INTRODUCTION
Whenever we talk of Disciples and Discipleship, the attention of most of us quickly moves to the Original disciples of Jesus, others like Paul, and or Church leaders/executives. Seldom do we think that we are all supposed to be Disciples of Christ, called to touch each other’s lives and stimulate mutual growth. In the plan of work for the evangelization of the world, Jesus was not only concerned about the Holy Spirit being the power and driving force, but also gave a definite and distinct approach by which the task of reaching the ends of the earth with the Gospel should follow. Jesus’ method for missions and evangelization has been Discipleship. In the great commission as stated in Matthew 28:19-20, and Paul’s instruction to Timothy in 2Tim. 2:1-2, the following cycle for Evangelism and Church growth can be identified:
GO>>>>>PROCLAIM>>>>>NURTURE/DISCIPLE>>>>>GO
However, it has been observed that the farthest we reach is at the point of proclamation. Some of us do not even go at all let alone to nurture. In order for the Earth to hear the Gospel, we must Go and Proclaim. We are not to end there since Jesus commands us to intentionally “make disciples” by taking time to teach them all that He (Christ) has taught us. Paul puts it this way, “the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). The multiplying effect in evangelism is thus rooted in discipleship.
1. THE PURPOSE AND MANDATE OF HUMANITY IN RESPECT TO THE CREATION:
Genesis 1: 26-31(NKJV)
26Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 30Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. 31Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So, the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Most often than not, when we are talking about the purpose of creation, especially of humankind, we tend to think that we are here to just feed on what God has created, be educated, go to church, marry, build houses among others. The passage above reveals to us the two main purpose of creation and the mandate of humanity.
a. We are created to be in the likeness of God.
b. We are created to have dominion.
We must understand that humanity was not just Created but made. Let us make man… this reveals the importance God attached to the final creature. He intentionally made human beings. This alone should inform us that human beings are made. This is very crucial to our understanding of discipleship if we desire to obey the imperative command of Christ.
The terms and condition on which we were created was that we shall be a true living expression of the Living God. We are created in the image of God and according to His likeness. Human beings are special creatures who were formed or made in the likeness of God to be God’s representatives and thus are clothed with authority to rule as the visible head of the world.
2. THE IMAGE OF GOD IN US
How do we know the nature of the image of God in us? This certainly cannot be our physical stature, sex, complexion, etc., since we did not in totality lose these things after the fall. If the new creation is the restoration of the lost image, then we can discover glimpse of it through the restored image. Galatians 5 reveals some aspect of the lost image and the restored to us.
Galatians 5:19-24: 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Ephesians 4:22-24: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Colossians 3:10. and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.
These passages reveal to us that the image of God in humanity is thus, the spiritual inclination that makes us spiritual beings since the image of God is the spiritual image. It is in the moral dispositions of our souls known as the original righteousness. Ecclesiastes 7:29 tells us that God made man upright. True holiness, righteousness and perfect knowledge and wisdom is the character of God that is expected of us.
3. LESSONS FROM THE CREATION STORY
If humanity was not going to be in the image of God, then there wouldn’t have been any need to create us since several creatures were created before us.
This is why the LORD felt sorry and was grieved in His heart for creating humanity when sin took over. (Genesis 6:5-7: 5Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.”)
Out of this image and God-likeness proceeds dominion since God alone belongs all power and dominion.
Man and woman, both in the image of God, now were also given the sole privilege to rule this world on behalf of God since humanity is now like God who rules all things. This also means that God wouldn’t have created us and there wouldn’t have been any need for us to be created if we were to be ruled by other creatures.
The character and attitude of humanity was meant to be like that of God and that also permits us to exercise God’s right of dominion. The capacities of right thinking, right willing, right acting, right willing, right knowledge, holiness and righteousness among others which are the communicable attributes of God which God shares with humanity makes humanity resemble God and thus makes humanity the lord of all creatures that are destitute of intellectual and moral endowments
Fruitful and multiply:
We are not just to be in the nature of God and to have dominion, but we were blessed and mandated and empowered to be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. To be fruitful implies that we are to reproduce after our own kind. This implies that the whole human race is to be in the image of God having the said attributes.
