Devotional
Discipleship - The Words, Ways and Works of Jesus
By James Dearden
Matthew 28:18-20
18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (NIV)
When we Christians talk about discipleship, we all have different aspects of what we think it is and what it looks like. Over the years, I have learned to go back to the gospels to read and see how Jesus discipled.
I have found there are three things to consider when we look at Jesus:
1. His words
2. His ways
3. His works
The Words
We all believe teaching is an important part of discipleship. Listening to someone with wisdom on the scriptures, and with a little extra life experience.
The Works
As a church, we also inspire others to do good deeds. These can be a variety of things, but should have a focus on serving God and others in a way that points back to Jesus. It is important for people we are discipling to be with us and witness us do these things, so they can learn from us.
The Ways
Finally, the Bible is also clear that how we live our life is very important. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:1 “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ”. How we live is important for others to watch and see so we can role model a godly life to them. This is why it’s so important having people immersed in your life, including having them over to your house so they see how you live, how you interact with your family, and so on.
Who are you discipling in this season of your life? As you are discipling others, think about how you are bringing the words, ways and works of Jesus into your relationships. Then, as you look to your own mentor, look deeper than just their words. Look also at what they do and how they do it.
18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (NIV)
When we Christians talk about discipleship, we all have different aspects of what we think it is and what it looks like. Over the years, I have learned to go back to the gospels to read and see how Jesus discipled.
I have found there are three things to consider when we look at Jesus:
1. His words
2. His ways
3. His works
The Words
We all believe teaching is an important part of discipleship. Listening to someone with wisdom on the scriptures, and with a little extra life experience.
The Works
As a church, we also inspire others to do good deeds. These can be a variety of things, but should have a focus on serving God and others in a way that points back to Jesus. It is important for people we are discipling to be with us and witness us do these things, so they can learn from us.
The Ways
Finally, the Bible is also clear that how we live our life is very important. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:1 “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ”. How we live is important for others to watch and see so we can role model a godly life to them. This is why it’s so important having people immersed in your life, including having them over to your house so they see how you live, how you interact with your family, and so on.
Who are you discipling in this season of your life? As you are discipling others, think about how you are bringing the words, ways and works of Jesus into your relationships. Then, as you look to your own mentor, look deeper than just their words. Look also at what they do and how they do it.