“Go therefore and make disciples of all the 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 commanded you.”-Matthew 28:19 -20
INTRODUCTION
Every Christian is a disciple. This is not an optional or advanced level of Christianity. It is the very heart of what it means to follow Christ. The Lord’s Great Commission was not only to win converts but to make disciples and to teach them to obey all that He commanded. This means the mission of the Church and the goal of evangelism is discipleship.
Throughout the book of Acts, the word disciple is used consistently as a synonym for believer. Acts 6:1, Acts 6:2, Acts 6:7, Acts 11:26, Acts 14:20, Acts 14:22 and Acts 15:10 all refer to believers as disciples. Any sharp distinction between being a believer and being a disciple is artificial. Though such ideas may have been introduced by sincere and well meaning people, they have produced a shallow understanding of faith that removes the serious demands of Jesus from Christian living.
When Jesus called people to follow Him, He clearly taught them about the cost of discipleship. Those who were unwilling to commit fully did not respond, and some even turned away. A clear example is the rich young ruler who could not give up what he valued most. Jesus warned everyone who considered following Him to carefully count the cost.
“Which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’”-Luke 14:28 – 30
DISCIPLESHIP IS MORE THAN A SIMPLE DECISION
A Christian is not someone who merely accepts Christ in order to escape hell. True faith always expresses itself through submission and obedience. Christians follow Christ. They are committed to Him as both Lord and Savior. They desire to please God. They are humble learners. When they fail, they seek forgiveness and continue moving forward. That is the direction of their lives.
The call to discipleship demands total dedication. It is full commitment, with nothing deliberately held back. No one comes to Christ on casual terms. Those who believe they can agree with gospel facts and still live any way they please are warned by Scripture to examine themselves to see whether they are truly in the faith, as stated in 2 Corinthians 13:5.
In Matthew 10:32 – 39, Jesus spoke plainly to His disciples:“Everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.”
These words leave no room for divided loyalty. Christ must come before all else. Discipleship means placing Jesus above relationships, comfort, ambition and even personal safety. It means surrendering our lives fully to His will.
Every Christian is a disciple. There is no separate category for believers who follow halfway. Our Lord could not have been clearer about what it means to belong to Him.
THESE WORDS APPLY TO ALL BELIEVERS
Some people suggest that these strong demands were meant only for the Twelve and not for all believers. However, Matthew 10:24 says, “A disciple is not above his teacher.”
This shows that the instructions in this chapter apply to all disciples, not only to the original apostles.
It is true that many of the Twelve were already believers when these words were spoken, but that does not reduce their importance. In fact, they were already called disciples in Matthew 10:1. Jesus was not inviting them into a higher spiritual level. He was reminding them of what faith truly meant and of the commitment they had already made when they chose to follow Him.
In the same way, Jesus continually reminds us that faith is not only about believing, but about following, obeying and surrendering.
Luke 14:25 to 35 records similar teaching given not only to the Twelve but to large crowds who followed Him. This shows that the call to costly discipleship is not reserved for church leaders or missionaries but is meant for every follower of Christ.
SENT ONES AND FOLLOWERS
Matthew 10:2 refers to the Twelve as apostles, meaning sent ones. After their training, Jesus sent them out to preach. Yet in His final instructions to them in this passage, He refers to them not as apostles but as disciples. This is important because it shows that even those who are sent out in ministry must never stop being learners and followers of Christ.
His words serve as a signpost for every believer and every potential follower of Jesus. Discipleship is not a stage we graduate from. It is the lifelong calling of every Christian.
CONCLUSION
The call to discipleship is a call to a surrendered life. It is not a call to comfort, convenience or casual belief, but to daily obedience, faithful service and wholehearted devotion to Christ. Jesus never hid the cost of following Him, yet He also never hid the reward. Those who lose their lives for His sake will find true life, both now and for eternity.
In a world that often promotes easy choices and quick rewards, Christ calls us to a deeper and more enduring path. He calls us to take up our cross, to follow Him even when it is difficult, and to trust that His ways lead to life. Discipleship may demand sacrifice, but it also brings purpose, peace and the joy of walking closely with our Lord.
As believers, we must continually examine our hearts and renew our commitment to follow Christ fully, not in words only, but in daily living. May we not settle for shallow faith, but embrace the true call of discipleship, knowing that to follow Jesus is the greatest privilege and the highest calling of all.
Stay Blessed!
Please note that the preaching program on Sunny 88.7 FM – Tuesdays at 5:30 am has been temporarily put on hold. However, please continue to join us on Asempa 94.7 FM – Sundays at 5:30 am and YFM 107.9 – Sundays at 6:30 am for our Radio Bible Study, as well as on Sunny 88.7 FM every Sunday at 3:30 pm for Hymns and Their Stories.