4. LOST OF CREATION MANDATE THROUGH SIN:
Romans 3: 10-12, 23; 5:12,19)
If man died after sin, then he could no longer have dominion and hence all creation was in despair. This is why we see the devil wanting Jesus to bow to him since the kingdoms of this world and its glory belong to him (Matt. 4:8-10, Luke 4:4-7). Note that in this passage, the devil was bold enough to tell Jesus that it has been delivered to him and to whomever he wish he gives. How did he get that? Adam handed it over to him and this is why Paul calls him the god of this world (2Cor. 4:4) Jesus Himself called him the prince of this world (John 14:30). Also, in Matthew 8:29-31/ Mark 5:6-12, we see how the demons were able to implore Jesus not to send them out of the country but into the swine. Hey asked Jesus an interesting question; “…. what have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” (Matt. 8:29). Paul puts it this way in Romans 6:16; “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” As a result of these, there is disorder in the whole creation. That which was to be ruled by man now rules and pursues man. The serpent now pursues man and the ground is cursed (Genesis 3:14-19). This is why now we hear of earthquake, tsunamis, among others. As a result of all these disorders, even the whole creation is growing as seen in Romans 8.
“19For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.”
1John 5:19 further tells us that the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.
Because we are to produce after our kind, the corrupted nature of Adam who is the progenitor of all human race became the nature of all humanity herein referred to us the genetic disability of sin. It is through discipleship that individuals can learn and become like the second Adam (Christ), and thus recovers our dominion mandate since it is only through Christ that we can exercise dominion
5. RESTORATION THROUGH CHRIST.
John 1:12-13: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
6. THE SPIRITUAL STATE OF THE CHURCH
It is very clear that today, most Churches tend to focus on the power dominion of the creation mandate at the expense of the Christ-likeness. In many places, what attracts people to church is not a call to Christ-like character and attitude but the promise of the manifestation of God’s power and gifts. The church of late, lays less emphasis on holiness but on existential needs and the manifestation of gifts. This is because the church only embraces the prophecy of Joel in Joel 2:28 at the expense of Daniel 12: 10 which is a prophecy of holiness in the end time.
Daniel 12:9-10:” 9 And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.”
THE CHURCH IS THEREFORE DESCRIBED AS ONE MILE WIDE, ONE INCH DEEP.
Some churches also focus so much on the holiness at the expense of the dominion. The mandate is holistic.
It is when a holy church (believers cleansed and transformed to conform to Christ) manifest the power of God that men and women will acknowledge the God of heaven. The desire of Christ is a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:27) and who exercise dominion.
7.RESTORING THE CREATION MANDATE THROUGH DISCIPLESHIP.
To restore this mandate, we are to understand the process. Matthew 28:18-20
There is the promise of power
The promise of presence
A statement of purpose
The purpose is very clear and only one; make disciples of all nations. Just as man was made in Genesis 1, similarly, Jesus instruct as to make disciples. The Lord specified three commands or action steps in the Great commission. To make disciples, we are to go, baptize the converts, and teach them to observe all that Jesus commanded. The church has so far emphasized on the first two leaving the final step.
GO- evangelism and missions. We can only make disciples out of believers and not unbelievers. This is not for evangelists only.
BAPTIZE THEM- Churching the converts (Acts 2:41-42, 9:18-19,26-28). Even Paul would not have survived and fruitful if he did not belong to the brethren. This is the platform for meaningful spiritual growth toward maturity in Christ. this results in church expansion and planting.
TEACHING THEM- this implies transformation. This is the spiritual depth imbuing component of the Great Commission. Without it the church cannot successfully build spiritual quality in those who have been won to Christ and Churched. Jesus’ concept of teaching was to transform the disciple. The Pharisees knew and understood that the disciples had been wit Christ and thus were transformed and equipped (Acts 4:13). The apostles too did the same. Our teaching should therefore e transformational. Even though there is so much prayers and manifestations in African churches, the decline in morality is uncalled for. This is due to the lack of transformational discipleship or proper teaching. The prosperity gospel too has taking over our pulpits today. We must understand that no one can become like Christ in Character but chance or by just praying. It was those who were discipled who went out preaching. If we desire our members to evangelize, then we need to do wholistic discipleship.
