More Answers Than Questions
July 19, 2023
Dear Faith Family,
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make 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 I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”, (Matthew 28:18-20).
So, I’m assuming (dangerous, I know) that these are familiar verses. Oldies, maybe, but certainly goodies! Afterall, these are some of Jesus’ last words spoken to His disciples before He ascended out of sight. Certainly worth another look.
At the end of Matthew’s Gospel, something is conspicuously absent. I would expect Jesus’ words to meet with some follow-up questions. Like, these disciples that we’re to make, um, what are they? And how again are we supposed to make disciples? After all, these are some of the same disciples who back in Matthew 13 came to Jesus after a parable and said: “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” Wouldn’t you expect them to ask some questions about this whole discipleship thing?
Flashback. Genesis 6. Remember Noah? Remember what God said to Noah? He told him to make something as well. That’s right. An ark. But Noah didn’t even have to ask what that was or how to make one. God painted a verbal blueprint for Noah. God made it quite clear what an ark was. He even gave instructions regarding how.
If. No, not if. Since we have the command to make disciples, don’t you want to know what one is? And wouldn’t it be helpful to know how? Here’s the thing. Could it be that the disciple’s seminary degree (three years under The Master of Divinity) was a living model of being disciples and learning how to make disciples?
So, a disciple is what they were! They were following Jesus. I guess it does take one to know one. Jesus told them that they were His disciples (John 13:35). They knew who they were, disciples. Followers who were being connected to the living God, who were being connected to each other (other disciples), and who were being connected to those who were not yet disciples.
In The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament, Zodhiates puts it like this “make disciples” means not only to learn, but to become attached to one’s teacher and to become his follower in doctrine and conduct of life. For three years they were learning what it meant to be a disciple. And, for three years, they observed as disciples were being made. On top of their three-year degree, Jesus summarized the process with instruction regarding baptism and teaching (including words and actions). In other words, Jesus answered their would-be questions.
Making and being made,
Pastor Karl