The Great Commission

We have repeatedly explored the implications of the two Greatest Commandments, to love God wholeheartedly and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Those commandments summarize the entire law and shape every facet of our lives and relationships. They are foundational for each of the 12 Challenges. “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19, NIV). God’s unconditional love is the ultimate persuader, motivator, and power. 

The original disciples were overwhelmed by grief and fear following Jesus’ crucifixion and burial. To them it must have appeared that God’s story of redemption had ended in failure. How could that be? But encountering the Risen Lord on the first Easter Sunday transformed their grief and confusion into ecstatic joy! Sin, Satan, and death were defeated. God’s love won!

Those joyful disciples may have assumed that the resurrection was the last triumphal chapter in God’s redemptive story. They might have been filled with anticipation of Jesus’ imminent coronation as King. Once again they discovered God’s plan had another unexpected twist when forty days after his resurrection, Jesus left them.

⁹ After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. ¹⁰ As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. ¹¹ “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”
Acts 1:9-11

Jesus’ resurrection was the penultimate chapter in God’s redemptive drama. A new chapter in the story was beginning. Just before his ascension (Acts 1:4-5) Jesus instructed them to wait in Jerusalem until they received the promised Holy Spirit. Ten days later, his promise was fulfilled at Pentecost. From that moment on, Jesus lived in them through the Spirit. Receiving the Spirit was the game changer. Jesus planned to continue his ministry through his disciples. 

He also worked through them so that, at the end of that day, there were over 3000 more disciples. The next chapter in God’s redemptive story started with spiritual fireworks when they were filled with his Spirit—just as he had promised.

Jesus had also promised they would do greater things than he had done (Jn 14:12). It had taken Jesus three years of ministry to make 120 disciples. However, when those 120 disciples were filled with his Spirit, they made 3000 more disciples in one day. Or more accurately, Jesus made 3,000 additional disciples through them. He kept his second promise, too. 

The crucifixion and resurrection were not the end of the story, but the prelude to the end. The consummation of the story will occur when Jesus returns to earth in glory (Acts 1:10-11). In the meantime, his disciples live in what the Bible calls the “last days” (Acts 2:17). During these last days, the risen Lord Jesus commissioned his disciples to continue making disciples, just as he had made them into disciples. The Westminster Shorter Catechism declares the chief ends or purpose for human beings is to glorify God and I believe this is best accomplished by making disciples who build their lives around their relationship with Jesus. The twelve challenges in The Jesus Way, unpack what this means through

Tier I – Walk with Jesus: developing a relationship with Jesus (justification)

Tier II – Become like Jesus: Character Transformation (sanctification), 

Tier III – Live for Jesus: serving Jesus by loving others (life purpose and mission)

Or as Dallas Willard taught, “a disciple is an apprentice of Jesus in Kingdom living,” which includes all three tiers and each of the twelve challenges. 

¹⁸ Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20

These were Jesus’ last words in Matthew’s gospel. Note, it ends with the promise, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (the consummation). Disciples are united with Jesus through the Spirit. Joined to Jesus, they are called and equipped to make disciples, just as Jesus had made them into his disciples. 

Disciples are not made by studying a book (even the Bible), participating in a church program, or taking a class. Nor can The Jesus Way make disciples. These are only tools. Making disciples is relational. Only disciples, ordinary people who have gone all-in for Jesus and are filled with his Spirit, can make disciples by investing themselves in others. Our primary task is to make disciples until Jesus returns to consummate God’s redemptive plan. 

The single imperative (command) in the Great Commission is “MAKE DISCIPLES.” The GO is a present participle and can be translated, “AS YOU GO, MAKE DISCIPLES.” Our God-given mission is to make disciples who follow Jesus. He also gave us the authority to complete it. Disciples are made as we “go” about our daily routines and duties. All disciples—not just priests, pastors, missionaries, and those who have credentials or degrees—are charged to make disciples.

A mission is a task entrusted to others to accomplish. Those who have served in the military understand mission. It is not an option, but an order. The com in “com-mission” means with. A “commission” is a shared task. Jesus continues to be personally involved as we seek to fulfill his mission (v. 20). We also help each other. Therefore, making another disciple is best done in a community of disciples. 

Love for God and our neighbor compels this mission, but only disciples can complete it. Moreover, Jesus will not return to consummate God’s redemptive plan until the gospel has been shared with every nation (Mark 13:10). Our mission is both urgent and essential. During these last days, we play a significant role in preparing the way for Jesus’ return. We are participants in the story, not observers.

