Traditions of the Disciple

I. Introduction

As we look at the Great Commission, it is apparent and inescapable that at its heart lies the command for Jesus’ original disciples to teach others. That is how Jesus instructed them to make disciples–by teaching them to observe what He commanded them.

Thus, teaching, and consequently, learning from Christian teachers, is necessary for becoming and growing as a disciple of the Lord Jesus.

Jesus spent the last 3 to 3 1/2 years of His earthly life teaching and training His twelve apostles–His primary disciples.

The Great Commission is the His ultimate expression of what they were to do in propagating the message of Christ throughout the world.

Jesus specifically taught them about this ministry in John 14-16.

John 14:15–17 ESV

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

John 14:21 ESV

21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

John 14:26 ESV

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

II. We see in our passage today that when disciples of Christ become His disciples, we are to o stand firm in the doctrines of Christ, being regularly taught so as to become mature disciples who shall be able to hand down the teachings of Christ to more disciples.

2 Thessalonians 2:13–15 ESV

13 But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 14 To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.

III. Salvation is by the Spirit and Faith in the gospel (v. 13–14)

IV. God’s ‘tradition’ is taught by spoken word and letter! (v. 15)

Stand Firm: to be firmly committed in conviction or belief.

Hold Fast: of commitment to someone or someth. hold fast (to) someone or someth., and hence remain closely united.

Traditions: the content of instruction that has been handed down, tradition, of teachings, commandments, narratives.

A. Spoken Word

B. Letters

The Apostle Peter

2 Peter 1:16–21 ESV

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 3:1–2 ESV

1 This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles,

Compare Jude 17

Jude 17 ESV

17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul

1 Corinthians 14:37–38 ESV

37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. 38 If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 2:15 ESV

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

The Apostle Peter on the Apostle Paul

2 Peter 3:15–16 ESV

15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.

The Apostle John

John 20:30–31 ESV

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

1 John 5:13 ESV

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

Revelation 1:11 ESV

11 saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

Revelation 21:5 ESV

5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”