Making Disciples

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Jesus' Made Disciples

When Jesus calls us to make disciples, He is calling us to do what He did. As Jesus began His public ministry of preaching, He began to call disciples (Matthew 4:17-22). These verses show us a clear distinction between Jesus' preaching ministry (verse 17) and His making of disciples (verses 18-22). Jesus had a closer, more personal relationship with His disciples than He did with the multitudes that gathered to hear Him preach. The multitudes came to hear Him preach; the disciples walked with Him.

Matthew 4:23 shows us that Jesus did three things in His public ministry:

  1. He taught in the synagogues.
  2. He preached the "gospel of the kingdom."
  3. He healed all kinds of sickness and disease.

As Jesus did these three things, His fame grew and many people came to Him for healing and deliverance.

Matthew 5:1-2 highlights the closer walk Jesus had with His disciples. It says, "And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying…" When Jesus "saw" the multitudes following Him, He took His disciples aside and taught them privately. What follows is called the "Sermon on the Mount" and is the most detailed set of teaching we have from Jesus on how we are to live in the kingdom of God, and it was directed not to the multitudes but to His disciples.

Matthew 13 shows us this relational difference even more clearly. As Jesus was sitting by the sea, large crowds gathered around Him. He began to speak to them in parables or stories. These stories used illustrations of real life to explain the principles of the kingdom of God. The first story Jesus shared was of a man sowing seed. When He finished the parable, His disciples came to Him and were confused as to why He spoke to the multitudes in parables. Jesus' answer is significant in our understanding of why making disciples is so different and important: "Because it has been given to you [the disciples] to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them [the multitudes] it has not been given." (Matthew 13:11)

The Bible shows us several differences in the relationship Jesus had with His disciples and the one He had with the multitudes:

  1. He called and chose the disciples personally (Matthew 4:18-22; Luke 6:13; John 1:42-43).
  2. He taught them on a deeper level (Matthew 13:11).
  3. He gave them power for ministry (Matthew 10:1).
  4. He sent them out for ministry (Matthew 10:5).
  5. He gave them special instructions about the ministry that He was sending them to do (Matthew 10:5-42).
  6. He gave them authority to baptize (John 4:1-2).
  7. He revealed His identity to them (Matthew 16:13-20).
  8. He called them to a deeper level of commitment (Matthew 16:24-27; John 6:60-69).
  9. He gave them the keys to the kingdom (Matthew 16:19).
  10. He showed them His glory (Matthew 17:1-9).
  11. He showed Himself to them after He was risen from the dead (John 20:19).
  12. He restored them when they fell (John 21:15-19).
  13. He baptized them with His Holy Spirit (Acts 2).

Matthew 9:35-10:1 shows even more clearly why Jesus made disciples. He made them because He could not reach the multitudes without them! Verse 35 points out the three aspects of Jesus' public ministry: teaching in the synagogues, preaching the gospel, and healing every sickness and disease. Verse 36 shows us that Jesus "saw" the poor condition of the multitudes and was overwhelmed with compassion for them. What did He see?

Jesus saw three things about the multitudes (Matthew 9:36):

  1. They were weary.
  2. They were scattered.
  3. They were like sheep without a shepherd.

Jesus saw (or understood) that even though He was teaching the people in the synagogues, and preaching in every city and village, and healing every sickness and disease, the people were still in a terrible condition. He saw that His public ministry was not enough to reach all of the people!

Most of our churches are very good in the three things that Jesus did in His public ministry. We know how to preach, teach, heal and deliver. But our problem is the same one He faced - we are still unable to reach the multitudes in a life-changing way by ourselves.

Why did Jesus Make Disciples?

Jesus made disciples because He knew it was the only effective way He could reach the multitudes in a manner that would change their lives. One man can not touch everyone in his or her area of need. No matter how great the preacher, or the teacher, or the healer, there are just too many people for any one person to reach. "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." (Matthew 9:37-38) The whole next chapter of Matthew (chapter ten) shows Jesus resolving this problem by calling His disciples, choosing twelve, giving them power and training, and sending them out in pairs to minister to the multitudes.

Summary

What was Jesus' method of ministry? He had a powerful public ministry of teaching, preaching, and healing. He also had an intensive ministry of making disciples. By making disciples Jesus was reproducing Himself to more effectively reach the lost.

 

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