In trying to understand discipleship, I likened it to the concept within many martial arts movies where the student becomes the master. I imagined that once a person masters a life lesson, they graduate to teaching it to others. Unfortunately, that concept tripped me up.

I thought about how often I stumble over the wickedness hiding within my heart. I thought about the innocent bystanders I’ve harmed with words formed from trauma responses. I thought about the times I struggled to forgive people, forgetting how freely and consistently God forgives me. How could God ever expect me to become a master at this life? 

Still, God kept reminding me of the responsibility I have as his follower to disciple others. Why wasn’t introducing people to God enough? Yet, through dreams, encouragement from mentors, and conversations with peers, it became evident how vast this need is within the body of Christ. And for some reason, I still allowed feelings of unworthiness to serve as a barrier between what God was asking of me and my obedience.

Then God graciously gave me a different perspective. There’s only one person who has ever lived that has mastered this life in every aspect. His name is Jesus. He is such a master that he didn’t just live the life we should have lived, but he also died the death we should have died. And he didn’t stop there. 

When Jesus rose from the grave, he rose with all power in his hands, including authority over hell and death (Revelation 1:18). As a result, Jesus is the only one who has ever mastered this life in its totality – without sinning (Hebrews 4:15). If we’re going to follow anyone, why not follow the one who was able to conquer every temptation known to man without ever yielding to it? 

God’s call to discipleship was never about us feeling or being righteous. It was always about our willingness to point people to the only who is. Our righteousness is borrowed. Therefore, anyone who wants to walk in it must go to the one who owns it. As a disciple, it’s my job to remind believers of where their help truly comes from. What a relief!

What Discipleship Means

When Christ told his disciples in Matthew 28:19 to “go and make disciples,” he was telling them to make disciples of Christ. The beauty in this mandate is that as God calls us to be an example of Christ in this world, we are not required to be the master. We are required to point people to the master. 

This looks like…

• When people want freedom, point them to Christ.
• When people want to know how to find joy, hope, peace or love, point them to Christ.
• When people want to understand forgiveness, point them to Christ.
• When people want to know how to trust God despite the craziness of life, point them to Jesus.
• When people want healing, point them to Christ. 
• When people want any form of guidance or direction, point them to Christ. 

The word says in John 14:6, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father (God), except by Christ. 

John 14:6
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

As disciples of Christ, when people ask us for advice (the way), guidance (the truth), or encouragement (life), we must point them to the master who is all of those things. We do this in a myriad of ways, like reminding people to start their day with Jesus. To pray without ceasing. To praise God despite how we feel. To read and obey his word. 

Otherwise, we will raise up generations of people who are co-dependent on people, resources, or ChatGPT, instead of raising mature Christians who are lifelong students of the Most High.

Discipleship In Action 

There is nothing we can offer people that will sustain, uplift or liberate them the way that Christ will. And get this. How we offer Christ to people is so much more than what we say. It’s how we live. 

Discipleship is most effective when a person who has been given access to your life (in any aspect) gets a chance to see how you respond to others when you’re hurting, when you’re angry, or when you’re overwhelmed. It’s not hard to emulate Christ’s love, joy and peace when life is going well. Or when we’re in public. 

But what does your commitment to Christ look like when no one is around or when you’ve had a rough day or when someone deliberately hurts you? 

How you respond in those moments is a greater example of Christ than your words will ever be. Which means we not only have an opportunity to disciple the youth and new-comers in our local ministries, but we can also disciple our children, our family members, our co-workers and anyone else in close proximity to us. 

This is what Jesus did, perfectly. 

God is asking us as disciples to make disciples. To ignore this is (brace yourself) disobedience. I am immensely grateful for God’s everlasting mercy and grace. But there comes a time where we have to grow beyond asking God for grace to forgive us, and ask God for grace to obey. Will you accept God’s charge to disciple others? Are you willing to start with those you do life with daily and trust that God will equip you as you go?

A Prayer for You

As you learn how to live a life that’s pleasing to God, my prayer is that you will remember and respond to the call of discipleship. It has little to do with what you know and everything to do with who you know. As long as we’re willing to point people to Christ with our words as well as our actions, we can dare to disciple.

Thank you for reading!

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Aren’t a disciple yet?

I hope you were encouraged by something you heard today. Before you go, I want to make sure I invite you into the best relationship you’ll ever have. That’s a relationship with Jesus Christ. God loves you so much that even when humanity fell into sin, he already had a plan to restore his relationship with you. 

God gave his only son – who died on a cross, was buried, and rose from the dead – so that you could have eternal life. And not eternal life that starts when this life ends, but one that starts the moment you believe.

The kind of life God wants for you is abundant, filled with love, joy, peace, prosperity and purpose. Will it be perfect and you never experience hardship again? No. Unfortunately, suffering is a part of humanity, and God never promised that you wouldn’t suffer sometimes. 

What God does promise you is that: 

• You’ll never have to suffer alone (Matthew 28:20).
• You’ll have supernatural help and grace when you suffer (Hebrews 4:16).
• And your suffering will never be in vain (Romans 8:18). 

If you’re going to have to endure hardship anyway, why not do it with the only one who has defeated every hardship known to man (Hebrews 4:15)… including death itself (Revelation 1:18)? After all, no one else in this universe can promise to never leave you or forsake you and actually live up to it (Hebrews 13:5).

Ready to take the next step?

Say these statements aloud:

1. I repent of my sins and ask you God to forgive me.
2. I believe that God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
3. God, I receive you as my Lord and savior and I accept your gift of eternal life.

If you said each of those statements with sincerity, then friend, you now have eternal life. It begins TODAY and you can consider yourself saved. Write down today’s date because it’s your spiritual birthday… Because if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away; behold, the new has come into being (2 Corinthians 5:17).

All of heaven and its angels are rejoicing (Luke 15:10)… and so am I! 
Welcome to the family! 

What now?

Now that you’ve decided to follow Christ, it’s time to learn how to live with Him and like Him. Take a moment to see what’s on the other side of your surrender, and subscribe below for ongoing encouragement throughout your journey with God.