Discipleship
Building Blocks Bible Study Week 12-
A disciple is a follower of Jesus during his life, especially one of twelve Apostles. A student of a teacher, leader, or philosopher.
The Hebrew term is for disciple is Talmid, and Talmidim is for a group of disciples.
The English word disciple comes from the Greek word “mathetes” which means to learn.
In the core structure of the definitions of the term disciple it is an active word. One who is learning, studying, modeling, apprenticing to be like the Teacher, or mentor.
The word “disciple” appears roughly 260 times throughout the New Testament. It is a pillar of what it means to be a follower of Christ.
Why is Discipleship Important? -
Humans are tribal and have always been since creation, so we are being discipled daily by something or someone. Discipleship is not just a Christian concept; it is a creational fact. This is why what you watch, listen to, see, who you hang out with, who you eat with, who your friends are, who your spouse is, all these elements of life matter.
In Matthew’s Gospel we Jesus give this command:
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
- Matthew 28:18-20
14 Afterward mhe appeared pto the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their qunbelief and rhardness of heart, because sthey had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. 15 And he said to them, t“Go into all the world and uproclaim the gospel to vthe whole creation. 16 wWhoever believes and is xbaptized ywill be saved, but zwhoever wdoes not believe will be condemned. 17 And athese signs will accompany those who believe: bin my name they will cast out demons; cthey will speak in new tongues; 18 dthey will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; ethey will lay their hands fon the sick, and they will recover.”
19 So then the Lord Jesus, gafter he had spoken to them, hwas taken up into heaven and isat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while jthe Lord worked with them and confirmed kthe message lby accompanying signs.]]
- Mark 16:14-10
8 But you will receive npower owhen the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and pyou will be qmy witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and rSamaria, and sto the end of the earth.”
- Acts 1:8
We are given instructions to participate with God in the spreading of the news of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and ascension. We are also given tools to help with those tasks, the power of the Holy Spirit, or as Paul calls it the “Spirit of Jesus.” (Philippians 1:19, Galatians 4:6, see also Acts 16:7 written by Luke.)
What Does it Look Like to Be a Disciple of Jesus? –
First, we must acknowledge that before Discipleship could even start Jesus asked each one of the men to do something.
18 aWhile walking by bthe Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you cfishers of men.”1
- Matthew 4:18-19
16 hPassing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become ifishers of men.”1
- Mark 1:16-17
9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”1 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, ethey left everything and followed him.
- Luke 5:9-11
35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, ithe Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, j“What are you seeking?” And they said to him, k“Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.1
- John 1:35-39
43 qThe next day Jesus decided rto go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”
- John 1:43
Jesus gives and invitation that requires something. We must take the first step. We must be willing to follow, leave behind, or adjust to show a willing participation to be discipled. Then after we must bear fruit. Once we bear fruit, we “Go.” This wasn’t new with Jesus, there are many examples throughout the Bible where God tells someone to “Go.”
This is crucial and is a fundamental way I personally approach pastoral counseling at HFF. When someone comes or a couple comes and asks for counseling, we ask them to first show us the are willing to do something different than what they have been doing. This shows is one really willing to be discipled, coached, or helped to overcome the thing they are asking for help with. Sadly, most are not.
Take this scenario and weigh against the disciples of Jesus. They were not approaching Jesus asking for help because bad things were happening in their life. They saw Jesus, or heard of Jesus, and knew there was something different about them that they found value you in.
To be a disciple of Christ is to be His image bearers on this earth. How do we do that?
- Seek His Kingdom & Righteousness First. (Matthew 6:33)
- Transform you mind and practices to match Jesus’. (Romans 12:2)
- Do all daily tasks as if unto the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58)
- Serve others willingly and frequently (Mark 10:45)
- Bear Fruit in Your Life that Others See (Matthew 28:19-20)
- Testify of Jesus’ saving and transformative power (Matthew 28:19-20)
Discipleship is not a Program it is an Invitation into a Family-
Jesus invited his disciples, and all who would hear to come and do life with him. While it is true Jesus spent a more dedicated time with the 12, there were also women, and others who traveled with them.
Yet Jesus in almost every town he would teach in would do the following:
- Teach differently than the Pharisees’ and Sadducees’ who were the religious leadership who had taken the seat of Moses. So, it is incomplete to say he taught only Torah or the Prophets. The context is he taught the Torah and Prophets through the original intention and application. Calling all who heard to a higher standard. The Gospel’s call a higher standard than the Torah and Prophets. God had come, he has modeled and was going to send His Spirit to inhabit other physical bodies (Temples).
- Fellowship with men and women.
- Breaking Bread and having Table Fellowship with those he met. The entire Gospel of Luke outlines banquets of repentance. The entire Gospel of Matthew outlines banquets of honor. All of these banquets or Table Fellowships are not welcomed by the religious elite of the 1st century.
- Would pray, lay hands, cast out demons, and heal.
All of these opportunities were ways for Jesus to model to His disciples what daily life should look like. This is why prayer is being attacked in public, in our schools, governments, and marketplaces. Same can be said for the attacks on family meals, and the minimizing of the revelations of the teachings of Jesus.
So, in our modern day let’s look at possible applications. There is nothing wrong with discipleship classes, or programs offered at churches of ministries. Yet they are incomplete if they don’t offer or include the lifestyle component. Also, due to the increased amount of abuse by people offering spiritual discipleship, be very wary of cultish behavior. If it looks like a cult, strips you of your right to choose, or your right to be unique in the way the Lord has created you run. Cults produce abuse, discipleship produces empowerment. Jesus models this very thing. Jesus sends the disciples out, He promises them His spirit to guide them, lead them, and empower them. He doesn’t micromanage, belittle, or enslave. Jesus was, is and will always be freedom.
Discipleship should include daily life. Trips to the store, phone calls, text messages, lunches, walks, daily errands, or enjoying hobbies together. This is why I believe you are being discipled every day whether you know it or not. If you do the above things with others you are being discipled. Yet is it Biblical discipleship? Only if it produces the fruit God tells us we should see in the Scriptures.
You wouldn’t seek discipleship on finances from someone who is always broke. You wouldn’t see discipleship on your marriage from someone who doesn’t have a healthy or good marriage. You wouldn’t’ seek discipleship on how to parent from those who’s children don’t listen…..
This is why discipleship is the most important and yet the most dangerous thing for humans. Who and what you are being molded, taught, or made into matters.
Conclusion:
If you are a follower of Jesus, you must seek and desire discipleship. This should be done in your local community. It should be done by those who already model fruit of Christ in their daily lives. It is time consuming, and like all things worth doing, hard. It is something that can be abused, and you can get hurt. Jesus himself was betrayed by one of twelve He discipled.
Yet it is the fabric of development of faith in Christ. Where many of us have come from in the Messianic corners of Christianity, discipleship doesn’t exist. Which is sad given that discipleship is also very much a cornerstone of Judaism. This is why we have dedicated the last year to testing, working, and attempting to develop our leadership to be able to do discipleship in the future. It isn’t a one size fits all, it isn’t a six-week course. It is a lifestyle that you will get out of what you put into. You will see results equal to the effort put in.
Further Discipleship Models and Information In Scripture-
Jesus and His Disciples: Matthew 4. Mark 4, Luke 11. John 15.
The Early Church: Acts 2
Paul and Timothy: 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Acts 16