Making disciples is a necessity, but also an awesome and joyful privilege. I cannot overstate how meaningful it is to play a significant role in helping another person order their life around a relationship with Jesus. It’s a priceless experience, with eternal consequences. 

The key components of making disciples are baptizing and teaching. Various expressions of the Christian faith have slightly different understandings and practices when it comes to baptism. But they all require a new believer/disciple to affirm that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” just as Peter did (Matthew 16:16). To affirm these truths confirms to all that the new disciples have gone “all-in” for Jesus and have become part of the community of faith. Baptism declares you have become a new person who belongs to Jesus. 

Jesus directed us to “teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you” (verse 20). “All” is a comprehensive term. He didn’t say, teach them the basics. Disciples must become familiar with all that Jesus taught. Paul echoed this mandate when he wrote to the believers in Colossae, “God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you” (Col 1:25). Paul didn’t just teach his favorite parts but all of Jesus’ teachings. And so must we. This means we teach all the truths Jesus taught, whether people reject them or accept them. Yet Paul also said, “we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Jesus (Eph 4:15). Those are two essential components of making disciples: truth and love. That’s what Jesus modeled. Everything Jesus taught we seek to teach others in the disciple making process, but always with love and in love. 

He declared the two greatest commands are to love God and our neighbor. Later, he gave us a new commandment: “Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other” (John 13:34). Love is caught before it is taught. Making disciples requires us to model unconditional and free-flowing love. Love is more important than knowledge or skills. Truth is always expressed in love and love is expressed in truth. Neither can be compromised. I have concluded manifesting both truth and love in all situations is impossible without the help of the Holy Spirit. 

Finally, Jesus spent nearly three years training his original disciples. There are no short-cuts. It is a relational process. We build a relationship as we build a disciple. We express our love by investing ourselves in others. The more we become like Jesus (cross-training), the more effective we will become at making disciples. 

Paul and Timothy

Think of concentric rings. Peter, James, and John comprised Jesus’ inner circle. The next ring contained the rest of the 12 (he had prayed all night before selecting them). He sent out the 72 (the third ring). The fourth ring included the 120 meeting for prayer on Pentecost morning. All were disciples trained by Jesus.

When we read Paul’s letters in the NT, we discover that he, like Jesus, built close relationships and invested himself in countless numbers of people. But he intentionally invested himself in a much smaller group of people, just as Jesus had done. He invested himself most fully in one young man named Timothy. 

²¹ Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek.
Acts 16:21

Timothy became like a son to him. Paul spent years building a relationship with him and teaching him what following Jesus meant – the Jesus Way.

² You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.
2 Timothy 2:2

Paul invested himself in Timothy and expected Timothy to teach others just as Paul had taught him. Paul followed the same pattern Jesus had modeled and trained his disciples to follow when he commissioned them to make more disciples. The disciple making pattern has not changed much in the last two thousand years. Disciples are not made by listening to the radio, watching TV, reading books, or getting a degree in theology. Those things can be helpful, but making disciples is always a relational process requiring a disciple to personally invest him or herself in another person. There are no shortcuts. It’s slow and requires patience. 

Making disciples takes time and patience, but bears abundant fruit. Jesus had 120 disciples at the end of his ministry. Today there are approximately 2.4 billion disciples (Wikipedia, Pew Research Center, Study of Global Christianity), nearly a third (31.3%) of the world’s population. Jesus’ strategy was to make disciples, and he taught his disciples to follow that strategy. Obviously, it works. First, we must disciple our own children if we have children, then we invest ourselves in those who are most receptive. 

Parents nurturing a child in the context of a loving family is similar to the process of making a disciple in the context of a faith community (family). Likewise, making disciples takes time, patience, and unconditional and continuing love. Like parenting, the process helps young disciples develop their true identity, new ways of thinking and acting, different values, and different goals in life. Making disciples is not mechanical, but a relational process that is led by the Holy Spirit. Only the Spirit can give life and disciples share that life with others in the disciple making process. 

