Being and Making Disciples of Jesus Part 3

Jesus hands the baton to his disciples after the cross and resurrection, and that last word carries weight. Jesus says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me,” and then gives the imperative: make disciples. The command does not come from a consultant, a religious expert, or a nice moral teacher. The command comes from the divine Son of God, the one who left “the ivory palaces” and stepped into the muck and mire of human brokenness, went to the cross, and rose again.

A disciple is not just a student who listens, takes notes, passes a test, and moves on. A disciple comes alongside Jesus, follows him day in and day out, gets changed by him, obeys him, loves as he loved, sacrifices as he sacrificed, and anticipates the future because Jesus endured the cross “for the joy before him.” A disciple says yes to Jesus, is being transformed by Jesus, and is dedicated to the mission of Jesus.

Making disciples has two big pieces: evangelism and edification. Evangelism is good news, but the good news only makes sense when the bad news is clear. Sin leaves people stuck, disconnected from God, and unable to be religious enough to fix it. Baptism becomes that biblically objective place where a person steps across the line, not because the water is magic, but because the person has received what God has done. Edification is not just education. Jesus says to teach them to obey, which means truth gets lived out in the rub of life.

The obligation matters because Jesus did not say, “if it feels good,” or “if qualified.” The cure image makes the point plain: if a person has been healed while others are dying, there is an obligation to share the cure. The obstacles include misunderstanding the command as only for professionals and misunderstanding lostness as not that serious.

The opportunity is staggering. Christ calls ordinary disciples his ambassadors, even plain, unschooled, ordinary people who have been with Jesus. The Spirit gives power, prompts obedience, brings Scripture back to mind, and helps disciples speak when they do not know what to say. The practical path may be simple: read John, ask Jesus to show something new, obey it, share it, pray for one person, serve somewhere, and think about spiritual lineage. A hundred years from now, somebody may know Jesus because one disciple started one conversation.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Disciples come alongside, not above [39:55] A disciple is not merely someone who collects information about Jesus. Discipleship has a “rub on rub” quality, where life is shared, obedience is watched, and faith becomes visible in ordinary places. The call is not to stand at a distance and issue religious instructions, but to walk with people as Jesus walked with his own. [39:55]
• 2. The cure creates real obligation [48:26] The gospel is not religious advice for people who happen to be interested. The gospel is the cure for the deepest human problem, and the person who has received mercy cannot treat dying people with casual indifference. Obligation here is not guilt manipulation, but love made honest by the seriousness of lostness. [48:26]
• 3. Ordinary people carry royal authority [53:15] Christ’s ambassadors are not impressive because of credentials, polish, or religious professionalism. Their authority comes from the King who sends them into workplaces, schools, neighborhoods, and ordinary dirt. The wonder is that God looks at weak and uneven people and still says, “I’m entrusting you.” [53:15]
• 4. Lostness must not be minimized [51:15] Lostness is not a minor inconvenience or a personality flaw. Sin disconnects people from a perfect God, and no religious program can make a sinner holy enough to bridge that gap. The urgency of making disciples grows where the seriousness of lostness is actually believed. [51:15]
• 5. Spiritual lineage reaches beyond sight [01:09:20] Discipleship often looks small at the beginning: one conversation, one prayer, one act of love, one person served. Yet that small faithfulness can move through people and decades in ways no disciple can trace ahead of time. The question is not only who helped form the present disciple, but who may know Jesus in the future because that disciple breathed Jesus into someone else.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [34:56] - Opening Prayer and Father’s Day
• [36:12] - Valuing Fathers and Good Men
• [38:10] - Fatherhood and Making Disciples
• [40:48] - The One Who Gives the Command
• [42:13] - What a Disciple Really Is
• [43:59] - Baptizing and Teaching to Obey
• [46:45] - Grasping the Obligation
• [48:26] - Obstacles to Making Disciples
• [51:54] - The Opportunity to Be Ambassadors
• [54:19] - Witnesses, Salt, and Light
• [56:43] - Using Gifts Like Tabitha
• [57:50] - The Power of the Holy Spirit
• [61:14] - Simple Steps of Obedience
• [68:11] - Spiritual Lineage and Future Fruit

Bible Reading

Matthew 28:18-20
“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.’” [38:44]

Acts 1:8
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” [54:00]

2 Corinthians 5:20
“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” [52:21]

Luke 19:10
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” [50:57]

Matthew 5:14-16
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” [54:46]

Observation questions

1. In Matthew 28:18-20, what actions are included in making disciples, and how are baptizing and teaching connected to that command? [43:59]
2. What details help show that a disciple is more than a student who just gathers information? [39:55]
3. According to Luke 19:10 and the way lostness was described, what is true about the condition of people apart from Christ?
4. In the passages about witnesses, ambassadors, and light, what pictures are used to describe how believers relate to the world around them? [52:21]

Interpretation questions

1. Jesus begins the Great Commission by saying that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him. How does his authority shape the way this command should be heard? [40:48]
2. Jesus says to teach people to observe all that he commanded. Why is that different from simply teaching Bible information, and what does that suggest discipleship should look like in real life? [45:49]
3. The image of a cure being shared with dying people gives weight to the obligation of disciple-making. How does that image help explain why this command is not merely optional for believers? [47:57]
4. Believers are called Christ’s ambassadors and also told that the Holy Spirit gives power. How do those two truths work together when someone feels ordinary, weak, or unprepared? [57:55]

Application questions

1. A disciple says yes to Jesus, is being transformed by Jesus, and is dedicated to the mission of Jesus. Which part of that feels strongest in life right now, and which part needs the most attention? [42:21]
2. Lostness is not a small problem, and the gospel is not just advice. Is there anyone in everyday life who has been viewed too casually instead of with real spiritual concern? What might change if that person were seen more clearly? [51:15]
3. Christ sends ordinary people as his ambassadors into work, school, neighborhoods, and all the ordinary places of life. Where does that calling feel most real right now, and where does it feel easiest to forget? [53:22]
4. Sometimes the first step is simply being a witness and saying, “This is what Jesus has done in my life.” What would it look like to say that naturally to one real person this week? [54:22]
5. A simple path of obedience is to read John, ask Jesus to show something new, obey it, and share it. What might keep that from happening consistently, and what would make it more doable this week? [01:02:09]
6. Praying for one person by name can become the beginning of loving them well. Who comes to mind right now as someone to pray for regularly, and what might be a simple next step toward them? [01:04:12]
7. Spiritual lineage often begins with one conversation, one act of love, or one small step of obedience. If Jesus does not return for a hundred years, who might know him because of faithfulness offered now? [01:09:20]