D201 Lesson 2: Discipleship

Discipleship

Key Verse: “‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20

Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to help the student realize the importance and requirements involved in becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ.

What is a disciple?

After His resurrection Jesus said, “…All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”[1] The first command that Jesus gave to His disciples after receiving “all authority” was to go and make disciples. Are you a disciple? Are you actively making disciples? What is a “disciple”? According to Webster’s Dictionary, the word “disciple” means, “a pupil or follower of any teacher or school of religion, learning, art, etc.” The Greek word in the New Testament translated as “disciple” is “mathetes” that means, “learner; pupil”. A Christian disciple is one who learns from and follows the Person, life, and teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.

A disciple is a LEARNER, a FOLLOWER of Christ.

A disciple is not a know-it-all but is open and teachable, able to learn from the least to the greatest.

A disciple is open to wise rebuke and correction in the process of learning.

Proverbs 9:8–10 “Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. 9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. 10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Matthew 4:19 “Then He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’”

Matthew 5:1-2 “And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them…”

Hebrews 12:9–11 “Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

A disciple puts Christ FIRST in his life and obeys Him as LORD.

The disciple submits and surrenders his will to the will of Jesus Christ.

John 13:13 “You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.”

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Revelation 2:4 “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”

John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

Luke 6:46 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?”

Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”

2 Corinthians 5:15 “And He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.”

A disciple is committed in a life of DEVOTION to God in Bible Study and prayer.

Discipleship involves a relationship with Christ. Therefore, a disciple spends time daily with Christ in prayer, in hearing, reading and studying the Bible, and in meditating on and memorizing Scripture.

Psalm 27:4 “One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.”

John 8:31 “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.’”

Mark 1:35 “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.”

Luke 5:16 “So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.”

Luke 11:1-2 “Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.’”

Acts 2:42 “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

2 Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

A disciple is committed to a life of PURITY, one who takes steps to live a holy life separate from sin.

A disciple seeks to be like Jesus. This involves putting off the unrighteous deeds of the former life without Christ and putting on the character and nature of Jesus. The process of being conformed to the image of Christ in purity and holiness is called “sanctification”

1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.”

1 Corinthian 6:19-20 “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1 “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’ 17 Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.’ 18 ‘I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.’ 7 1Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

Colossians 3:5–10 “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,”

Titus 2:11–14 “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”

A disciple follows Christ UNASHAMEDLY.

Luke 9:26 “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.”

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

A disciple follows Christ SACRIFICIALLY.

Luke 9:23 “Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”

Mark 8:35 “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.”

Luke 14:28-33 “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able.’”

Luke 18:28 “Then Peter said, ‘See, we have left all and followed You.’”

Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

Fan or Follower?

Jesus did not come to win fans but to call followers. There is a BIG difference between the two. A fan is an enthusiastic admirer. A fan pays money for a ticket, wears the team logo, and sits in the grandstands to cheer on their team. Yet, they are not on the team. They receive no trophy. They do not appear in the team photo. They are not listed in the team’s hall of fame. Their investment is one of convenience. They go home after the game until the next week if they decide to attend at all. A team member (follower), on the other hand, has joined the team. They have counted the cost. They have chosen to give up comfort and convenience for something greater than themselves. They sacrifice for the team’s success. They pay the price in preparation. They submit to the coach’s training and discipline. They attend every team practice. They faithfully fulfill their assigned role on the team. They are personally invested in the team’s success. They lay everything down on the field. Their personal success is wrapped up in the team’s success. In the same way, a true follower of Jesus Christ is not a fan. They are not sitting in the grandstands on Sunday morning waiting to go home after the “game”. They are committed followers of Jesus Christ. They have counted the cost to follow Jesus. They willingly lay aside a life of leisure and pleasure that others enjoy in order to do the will of God. They sacrifice for the greater cause. They pay the price in the preparation of prayer and study of the Word. They are personally invested in Christ’s team—the church. They are submitted to the pastors and elders He has placed over them. They are committed to the church gatherings. They are faithful to their role in the church and in the world. They understand that their personal success is wrapped up in the success of the Christ’s church. It is followers, not fans, who will be awarded a crown on coronation day. They will be listed in God’s hall of faith. The fans may wear the t-shirt but they not wear a crown.

A disciple puts Christ first above every other earthly RELATIONSHIP.

