‹ — ›

23.May.2010 Life Together

Filed In: Being a Servant, Bible-based Teachings, Change, Discipleship, Kingdom of God

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:36 — 39.9MB)

Matthew 28:16-19 (NASV): But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. And Jesus came up 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 the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Discipleship is moving people; whether to a new level in God or to move out of your comfort zone into something new. When a person submits to being a disciple, he or she submits to having someone or someones come into their lives and bring correction.

80% of Christians fail because they do not submit to the discipleship process. It is the reason people start strong but finish weak if they finish at all. You see, a Christian is not a disciple. A Christian is born. When a person comes to Christ, asks Him into his or her life, and is transformed into a new creation, that process is called being “born again.” A Christian is born. And most times, a Christian remains in that place. Christians can remain “baby Christian” for years. They never grow beyond the initial salvation experience; they do not get to the meat and solid foods of the faith.

Disciples are made. Verse nineteen clearly states the command “go make disciples.” A Christian cannot survive strong with the idea that “Jesus is discipling me.” That is un-Biblical. Jesus took twelve men and lived life with them, teaching them and helping them to grow. When He left, He instructed His disciples to do the same. Discipleship is allowing yourself to learn the ways of God and to live those ways. We are called to live a higher calling, to live to the upward call of God, as Paul puts it. You see, God wants to make something of you, and He brings people into your life to make that happen. Disciples are made!

Discipleship comes through relationship. God transforms nations through His people, but He can’t do that if we all remain children. God completes His work through others. If we willing submit to the people God puts in our world, we are submitting to God’s correction. Correction is brought through love and an established relationship. Sometimes, it is a graceless smack-down that hurts, but that sort of adjustment is necessary to grow.

Believers are baby-Christians; Disciples are adult-Christians. The difference between babies and adults is that adults can reproduce. Adult Christians are disciples; they are submitted to God and the people He put around them; and they take the correction and grow from it. How do you know you are a disciples? It is when God uses you to reproduce–to make others into disciples.

2 Comments
Tags:

Comment Pages

There are 2 Comments to "Life Together"

  • Michelle says:
    May 31, 2010 at 5:57 pm

    Great blog Dean. Thanking God for disciples and disciplers!

  • noelle says:
    June 10, 2010 at 8:08 pm

    * “When a person submits to being a disciple, he or she submits to having someone or someones come into their lives and bring correction.”*

    It seems that this is the key to discipleship that many believers miss. That in order to disciple, they themselves need to be open and submitted to the correction brought into their own lives. It’s the ‘crusaders of change’ and the ‘leaders of zealous’ hearts (though many beginning with good intentions) that have perhaps damaged many baby Christians along the way, ignoring their own need for correction and guidance.

    People get proud and distracted by numbers and intention rather than by the heart of a man, and the will of the Father. The disciplers NEED to remember that no one ever ought to be without discipleship or fellowship. Even Peter, who was known as a “pillar of the church”, was called out on misconduct by Paul (Galatians 2).

    Discipleship is exciting, however, because by example, we see what started as eleven men standing over an entire untold world…. and we see his word spreading like a wildfire–unstoppable! Nations oppressed by persecutions will not be silent, but only grow louder, because people cannot contain the Good News. They tell. Because they’re life depends on it. And so does ours. And all of those we see around us. Look at anyone around you and you can say to yourself, “God has a plan and purpose for you,” and how can you not want to let them to know?

    We can think of those eleven men on the top of the mountain and KNOW that nothing is impossible for God. The same Holy Spirit that empowered them and moved in them, spoke through them and strengthened them is alive and active and dwelling in us! People can see that in us as we disciple by our actions and our words. Living as Christ did, speaking truth, because we know that nothing is impossible with God. As a body of Christ, we must continue to encourage one another using the word to teach, rebuke, correct train one another in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16). And that means also allowing ourselves to be submitted to one another (Ephesians 5:21) and being open to discipleship in our own lives.

    (Thank you Ps. Dean & Jill, for being a living an example, as you encourage us to do the same!)

Write a Comment

XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>