How To Be Discipled

“How to be Discipled”

October 13, 2013

Matthew 28:18-20

”Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Mark 1:17

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

2 Timothy 2:2

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”

The last two weeks I challenged you to get out pen and paper and write down, “My plan to become a better disciple is ...” Last week as I was sharing this instruction that came from the Lord, the Holy Spirit whispered to me to give you a little more help is sharing how to do this. So that is the ‘why’ and the purpose of this message this morning.

There is too much teaching in Christianity today that infers if it doesn’t come right out and say it – that “it’s one and done” when we accept Christ. They say, or infer, “We have our ticket to heaven so we can just go on living life and doing our thing.”

Nothing could be further from the truth. Salvation is just the beginning; it is just the door; it is just the gate to a path that leads you ever upward. John Bunyan wrote a book called, “Pilgrim’s Progress” that beautifully illustrates that truth. Life is a path that leads to opportunities to choose correctly. Life is a path that is filled with all kinds of tests and trials. The purpose of life is to prepare us for eternity. The purpose of life is to give us opportunities to become more like Jesus. It is an opportunity to grow in knowledge and in God’s grace. Life is an opportunity to learn how to correctly use this tremendous God-quality that we call ‘will’. We are free to make our life and ourselves anyway we choose. And remember – to not choose is to choose. No choice is a choice – so use the incredible power of you will carefully.

In our Scripture we read where Jesus gives us a job. He calls us to become teachers. All Christians are to work, in one way or the other with their particular talents, to be involved in the process of making disciples and teaching them. What do we teach them? “To obey everything Jesus taught us.”

When Jesus calls us to follow Him – what is His purpose? Why do we follow? So He can disciple us. So He can teach us how to fish for men – or how to make disciples. Every Christian has this calling. Every Christian needs to be involved in this process somehow. It may be as an evangelist or soul winner or as a teacher or doing something to support the work. There are many ways we can be involved, but we all need to be able to show some way in which we are involved with the Great Commission to make disciples.

Paul said in our Scripture that we ought to pass on those things we have learned to other people that are able to pass on what we teach them to others – who can do the same. That’s how the Kingdom grows. When we all do our part it just keeps growing and growing and growing.

But the first step is in becoming discipled ourselves. We need to grow and learn and become the disciples Jesus wants us to become. Let me show you what you can do to become a better disciple. Remember the challenge. It was to write down some things you can do to become a better disciple. Here are some things I have learned in my life – and I am passing it on to you.

First, Read the Bible daily. I think that was just a given in Jesus’ culture. The great command that He quoted as being the most important in the entire Old Testament was a part of Deuteronomy 6:4-9. It goes,

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

Jesus just lifted that verse out of the Scripture – but it continues,

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”