Disciples3

Created Tuesday 03 June 2014

Disciples make disciples

What was the last command of Jesus? If we read carefully, we realize that all the writers have remembered the same command, but each in his own words.

Matt.28:18-20 - "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."

Mark 16:15-20 - "And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”"

Luke 24:36-53 - "Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” "

Joh.20:19-23 - "Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”"

Acts 1:4-11 - "And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
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1. All nations (Matt., Luke), All the world, the whole creation (Mark), to the ends of the earth (Acts).
2. Make disciples (Matt.). What is a disciple? The Hebrew word for disciples is used for "student" in modern Hebrew. However, a disciples is much more than simply a student. It is much closer to the idea of an apprentice. It involves not simply transfer of knowledge (Luke: opened their minds), but actually the disciple doing the same things as die Master (John: as the Father sent me, so I send you).
3. Baptism was the public way to become a disciple of Jesus (a sign of repentance and forgiveness of sin: Mark.1:4-5, 1 Pet.3: 21), they are baptised into Him. Matt., Mark, Acts. This is good news! Repent and your sins will be forgiven in His Name (Mark, Luke)!
4. The nations are not to be simply taught what Jesus taught, but should be taught to do what Jesus commanded (Matt.) and do what He did (Mark, John). This includes the command to make disciples! Therefore: Disciples make disciples.
5. They are not to do it in their own strength (just as Jesus was first filled with the Spirit when He was baptised), but to wait to be baptised in the Spirit, to receive power when the Spirit comes on them. (Matt.28:20: "I will be with you", Mark: "the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs", Luke: "stay ... until you are clothed with power", John: "Receive the Holy Spirit", Acts: "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you").