What is a Disciple?

Dear Fellow Children of God,

I am back from my yearly moose hunting vacation.  But while I was in the woods hunting a question kept rolling over in my mind.  “Jesus calls us to ‘make disciples.’  But, what is a disciple?”  Denny Langston and  Pastor Denny Lorenz were at St. John the weekend before I left to go hunting presenting a workshop on Spiritual Gifts called “Tracking the Spirit.”  While we were talking at our home about God’s Church they asked me this question, “What is a disciple?”

The easy answer is that a disciple is not just one of the 12 apostles.  Any follower of Jesus is a disciple.  But, what does Jesus mean when he says in Matthew 28, “Go make disciples?”  Looking at the rest of Scripture we see that Jesus is not just talking about reaching those who don’t know Him, but helping those who do know Him grow in the relationship with Jesus.  He does not want people following Him half-heartedly.  Listen to some things Jesus says about disciples.

John 8:31-32  31 Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

John 13:34-35 - 34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

John 15:8-10 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.

According to these verses being a disciple shows itself as we ‘continue in Jesus’ words,’ as we ‘love one another as Jesus loved us,’ as we ‘bear fruit’ and ‘obey his commands’ Being a disciple begins with going and baptizing, and continues through teaching.  Being a disciple or a child of God is not simply having our name on a church roster, it is a life-long process of growing in the love of God and living out God’s love.  Jesus’ words make it obvious that He wants His followers committed to Him and to His work.  

So, as I was in hunting camp asking myself that question “What is a disciple?” I had to also ask, “How is my discipleship of the Lord?”  We are not saved by our works.  The disciples in Jesus’ day and we today are all sinful and unable to save ourselves.  But, for the Almighty God to send His only Son to die and rise for sinners like us, when we hear and believe that God has loved us in such a sacrificial way, we should want to serve God as Jesus’ disciples with all our lives.

What does this mean for member of St. John as we seek to live for the one who died for us?  How are you doing in living your discipleship?

A Child of God, seeking to live for the one who died and rose for me,

Pastor Jonathan

P.S.  I did not see a legal moose this year.  In fact, for a number of reasons nobody in camp got a moose this year.  However, we spent time in devotions each day, we talked and solved the problems of the world (if only others would listen!), and we enjoyed the Lord’s creation.  Here are some pictures from this year’s hunt: https://picasaweb.google.com/jonrock53/MooseHUNTING2011?authuser=0&feat=directlink

P.P.S.  I had already begun work on a sermon series for October on discipleship, when I was asked that question on ‘What is a disciple?’  Please note below our sermon series for October.

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ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ -   I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have.  (I am always adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.)  However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message. . . Or, if you know someone who would like to receive one of these e-mails, please send me their e-mail address.

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