8.JESUS’ METHOD: Mark 3:13-15
a. Focus on a small group
Just like any other national leader, it is logical for Jesus to show up in all His glory at the largest stadium or auditorium possible in order to demonstrate and to declare His glory and to choose the most aristocrat and educated religious personalities if Jesus wanted to make an impact. Roman rulers are noted to put on lavish shows across the empire in order to increase their popularity and prestige yet the Christ, the one who is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe limited Himself to just twelve disciples. Jesus approach is indeed unimpressive to the modern preacher who measures success in ministry to the crowd that gathered at a particular meeting. In the words of Woodward and White, “the God of the universe limited Himself to a small band of ragamuffin disciples when he had all the resources at His fingertips. Why do we focus on the crowd when Jesus focused on the twelve?” We are therefore invited to follow Jesus as His results have proven beyond measure.
This invitation was done formally and intentionally. He formally invited twelve people to be His disciples (Mark 3:13-19). In Luke’s account, we are told that Jesus went out to the mountain and prayed all night before choosing the twelve the next day. He intentionally and prayerfully chose the twelve out of the many who followed Him. (Luke 6:1216). In this we learn that good preaching and revival services and crusades that attract crowds are not enough to produce disciples who will be willing to die for the sake of the gospel. In takes intentional and prayerful focus on the transforming of few who we can have time for their progress and correction. This the Church today is finding it difficult to emulate. The twelve was indeed a small number, insignificant considering the scope of the work yet atomic in significance.
It interesting to know that this approach to discipleship did not Just originate with the incarnation of Jesus Christ but from the beginning. God’s desire has always been that humankind should be in His image. To do this, He chose to create only Adam and Eve to produce after their kind since they were both created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-28). Even though God could have filled the earth with humankind created in His image from the onset, He deliberately chose just two to start with. Adam and Eve failed God in producing after their kind and corrupted their nature resulting in the fall. God again chose just one man, Abraham through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed (Genesis 12:1-3). In Genesis 18:19, we are told that Abraham was chosen in order that he may command his household after him in keeping the way of the LORD. God had always chosen few people to train others in order that they may be in the image of God. This is the target of discipleship. Through Abraham, though one man, Israel became a great nation. In the same way, through the few disciples Jesus choses, Christianity has spread to almost all the nations of our world. this method of concentrating on few is thus the sure way to true discipleship.
b. Relationship
Relationship is the priority of Jesus in discipleship. At the heart of the revolution intended by discipleship, according to Woodward and White, “is a relational phenomena, a core committed to a dangerous journey together.” Jesus originally did not call us to be pastors, moderators, doctors, prophets, evangelists, etc., but to be with Him. We can see that even though many were invited to partake of the kingdom movement, it was the twelve disciples who had unique access to the life and message of Christ. In other words, the twelve whom Jesus intentionally called unto Himself were “invited into a separate (but not isolated cluster where they were shaped for living and leading the kingdom of God.” How do you recognize your spouse or friends voice in the midst of multitudes? Because you stayed together, you know his/her voice and vice versa. It is after you have stayed with Him that you can recognize His voice and be able to heed to His will for there are many voices in this world (11Corinthians 14:10). When you stay with Him (Christ), then He will know your ability and you will know Him too. In this way, one can say that the twelve disciples knew what kind of relationship they were being invited into. It was an intentional relationship where they would learn what Jesus Knew and discover who Jesus was in order that they may represent Him.
