Making Disciples

Now the eleven disciples ^B)’>worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, ^D)’>in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ ^F)’>make disciples of ^H)’>baptizing them ^J)’>the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them ^L)’>I have commanded you. And behold, ^N)’>the end of the age. Matthew 28:16-20

I didn’t do anything yesterday. I had planned to spend the day in Baton Rouge at a Kairos meeting, but didn’t. I had a pretty good excuse. I was sick. But our intentions and our excuses aren’t important. We are defined by what we do, not what we don’t do. I remember a little saying that went something like “We don’t smoke or drink or chew and we don’t go with girls who do.” Sometimes I think we in the church think that’s what defines us: The things we don’t do.

When Jesus left us final instructions they did not include a list of “don’t.” But more importantly they didn’t include the things we now believe define us as Christian. He didn’t say to go to church every Sunday or, in fact, to go to church at all. He did even say to read “our bible” or tithe or be on committees. Not to say that these things aren’t important. But shouldn’t we be focused on doing what he did say to do?

He said “make disciples.” You may not be surprised by hearing that and maybe you understand we are supposed to be doing that. But how exactly do we do it.

I think He showed us. Before dying, making disciples was the most important thing he did. It wasn’t doing miracles or preaching to great crowds. His ministry was making disciples out of 12 men. He taught them, for sure, but more than that He poured out his life for them.

David Platt tells a wonderful story about ministry in the French Quarter in New Orleans. He set up a table in Jackson Square next to the voodo types and Tarot card readers. He put a black cloth on the table and candles and a sign which read “Free Fortunes.” When folks would approach the table he would assure them that he would indeed predict their future accurately and for free. If they were interested he would engage them in enough conversation to learn if they were followers of Christ or not (since they were interested in fortune telling most were not) based on that fact he would assure them that their future was not great and he would explain why. He led many to Christ. But that wasn’t his entire ministry. He and his friends came back, over and over, they developed relationships with the denizens of the French Quarter. They did much more than get “commitments” they made disciples. Our instruction was not to get people to “accept” Jesus, but to “make disciples.”

A Christian is one who “makes disciples” nothing less meets the definition. If we have Christ within us with that comes His mind and his heart. His heart is to make disciples. If we are “saved” we are saved for a purpose to “make disciples.”

Are you making disciples?

Be blessed.

Nick