Join us for our GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE at 6:30PM!

 
(Directions)

Who am I helping to follow Jesus?

Brothers and Sisters,

            It seems like the theme of following Jesus has been following me around lately.  It crops up over and over again in the Gospel of Luke, it has cropped up in the book we’re reading for men’s breakfast (Discipling by Mark Dever), and it cropped up in a conversation with extended family this past week. 

            Discipling is “helping others follow Jesus.”  It is “deliberately doing spiritual good to someone so that he or she will become more like Christ,” says Mark Dever (Discipling, p.13).  If that sounds like something you should be doing, that’s because it is.  Jesus told us we should be busy about this work when he said, “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” in Matthew 28:19.

            While reading Dever’s book I’ve had to ask myself, “Who am I following,” and “Who am I helping to follow Jesus?”  These questions were prompted by a funny illustration of following his friend around.  He wrote,

“Just the other day I walked down to my bank – the same bank that my friend Matt introduced me to twenty years ago.  Then I walked from there over to the place that cuts my hair – the same place that Matt introduced me to when I moved to my neighborhood twenty years ago.  Matt showed me what he did, and so I started doing that.  Matt discipled me in how to live in our neighborhood.  Here I am twenty years later able to find my own way to the bank and the place where you get a haircut.  Remember what Jesus said: when a disciple is fully trained, he will be like his teacher (Luke 6:40)” (Discipling, p.24).

Reading this made me think, “In 20 years, what will those that I’ve been discipling today be doing?  Am I helping them to focus in on the right things?  Am I practically teaching them how to follow Jesus, teaching them to read their Bible, pray, and obey?” 

            These are not just important questions for me to ask.  These are important questions for you to ask.  Who are you helping to follow Jesus?  Are you helping anyone?  There is great comfort in Matthew 28:19, and there is also a great challenge.  We must make disciples.  Think of a person or two in our church family that you can deliberately do spiritual good to “so that he or she will become more like Christ.”  Think of them, pray for them, and then go and ask them if you can get together to read the Scripture, pray, and encourage each other to obey Jesus.

Warmly in Christ,

 Mike