How to Make Disciples

Some of the last words that Jesus spoke to His followers before He was lifted up to the Father is what we call the Great Commission. It is Jesus’ mission for the church.

Matthew 28:19-20
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.

We are to make disciples!

But How?

In 2 Timothy 3:10-17 Paul outlines how to make disciples.

It brings together two components.

The first is us. We have to be willing to surrender our lives to do what it takes to make disciples.

We have to let God make us three things.

#1: People Who Are Examples

2 Timothy 3:10
You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness.

Paul says that we have to be “audio-visual” Christians.

We have to teach. We teach the truth of God’s Word.

We also have to model how the truth of God’s Word works in the real world.

He mentions six areas in which we need to show people how Jesus does it.

We model conduct.

This word means to lead or guide. It is leading someone to a destination by going along with them.

Disciplining is not just telling people how to do something.

Church is not just telling people how to do something.

Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

This verse is not just about Sunday morning. Remember the early believers were together daily.

Disciplining is doing life together.
Church is doing life together.

We disciple people by doing life with them and helping them to connect with Jesus.

We model by having an aim in life.

We do life with people and have a purpose and show people our purpose.

The phrase means to expose or view. We expose our purpose by letting people see us living that purpose out.

If I have no purpose, as many people don’t, then I can’t help people find God’s purpose for their lives. If I know God’s purpose for my life and live it out, then others can see and be led to live out God’s purpose in their lives.

Ephesians 2:6-7
And raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Our purpose, our life’s aim is to show how awesome and glorious God is. We are models that so that others will see that is their purpose also.

We model faith.

Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Faith is not natural. It is not natural or easy.

Faith is not just in theory. Faith is about real every day living. It is about trusting God with the big things and the little things. Faith is about trusting and obeying God when circumstances are clear, don’t make sense, or seem to discourage from following God’s directions.

We model patience.

Seventeen times in Psalms we are told to wait on God or told about the rewards of waiting on God.

We need to be patient with people and patient with God as He works out his will.

Again, patience is not natural for most people and it is never easy.

Noah waited for 120 years for God to bring the flood.
Abraham waited for 25 years for the promised son.
Moses waited 40 years for God to use him to free His people.
David waited 15 years to be king.

Patience is rewarded by God’s will being accomplished.

We model love.

John 13:35
By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

Love is to be modeled because it is the most essential character trait. If we don’t love, we won’t display any of the other traits of God.

It is also the trait that shows the world we belong to Jesus.

We model steadfastness.

Following Jesus is nota 100 meter sprint; it is an iron man triathlon.
Following Jesus is a life long journey.

1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

#2: People Who Endure

2 Timothy 3:11-13
My persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra - which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse deceiving and being deceived.

We are not to give up.

Galatians 6:9
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we don’t give up.

#3: People Who Encourage

2 Timothy 3:14
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believe, knowing from whom you learned it.

1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

We hear so much negativism in and from our culture. We as followers of Jesus are to encourage each other and build each other up. We are to encourage people as we see them obeying and seeking God.

It is God’s kindness that leads people to repentance. Jesus wasn’t sent into the world to condemn it but though Him to save it.

The second component is God’s Word.

2 Timothy 3:15
And how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

God’s Word is the foundation of our relationship with Jesus.

We are to believe God’s Word.

2 Timothy 3:16a
All Scripture is breathed out by God.

The Bible is not man’s words, man’s thoughts, or man’s ideas.
The Bible is 100% God’s Word.

Since the Bible is God’s Word, we are to believe it and obey it.

We are to receive it.

2 Timothy 3:16b-e
And profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.

God’ s word:
Teaches us what is right
Tells us when we don’t get it right
Tells us how to do it right
Equips us to live right

The Bible is not just so we will know facts.
The Bible is so we will live as God desires us to.

We are to let God’s Word accomplish it’s purpose.

2 Timothy 3:17
That the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

The purpose of God’s Word is to:
Make us fit to do the work God has given us to do at the very moment we are to do it.
Perfectly enable us to do God’s work.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about making disciples. We do that by giving ourselves to Jesus and sharing His Word.

Revelation 12:11
And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.

Surrendered to Jesus and His Word to Raise The Roof and Remove the Walls
                                                    Joe