Deuteronomy 13:6-11 “If your brother, the son of your mother, your son or your daughter, the wife of your bosom, or your friend who is as your own soul, secretly entices you, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which you have not known, neither you nor your fathers, of the gods of the people which are all around you, near to you or far off from you, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth, you shall not consent to him or listen to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him or conceal him; but you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. And you shall stone him with stones until he dies, because he sought to entice you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. So all Israel shall hear and fear, and not again do such wickedness as this among you.” (Although Jesus never taught His disciples to execute apostates, as seen in the following passages He did sanction severing any relationship that influences a disciple to compromise their relationship to Jesus Christ.)

Matthew 10:34-37 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” (“Set” means, “to alienate”)

Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” (Our feelings of love toward others should seem like “hate” in comparison to our love and commitment to Christ. Our commitment to Christ can cause our relationship with others to change so that they feel that we no longer love them or care for them because we refuse to participate in old patterns of sin with them.)

A disciple has counted the cost to follow Christ and does not LOOK BACK.

Genesis 19:17, 26 “So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, ‘Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.’…But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”

Luke 9:61 “But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.’”

John 6:60–66 (NKJV) “Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, ‘This is a hard saying; who can understand it?’ 61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, ‘Does this offend you? 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65 And He said, ‘Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.’ 66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.”

A disciple counts it an honor and privilege to SUFFER for Christ’s sake.

Luke 6:22 “Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.”

Acts 5:41 “So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.”

A disciple displays a genuine LOVE for fellow believers.

John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

1 John 3:14 “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.”

A disciple regularly attends a local CHURCH for the purpose of worshiping God with other believers, growing as a disciple, hearing the Word of God, praying with other believers, receiving pastoral care, contributing to the needs of the church, serving others in ministry, sharing in fellowship, edifying other believers, and strengthening the church’s witness to the world.

In everyplace that the gospel was preached and where disciples were made, a church was established through the appointment of elders who would continue to strengthen the disciples.[2]

A local church is a local manifestation and expression of the universal body of Christ.

Psalm 122:1 “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the LORD.’”

Matthew 16:18 “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”

Acts 2:46–47 “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”

Acts 16:5 “So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.”

1 Corinthians 12:12–27 “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,’ is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,’ is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’; nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.”

Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much more as you see the Day approaching.”

A disciple seeks to imitate Christ’s EXAMPLE.

A disciple should imitate Christ in every area including His humility, servanthood, commitment to doing the Father’s will, seeking the lost, communicating truth, showing compassion to the oppressed, persevering under suffering, and loving others.

Mark 10:42-45 “But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, ‘You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet is shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.’”

Luke 6:40 “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.”

Romans 8:29 “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son…”

1 Peter 2:21 “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:”

1 John 2:6 “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.”

A disciple’s life displays the FRUIT of a Christian life controlled by the Holy Spirit.

A disciple’s life will display the evidence of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and the inner working of the Holy Spirit.

John 13:35 “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Acts 4:13 “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.”

Galatians 5:22–23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

1 Corinthians 13:4–8 “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails…”

2 Peter 1:5–8 “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

A disciple is actively involved in WITNESSING and making DISCIPLES.

A Christian cannot legitimately claim to be a disciple who is not actively sharing their faith with others. Every Christian should be involved at some level to help win souls and make disciples.

Matthew 28:18-20 “‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.”

Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Acts 5:42 “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”

A disciple cheerfully honors God with his FINANCES.

A person who does not honor God with his finances may be allowing Satan to steal and use it. We do not give to God directly. He needs nothing in heaven. He has ordained that His work on earth be supplied through the giving of His people.

Haggai 1:6–10 “You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but do not have enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages, earns wages to put into a bag with holes.” 7 Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Consider your ways! 8 Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,’ says the LORD. 9 ‘You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit.”

Malachi 3:10–11 “‘Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,’ says the LORD of hosts;’”

2 Corinthians 9:6–11 “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written: ‘He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.’ 10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.”

A disciple seeks to be an example for new disciples to IMITATE.

Only a disciple can effectively make other disciples.

1 Corinthians 4:16 “Therefore I urge you, imitate me.”

1 Corinthians 11:1 “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”

Hebrews 6:12 “that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

A disciple seeks and maintains regular FELLOWSHIP with other believers.

The body of Christ possesses a spiritual unity that is eternal, but daily unity requires daily effort. Therefore believers should seek regular fellowship with other believers throughout the week in order to encourage, exhort, comfort, and strengthen one another in their mutual walk with Christ as His disciples.

John 17:22–26 “And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 24 Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26 And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

Acts 2:42 “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

Acts 2:44–47 “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”

Acts 4:31–35 “And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. 32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. 34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35 and laid them at the apostle’s feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.”

Ephesians 4:1–3 “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Hebrews 10:24 “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,”

1 John 1:1–3 “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”

[1] Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)

[2] Acts 14:1, 22, 23; Titus 1:5