19. What does it mean to be a Disciple?
Key Verses / Passages
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising 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. Matthew 28:19-20
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Discussion
When the term “disciple” or “discipleship” is mentioned, what image comes to mind? What if I said that a disciple is a term that is equally fitting within the modern context as opposed to the ancient times? What if you knew that YOU are Jesus’s disciple in today’s world?
Within the church, the term “disciple” or “discipleship” is used at least a handful of times every Sunday. After all, every church has Matthew 28, “the Great Commission”, printed on its wall, right? “Go and make disciples of all nations”…
The word “disciple” holds power that needs to be understood and applied well within our Christ-filled journeys as we endeavour to become like-minded with Christ (Phil 2:2).
The word “disciple” means to “be a follower or pupil of a teacher”. However, this term comes from the Latin word discipulus, which means “student”, deriving from the root word discere, which means “to learn”. A disciple is not merely a follower of a figure, but a student who learns. To identify as a part of the Kingdom of God requires lifelong learning. No matter whether you existed during the time of Jesus or the present, we should always be eager to learn as a student of Christ, as a pupil of the ultimate teacher. After all, King Solomon made no mistake when he incessantly relates the notion of “increased learning” to “wisdom” and “righteousness” (Proverbs 9:19).
When considering the original design of the church, one would suggest that the purpose of discipleship is to assist brothers and sisters of Christ to develop in their spiritual maturity, to progress along the pathway of loving God, loving others, and serving the world that surrounds them. Linguistically, the term ‘learning’ is a verb that shows activity and movement. So, how do we actively move people into becoming disciples? Let me suggest to you three phases of building a disciple that we will explore in the next few devotions:
• The calling,
• the building, and
• the sending.
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Reflection / Questions
• Are you a follower or a student of Jesus Christ?
• How can you learn more about Jesus?
• What benefits are there to learning more about God?
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Prayer
Dear God, thank you for creating me to be your disciple. Help me to not only follow you but increasingly learn more about you as I get filled with your divine understanding and wisdom.