AM I HIS DISCIPLE? | MAKING DISCIPLES | Matthew 28:18-20 | Pastor Elvis Ghansah

Aug 22, 2022

Devotional

Day 1: Turning Toward the Unseen Shore

The crowd pressed against Ezekiel as he declared God’s warning: righteous men turning to evil would die, while wicked men turning to righteousness would live. His words cut through excuses, exposing repentance as a U-turn requiring full-body alignment—not just whispered apologies. The prophet’s voice still echoes: direction matters more than past mileage. [24:06]

Jesus sharpened Ezekiel’s blade. Repentance isn’t neutral—it’s gravitational pull toward Christ or centrifugal spin toward self. God tracks not your velocity but your trajectory. A Pharisee sprinting away from grace dies mid-stride; a thief shuffling toward the cross lives.

You’ve felt the tug. That secret habit, that grudge nursed like a trophy—they’re compass needles pointing where you’re actually headed. Stop. Spin on your heel. What one thought, one action today would realign you face-to-face with Jesus?

“When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall die because of it. And when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness and does what is lawful and right, he shall live because of it.”
(Ezekiel 33:18-19, NKJV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to expose any hidden U-turns away from His presence.
Challenge: Write down one attitude you’ll consciously turn from today.

Day 2: Authority in Every Footstep

Dust clung to the disciples’ sandals as Jesus declared, “All authority is mine.” Not some. Not most. Every demonic scheme, political regime, and storm obeyed Him. Yet He entrusted this nuclear power to fishermen for a single mission: “Make disciples.” Not converts. Not church members. Lifelong apprentices. [27:24]

Authority without obedience is empty noise. Jesus didn’t say “Admire my authority” but “Act on it.” The Great Commission runs on transferred dominion—your feet crushing serpents as you walk discipleship into others. A disobedient disciple leaks power; an obedient one radiates chain-breaking might.

Your workplace, family, and gym aren’t secular zones—they’re authority-drenched mission fields. Where have you been acting like a hired hand instead of an heir? Name one person you’ll intentionally disciple this week, not just invite to church.

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...’”
(Matthew 28:18-19a, NKJV)

Prayer: Claim Christ’s authority over three specific strongholds in your circle.
Challenge: Text one believer today to schedule a discipleship conversation.

Day 3: Counting Towers, Carrying Crosses

Sweat streaked the faces in Jesus’ crowd as He handed them construction math: “Calculate the cost before building.” Then He redefined family—loving Him more than parents or children. The air thickened. Some left. Jesus didn’t chase them. Cheap grace repels Him; bloody-knuckled commitment draws His smile. [48:02]

Discipleship isn’t a side hustle. It’s a bulldozer demolishing every idol’s foundation. Jesus demands first place not from cruelty, but clarity—He knows divided hearts crumble under life’s storms. Your cross isn’t a hardship; it’s the death grip you release to grab His hand.

What unfinished “tower” of half-obedience have you been decorating instead of demolishing? Inventory your relationships, schedule, and bank statements—which one screams “Mine!” instead of “His”?

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”
(Luke 14:26-27, NKJV)

Prayer: Confess one area you’ve valued more than Christ’s lordship.
Challenge: Cancel one non-essential activity this week to pray instead.

Day 4: Fully Trained Hands

Calloused hands sawed wood as Jesus told the Twelve: “A disciple isn’t above his teacher.” They blinked sawdust from their eyes, realizing their futures—not just as students, but replicas. Training meant blisters. Learning meant mimicking His prayer habits, His scripture responses, His enemy-love. [39:40]

Maturity isn’t graduation—it’s duplication. Jesus measures growth by your resemblance to Him in grit situations. The servant’s towel, the angry temple tables, the midnight garden prayers—these aren’t vignettes but blueprints. A fully trained disciple bleeds forgiveness when slapped, feeds enemies, dies empty.

Whose faith are you photocopying? Paul told imitators to mimic him as he mimicked Christ. Write down three of Jesus’ specific actions from the Gospels you’ll enact today.

“A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.”
(Luke 6:40, NKJV)

Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to highlight one un-Christlike reaction in you.
Challenge: Practice Jesus’ exact response to stress from Matthew 11:28-30 today.

