Defining Discipleship

Modeling Kingdom Discipleship Today’s Focus: Defining Discipleship Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20 Greetings Kingdom Citizens In the last message we left off discussing how religion has made the Great Commission about teaching the ways of the institution and making disciples of the institution rather than disciples of Christ. Now let’s start defining discipleship. Jesus gives the disciples a clear command in Matthew 28:20: “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:” So a disciple is someone who obeys the Lord Jesus in everything. Very simple. Now we have read it to be teach them to obey everything the Lord has commanded but what has happened is there is has been an extensive emphasis on teaching rather than obeying. So when we give the information, we assume they are obeying. Do we see the difference? When you obey the Lord Jesus Christ, you show that you are a witness unto Him. Now let’s look at this word witness because there is such a misconception about witnessing and there is no way you can witness anything without obedience. Acts 1:8: But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the Earth. Now when we read this, there is a clear process that the disciples had to go through before they can be a witness unto Jesus. That process is laid out right here in Acts 1:8. First you must be empowered by the Holy Spirit. This is one of the four doctrinal baptisms. This is called being baptized of the Spirit. Now remember the disciples received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in John 20:21-23 when Jesus blew on them. Now Jesus still tells them to go to Jerusalem and wait to be empowered. So a true witness of Christ must have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as well as be empowered by the Holy Spirit. Next Jesus tells them after that, they will be witnesses UNTO Jesus. Now what does it mean to be a witness unto Jesus? Well let’s look at this from a natural perspective. Suppose Jesus was sitting in the defendant’s chair and they call you to the witness stand. When you sit in the witness stand on behalf of Jesus to defend Him you must not only be able to testify with your words but also bring evidence of your testimony. When you do this you prove Jesus is who He says He is. 1 Corinthians 4:20 speaks that the Kingdom of God come not in word but in power. Power is the seen evidence of the King and the Kingdom. If we desire to be witnesses works must follow our words and also our faith. Faith itself comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of God. When you trust in and believe in the thing that God told you to do, you obey and comply with that very command and that is what makes a disciple a disciple is obedience to the Lord. Look there are many people who can speak of the Lord, but how many have been empowered to manifest the power? We must get back to submission and obedience because these are the essence to true discipleship. The student cannot be greater than the Master. We must learn our place and as the Lord instructs us and matures us, we then can go out and effectively represent Him and teach others, like He taught us. Peace, Love and Grace, Calvin Calhoun, Jr.