The Call to Discipleship

Introduction

Read the passage again

Matthew 28:16 - 20

Now the eleven disciples fwent to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they gworshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, h“All authority iin heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 jGo therefore and kmake disciples of lall nations, jbaptizing them min2 nthe name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them oto observe all that pI have commanded you. And behold, qI am with you always, to rthe end of the age.”

I want to point out a couple of big truths in this passage, that we aren’t focusing on, but are so important to point out.

First, what is the context here? Jesus has just ressurected from the grave. He has just defeated sin, and fulfilled the atoning sacrafice for sin. He directed the Mary’s to reach out to his disciples and inform them to meet him in Galilee. And that is where we pick up the story.

Verse 18 - All authority has been given to me on heaven and on earth. Verse 19. Go, Therefore. PAUSE… we just read a therefore, so we must know that that word is therefore a reason. so we go back to verse 18. Do not get it confused Jesus is telling his disciples very plainly to go! But he is not just simply telling them to go. He says Therefore go, meaning because of all of the authority given to me on heaven and earth… Go! Disciples are to go not on their own power, or authority but on the authority and power of the one who holds it all together. On the authority of the one who has quite literally just ressurected from the grave! And look down now at the second part of verse 20! remember - I am with you always, to the end of the age. I want to point out this beggining and closing declaration of the great commision. Jesus is telling his disciples to go on His authority, and to rememeber as they go- to rememeber that He is with them always! they wll never be foresaken, forgotten, or left to carry out the work of Jesus on their own power, by themselves.

“Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations”

Here is the meat of the great commision. We’ve pointed out on who’s authority that the disciples were told to go under. And we’ve seen in verse 20 the affirmation of that authority through Jesus’ promise that he is with them always. But now I want us to dive into this term disciple..

What is a disciple?

A disciple is someone who accepts Jesus’ calling to to follow him. This is my definition based on what I read in the four Gospels when you follow the stories of the disciples. My favorite example coming from Matthew 4 when Jesus calls Peter to follow him.

How Do we know a disciple of Jesus Christ

The external marks of a Disciple of Christ

The marks of a disciple are shown in 4 major ways. 3 of these come from the Gosple of John. and the 4th comes from our main scripture.

John 13 :34 - 35 - Loving one another

34 A new commandment I give to you, vthat you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Christ calls his disciples to show love to one another so that people around us will know that you are disciples of Christ.

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John 6:60-68 - Persevere through

Therefore, when many of his disciples heard this, they said, “This teaching is hard. Who can acceptE it?”

61 Jesus, knowing in himselfz that his disciples were grumbling about this, asked them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you were to observe the Son of Manaa ascendingab to where he was before? 63 The Spiritac is the one who gives life. The flesh doesn’t help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 But there are some among you who don’t believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginningad those who did notF believe and the one who would betrayae him.) 65 He said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to meaf unless it is granted to him by the Father.”

66 From that momentG many of his disciples turned back and no longer accompanied him. 67 So Jesus said to the Twelve,ag “You don’t want to go away too, do you?”

68 Simon Peterah answered, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”H,

A disciple of Christ perseveres and holds true to the words of Christ.

John 15:8 - Disciples bear fruit

8 gBy this my Father is glorified, that you hbear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

Bearing fruit in the Christian life is not about doing works or attempting righteousness or putting on a ficade of holiness according to our own strength. Rather, it is about intentionally growing in our walk with Christ, inviting the Holy Spirit's work of transformation in us, and actively obeying God in all He calls us to do. As we seek Him and lay down our own fleshly desires for His better ways, we will bear lasting fruit