Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw Him, they worshipped Him - but some of them doubted!
Jesus came and told His disciples, "I have been given all authority in Heaven and on Earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 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."
Pretty powerful command, right? Jesus has given each of us a lifelong mission. A purpose. A calling. Now in order to fully understand this command, the "Great Commission", we need to determine what exactly a "disciple" is. Especially if we intend on going out into the world to "make them", as Jesus commands.
Here are a few different definitions I came across. Disciple:
• Someone who accepts and helps spread the teachings of a famous person.
• One who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another.
Old English, from Latin discipulus 'learner', from discere 'learn'; reinforced by Old French decibel.
None of those definitions or origins were shocking. However, John Starke's article Give Up Your Weak Definition of "Disciple" was thought provoking. (Read the article here.) *John Starke is an editor for The Gospel Coalition and lead pastor of All Souls Church in the Upper West Side of Manhattan.*
Starke's article explains what a disciple is called to be, according to God's word, better than I ever could. But I will attempt to share my thoughts in a cohesive manner.
In our modern-day church, being a "Christian" doesn't mean much. At least not nearly as much as it meant to be a Christ-follower in Bible times. Nowadays, being a "Christian" (especially in the "Bible Belt") simply means believing in God and attending a church service whenever it is convenient. The average Christian is nothing like the disciples (aka: Christ-followers) that we read about in the Bible. Myself included.
We read our Bibles rarely, we pray only when we are desperate for a wish to be granted by our genie.. I mean God, and we "go and make disciples".. never. How did we get here? How did we get so far from what God intended us to be? There are a lot of Christians, and even Pastors, out there that want to convince you (and ultimately themselves) that the way we are living is just fine. But I can't reconcile that notion with the information I find in the Bible.
What I find in the Bible is a call to excellence. Not mediocrity. I find Jesus boldly telling his disciples what to do and not do. How to live and not live. I see Jesus setting the ultimate example and demanding His disciples do the same. I find commandments like the Great Commission to "go and make disciples of all nations". But what are we doing? Are we living according to the example that Jesus and His disciples set? Are we living according to the commandments that Jesus gave? I can answer that question honestly for myself and say.. No, I'm not. What about you?
My flesh wants to be comfortable. My flesh wants to be selfish. My flesh wants everything that Jesus taught against. And instead of fighting like hell to resist... so often I find myself succumbing to the world's standard. I find myself getting lazy and failing to fight for righteousness. I've spent far too many years chasing worldly desires and failing to fulfill my calling: to be a disciple and to make disciples.
So here is the challenge for me and you. Let's take a deeper look into God's word for our identity, our standards, and our callings. I want to look back a year from now and see a major shift in my life and in the lives of the people closest to me. Let's get uncomfortable. Look at your life today and find the things that are in contrast with God's word. Because I'm sure by the world's standards (and even by most church's standards) your life is just fine. I'm tired of my life being fine. Jesus demands righteousness. He demands so much more than any of us are willing to be. I want each of us to seek holiness and righteousness like never before. Because, whether we like it or not, time is running out.
