Tag: Disciplemaking

Lessons from Jesus’ methods

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HIGHLIGHT

John 1:42 (ESV): 42He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

EXPLAIN

It is intriguing to consider Jesus’ tactics in gathering followers. First, Jesus went where the action was – where John the Baptist was ministering. There, he received a referral from the Baptist, whose calling was to proclaim Jesus, and he also was with people of a similar mindset and passion – the desire to see God’s kingdom be established.

When two of John’s disciples began following Jesus, he encouraged them by asking what they were seeking. Surely, Jesus recognized that they were following the Baptist because of their desire to meet him, the Messiah.

When Andrew brought Peter, Jesus immediately nicknamed him, “Like a rock”, keenly recognizing Peter’s character and aspirations. When Philip brought Nathaniel, Jesus did virtually the same, in essence calling him “Honest Abe”.

APPLY

As we seek to make disciples of Jesus who make disciples, do we imitate the methods of Jesus, as well as the message of Jesus?

Are we frequenting places where spiritually hungry people are? Have we earned a good name so that others will vouch for us and the message of good news we share? Do we seek to know those we are reaching for Christ personally? Do we give them reason to be intrigued and to feel heard and valued?

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, help me to learn better how to connect with people so that I might lead them to become your disciples, making more disciples.

Praying for harvesters

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HIGHLIGHT

Matthew 9:37–38 (ESV): 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

EXPLAIN

Matthew 9 is a chapter packed with the miraculous exploits of Jesus. Jesus continued to preach and teach in the cities and villages, healing people of various sicknesses and disease, calling different ones to follow him.

In this way, Jesus proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God. When he saw crowds of people, curious, needy, bewildered and more, Jesus had compassion on them, for he recognized that they were like sheep without a shepherd. So Jesus gave his disciples a prayer request, to pray for more workers for God’s harvest.

The very next thing we read that Jesus did was then to send his disciples out to various villages on their own in groups of two to spread the gospel of God’s kingdom

APPLY

The harvest of souls for God’s kingdom is great, too great for just a few to bear the load. One of our regular prayer requests should be that God would send forth more laborers into the field. And… we should be ready to be part of God’s answer, working as harvesters.

This scripture truly shows us one of the high points of disciple-making. In disciple-making, we train or mentor others to grow in Christlikeness, but the purpose is not merely their personal edification. Rather, they are to become disciplemakers who make disciples who make disciples.

In Luke 10 we find Jesus sending out the seventy-two and then his joy when they return, excited about what God had done through them. It has been suggested that those seventy-two were disciples made by the Twelve in this first disciple-making mission.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, I pray that you would continue to send forth laborers into your harvest field. Help me to make disciples who make disciples for your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Imitate good

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HIGHLIGHT

3 John 11 (ESV): 11 Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.

EXPLAIN

John wrote a letter of gratitude and encouragement to a faithful man named Gaius, who was helping itinerant preachers or traveling Christians as they passed through his area.

John had written a letter to Gaius’ local church, but Diotrephes, who liked to be first, would not recognize the apostle’s authority. Diotrephes also refused to welcome those Christians who were traveling through, and even sought to put out of the church those who did help people in need.

John encouraged Gaius not to imitate evil, but to imitate good.

APPLY

It could have been tempting, in order to get along with this strong church boss, not to help people in need, to give various excuses why one did not need get involved. Instead, one could have sought the good graces of Diotrephes who was “in charge” so that all would go well.

But Gaius had determined to do what was right. So John challenged him to continue doing so.

It does not matter who is in power or has the most influence, in government, at work, school, or in our local church. We must imitate those who do good, not those who do evil.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, help me always to imitate those who do good, and be worthy of imitation by those who seek to do what is right. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

What church often lacks today

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HIGHLIGHT

James 5:16 (ESV): 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.

EXPLAIN

There are several themes that are interwoven throughout this letter including: suffering or times of testing, the rich and the poor, the need for wisdom, speech and its source – the heart, and faith that works.

While the rich addressed at beginning of the letter are fellow believers, in James 5 the rich appear to be wicked people who do not fear God and take advantage of other people.

God’s people are exhorted to be patient and steadfast in difficulty. Then, those who are suffering and sick are told to pray. Indeed, the sick are to come before the church to be anointed by the elders of the church. Any sins should be confessed.

APPLY

In our individualistic Western society, this instruction to confess our sins to one another and pray together seems a bit foreign. Unfortunately, some local church cultures are such that people do not trust the community to handle private, confidential matters appropriately.

Indeed, I was told once by a church leader that when their church asked for testimonies people were reluctant to share for fear of what others might say. Often, such testimony times were seen as “pre-planned events” in which the leader had selected some people to share already.

We see a very different church culture in the first century. And, scriptures such as James 5:16 would suggest that God’s desire is different also.

We would not suggest that everyone should indiscriminately share intimate details of their spiritual life in the church. Yet our scripture does strongly imply that within the church people should be connected to smaller groups in which they can be free to share without fear, receive heartfelt prayer for their needs, and be held accountable in their walk with God.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, help us to develop relationships with a few other believers with whom we can laugh, love, and lift each other spiritually. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The need for a guide

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HIGHLIGHT

Acts 8:30–31 (ESV): 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

EXPLAIN

After a very successful ministry in Samaria, the Holy Spirit told Phillip to go south into the desert. As he walking down the road, an Ethiopian eunuch came by in a chariot, reading from Isaiah.

The Spirit told Phillip to go to the chariot and so he asked the man if he understood what he was reading. The eunuch’s response is our highlighted text.

APPLY

There is a simple truth here that may be easily overlooked. Pre-Christians, new Christians, and even more established Christians needed guidance in the faith.

Phillip was engaged in pre-conversion discipleship.

What made this moment so powerful? Phillip was sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leadership and willing to engage others in a spiritual conversation, the eunuch was humble and willing to listen and learn, and an invitation to discipleship was given.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, help me to be sensitive to the Spirit’s voice. May I be willing to go out of my comfort zone to disciple others. Prepare the way for me so that people are ready to hear and obey the Good News. Amen.

Come and see

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HIGHLIGHT

John 1:46 (ESV): 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

EXPLAIN

At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, John the Baptist saw him and told his disciples that this was the Lamb of God. Two of his disciples began to follow Jesus. Jesus invited them to come after him saying, “Come and you will see.”

The next day, Jesus invited Philip to follow him. Philip then found Nathanael and told him they had found the Messiah. Nathanael questioned this, but Philip simply said, “Come and see.”

APPLY

It is interesting to consider the dynamics of why Nathanael responded to Philip’s challenge. First and most importantly, we should recognize the Holy Spirit’s work in the background.

Second, we notice that Philip challenged Nathanael. “Prove that I’m wrong. See for yourself,” he said, in essence.

Thirdly, however, we assume that there was a relationship of trust built over many years of friendship that intrigued Nathanael and impelled him to trust that Philip was not joking, but serious.

Do we have such friendships with others that will cause them to seriously consider our faith story?

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, help me to develop friendships with lost people that I might influence them to follow you. Amen.