Being A Disciple (13)
Being a disciple – in the Scriptures, or the Word, or the Bible – means learning from someone who knows much more than we do, and whom we can trust.
As for the affairs of life, this person also needs to represent himself with dignity and legitimate authority – be it an institution, organization, school, company, family name – in front of those he contacts or communicates with every day.
Depending on how important this representation is, it’s also important that this person has everything they need in themselves so that, after speaking, they can also verify the truth of their words and intentions.
So that we could receive the excellence of the Kingdom of God, which is justice, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit…
‘For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.’ Romans 14:17 ACF Online Bible
…and salvation for eternal life…
‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love; And predestined us to be sons of adoption through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he made us acceptable to himself in the Beloved, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, which he has made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence; By revealing to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he proposed in himself, To gather together in Christ all things in the dispensation of the fullness of times, both which are in heaven and which are on earth; In him, I say, we also have become an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who makes all things according to the counsel of his will, that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ; in whom you also were, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; and having also believed in him, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise…’ Ephesians 1:3-13 ACF Online Bible
…The Lord Jesus Christ came to us to represent The Father – our God and Lord and Creator…
‘Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, having by himself made purification for our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high…’ Hebrews 1:3 ACF Online Bible
The great teacher we see in the Word is the Savior Himself. At the appropriate moment in His life, He began His ministry:
‘Then, by the power of the Spirit, Jesus returned to Galilee, and his fame spread throughout all the surrounding lands. And he taught in their synagogues, and was praised by all. And when he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath, according to his custom, and stood up to read. And the book of the prophet Isaiah was given to him; and when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to evangelize the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, To preach liberty to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed, To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book and gave it back to the minister, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your ears.’ Luke 4:14-21 ACF Online Bible
He chose disciples for Himself, to learn directly from Him and participate in His great plan of world salvation:
‘And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting nets into the sea, because they were fishermen; and he said to them, “Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they immediately left their nets and followed him. And going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.’ Matthew 4:18-22 ACF Online Bible
…….
‘And it came to pass in those days, that he went up on the mountain to pray, and spent the night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called his disciples to him, and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles: Simon, whom he also called Peter, and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, the traitor.’ Luke 6:12-16 ACF Bible online
Later, The Lord chose others…
‘And after these things the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them before his face two by two into every city and place where he would go.’ Luke 10:1 ACF Bible online
…to carry on His work, that in every generation the great things might be known which God has done, and would continue to do, through His ministers, for it is written:
‘And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.’ Matthew 28:18-20 ACF Online Bible
‘And he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; and they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall be healed. Now when the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And when they had departed, they preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs that followed. Amen.’ Mark 16:15-20 ACF Online Bible
Today, those of us who have believed and received this great salvation, have been called by The Lord through His Word spoken through His sons and daughters, who shine around the world, because of His disciples, Jesus Christ says:
‘And when Jesus saw the multitude, he went up into a mountain, and sat down, and his disciples came to him: and he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, …’ Matthew 5:1-2 ACF Bible online
‘You are the light of the world; a city built on a hill cannot be hidden; nor is a lamp lit and put under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.’ Matthew 5:14-16 ACF Online Bible
I thank you, Father, for having created me, for having brought me to earth at this time, for having protected me and called me; for having accepted Your call and received Your great salvation in Christ Jesus through faith, and also for having asked for and received the gift of The Holy Spirit.
No matter when I leave, I know that I will be with You just as I am now, because You say so in Your Word:
‘But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved), and hath raised us up together with him, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; that he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in the ages to come, through his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared that we should walk in them.’ Ephesians 2:4-10 ACF Online Bible
‘Jesus said to him, ‘I am the resurrection and the life: he who believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ John 11:25-26 ACF Online Bible
