Making Disciples the Jesus Way
Publish date: 03/04/2017
Foundation Scriptures:
And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. 23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. 24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. 25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan. Matthew 4:18-25 KJV
1. Jesus said: Follow Me.
a. He calls – they followed Him.
b. 1 Corinthians 11:1 KJV – “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”
c. The Amplified Bible says: “PATTERN YOURSELVES after me [follow my example], as I imitate and follow Christ (the Messiah).”
2. Jesus said: Make disciples.
a. Matthew 28:18-20 KJV – “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
b. Verse 19 AMP, says: “Go then and make disciples of all the nations…”
1. Disciple.
a. What is a disciple?
b. The Greek word, “mathetes,” means “a learner.”
c. One who follows the teachings of a teacher.
d. Vines Expository Dictionary: The disciple is not only a pupil, but also an adherent; hence they are spoken of as imitators of their teacher.
e. Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary: A disciple of Christ is one who (1) believes His doctrine, (2) rests on His sacrifice, (3) imbibes His spirit, and (4) imitates His example.
f. John 8:31 KJV – “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.”
g. John 15:8 KJV – “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”
4. Make disciples.
a. Win them to Jesus.
b. Teach them His ways.
c. Make them followers of Jesus.
5. Friendship evangelism.
a. People in your world: doctor; CPA; lawyer; dentist; trainer; store owner; mechanic.
b. People you come into contact with every day.
c. Your sphere of influence.
d. Impacting their lives.
5. Building relationships.
a. People leave because they are not connected.
b. Proverbs 18:24 KJV – “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”
c. John 15:13-14 KJV – “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
6. Follow Jesus.
a. Matthew 19:28-29 KJV – “And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”
b. Matthew 10:32-33
c. Matthew 10:37-42
d. Luke 9:23-24 KJV – “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.”
e. Luke 14:26-27 KJV – “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”
f. John 12:25-26 KJV – “He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.”
g. 1 Corinthians 3:5-11 KJV – “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”