discipleship

Be the Disciple You Were Called to Be

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It has been a week since the Charlie Kirk assassination and reports are coming out that there has been a resurgence of interest in reading the Bible, praying to God, and in church attendance. In an age of rapid news cycles and highly divisive politics, the death of Charlie Kirk continues to resonate with many people. During this critical time, Christians must ensure they represent their faith and the Lord Jesus Christ well by being prepared to answer any questions a seeker or a person returning to church after many years of absence may have. But we must do so with gentleness and respect. Follow the instructions of Titus 3:2, which says we ought “to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.”

It may feel counterintuitive in a time of anger, grief, confusion, or suffering to respond like this, but Christ taught us that it is the unconditional nature of our love for each other that distinguishes us as Christians. (John 13:35) The apostle Peter helps us understand how to respond to those whom we deem as our enemies, saying, “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.” (1 Pet. 3:9)

There may be new people in your church you never expected to see. There may be relatives or friends showing interest in reading the Bible for the first time in their lives. There may even be people at work who ask you to pray for them Regardless of the person, or your preconceptions, “walk in wisdom toward outsiders and let our speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Col. 4:5-6)

We are not trying to persuade anyone to adopt a particular political viewpoint. Nor are we trying to help them see the evil that lies behind their own political party. Our job is to win men and women for the kingdom of God, not to win an argument. This is why Jesus says that we are to: 1) Go – in other words, do not wait for someone to approach you. If you see someone new at your church, or if you meet someone who has questions about Christianity, the Bible, prayer, etc., recognize this encounter for what it is: God inviting you to join Him in the work that He is doing around you.  Go. And join God in where He is leading you. 2) Make disciples – This means to take the time to get to know the person. They should be your friend, not your project. This is not about counting how many people you can get to pray the Sinner’s Prayer. This is about developing a relationship with the seekers, answering their questions, and using the way that you love them to lead them into an unconditional loving relationship with Christ.  3) Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit – As part of your discipling, have those who confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in their heart that God raised Him from the dead (Rom. 10:9) to make a public profession of faith through the symbolic act of baptism. This demonstrates not only whose they are, but is also a tangible expression of what Christ has done in their life as He buried them with Christ and raised them to walk in newness of life, cleansing them of all their unrighteousness. Finally, 4) Teach them to observe all that Christ has commanded us – This means that your role as their discipler is not over. You have a lot of work ahead of you. Be prepared to be challenged. Be willing to have the late-night talks. But most of all, stay diligent in the word and learn to handle it correctly (2 Tim. 2:15) so that you are not ashamed. Discipline your body and keep it under control, so that after teaching them about Christ, you will not be disqualified. (1 Cor. 9:27) And supplement your faith with virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love so that you will be protected from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Pet. 1:5-8). Like parenting, discipling someone is a long-term commitment, not a short-term endeavor.

People seeking God in crisis should not be a cultural phenomenon that we objectively observe from a distance. You are not a scientist collecting data. You are a disciple of Christ who is commanded to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” (Eph. 4:1) Engage! Make disciples, not talking points. And win the person (not the argument) for the kingdom and glory of God. As the apostle Paul says, “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”

Now, go!  Be the disciple you were called to be.

Increasing the Faith of Others

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“But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you. 14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. For we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ.15 We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged, 16 so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another’s area of influence. 17 “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.” (2 Cor. 10:13-18)

A few weeks ago we looked at this same verse and examined what it meant to be “assigned an area of influence by God.” (v.13) We looked at how each of us has an area of influence, and how our job is to help increase the faith of those we influence.

But what does it mean to “increase someone’s faith?” How do we know what we’re looking for in the lives of those whom we disciple?

Fortunately, Paul answered this question for us in his letter to the Ephesians. In the third chapter of that letter he says that he prays for the following characteristics to manifest themselves in the lives of his disciples (see bold/underlined below, enumerations are mine):

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you 1)to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being 2)rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have 3)strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be 4)filled with all the fullness of God.

