In our final installment of Lessons in Discipleship, I'd like us to look at how immensely biblical discipleship is. I feel like this would have served as a good starting point, something foundational but I think visiting this piece last suits as a wonderful reminder. 

As a brief review of our time last week, we looked at humility as not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less and placing others before you; considering them more important. 

Today, we visit the biblical principle of discipleship. For starters, it's the one thing Jesus commanded us to do. Ask yourself: of the questions from the previous posts or perhaps some of the mental notes you took, did you remember that Jesus is at the center of this or were you more occupied about the content? 

DISCIPLESHIP: WHAT IS IT? 

Before jumping in, we must define discipleship. In my experience, I've had plenty of conversations, read enough books, and visited enough conferences to hear the latest discovery and method on discipleship, but not many spend time on actually defining what it is. 

I define discipleship as meeting people where they are in life and taking them to where Jesus wants them to be. It's a "point A to point B" reference. 

Two things on this definition: (1) if you haven't noticed, your context for meeting people where they're at is life, not a classroom and (2) I want you to remember that we're making disciples not converts. I know that may sound odd, but Jesus (in Matthew 28) said to make disciples and to teach and talk about Him. 

In discipleship, you have the opportunity to share the beauty of Christ in the context of ordinary life- whether with a Christian or a non-believer. Paul says it best, "follow me as I follow Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). This means that in discipleship, we are teaching people what it means to worship Jesus when the house is a mess, the day has just become scattered, when you're in parent mode with the kids, when you're flirting with your spouse, in a difficult situation, and when you screw up.

The goal is to show, in ordinary life, what it means to surrender everything before Christ so that others may do the same unto Him! 

DISCIPLESHIP: BIBLICAL

Discipleship is biblical and intentional. The primary source of teaching, rebuke, or encouragement is the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16), but you must be intentional in its delivery; compassionate and humble.

Making disciples is easy and everyone does it; it simply has a different name to it. What do you think gym rats are? What about best friends? Gym buddies do everything together in and out of the gym; they talk about fitness all day long. Best friends share everything with one another, in the good times and in the bad; constantly communicating. Why should Christians be any different when making disciples? It's simple, we talk about what we love. The question is: do you love Jesus enough to always be talking about Him? 

Sometimes we become so infused with the method that we forget about the One whom all of this is founded upon. Consider Paul's words to the church in Thessalonica: "We cared so much for you that we were please to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives because you had become dear to us" (1 Thessalonians 2:8; emphasis added). 

Discipleship is messy, but biblical. It is rewarding, but is an investment of time. And it will push you spiritually because you'll think you're the one working. Friends, we're simply the messengers and the ambassadors. The One at work has done so according to the Father's will and  through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

In our second installment of Lessons in Discipleship, we're going to be looking at humility; a characteristic that implies not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. Before we jump in, let's have ourselves a quick review from last week: compassion. 

Compassion, as we saw, means to suffer with someone or others during a time of need; more so, it's usually at the most inconvenient time though we saw how Jesus responded in Mark 6. 

I think many look at discipleship as a wonderful opportunity to teach others what it means to follow Jesus and while this line of thought is true, in my experience, we are quick to forget that discipleship also establishes reciprocity. In other words, if I am teaching someone what it means to follow Jesus in everyday life and because the same Holy Spirit dwells in me, I am and should be convicted of the same teaching points.

So, let's talk about it. 

HUMILITY: THINKING OF YOURSELF LESS

Paul writes and sets up the standard for humility in Philippians 2:3 writing, "do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves." 

When we consider others more important and not expect a "thank you" or some sort of praise, we follow in the example of Jesus. The leadership style of Jesus was that of placing yourself last and not because you're awesome, but because you "consider others as more important" than yourself. It means serving others and being a reflection of the person and work of Jesus not ourselves. 

The difficulty of humility in discipleship, in my experience, has been thinking I am pretty good at this Christian life when, in fact, I'm far from it.  When we teach others what it means to follow Jesus, this includes showing them our need for Jesus in the midst of our sin. Repentance is a great teacher because it's an opportunity to show our need for Jesus and an opportunity for growth and transformation.

If discipleship is merely coffee talk once a week, then we're missing our objective. If we are to teach everything we have observed (Matthew 28), then I'm practically sure that it infers the context of life: the place(s) where we know our sin will be exposed; a place where humility could best be observed, taught, and shown.

In humility, we make much of Christ, pointing others to Him. That's the whole point of discipleship, isn't it? It's in the context of life and meeting people where they're at and taking them to where Jesus wants them to be.

Questions for the week: 
• Where, in your life do you need to repent of pride?
• Have you demonstrated/modeled (not just talked/taught about) repentance to those you disciple?
• What does it mean to "consider others as more important than ourselves"? 
• How do Christ's actions demonstrate humility and a concern for others?

