Christian Discipleship after Conversion
"And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20
There are several topics American preachers tend to shy away from. Discipleship is one of those less-talked about topics. (Our little church at Glen Iris Baptist doesn't shy away from anything in God's Word, thankfully. You should check it out!)
When my Christian walk became a reality, and I realized how close and personaa relationship with the God of the universe was, by the grace of God I started learning what it meant to become a disciple of Christ and be discipled. I didn't know many older women or didn't think about asking them to disciple me at first. I discovered Revive Our Hearts online ministry and soaked up everything I could get my hands on from them about prayer, historical revivals, and what it looked like to live out my faith daily. My college church thankfully had a college girls' mentor who discipled Christian girls, and the church itself had some discipleship materials that I got from them.
Something different about my college church and current church was that they actually lived out the Bible's command to share the gospel with the lost. Both churches had groups that went out on the streets, on campus, in the park, door to door, passing out tracts and sharing the gospel with anyone who was willing to talk with us and listen. I had grown up in church, and in a Christian school, but sharing the gospel and discipleship were never words that were ever mentioned. I didn't know any Christians who did that for 18 years of growing up in the Bible belt! I learned that I could do this in my daily walk, wherever I went. In fact, I was commanded to.
I was drawn by the faith of this group of people, and my desire to share the good news of Jesus has grown more each year! Here is the first in a series of posts on what it means to live like a Christian once you surrender your life to the Lord. It's not a one time prayer to "get saved" so you can avoid hell and go to heaven. It's a relationship you've begun with the triune God: the Father who loves you, Jesus, the Son who died in your place, paying the debt you owed to a holy, perfect God who must punish sin, but loves you so much that He died for you so you can experience life everlasting, and God the Holy Spirit who fills and empowers you once you become a Christian and helps you obediently walk in the ways of God in His Word. As we grow to act more like Jesus in our relationship with God, we are noticeably changed.
Looking at this verse at the end of Matthew, I see that God has ALL power and authority in heaven AND on earth. As His child and follower, I have nothing to fear. May I not live in fear but in the power God promised in 2 Timothy 1:7 "for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." He commanded us to 1) go, 2) make disciples, 3) baptize them in the NAME of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and everything His name represents as the very character and nature of WHO God is, of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, 4) teach them to keep His commands and way of life that He says works best. Then He gives us a promise that He will always be with us. May we walk in faith and powerfully live like we believe His promises!
Reflection: What does it look like to live as a disciple, a Christian "little Christ?" Do I look different from the world in a way that people can tell? Do I share the gospel or have a desire? In what ways am I not obeying out of fear, busyness, or apathy? Do I live confidently knowing that all power has been given to Jesus, and He gives us a spirit of power, love and self-control? Do we really believe His promise that He will always be with us? Can people tell a difference in how we live that they notice that something is different about us? Or do we look like the world? When people met Jesus, they were TRANSFORMED, different! Ask God to show you your sin, any areas that you are like the world and ask Him to help you be obedient if there's any area that's not been repented of and surrendered to His control. Then, ask for help to allow you to be obedient when the opportunity arises. Be prepared! If you pray for an opportunity, don't let it pass you by when it comes!
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