In our daily meditations at groupbiblestudy.com, we focus on the words of Jesus just before His ascension. When Jesus ascended to heaven, He entrusted His followers, the Church, with a mission to fulfill. The following Scripture shows what He said to them and to us.
18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20; emphasis added).
This writer believes that today’s great need is for the equippers—the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (Ephesians 4:11-12)—to take the training and equipping of the Church seriously, enabling it to fulfill its ministry. The Body of Christ should be students of the Word of God and faithful disciples, using the Scriptures as our living guidelines. The emphasis on Jesus' words calls for people worldwide to come to the Lord Jesus, receive the gift of new life in Christ, and grow as disciples. This leads us to a critical question:
WHAT IS A DISCIPLE?
Dis ·ci·ple (dis-'ī-pəl) n. 1.a. One who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another.[1]
The Greek word for ‘disciple’ (‘mathetes’) was used before the time of Christ to mean a ‘follower’ or ‘student’ of a particular teacher or philosopher. The disciple’s role was to apply the Master’s teachings and share them with others. Disciples are called to advocate for the cause, reproduce their teacher's skills, and spread the instruction they have received. They accept their teacher's flame, carry the torch, and pass the same fire along to others so they can continue the journey.
An old legend not found in the Scriptures tells of the time when Jesus ascended back into heaven after dying on the cross and rising from the dead. According to the legend, the angel Gabriel met Him. Gabriel frowned when he saw the marks of Jesus' scars from His painful years on earth, especially the wounds from His crucifixion. Gabriel said, "Master, you suffered terribly for those on earth." "Yes, I did," Jesus replied. Gabriel asked, "Do they all know about your life and your forgiveness now? Have they all heard about your death and resurrection?" "No, not yet," Jesus answered. "Right now, only a few people in Jerusalem are aware of my death and resurrection."
Gabriel looked perplexed. "Then," he asked, "Well… how will everyone learn about your wonderful life, sacrificial death, and triumphant resurrection?" "I have asked Peter, James, John, and a handful of friends and followers to tell others about it. And when people hear and believe, they will, in turn, tell others. And Gabriel, eventually, the whole earth will hear the message." Still frowning, the angel responded, "But, hmmm, you know how people are on earth. What if they… what if Peter, James, and John get tired? What if they tell the story, and the next generation becomes involved in other pursuits?” "What if, way down in the 21st century, people are no longer committed to your commission? Have you made other plans?" The Lamb of God looked directly at the angel of God and said, "I have no other plan. I am counting on them" (Author Unknown). He is counting on all members of the body of Christ to serve and share the gospel.
Taken from the Discipleship series, 1. What Does it Mean to be a Disciple of Christ
Here’s the link to the YouTube video teaching: https://youtu.be/BVNdrH4-6Ak
[1] Definitions are from the American Heritage Dictionary