Before exploring “how to do discipleship,” we need to be assured by the authoritative resources of the living Lord Jesus Christ.
Text: Matthew 28:20b
And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Bringing Mathew’s gospel to an end, Jesus reassures His disciples. Without this promise from Christ, all human effort would be useless. The power of the presence of the resurrected and glorified Lord Jesus in every believer’s life makes effective discipleship possible and certain. This realisation should transform our daily walk – Jesus is with me!
John MacArthur suggests that knowing Jesus’ presence helps grow a right perspective in our prayers. He prays: Lord, You care more about this matter I am facing than I do, so do what You know is best. Lord, You love this person more than I do and only You can reach into his heart and save him, so help me to witness only as You lead and empower. Lord, You are more concerned about the truth and integrity of Your holy Word than I am, so please energize my heart and mind to be true to the text I am teaching.
Every day of our lives, until we go to live with the Lord, or He returns to rapture His Church, Jesus’ life changing power is present within us, growing Christlike character, Christ centred prayers, and Christ centred relationships with others.
Christ’s purpose becomes our purpose. Christ’s values, truths, and desires increasingly become ours. Christ’s grace, determination, and hope becomes ours. Christ’s love, joy, and peace become ours more and more.
As “those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24), they will manifest “the fruit of the Spirit [which] is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal 5:22-23).
Knowing Jesus’ presence changes everything. His life becomes your life. Your days become His days. Your conversations become His conversations. His vision for Church growth through personal discipleship becomes your vision for Church growth through discipleship.
