DISCIPLESHIP

Daily Friendship with God#9 Discipleship

So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. (Acts 11:26b)

The original Greek word for disciples is mathētēs and it simply means a learner or pupil. 

In context to Acts 11:26b those that were disciples were called Christians. This means to be a Christian you are a person that is learning or a pupil that is being taught by a person. The subject matter of which the disciples were being taught by Jesus about God the Father God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit and the things that pertain to the Kingdom of God. Jesus while He was on earth told His disciples 

 “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 things that I said to you. (John 14:26)

To be a learner or a pupil means you need a teacher. The really cool thing about what Jesus said is we do not need to wait for the Father to send the Holy Spirit because He already has sent the Holy Spirit to live in us according to the book of Acts. This means we have the Holy Spirit as our teacher with us at all times because He lives in us. 

But the anointing which you have received from Him abides/remains in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. (1 John 2:27)

This does not mean that we do not value other teachers. What it does mean is the Holy Spirit is the one Who will teach us the truth about what any other teacher teaches. The Holy Spirit uses what He has written, through individuals that He inspired to write the Bible, as a guideline for all to know what is truth. 

But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:14-17)

And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

(2 Peter 1:19-21) 

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.  This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” (John 3:1-2)

Nicodemus noted that Jesus was a teacher from God. To be a disciple means you follow the one that is teaching you. As you read the following passage please note the relationship dynamic. Jesus simply told Simon Peter, Andrew James and John to follow Him and they did. 

And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. (Matthew 4:18-22)

Jesus called and invited them to follow them and they responded promptly by taking action. In this we see that they were willing and desiring to learn from Jesus. Below we see that they continued to follow Him by coming to where ever He went so they could learn from Him.  

And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him (Matthew 5:1)

Again here the disciples of Jesus continued to follow by coming to Him to learn from Him. 

Now when He got into a boat, His disciples/pupils followed Him. (Mat 8:23)

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.  Then He said to His disciples/pupils, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Mat 9:35-38)

Jesus taught not only by words but by His actions. As you read the above passage observe the three things he did before He told the disciples about the harvest and the need for more laborers. After discovering the three things 1) teaching 2) preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom 3) healing every sickness and every disease among the people, ask God to teach you about what He said in Matthew 9:35-38. Another thing to note about those that were disciples of Jesus is when the teacher told them to do something they did it. 

So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them (Matthew 21:6)

To understand the full context of the passage above you can also read Luke 19:28-40.

Jesus taught many things. One of the last things He taught to His eleven disciples is found in Matthew 28. I find it interesting, Jesus first called them to follow Him as His disciples. The last thing He taught them to do is to go teach and make disciples of other people. God being all wise has chosen those who are in relationship with Him and continue to learn from Him to become the teachers to the entire world. Teaching the entire world may sound overwhelming. The cool thing is that God cares about individuals so we can join with His Heart to teach and model the love of God to individuals. He showed us to do this one by one wherever we go. God has sent us to go teach people, who do not know Him. This is because He desires for them to know His love and to be free from everything that would keep them from knowing Him. God has chosen us to let others know what God has done and is doing to prove His great love for each person. 

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “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 behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28:16-20)

Jesus has a cure for individuals who have doubt. It is knowing that He is with you. If there is ever a time you have doubt all you have to do is think about the great extent Jesus went to on the cross to prove His love for you. Then think about how He defeated death when He rose from the grave on your behalf. 

Disciples are people who learn from God based on the good news that Jesus died for our sins, that He was buried and that He rose again from the grave. Then based on the acceptance of what Jesus did on our behalf  we enter into a personal relationship with God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit as our personal teachers. Jesus said the following to those that were His Disciples: 

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. (Matthew 16:24)

 “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28)

To be a disciple of Christ is to become a person that follows the life that Jesus lived in all aspects. Jesus made it clear that there is a cost to following Him. He paid the highest cost at the cross and He said. 

“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. (Matthew 10:24)

Just as He gave His life for your life, He calls everyone that follows Him to give their life to Him in order to follow Him. The wonderful thing about that is our life before Him was full of things that could never have any eternal benefit and ultimately lead us to emptiness of soul based on self-seeking. When we give up our life for His life we gain relationship with Him give up the heavy burdens of selfishness and find rest for our souls. Jesus said:

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Continuing to learn personally from God is the foundation of a disciple of Christ. The natural results of learning from God is you will become more like Jesus as you spend time learning from Him. Not only that but the more you become like Him the more you will do the things He did as He teaches you how to do them. As was noted, the last thing He taught was to go into all the world and make disciples. Daily Friendship with God is designed to help Christ followers (those that learn from Him daily) to grow deeper in their personal relationship with Him. Then to help them to grow in teaching others how to know God. This happens through displaying the actions of His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven, as well as sharing the message of the good news of the Gospel of His death for our sins His burial in order to leave our death in the grave and His resurrection to give us the new eternal life that comes by knowing Him personally.