Day 5: GPS for the Godward Life

Fish sizzled over the fire as Jesus promised, “I’m with you always.” Not just in temple courts or stormy boats. In tax collector meetings. In Roman trials. In tomb silences. The disciples’ GPS wasn’t a system but a Savior—His voice rerouting them around dead ends toward resurrection dawns. [01:00:28]

Presence demands participation. Jesus sticks with you not to spectate but to co-labor. His “with you” is a welding torch, bonding your story to His kingdom machinery. Every mundane moment becomes a discipleship junction—diaper changes, traffic jams, and Zoom calls brim with divine reroute potential.

Where have you been ignoring the Shepherd’s voice because you preferred Waze? Silence your phone for five minutes now. Ask: “Jesus, what course correction will keep me aligned with You today?”

“...lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
(Matthew 28:20b, NKJV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for three specific moments He guided you this week.
Challenge: Read Psalm 23 aloud, replacing “shepherd” with “GPS” to grasp His guidance.

Sermon Summary

Grace finds people where they are and calls for a life turned toward God. Repentance appears as a decisive reorientation of the heart and mind that produces visible change in conduct. Discipleship begins with that inward turn, then matures through instruction, obedience, and a willingness to be formed by Christ. Authority undergirds the call to make disciples of all nations; Jesus claims all authority and sends followers to baptize and teach across every people group. Being a disciple requires more than mental assent. It demands a surrendered will, humble submission to God and those he appoints, and daily dependence on the Holy Spirit to shape attitudes and behavior. True learning in discipleship aims not merely at knowledge but at imitation: learners accept instruction and let it govern their actions until their lives reflect the teacher.

Discipleship precedes the label of Christian because followers demonstrated Christlike conduct first, and the world named them by what they became. Growth in discipleship includes accountability, the readiness to bear personal crosses, and the refusal to let family or self-interest replace allegiance to Christ. That hard recalibration does not authorize disrespect or bitterness; it reorders priorities so love and relationships flow from a rooted loyalty to God. Submission to God yields spiritual authority and protection, not weakness, and positions people to resist evil effectively. The church carries the responsibility to nurture new believers into mature disciples who, having been trained, go on to teach others. Practical faith expresses itself in teaching by word and lifestyle, consistent humility, and faithfulness that trusts God to make ways where there seem to be none. Prayer, healing, protection, provision, and the promise of Christ’s presence accompany the call to follow faithfully.

Key Takeaways

1. Repentance begins the disciple's journey Repentance marks a redirected life, not a one-time declaration. Genuine turning involves an inward change of mind that issues in a new pattern of choices, affections, and habits. Disciple-making starts when that inner reorientation produces consistent outward fruit, signaling a heart that now travels toward God. [21:07]
2. Discipleship precedes being called Christian The label Christian grew from observed conduct, not from a title granted first. Authentic following shows itself in daily obedience, teaching others, and embodying Christ’s commands so that behavior announces identity. Churches must cultivate formation that produces visible likeness to Christ before expecting a nominal identity to stick. [28:43]
3. Costly surrender demands Jesus first Following Christ requires reordering loyalties so that family and self stand secondary to devotion to God. This demand exposes attachments that compete with discipleship and calls for radical prioritizing, not literal hatred or broken relationships. When Jesus occupies the highest place, relationships flourish from that rooted devotion rather than replace it. [47:21]
4. Submission produces authority over darkness Humility toward God opens access to spiritual power and protection and places believers under divine guidance. Submission functions as a spiritual engine: it aligns heart and will with God and empowers effective resistance against spiritual opposition. True strength flows from trusting God’s leadership, not from asserting independence. [58:30]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[19:57] - Praise and the Power of God
[20:51] - Series Introduction: Making Disciples
[21:07] - Am I a Disciple?
[23:10] - Repentance Defined and Applied
[26:15] - Authority for the Great Commission
[28:43] - Disciples Before Christians
[31:28] - Baptism and Teaching Explained
[33:14] - What It Means to Be a Disciple
[38:45] - Training to Be Like the Teacher
[47:21] - The Cost and Priority of Discipleship
[58:30] - Submission, Authority, and Protection
[67:04] - Prayer for Healing, Provision, and Families

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’”

Observation Questions

According to Matthew 28:18-20, what connection does Jesus make between His authority and the command to make disciples?
In Acts 11:26, disciples were first called “Christians” in Antioch. What does this suggest about how others recognize a disciple’s identity? [28:43]
What does Luke 14:25-33 teach about the cost of prioritizing loyalty to Jesus above all other relationships or commitments?