But Paul does not leave it at that. He does not just pray for the people he disciples and leave the rest to God. He realizes that there is a responsibility that one has towards those he disciples in order to increase their faith. Therefore, he spends the entire chapter outlining for us how he, as an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, went about this task. The prayer quoted above is only a piece of what he did. But as you can see in the table below, the discipler increases his disciples’ faith through much, much more than merely bowing before God for the people in his area of influence. He takes an active role in their faith journey, both when he is with them and when he is away.

Here is an outline of chapter 3 to help us understand how to apply these same efforts for the people we influence.

Verse

Responsibility
v.1 – For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles Know that when you invest your life in increasing the faith of others, your sufferings will no longer be about you alone but will also be on behalf of those you are influencing. Therefore, you must remember your disciples, encouraging them and enduring your suffering on their behalf.

 
v. 2-3 – assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. You are to be a faithful/good steward of the grace of God. This means that you must not only correctly handle the word of truth but must also work to not defame God’s grace by your choices or lifestyle. Your example is a powerful, visible reminder to others of not only what you are teaching but also how it practically expresses itself and makes a difference in a person’s life. (2 Tim. 2:15)
v. 4-5 – When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. Let others perceive your insight into the mystery of Christ as you teach to them the truth.

 

Rely only on God for revelation into this mystery. Your talent or intellect or abilities are nothing when used in the service of yourself. But when you use them in the service of God, others can see Him and understand the truth as He defines it.

 
v. 7 – Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. Keep this idea foremost in your mind: you are a minister to this person/these people according to the gift of God’s grace and that this was given you by the working of His power. You did not conjure this up on your own. And you do not sustain it on your own. It is all of God, from God, and for God.

 
v. 8a – To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, Be humble — view yourself as the least of the saints.

 
v. 8b-10 – this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in[b] God, who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. Focus your teachings on two overarching emphases: 1) the unsearchable riches of Christ and 2) to bring light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery of the ages. This will allow the church to be the vehicle through which the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (Meaning, we are not only witnessing these truths to those whom we can see but also to those whom we cannot see)
v. 11-13 – This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. Receive the boldness you have in Christ and access Him with the confidence you have through faith in Him.

Exemplify this boldness in your own sufferings so those you are influencing can see how to not lose heart in trials and can learn from your example of how to stand firm (Eph. 6:10-20)
v. 14-17a – For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family[c] in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith Pray diligently to God that He may strengthen your disciples with power through His Spirit in your inner being according to the riches of his glory SO THAT Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith.

 
v. 17b-19 –  that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Pray that they will be 1) rooted and grounded in love, 2) have strength to comprehend the breadth and length and height and depth of this love, and 3) to know that the love of Christ surpasses knowledge, i.e. that they may be filled with the fullness of God. Do not pray for only one of these characteristics. Pray for all of these things. For without all of them in your disciples, your disciples lack the fullness of God and will make poor ambassadors for Christ to the world and to those whom they eventually disciple as well.

 
v. 20-21 – Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Pray that God’s incomprehensible purposes will be accomplished according to the power at work within your disciples FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.

 

Pray that these things will occur both in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout ALL generations. Do not pray for these to occur in your disciples only. Have a long-term view in mind. Pray for the generations coming after them as well, for your area(s) of influence do not end at the people you know. They only begin there. There are myriads of people who will follow the example you established in your disciples. And they will pass this example onto other generations as well. Pray as broadly and boldly as you can, exploring the depth and breadth of all you can ask or imagine, but leave the work of accomplishing these prayers to the One who is able and can do far more, according to the power at work in us. May He receive the glory, not us, both in the church and in Christ throughout all generations, so that it may never be said: “They forgot the LORD their God.” (1 Sam. 12:9)

Now, go. Be His witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria, making disciples of all nations, “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that [He has] commanded you.” And behold, He will be with you always, even to the end of the age. (Acts 1:8; Mt. 28:18-20)