At the very end of Matthew’s gospel, when Jesus meet his disciples in Galilee after his resurrection, they worship him.

What a great worship celebration that must have been! Then he reveals himself as One given “all authority.” And with that authority he commissions them, as they go through life, to go to the nations and “make disciples.”

Are you a disciple? Are you making disciples? I once read that the word “Christian“ only occurs three times in the New Testament. But the word “disciple“ occurs 269 times.

What is a disciple? There are many ways to answer that. But it implies a lifelong commitment to know, stay close to, learn from, and represent our Rabbi, our Master, our Lord, our Savior and our Leader - Jesus.

I think it’s fine to identify yourself as a “Christian.“ But it’s more important to understand that you who have been baptized into Christ - united to him in his death and resurrection - are now going to walk through life as his disciple. Then you are to believe and expect that he’s going to use you to make other disciples.

The noun “disciple“ can also be a verb. I like that. Do you remember that the apostle Paul “discipled” Timothy. Then he told Timothy to disciple others who would, in turn disciple others.

Are you a disciple (noun)? Do you disciple (verb)?

I hope so.

Musing’s from Pastor John, July 25, Click to Email Pastor John