Discipleship involves serious learning involving the heart, mind and body. It is this relationship that creates the fertile environment for discipleship. Relationships impact people. The relationship between fellowship and learning and the resultant transformation can be seen in the wonder of the council in Acts 4:13 which reads, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus.” (NRSV) John puts it this way, “We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have hear, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life. We declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” (John 1:1,3, NRSV) It is therefore, what we learn from Him and know from Him and the transformation that we have experienced that we proclaim. Ministry is the product of the relationship with Christ. True relationship generates knowledge of each other. Our relationship with Christ also must of necessity generates knowledge of Him in us. Until then, we are not ready to be His disciples.
c. The ministry
The should birth out of our relationship with God. John puts it this way “what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life. What we have seen and heard we also declare to you so that you may have fellowship along with us…” (1 John 1:1,3). The massage is thus a product of their being with Christ. The healing, prophecies, miracles and the likes should flow spontaneous after being with Christ. All those manifestations are products of the Love of God in relation to the salvation of the cosmos and it is through being with Christ that we can learn what it means to Love. Ministry is a second priority and a product as long as Christ is concerned. Did the criminal on the cross who got saved had a ministry? Did he come down from the cross to preach in other to win a crow? No! but he was the first person to get to Paradise under the new covenant because He associated with Christ on the cross. However, his short time with Christ and his lifespan did not permit him to have a ministry or preaching or any other. IT IS BETTER TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP AND NOT HAVE A MINISTRY THAN TO HAVE A MINISTRY AND NOT TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP OR LOSE YOUR RELATIONSHIP which is the case these days. Today we desire to have the great ministries and to be seen as great preachers, evangelist among others than to have a personal relationship with the Lord. It must be noted that ministry does not get us to heaven. It rewards us. It is the relationship which does. In illustrating this, Jesus said, “Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matthew 7:22-23). Jesus here contrasts the righteous life of those in touch with Him and the unrighteous life. For those who are His hears His voice and obeys. “why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and don’t do the things I say” (Luke 6:46).
4. The anointing: authority and power.
To those He calls for missions, He also empowers them for such task. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in POWER (1 Corinthians 4:20). The ministry is a ministry of power and so we see in Luke 9:1-2 that before He sent them out, He “gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” Having authority is needed for the accomplishment of the mission. Some of us are just ok that we are saved or we are preachers teachers, evangelist, prophets, among others. That is not enough. You need to wait till the anointing comes upon you. Jesus had commissioned the Disciples and given them the tactics, the road map and all instructions they would need as well as the assurance of the authority in Matthew 28: 16-20, yet Just before He ascended to the right hand of the God, He told them to wait (which was understood to meant prayers) until the paracletus has come. He is our helper-advocator-comforter. Until the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we will be weary and do it with our might. Like a driver pusher the car because there is no fuel in the car. This is what many ministers of the Gospel are experiencing today. No fuel and hence the work has become very difficult for them. Allow the paracletus to take over. If you are in the Kingdom of God which Paul said is not about food and drink but power (Rom 14:17), then we need to walk in power. We need to know our identity.
This is why God will not do certain things for us because He has commissioned the Church and with authority. He has given us the power of attorney. For example, Paul had a true and personal encounter with Christ Himself on the Damascus road (Acts 9) but Christ did not commission him. He instead, sent Ananias (a disciple) to Paul who prayed for the recovery of his eyes and baptized him also (Acts 9: 10-19). Even when Paul was being rejected by the disciples, it took Barnabas to introduce him to the disciples after which he was accepted (Acts 9: 26-30).
Note that in Acts 10, Cornelius had a vision of an angel of the Lord yet the angel did not tell him anything but told him to go look for Peter who will tell him what to do (Acts 10:1-6). Abraham told the rich man, “they have Moses and the prophets: let them hear them.
CONCLUSION AND PRAYERS
God created humanity in His own image to have dominion and to reproduce after our kind. Sin however, stripped us off our mandate. Because we rebelled against the creator, creation also rebelled against us. Jesus Christ came that we might receive life and have it abundantly. He came to restore us. To those who have the opportunity to experience this life in the Son, we are also mandated to reproduce after our kind through discipleship so that Christ' Kingdom will be established in the hearts of all men. Just as humanity was intentionally made BT God in the creation story, so are we mandated to intentionally make disciples.
