Resurrection Sunday is a day of celebration and rest. Just as God rested after He created the world, there is a rest for us in knowing that God did all the work through Jesus to pay the penalty for our sins. We no longer have to be in fear and torment of sin but we are freed by the blood of the lamb. However, following the resurrection, there is work for us to do. Jesus appeared to His disciples after He was resurrected, and He assigned them the Great Commission, which became their lifelong purpose.
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.” Amen. Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus began the Great Commission by stating that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to Him. After Jesus was sacrificed for the sin of humanity, according to (Hebrews 10:11), He sat at the right of the Father. God chose to give Jesus the name above all names, and that those who call upon His name will be saved from eternal damnation and destruction. That is a power In His name that no other name or authority has on this earth.
Because Jesus was given all authority, He was able to commission and authorize His disciples to go out and spread the good news. Jesus chose those who were mentored and discipled by Him to began the work of sharing the gospel. But there is more to sharing the good news than praying a salvation prayer with others.
Becoming born again and being saved is the starting point of our journey with God. The birth of a brand new baby is very exciting, but the work is just starting. The child requires much love, training, and discipline until such a time that they become self-governing adults. Similarly, when a person accepts Jesus and they become born again, it is very exciting and the angels in heaven are rejoicing. But the work of discipleship has just begun.
As the body of Christ, we need to take on more active role in discipling people. We should not consider discipleship optional or think of it as a good idea, but it should be seen as a necessity and a requirement for a healthy spiritual life.
The polls show that the majority of Americans call themselves Christians. However, we see a country that is very far from the Lord, so how is that possible!? There could be different reasons, but one of them could be that some people call themselves Christian because they prayed a salvation prayer at some point in their lives. However, they did not follow through with the commitment and no one discipled, so they went away living life just like the rest of the world.
Jesus called His disciples, who became apostles, to go and make disciples. Jesus had spent over three years with His disciples teaching, training, and showing them how to live their lives before God and before men. Now His disciples were going to do the same by reproducing themselves in others.
We all need to be discipled. Discipleship is not only reading and studying the Bible, but it is also relational. We live in an academic culture that tries to organize every form of learning into a classroom setting. There is nothing wrong with classroom learning, but it is insufficient in discipling people to learn how to do life with God.
Have you been discipled by someone who has taken the time and the interest in your life to help you grow up in God!? The sooner you allow others to disciple you, the less painful the process because you are not set in the wrong ways of doing your spiritual life. Discipleship is not just a head knowledge but it is also watching someone’s life and seeing how they handle their lives, relationships, and godly choices in life. I encourage you to prayerfully consider to be discipled by a mature believer. Ask the Lord to show you who you should ask to disciple you. Or share your need with your church leaders to guide you to the right person/people.
I will continue with this subject in the next devotional.
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