A Disciple Disciples

We have been working through a series on discipleship, and I began this series by setting out to provide some definitions for the biblical words used for a disciple and the work of discipleship. The first word I’ve been defining is “mathetes”, from which we get our English word, “disciple”. We’ve been working our way through the Gospels of John and Matthew to understand how this word is used, and today, we come to the last definition: A disciple makes other disciples by pointing them to Jesus. From this passage I want you to see two points: The aims of discipleship and the actions of discipleship.

This short passage is the famous “Great Commission” – the last command that Jesus gave his disciples before ascending to the right hand of God the Father. It is called the great commission because this command represents the marching orders of the church. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we aren’t just patiently waiting on his return. We aren’t just faithfully serving one another. We are to be actively doing something. We are to be “making disciples of all nations.” This command of Jesus is concise and profound in the direction it gives to his disciples. It’s profound, firstly, because it tells us the aim of our discipleship. What exactly is to be the motivation for discipling the nations? What are we to disciple them in? There are three aims that we find in this text for our discipleship.

First, we are to aim for the adoration of Christ. Notice, in verse 17 it says that the disciples worshipped Jesus when they saw him, but that some doubted. Now, in this brief statement, I think Matthew is short handing all of the stories we know of Jesus’s post-resurrection appearances (the women at the tomb, Peter and John, the first and second upper-room experiences, doubting Thomas, the disciples on the road to Emmaus, and the fishing trip in Galillee). Time and again, the disciples saw the risen Christ, but were doubtful in one way or another. To quell that doubt, Jesus answers in verse 18: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” This statement both affirms their worship and gives them the motivation for his command that he will leave them with. You see, to be a disciple of Jesus Christ is to worship Jesus as the one who has all authority. To be a disciple of Jesus is to devote your life to his honor and glory, and even to be willing to lose your life so that he might be known. So, in the call to make disciples of all nations, our first aim is to point people to Jesus. Oh, you must catch this: the act of making disciples, the goal of missions, the very passion of the church is to be the glory of Christ. Our first aim is to lift him up so that all men might be drawn to him. So often, the process of discipleship focuses more on spiritual disciplines (reading your Bible, praying, fasting, and so on) and less on the majesty and worthiness of Jesus. But, to make disciples, we must first point them to Christ and call them to rest in him.

Second, the aim of discipleship is the authority of Jesus. Looking again to verse 18, Jesus sets up the command he is about to give them by saying that he has all authority. Notice that Jesus doesn’t say that he has authority over the church. He doesn’t say he has authority over those who would believe in him. He doesn’t say he has authority over the angels or the creation. He says, “I have been given all authority over heaven and earth.” There is not one thing outside of the authority of Christ! According to Matt. 9:6, Jesus has authority to forgive sins. In John 5:27 we find that he has authority to judge all men. In John 17:2, we see that he has authority to grant eternal life to whom he will. And, in Eph. 1:21, Paul says that he has been placed above every authority that can be named. Nathan Skipper? Jesus rules over him! Governor Ivey? Jesus rules over her! President Biden? Jesus rules over him! Satan and his minions? Jesus rules over all of them!

This authority means two things for the aim of discipleship. First, our goal in making disciples is to bring men and women to recognize and submit to the authority of Christ. Hear what I am saying here: when we proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we are not begging. We are not pleading with people to just believe. We are announcing the victory of King Jesus over death and hell. We are proclaiming that this Jesus has all authority and one day will judge this world in righteousness. It also means that there is nothing that can ultimately stand in our way. Now sure, Satan may persecute us. Ungodly rulers may stand against us. Unjust laws may restrict us. But they will all fail because Jesus has authority over them. The Gospel of Jesus Christ will be victorious, and we can go to our neighbor, we can disciple our children, we can witness to our co-workers, knowing that Christ will win.

Third, the aim of discipleship is association with Jesus. In verse 19, Jesus commissions his church to go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The aim of our discipleship is to call people to identify with Christ through baptism. Baptism isn’t an optional add-on to your walk with Jesus. Baptism isn’t a ritual meant for your personal peace of mind. Baptism is a sign, a marker. It marks you as one who has been called out by God.

Now that we’ve seen the aims of discipleship, let’s consider the actions of discipleship. There are two actions Jesus gives for how we are to make disciples. First, Jesus says that we are to “teach them”. The Greek word for “teaching” is “didache”, and it is a concept that we will spend a great deal of time on in the coming weeks. For now, I want you to see the connection between discipleship and teaching. Understand, first and foremost, that you cannot be a disciple of Jesus without submitting to the teaching of the church. To be a disciple is to learn the ways of Christ from Scripture, as it is taught and modeled by godly men and women. Also, understand that this is the primary mission of the church. Our energy, commitment, and focus must be directed towards teaching the ways of Christ.

The second action Jesus gives is that we teach them to “observe all things I’ve commanded you.” Now, I am no Greek scholar, but in my opinion, the word “observe” is not the best translation of the Greek word, “tereo”. The word is from a military term which means to guard or to prevent from escaping. It means to hold fast to. So, it’s not that we are to teach some guidelines for healthy living or helpful tips for a fulfilled life. We are to teach disciples of Christ to guard and hold fast to the commands of Christ. Disciples of Jesus are to form their very existence around the words of Christ.

Friend, Jesus has all authority. He has proven this by rising again from the dead. He doesn’t need your vote, and he isn’t waiting on you to respond so that he might be a part of your life. He is the Lord of Heaven and Earth who will judge the world in righteousness. But, he is also the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He has died so that you might be forgiven of your rebellion and sin. Won’t you repent and follow him today?

Brothers and sisters, as disciples of Jesus, we are called to make disciples of all nations. We are called to teach our children the ways of the Lord. We are called to build up other believers through our church. We are called to witness to Christ with our friends, co-workers, and community. May we faithfully carry out this great commission as we go into the world.