An elderly gentleman lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the next-door neighbor’s little boy went into the gentleman’s yard, climbed into his lap, and just sat there. When the boy’s mother asked what he had said to their neighbor, the little boy replied, “Nothing, I just helped him cry.”
Discipleship comes from the word ‘disciple’ and means one who follows another. In order to be disciples, we need to become more like our model example, Jesus Christ. Discipleship requires a deep sympathy and sorrow for people who are spiritually lost and a very strong desire to help alleviate their suffering by sharing the good news about the gift that God has given to people in the person of Jesus Christ who is able to deliver all of us from suffering and save us from eternal damnation. God had so much compassion for people that He allowed His only Son to give the ultimate sacrifice for us to have eternal life; “For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Jesus Christ was the ultimate example of compassion for people and end demonstrated that during His ministry. When Jesus saw Mary and the people crying out about the death of Lazarus, the Holy Bible says that Jesus was very upset and deeply troubled to the point that He cried (John 11:35). He helped him cry but then He delivered a healing (John 11:39-44). According to the Resource of Leadership Training Learner’s Guide, Volume III titled “The Leaders Example”, there are three basic principles associated with discipleship:
- Be a good example – Titus 2:7
- Follow the example of Jesus Christ – 1 Peter 2:21
- Help people be good examples to others – 1 Corinthians 11:1
Discipleship is a process that involves transforming believers into maturing and reproducing followers of Jesus Christ which begins at the moment of salvation when a person receives Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Discipleship is like human growth. Immediately after salvation, we are babies in Jesus Christ who are very dependent on others for spiritual feeding and security; “As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). We grow from babes into children who gain independence by becoming aware of Biblical truth and the consequences of our actions; “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things” (1 Corinthians 13:11 KJV). We then move away from childhood towards youth or adolescence where we become independent and aware of moral choices and desire role models; “That our sons maybe as plants grown up in their youth…” (Psalms 144:12 KJV). We mature into spiritual adults becoming interdependent or mutually dependent on other believers and realize our vulnerability and need for each other and for God’s protection; “Help each other with your troubles. When you do this, you are obeying the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2 ERV). We become spiritual parents, church elders, fathers, and mothers when we reproduce the next generation that has the same Christ-like characteristics as we do (1 Timothy 1:2).
In the infant phase, the ‘Disciples Instruction’ asks believers to come to Jesus Christ. In the child phase, the ‘Disciples Invitation’ asks new believers to follow Jesus. In the adolescent phase, the ‘Disciples Invitation’ asks believers to commit themselves to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. In the adult phase of every believer, the ‘Disciples Identification’ asks believers to abide in Christ and take on the nature of Jesus, grow in their relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. In the parent phrase, the ‘Disciples Implementation’ involves sharing all that we have learned in order to teach others about the doctrine of Jesus Christ. Discipleship requires that all believers make a decision about their Christian walk with Jesus.
“We must decide where we want our ministry to count – in the momentary applause of popular recognition or in the reproduction of our lives in a few chosen people who will carry on the work after we’re gone.” – Robert Holman
Submitted By Bro. Eustace Murrain