Marks of a True Disciple

Introduction

First, a story about the profile of Jesus’s Disciples

Clarence Jordan, author of the "Cotton Patch" New Testament translation and founder of the interracial Koinonia farm in Americus, Georgia, was getting a red-carpet tour of another minister's church. With pride the minister pointed to the rich, imported pews and luxurious decoration. As they stepped outside, darkness was falling, and a spotlight shone on a huge cross atop the steeple. "That cross alone cost us ten thousand dollars," the minister said with a satisfied smile. "You got cheated," said Jordan. "Times were when Christians could get them for free." -Michael Jinkins.

Defining Discipleship

Discipleship is the process of devoting oneself to a teacher to learn from and become more like them. For the Christian, this refers to the process of learning the teachings of Jesus and following after his example in obedience through the power of the Holy Spirit. Discipleship not only involves the process of becoming a disciple but of making other disciples through teaching and evangelism.

Discipleship in the ot is fundamentally about learning what is required from the Torah and submitting to it in obedience. The Hebrew terms יָסַר (yāsar, “to instruct”) and לָמַד (lāmad, “to teach”) fit the idea of discipleship well, as they both strongly imply a change in behavior as a result of the instruction. In the nt, the word μαθητής (mathētēs, “disciple”) and other words related to μανθάνω (manthanō, “to learn”) express the idea of discipleship more narrowly. The root meaning of manthanō is “to learn,” which again ties discipleship to the concept of learning and instruction. Like the Hebrew terms, however, these words also refer not only to the transfer of information but also to the transformation of one’s lifestyle in order to be more like one’s teacher.

These definitions teach us to learn the teacher as well as we learn the things the teacher has said.

Mark 1:16-20 shows us what the discipleship process is all about: It’s about being called and being made.

Significant Points

For Christians, Jesus alone is our Master/ Teacher (Matthew 23:10).

Our duty is to train and educate (Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:1)

Marks of True Disciple

Go & Teach: Matthew 28:19 “19 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, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

Love: Deuteronomy 6:5 “5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Matthew 2 “39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’!”” John 13:31-38 “31 When he had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33 Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so now I tell you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” 36 “Lord,” Simon Peter said to him, “where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.” 37 “Lord,” Peter asked, “why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly I tell you, a rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.”

Separation: Matthew 5:16 “16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” 1 Corinthians 6:11-18 “11 And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 12 “Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 “Food is for the stomach and the stomach for food,” and God will do away with both of them. However, the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 God raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. 15 Don’t you know that your bodies are a part of Christ’s body? So should I take a part of Christ’s body and make it part of a prostitute? Absolutely not! 16 Don’t you know that anyone joined to a prostitute is one body with her? For Scripture says, The two will become one flesh. 17 But anyone joined to the Lord is one spirit with him. 18 Flee sexual immorality! Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the pe…”

Self Denial: Luke 9:23 “23 Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

Commitment to Jesus’s Teaching: John 8:31-36 “31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples. 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 “We are descendants of Abraham,” they answered him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 A slave does not remain in the household forever, but a son does remain forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.”

Fellowship: Acts 2:42 “42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.”