Interpretation Questions

Why might Jesus emphasize His authority (Matthew 28:18) as the foundation for making disciples? How does this authority shape the way we obey His command?
In Luke 14:26, Jesus says disciples must “hate” family and even their own life. How does this strong language clarify the level of surrender He requires?
How does submission to God’s authority (James 4:7) empower believers to resist evil effectively? [58:30]

Application Questions

What visible changes in your choices, habits, or relationships would signal to others that you are a disciple of Christ (not just a “Christian” in name)? [35:21]
Are there relationships, comforts, or priorities in your life that compete with your allegiance to Jesus? What practical step could you take this week to reorder them? [50:03]
How could you intentionally “teach others” (Matthew 28:20) through your words and actions this month—even in small ways? [42:31]
In what area of your life do you struggle to submit to God’s authority? What would it look like to trust Him more fully in that area? [58:50]
When has bearing your “cross” (Luke 14:27) felt costly? How can Jesus’ promise to “be with you always” (Matthew 28:20) strengthen you in those moments?

Sermon Clips

41s

#PowerInSubmission

“So your submission to God gives you authority and power over your enemy. So there is power in submission. You know, the world makes it makes it looks like when you are submissive, you are weak. But submission in Christ is not weakness. It's it's it's rather a source of power to back you. Authority. It gives you authority over your enemies. I pray that God will help you, and God will help me, that I will continue to walk faithfully, diligently.”

35s

#BlessingsNotExcuse

“Many times, people pray to God to help them with something, maybe a job or whatever. Give them a child. And when God has blessed them with those things they were praying for, they now use those things as a reason and a justification why they can't serve God well. Why they can now now they cannot be the disciple they ought to be, which means Jesus is not the first place in the in their life to begin with. That is, you know, being unappreciative.”

47s

#CountTheCostOfDiscipleship

“To be a disciple is a selfless commitment. It's a kind of sacrifice that must cost you everything. You are saved by grace through faith. That one is a free gift. But walk with him comes with a price to pay. Amen. To walk with him comes the door, a price to pay. Many people are not prepared to pay the price. They are not prepared to bear the cross or to pay to pay the cost. They just want to enjoy the benefits that come from him, but not the commands that he gives”

40s

#HumbleDiscipleship

“You cannot be a disciple if you are not a humble person. You have to really be very humble to be a disciple. Praise the lord. You have to be humble because there are you you may not have things done the way you want all the time. You have been disciple because not you don't know everything, and you are trusting in his faithfulness to lead and to guide you. God is involved in discipleship making. The holy spirit is involved in discipleship making. Jesus is involved in discipleship making.”

34s

#MakeTimeForGod

“You need to make time for the things of God. Because you want the whole if you want time or you want to have enough time before you serve God better, you're not gonna have enough time. Because things are getting busier and busier as the day goes by. We are developing new interests as the day go by. But if Christ is first and center of our life Amen. We'll factor him in in our busy schedule. That's what discipleship is about.”

40s

#YourLifeIsTeaching

“So how is your life? What is your life teaching the people around you? What are your worst teaching the people around you? Very important. A disciple is not above his teacher, But everyone, when he is fully trained so as he trains us, we now come to a point of becoming like him and also doing what he did. No. He called a bunch of people to follow him while he was on earth, Jesus.”

30s

#PurposeToBeADisciple

“So your number one call and purpose on earth is to be a disciple of God. If you don't know the reason why you are here on earth, you are here first of first of all to be a disciple of Christ, to be reconciled back to God. Amen. That is your purpose, your your number one purpose before every other thing falls. True life has not begun until you have encountered Jesus Christ as lord and personal savior.”

32s

#JesusGivesLifeMeaning

“If you don't have Jesus as lord of your life, your true life has not started yet. True life. You can say all you want to say about life, but life has not started for you without having Jesus in your life. Amen. Jesus in your life will give meaning to your life. Jesus in your life will give your your life relevance.”

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AM I HIS DISCIPLE? | MAKING DISCIPLES | Matthew 28:18-20 | Pastor Elvis Ghansah

Devotional

Day 1: Turning Toward the Unseen Shore

Day 2: Authority in Every Footstep

Day 3: Counting Towers, Carrying Crosses

Day 4: Fully Trained Hands

Day 5: GPS for the Godward Life

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

AM I HIS DISCIPLE? | MAKING DISCIPLES | Matthew 28:18-20 | Pastor Elvis Ghansah

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