The Bible teaches and leads to several significant occasions on the importance of discipleship: Moses and Joshua, the ministry of Jesus with His disciples, Jesus' final command to make disciples in Matthew 28, Paul's words to the church in Thessalonica on sharing his life with them, and many more. Discipleship is integral and difficult and just as black coffee will sprout hair on your chest, discipleship will sprout character in you. 

Though I am still learning and do not consider myself an expert in discipleship, I have come across two conclusions: I am passionate about discipling younger men so they may surrender everything in pursuit of Christ and I am learning to do the same. 

I thought about 3 concepts or learning curves that I've experienced in discipling others. All of these points can be lengthy so we will split this up into a 3-part blog over the next few weeks. I hope you find them helpful and that they would help you to see the fruit of discipleship particularly when it's not the most convenient.

COMPASSION: TO SUFFER WITH

I wish to begin by saying that discipleship happens in the context of life and not always or simply at a coffee shop once a week for an hour. If that tends to be your only strategy, then you'll have two results: those you're discipling will think they know everything and you will limit their experience in the proclamation and practice of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Moving forward, if discipleship happens in the context of life (and not just my own), then compassion is one of our primary roles. And I've learned that compassion is not only a time to suffer alongside of someone or others, but it is not convenient. Ever. 

Mark 6:33 records "People ran there by land from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. So as He [Jesus] stepped ashore, He saw a huge crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then He began to teach them many things." 

To  give you the context of what's happening, Jesus and his disciples are tired. They've been traveling, teaching, and prior to this John the Baptist was beheaded. The people in this story recognize that it was Jesus on a boat, rush to him and the disciples, and are looking to be taught, healed, prayed over, and led. 

The disciples, later, suggest that everyone go back to their homes to rest, but Jesus decides to spend His time with the people right at that moment despite being tired and hungry. He recognized and served them at their most desperate time of need. 

Discipleship and compassion beautifully go together. It is serving during a great time of need and will be inconvenient because it will force you to inject yourself into their life in order to care for them. Compassion will call out when you're getting ready for an important event and your friend's hand gets smashed under his car because it was a tire change gone wrong; or you'll receive a call that your friend's son has just been in a horrifying and fatal accident; or in a time of confession where so many tears are built up that words and emotions will not allow the proper communication. 

Compassion is to suffer alongside of others in their desperate need for Jesus and He has called you to display the same compassion He had towards others in Mark 6. 

As you begin to disciple others, ask yourself these questions: 
• Are you compassionate?
• Where has Jesus displayed compassion in my life? 
• Is your focus so narrow that you're more concerned with the exegesis of a passage at Starbucks rather than hearing the cry of one's heart for change and need in Jesus? 

*Spoken Word performed at Logos Community Church | Worship Night

 

G R A C E

An Ill-deserving living sacrificial favor from our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Grace is the favor we receive on the treachery we commit despite already been forgiven.

Grace fuels forgiveness; enables compassion; consumes love; and furthers the Kingdom.

It is by grace, through faith that we have been saved; a gift not a paycheck; purposefully not pitifully.

 

W O R S H I P

Could it be that as a people we have summarized and culturized Worship into music alone?  

I look through the lens of my life and ask the question that no one including myself wants to ask, do I worship God? Is my identity in the working of the church or in the working of my job or is it in the person and work of Jesus alone? 

You see, I will worship what I am passionate about and I can tell you that my time in worship of my Lord is a struggle.

I, like you, whether you like it or not, can plainly see through all His things; evidences of His work; the soundtrack of the gospel in His people; blind people seeing; dead people living.

And I think about what I see and ask if I really see; the gospel is true. 

 

F I N A L L Y

We are receiving a kingdom that is unshakeable; a kingdom of His creation, but are we shakeable? 

The power and majesty of His voice has spoken; the power of His kingdom cannot be shaken; it will not be shaken; there will be no other dispensation; are we shakeable? 

Jesus speaks through this writers telling us the canon of scripture is now perfected, the Spirit of prophecy has ceased, the mystery of God is finished, He has put his last hand to it. 

The church may continue to grow, the church may continue to be more prosperous, but it shall not be altered for another exemption; those who perish under the gospel perish without remedy.

It is through His work on the cross that we see him intricately at work in the lives of His creation; the fear of the Lord; reverence and awe like mary who used her hair like a wash rag to wash the feet of Jesus; giving up so much for this Jesus; could it be that her reverence was a sign that she had seen this Nazarene as the Christ? 

Our God in Christ deals with us graciously and kindly, but is a consuming fire; faithful and true; just and righteous; the sacrifice for our sin; the beauty of justice beyond what was seen when the law was given. 

May we taste his goodness and kindness; a kindness that leads us to repentance; for there will be a day where it will be too late; my friends repent and by grace let us worship God.

“Texas has yet to learn submission to any oppression, come from what source it may.”

— Sam Houston