Today's Bible Study, Authored by Arthur
Cincotti. 01/01/2023
Listen to our Bible
Study Discussion at: Make Disciple's Audio Podcast
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Make Disciples!
“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...and lo, I am with you always, even to the end
of the age” Mt. 28:19,20
Discipleship has become a sort of buzz word for contemporary
Christianity. There are scores of books, seminars, and discipleship training
courses that can be engaged with. They have value. We should try whatever it
takes to fulfill the above verse of Scripture. But there is a degree to which
discipleship should be, not just taught, but caught.
It’s built upon the
premise of relationship; in this case a student/teacher relationship.
It comes from a collection of
Greek words (G3129) meaning “a learner”; or (G3101) “pupil”
In the Old KJ, the above
verse is translated, “Go ye therefore, and teach (G3100) all nations,”
We are aware from the gospels, that Jesus drew His disciples
into a following that involved approximately three years of traveling, ministering,
listening, engaging, and even striking out and trying on their own. We are
familiar mostly with the twelve, but also here of the “seventy others also,
and sent them two by two before His face..” Lk. 10:1 & 17. And also the “hundred
and twenty” in the upper room, of Acts
1:12-15
In this relationship an impartation takes place, the act of
imparting something (such as knowledge or wisdom). We see and example of this
in II Ki. 2:9, Where Elisha
asked of his master Elijah a, “double portion of your spirit be upon me.”
Also see I Ki. 19:19-21,
the calling of Elisha
Years ago our pastor told the leaders that we should all be
discipling twelve people. Later he reduced that to three. Now he says that we
should all be discipling someone. Because of the level of intimacy and time
commitment, discipling can be challenging.
In Mt. 4:18-22 we see a
snapshot of how Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James and John to be His disciples,
and how they “left their nets” and followed Him.
The teacher or “master”
(didaskalos), also “rhabbi” had
something that the pupil desperately desired. In Jn. 1:35-42 we also see how
James and John were John the Baptists disciples and went over to Jesus.
We can’t miss that “discipline” is a form of the word
“disciple”. Our Christian disciplines include reading the Scripture, meditating
upon it (Ps. 119:15, “I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate
Your ways”); and memorize it (Ps.
119:11,“Your word I have hidden in my
heart, That I might not sin against You”)
We also pray and worship,
both publicly and privately, but the dynamic of discipleship is still a
necessary component in a Christians life.
Consider an athlete who is very talented in his or hers’ own
right through personal discipline, but yet requires a coach to both integrate
them into the team, and see in them what they can’t see in themselves.
Discipleship, in the Christian life, should be liken to the
Sea of Galilee, teaming with life. It has an inlet and an outlet. Jesus said, “Heal
the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have
received, freely give.” Mt. 10:8
We should all be discipled
and discipling others at the same time.
This drives us into
relationship with one another.
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Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship
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