"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matt 28:19
A cursory study of Matthew 28:19 should include a look into the original Greek language for “making disciples”. In English there appears a series of verbs that show up differently in the original language. There is one verb with supporting participles (words that look like verbs but are actually adjectives). In fact, we know that even the “go” is an adjective that, along with baptizing and teaching describe the things that happen from making disciples. Making disciples means to get off our butt and win souls for the end goal of making disciples. That is the focus. Incidentally, the process of discipleship involves being baptized to show our identification with Jesus in His burial and resurrection, and teaching to show our progress in maturity as a disciple. I have found as a teacher and mentor, as I mentor or disciple others, I grow up in Christ as well!
What does it mean to be a disciple? Well, we have already seen that it involves in identifying with Jesus’ death. In fact, Luke 14:26 and 27 vividly tells us that we are to “hate” everything about this life including all our attachments and even ourselves. This is pretty radical! To be a disciple means to become so identified with Jesus that our relationships, including those closest like our family, and our own lives don’t matter anymore especially when we are called on to choose between them and Jesus. Of course, this mind-set leads to martyrdom both psychologically and physically, if called upon to this ultimate act. That’s what it means to take up ones cross. As Jesus prepared himself in the garden of Gethsemane and then went to his death at the will of His Father and direction of the Holy Spirit, so must we if we are truly disciples.p>
Luke 8:11 sums it all up. For Jesus, those that obey Him and the words of His Father are his true family. When we “put God’s words” into practice we are being disciples. Interestingly, “put into practice” or “accomplish” is actually the Greek word poieō from which we get the English word “poem”. What a fitting tribute to Jesus. In our willingness to be a disciple, we are actually becoming like God’s poem—the new creation Paul writes about in 2 Corinthians 5:17. We embark on an eternity of service and we never look back (Luke 9:62).
Pray: "Dear Lord, let us all take seriously our obligation to be disciples and make disciples"