Discipleship Notes

A series of short discipleship notes for young Christians.

11 – Discipleship with grace and truth

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At all levels of discipleship, we recognise our human vulnerability to become legalistic and harsh. In our genuine efforts to share God’s truth, self-righteousness can sometimes show. In Christ, we find the sweetness of both grace and truth synchronised through the power of the gospel.

Text:   Colossians 1:5-6 
…in the word of the truth, the gospel…  since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth…

Gospel truth carries God’s grace. Just as the God of the gospel is gracious, we too, as the ambassadors (2Co 5:20) of the gospel, are to be gracious. God’s truth and grace are inseparable. If you try to separate them, the power of the gospel is lost. Therefore, ensure your hearts are softened with divine grace before you boldly share God’s truth.

Paul’s instruction is critical in all of our efforts to disciple others. Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience (Colossians 3:12). These Christlike qualities are indispensable for effectively growing healthy babies in Jesus towards maturity.

Pride, ego, arrogance, or self-centeredness is removed from all discussions. Rather, self-control prevents self-promotion for the purpose of promoting Christ instead. Being the hero of your own stories has no place. Rather, humility best expresses Christ and the truth of His Cross-centred gospel. Our discipleship is to expose others to all the grace shown in every aspect of the Cross.

Prayerful patience will be needed as young believers stumble and make mistakes. They will most likely do the same weak things you and I do. As they learn how to put biblical truth into action, they will need your humble guidance and correction. Your encouragement, your prayers with them, and your gracious instruction with God’s Word will provide the heavenly resources required by them.

The grace of God in truth needs to be carefully designed into our attitudes, behaviour, speech, and responses.
In this way the discipler leads the ones being discipled into Christlikeness with a deeper application of biblical truth which is visible for all to see.

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10 – Discipleship with gospel clarity

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Whether teaching the gospel to nonbelievers or to believers, biblical clarity is critical. Unsaved people need to hear of sin, judgement, Jesus substitutional death, repentance, and the new life of righteous living as a follower of Christ. And believers need to accept Christ’s call for growing Christlikeness without compromise.

Text:   Colossians 3:9b-10
…put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Jesus calls people to repent of their sin and stop living in habitual sin. Paul explains every believer’s responsibility to put off old practices. This requires a serious commitment to Jesus’ lordship, and determination to put on the new self. This ongoing renewal takes place through daily growing in the knowledge of Christ.

Knowledge of Christ is far more than doing memory verses or even accepting sound doctrine. It works like this; as you decrease being conformed to this world, you increase being transformed by the renewal of your mind (Romans 12:2). Jesus prayed about this renewing and transforming process, calling it sanctification in the truth; your word is truth (John 17:17). God’s Word washes and renews our minds. We study it with the desire for renewed thinking, attitudes, behaviour, and speech.

Reading and applying biblical truth with the expectation of Holy Spirit transformation into Christlikeness is this new life in the image of its creator that Paul is speaking of.

In Ephesians 6:14, Paul presents the first piece of spiritual armour, it is the first priority of armour provided by God. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist. We are responsible to wrap the truth of God’s Word around ourselves and to buckle the ends of the belt together through application of that truth. The buckling is what connects our knowledge to a renewed mind and a changed life. Understanding this is the first step in standing firm in the faith of Jesus Christ.

This is to be the deepest commitment of everyone who would believe in and follow Jesus Christ. This is part of the foundation of biblical discipleship. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom… (Colossians 3:16a).

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9 – How to do discipleship – Part 2

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While the world is random in its beliefs and lifestyle, Jesus’ disciples are focused, purposeful, and Christ-centred. Discipleship spends more time reasoning through spiritual development in Christ than on a believer’s social life. Therefore, before we study the components of discipleship, we need to have a clear and solid foundation in our understanding for why we do what we do.

Text:   Romans 8:29a
For those whom he (God) foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son… Conformity to Christ Paul says, is… according to the purpose of his (God’s) will (Eph 1:5b).

The very foundation of a relationship with Christ is built upon the Father’s will for every believer to grow more and more in knowledge, in understanding, and in Christlike character. This means ongoing death to self and sinful pleasures (Col 3:8-17). This has been the Father’s predetermined will and plan from before creation. In love He (God) predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will (Ephesians 1:4-5). Nothing was left to chance, and nothing was left to us.

Our salvation was not accidental. Salvation was not simply because we chose to seek after the Lord. We were not the primary reason for being saved from sin’s penalty. Our salvation, and the salvation of those we disciple, is totally the sovereign work of God by grace alone. God made it happen for His purpose and glory.

God’s purpose remains for us to be conformed to the image of his Son. This leaves no room for selfishness. Pride, unbelief, and indecision are removed (Eph 2:8-10). Jesus said, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me (John 10:27). False belief only wants Jesus to satisfying personal pleasures, but believers obediently follow Jesus as Lord (John 3:36).

The rock-solid foundation of all Christian living is Christ. Therefore, it is Christ who we follow, Christ whom we teach, and Christ whom we seek to replicate in both our lives and the lives of those we disciple. There can be no compromise on this God ordained priority.

Conformity to Christ will determine everything we teach and the example we live before the watching eyes of those we are directing towards Christlikeness.

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8 – How to do discipleship – Part 1

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Despite fears, doubts, and questions that arise when we think about discipleship, Jesus’ method of “how to do discipleship” is very simple and achievable.

Text:     Matthew 28:20a
…teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

There is grace in the freedoms we have as to how we apply Jesus discipleship instructions. We have Jesus’ authority to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ anywhere, anytime, and to anyone, just as Jesus did. Explaining the gospel and calling people to repentant belief in Christ as Lord and Saviour is just the first step (Mat 4:17; Jn 1:12-13; Act 20:20-21; Rom 10:10).

We can explore different methods and use different illustrations and examples to help. We can do this privately or in large crowds, in Church or any other location. We explain faith in Christ to family members, to fellow employees, to other students, to Church attendees, or to strangers that we meet on life’s road. There is no fixed method. Call people to follow Christ, denying self and taking up Jesus’ cross (Mk 8:34).

Never feel bad for trying new ideas, new places and new methods for sharing the gospel. Be courageous.

There is a simple principle in Matthew 28:20a which gives us a big head start. Teach the gospel truth that you were taught. That is all Jesus required of his disciples in Matthew 28. Explain Jesus as you had Him explained to you. Answer the questions you had before you put faith in Christ. Teach the gospel in ways you needed to hear when you were dead in your sin (Eph 2:1-2). Call people to serious and deep faith in Christ.

The good news about this method is that you can improve on how the gospel was shared with you by filling in the weak or missing pieces of information. Use God’s Word to sow the seeds of truth (Luk 8:11). Invite questions from the unsaved. If you do not know the answer, say you will come back with an answer when you have learned it. This builds humility in you, and trust from the unbeliever. Do your best to answer with biblically correct answers even when you may not be quoting verses. Ask for help if needed, that is OK.

Be loving, patient, and friendly. Smile, LISTEN well, and prove that you are worthy of their trust as you point sinners to Christ (Jn 13:35).

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7 – Discipleship with Jesus’ presence

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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.

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