Jesus 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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
One of the greatest joys of being a pastor is watching the young people of the congregation grow to become faithful disciples of Christ. The Greek word for disciple is “mathetes,” (pronounced ma-thay-tays). It means that one who is a disciple is a learner, a student of the master. The disciple follows the teacher and submits to the teacher’s ways, following the teacher’s example. This leads to a transformation in the way the disciple’s life is lived. We call this transformation living a life of “discipleship.”
When we think of disciples as students, we imagine them to be people who attend lectures or read books. But disciples, as in the context of the Bible, were required to interact with and imitate a real living person, their teacher. A disciple would literally follow someone in hopes of eventually becoming what they are. This is the calling of Christians throughout our shared history within the Church. So, how does one know if they are living the life of discipleship?
Such a life is distinguished by several indicators. We call these the “Marks of Discipleship.” The first is to be someone who is regularly dwelling in God’s Word. Reading the Bible is essential for living as a disciple of Jesus. Jesus said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). Truly, the only way to learn from Christ is to dwell in his Word.
The next mark of discipleship is to have an active and dynamic prayer life. Simply put, disciples pray. In his teaching about prayer, Jesus commands his followers to pray. As Jesus gives his teaching on prayer in Matthew 6:5-13, he says, “When you pray.” Jesus expects his disciples to pray. Through prayer faith is reaffirmed, confidence in God’s Word is built, and we become more aligned with God’s will.
It should go without saying that disciples also enjoy learning more about God’s truth. So, we can say, disciples willingly learn from the Lord. Disciples study with other disciples in fellowship with one another. Learning and fellowship are strong indicators of one who lives a life of discipleship. Disciples not only learn, but they do so eagerly and joyfully.
Disciples also worship and participate regularly in the Sacraments. Disciples come to the Lord’s table, welcomed as a sinner redeemed by Christ himself. They savor each opportunity in which they may receive the body and blood of Christ for the sake of their forgiveness and as nourishment for their faith.
And finally, disciples serve Christ by serving and evangelizing their neighbor. Engaging the mission of the Gospel means meeting the physical needs of our neighbor while also meeting their spiritual needs. Mission work is defined by these two traits. To live the life of discipleship means presenting yourself as a living sacrifice for the sake of others. All the while sharing with them the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.
I mentioned earlier it is a pastor’s joy to witness the younger members of the Church growing into the life of discipleship. That is because, as they learn from their pastor and their Sunday school teachers, they learn from Christ himself. Those who remain in the fellowship of their peers will grow to become faithful disciples of Jesus simply through regular learning, worship, and fellowship among God’s people. We have witnessed that here at St. Jacob’s. Just take a look at the young people who are climbing into leadership roles within our worship services. They are the ones who regularly live and learn among the faithful. We can all be thankful for each one of them as they grow in faith. Let us prayerfully guide them and may we also learn from them how to become greater disciples of our Lord Jesus.
Grace to you and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
