Making Disciples

What reason did Jesus have for calling and making disciples? Was he lonely? Was he overwhelmed with the job before him? Did he enjoy being followed everywhere he went? Did he want to reach the world? Did he simply love those twelve men and reach out to them because of the great potential he saw in them?

Actually, I believe the answer is very simple. Jesus knew he had but a short time to accomplish his Father’s work on the earth and then he would be gone. He knew he was leaving the realm of the flesh behind and returning to his Father. He also knew that the work of the ministry and the proclaiming of the gospel would have to continue despite his absence until he returned again.

We see the principle of discipleship at work in every aspect of life. Every parent desires to instill what they have learned into their children. They also carry the hope that the children will learn from their experiences. All parents want to see their offspring have the opportunity for a better life. Every craftsman and skilled person wants to pass on the tricks of the trade to an apprentice that is willing to take up the task of keeping the skill alive.

In fact, anyone given half a chance will take the opportunity to teach someone else the things they have learned in their lifetime. We must remember that the best teachers are the best learners, and the best leaders are the best followers. Making disciples is not a temporary project or a halfhearted attempt at a short term program. Making disciples is a lifetime commitment.

Everything we embark on during this vapor of our lives should be carried out with the urgency that we may run out of time before the task is done. Therefore, we must, as we are ‘doing’, be simultaneously training and teaching our replacements to continue the work long after we have graduated and moved on. If we have trained them properly they will also be training their replacements, and the cycle will not cease; making disciples of all.

Randall Mooney