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What is Discipleship
October 14, 2024
Hey Clawson Family!
Song:
Scripture:
Matthew 28:19-20
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Devotional:
Life is hard. People are messy. I’m not perfect. I believe these three truths go a long way toward informing our working definition of discipleship.
Have you been discipled? Are you currently discipling someone? How is that going?
The goal of discipleship is to help people grow to become more like Jesus. Helping Christians live out their faith is the main purpose of discipleship. Successful discipleship should teach believers how to share the faith they are living by testifying to what God has done in their lives and through sharing the gospel. You may be the only Bible anyone ever reads. Are you discipling people so that they can one day disciple others?
For someone to be discipled, they need to be ready and in a place where they can be poured into by someone. It’s hard to tell somebody about Jesus when their home is on fire.
Discipleship is not mentoring. The two may look similar, but in reality are different. As the 12 Disciples followed Jesus from place to place, they saw Him live out His faith and demonstrate the responsibilities and authority of His ministry. Jesus showed them how to do ministry. That is the picture of healthy discipleship.
Later, once they withdrew from the crowd, Jesus would listen to them, teach them, correct them and love them. That’s the essence of mentoring.
Discipleship directs and demonstrates. Mentors listen and guide. I also view discipleship as a Christian discipline. After all, the goal is to become more Christlike.
A few characteristics identifying discipleship include venturing out and sharing the gospel with non-believers, getting grounded in God’s word, learning how to love others well, and loving what God loves more than what we love.
A good disciple is obedient, dedicated, determined, and faithful. They hunger to become more like Jesus in every aspect of their life.
Journal:
What adjustments do you need to make in your resolve to follow Jesus well? Are you missing key equipment? Do you need to refocus your eyes on the right end point? Reflect and write this answers in your journal.
Training:
Heavenly Father,
we acknowledge it’s not easy to be a disciple of Your Son! We’d rather have fun than pick up our crosses. Lead us on the way of following Jesus. Help us remember that Your presence and the hope of Your kingdom sustain us.
Jesus name Amen
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