Knowing what needs to be done is important, but the concept of knowing who is supposed to do those things is vital. We can agree all day long that something needs to be done, and if we believe those people are not following through, then we just get judgmental and build resentment, and sometimes even disappointment.
After last weeks session of Multiply we got clear definition of what a disciple is, and really it was actually quite exciting to think through what it might have been like to have a rabbi come by and ask us to follow him. Almost unimaginable. That is an exciting part of our life as well. In our spiritual state, it is amazing that we too are called to follow Jesus. This is, if we are willing to understand that he believes we can be one of His disciples.
This week in session 2, we learn what it is like to live like a disciple. For our first challenge, let’s take ourselves back to the time of the disciples that were called and spent 3 years of their life with this miracle man. They ate, slept, saw miracles and were actually associated with the Messiah. Then everything changed. When things seemed magical, it ended in tragedy on Calvary, or so it could be thought. Let’s read Matthew 28 as if it were us involved.
The Resurrection
1 Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.
2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.
5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”
8 The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. 9 And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”
The Report of the Guard
11 As the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened. 12 A meeting with the elders was called, and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe. 13 They told the soldiers, “You must say, ‘Jesus’ disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.’ 14 If the governor hears about it, we’ll stand up for you so you won’t get in trouble.” 15 So the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say. Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today.
The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:1-20 NLT
How do you think you would have reacted if you were one of the disciples in this time?
We read in the New Testament about how people would reach out and actually connect with people around them. They would intentionally get involved. There was a passion to share the good news, build others up and help each other. They were teaching about Jesus life and helping others to obey everything that Jesus commanded.
Francis asks the direct question in this section; “What is it that we see so little disciple making taking place in the church today? Do we think that Jesus just meant for those first followers to make disciples and we are told to do something different? We can’t find it in the bible, and we don’t have a campaign to support such a notion, but we have found ourselves in a culture where there are paid staff members that many believe are called to take care of this for us, or at least for God….
Assess your church experience in light of Jesus’ command ot make disciples. Would you say that your church is characterized by disciple making? Why or why not?
Making disciples is not simply an action item we cross off our today list. It is not an accomplishment, it is a way of life. The Great Commission asks three things of us… Go, baptize people and teach them to obey everything Jesus commanded. It is simple, and yet, we make it more than it is.
There is nothing in the call to go to seminary, to get a degree, or be ordained. The direction was to those that were willing to follow. As it has been stated, God will equip the called, because He does not call the equipped.
The simplest things to understand are often the most difficult to put into practice. – Francis Chan, Multiply
The first part of the Commission is to go, yet many just wait for people to come up to them and ask for help. Others don’t feel like they can go share the good news because some one might not like them, or they might be asked a question they can’t answer.
There are many individuals today that are passionate about Jesus and the bible, but have gotten into an inward spiral where they get consumed with learning and being educated, but they don’t put what they learn into practice.
Have you had seasons where you were consumed with learning and not doing? Are there those in your life that live in this fashion, How do you characterize such behavior?
The second part of the Commission is to baptize people. In our world today, the importance of baptism has plummeted. Somewhere along the way, baptism got replaced with a cross necklace and a fish symbol on the back of a car.
In the early church, baptism was huge, Baptism was an unmistakeable act that marked a person as a follower of Jesus Christ. It is matched up with the death and resurrection of Christ. Where we are to die and be raised up as a new creation. It was, and still is, an allegiance to Christ. It is a public declaration that a person’s life, identity and priorities were centered on Jesus and His mission.
Have you identified yourself with Jesus through bring baptized? If so, why do you think this was an important step for you to take? If not, what is holding you back from begin baptized?
Going seems reasonable, baptism seems painless, but this last part of the Commission might just be too much. To really carry out such a feat, it will take a lifetime of devotion to studying the Scriptures and investing in the people around us. None of this is easy, or can be checked off a list. We are never really done.
Do you invest in people around you. Do you engage like the first disciples of Jesus in a way that allows lives to change? Or are you merely just hanging out, witnessing the life of others? Jesus calls us to follow his example and to invest in others lives. Some of our biggest justifications is that we don’t want to impose on anyone, and we don’t want to point out anything wrong in someone else’s life, because then they will turn around and get critical of our life, and boy, we know that we aren’t perfect, so most of the time it is not worth the risk of sharing because of the response we might get.
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. – John 15:18-20 ESV
Would you say that you’re ready to commit yourself to studying the Scriptures and investing in the people around you? Why or why not?
Our world has shift over the thousands of years, everything seems to be specialized. There are insurance men selling insurance, there are carpenters making projects with their hands, and there are church ministers ministering. While it is true that there are some that have a vocation for doing discipleship work, we can’t overlook the fact that discipleship was everybody’s job.
Do you ever get discouraged with immature people, and even people that have been involved for a while, whether it is a job or our walk with Christ. It is like they aren’t growing, they are not changing, they seem to be staying like the immature person they were long ago. Paul hits this point in the book to the Ephesians.
11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. – Ephesians 4:11-16 NLT
What excuses tend to keep you from following Jesus’s command to make disciples? What do you need to do in order to move past these excuses?
Whom has God placed in your life right now that you can begin making into a disciple of Jesus Christ? Whom has God placed in your life for you to partner with in making disciples? Where is your sweet spot or mission field?
Continue this week through Session 3 and the bible reading for the week ahead is:
Matthew 18 – 28