching; the works were subservient to the words. c. Great multitudes were willing to attend His teaching; great multitudes were willing to listen to what He taught. Although they were evaluating His words, they made no decision about it. They did not register any acceptance of it; they made no commitment to it; they did not turn from the false teaching of the false teachers in which they had been brought up. But they were willing to continue to listen to Him teach. d. We find in Mark 4:34 a reference to this fact: “Without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.” e. He expounded all things. i. The background of this summary statement is found in the thirteenth chapter of the gospel of Matthew where our Lord gave eight parables to His disciples. ii. We read in Matthew 13:2 that “great multitudes were gathered unto him.” Christ taught these multitudes but He taught in the form of parables. iii. “Then,” we read in verse 36, “Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them. … ” Christ’s exposition of His parables was to those who called themselves His disciples. f. We find, again, a reference to this fact in Mark 9:30–32: “They departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it. For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.” i. We find from this line of truth that there were many whom we would call curious ones who were termed disciples, who recognized something new and fresh and unique in Christ’s teaching, and who were willing to be taught. Their exercise was an intellectual exercise. They came to be challenged and stimulated intellectually without making any personal commitment to the truth that He was teaching or to the person of the teacher. ii. We would deduce from a passage such as the sixth chapter of John’s gospel where more than 5,000 men, not counting women and children, came together to hear Him teach and to spend all day long sitting at His feet, that the number of the curious who called themselves disciples must have been very large. If Christ could attract a group that numbered more than 5,000, who were willing to spend the entire day to hear Him teach, the multitude of the curious must have been innumerable. iii. That was why the Roman authorities as well as the Jewish authorities were so concerned as to where this movement that Christ was beginning would end; for they could see Christ spreading His doctrine among multitudes that would overthrow the Pharisees and overthrow Rome, and enthrone Jesus Christ. Multitudes who were only curious were called disciples. 3. The Cost of Discipleship a. Continuation i. Giving ear to the teaching of Christ did not make one a true disciple. We read in John 8:31: “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.” ii. Christ is saying to the curious that simple submission to His voice did not make them disciples— that there must be a reception of the truth, and there must be a response to the truth before they were eligible to be called true disciples. iii. Today there are multitudes of men who are willing a. to give their minds to the Word of God to study it as an intellectual pursuit, b. to listen to what Jesus Christ has to say. c. And they may even submit themselves to the teaching and preaching of the Scriptures from an evangelical pulpit. But these people have made no response to that truth or to the person of Jesus Christ. They would call themselves disciples of Christ, but Christ disowns them. d. It is possible to approach the Word simply to have one’s intellect stirred, to do what the Athenians did — to listen to some new thing — without any relationship to the truth or without any impact of that truth on one’s life. Such a person may call himself a disciple, but on the authority of the Word of God, he is not. He is among the curious who sit to be titillated and tantalized without any response to the truth that is presented. “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.” b. But there is a progression from the curious to the convinced. i. These are those who gave themselves perhaps out of curiosity to the Word of God, who had an intellectual curiosity as to what Christ would say and teach, and as they listened to His words and beheld His works, they were convinced of the truth of His word and the truth of His person. ii. They were convinced disciples. I find a reference to this in John 2 at the conclusion of the miracle of the turning of water into wine in Cana of Galilee. John 2:11 records: “This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.” iii. His disciples believed on Him. Here were people who had been challenged to follow Him, to listen to Him teach. They had received His teaching; and, when they beheld this miracle, they were convinced of the authority of the person and the truth of His word. John tells us that they believed on Him. c. A reference to this is also seen in Matthew 16:13: “ … he asked his disciples saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” What explanations have you heard about My words, about My works, about My person? Some identified Him with John the Baptist, some with Elijah, others with Jeremiah or one of the prophets. “He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?” i. The answers being given were answers by the curious. But Christ wanted to see if they had progressed beyond curiosity in their understanding of His person and His words. ii. So He asked them directly, “Whom say ye that I am?” And Simon Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” d. Here is an affirmation of faith in the person of Christ. He is the Son of the Living God. It is also an affirmation of faith in the work of Christ. i. He had come to be the Messiah. It was then that Christ pronounced a blessing upon Peter. Why? Because Peter had passed beyond the curious stage to the convinced stage, and he gives this great affirmation that brought our Lord’s commendation. He is now a committed disciple. e. The same truth is emphasized in John 6:67, 68. Multitudes are turning away from Christ because of His inflexible word that men must believe on Him. In verse 67 Jesus said to the twelve, “Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” f. What Peter is affirming in this passage is that, in spite of the defection by the curious, there are those who are convinced. They are called disciples because they are convinced of the truth of His person and His work. g. Although we have seen that those who are convinced represent a progression beyond the merely curious, we do not yet have our Lord’s concept of what constitutes a disciple. For in the gospels discipleship is not the result of the satisfaction of curiosity, nor is it even the result of a conviction that Jesus Christ is truth, and His word is true, although those are prerequisites. One becomes a disciple in the Biblical sense only when one is totally and completely committed to the person of Jesus Christ and His word. Apart from that commitment to Him and His word, one has no right to call himself a disciple of Jesus Christ.