The Bottom Line

If you have genuinely invested time, effort, and prayer in responding to the 12 Challenges, you are now equipped and empowered (by the Holy Spirit) to make more disciples. Since only disciples can make more disciples, you can now lead others through the disciple-making process using the ‘twelve challenges’ of The Jesus Way or other means to teach them “all” that Jesus commanded. Jesus commissions (co-mission with Jesus) you to join him in making new disciples. This is both a great privilege and a significant responsibility. For the rest of your life, you have been commissioned by Jesus to make apprentices of Jesus wherever you go and whatever else you are doing. This is a high and holy calling, the greatest challenge of all and will bear fruit that lasts through all eternity. I charge you, in the name of Jesus, to faithfully and prayerfully embrace this calling. If you do, I promise that God will both bless and use you beyond anything you ever expected. 

THINKING IT THROUGH

“Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.” Ephesians 5:2

THE TRUTH: Jesus is the giver of life, Messiah, Savior, and Lord of all. One day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.  

THE CHALLENGE: Disciples seek to bring every part of their lives under Jesus’ rule on their lifelong faith journey. They practice Kingdom living now in anticipation of the consummation.

The Scriptures, questions, and notes are for group discussion and personal reflection. Our goal in Tier II is character transformation which requires sustained effort and growing faith. Thinking through the questions can help you understand this challenge at a deeper level. We encourage you to focus on those questions that you find most interesting or helpful. This is not a test, but a tool to help you respond to the challenges.

Related Scriptures 

Mark 1:16-18 ¹⁶ One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. ¹⁷ Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” ¹⁸ And they left their nets at once and followed him.

Mark 2:14 ¹⁴ As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him.

John 6:43-44 ⁴³ But Jesus replied, “Stop complaining about what I said. ⁴⁴ For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up.

John 6:60-69 ⁶⁰ Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?” ⁶¹ Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you? ⁶² Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? ⁶³ The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. ⁶⁴ But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.) ⁶⁵ Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.”

⁶⁶ At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. ⁶⁷ Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” ⁶⁸ Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. ⁶⁹ We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”

Matthew 11:1 (Context: Jesus instructions when he sent out the twelve) 
¹ When Jesus had finished giving these instructions (Matt 10:5-42) to his twelve disciples….

Matthew 12:48-50 ⁴⁸ Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹ Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. ⁵⁰ Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”

Matthew 14:33 ³³ Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

Matthew 17:5 [On the Mount of Transfiguration]
⁵ But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.”

Matthew 20:17 ¹⁷ As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him.

Matthew 25:56 ⁵⁶ “But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures.” At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Mark 3:20 ²⁰ One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn’t even find time to eat.

Mark 4:34 ³⁴ In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.

Mark 9:30-31 ³⁰ Leaving that region, they traveled through Galilee. Jesus didn’t want anyone to know he was there, ³¹ for he wanted to spend more time with his disciples and teach them.

Luke 9:1 ¹ One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases.

Luke 9:18 ¹⁸ One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him….

John 13:34-35 ³⁴ So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. ³⁵ Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Luke 10:1 ¹ The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit.

Luke 10:16-17 ¹⁶ Then he said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.”
¹⁷ When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!”

John 8:31 ³¹ Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.”

John 11:54 ⁵⁴ As a result, Jesus stopped his public ministry among the people and left Jerusalem. He went to a place near the wilderness, to the village of Ephraim, and stayed there with his disciples.

John 9:26-28 [Interrogation of a man who was born blind]
²⁶ “But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?” ²⁷ “Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” ²⁸ Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses!

John 13:1 ¹ Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.

Philippians 3:17 ¹⁷ Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.

Acts 14:21 ²¹ After preaching the Good News in Derbe and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia.”

John 18:25 [Peter’s third denial] ²⁵ Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing by the fire warming himself, they asked him again, “You’re not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it, saying, “No, I am not.”

Mark 14:50 ⁵⁰ Then all his disciples deserted him and ran away.

John 19:38 ³⁸ Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus’ body. 

John 20:19 ¹⁹ That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said.

Questions

You are encouraged to use these questions for group discussion or personal reflection. Respond to the questions that are most relevant or interesting to you (I urge you to write your responses in a journal or notebook).

1. Do you agree or disagree with the statement “only disciples can make more disciples”? Explain the reason or reasons for the way you answered this question. 

2. The narrative suggested that making disciples is much like raising a child. Explain what is similar in these two processes, including the content of what the disciple or child learns. 

3. Throughout the 12 Challenges, we have used Dallas Willard’s definition of a disciple: “A disciple is an apprentice of Jesus in Kingdom living.” Explain why you think “apprentice” and “Kingdom living” are appropriate terms to describe the disciple making process or suggest other terms you think would be more helpful.

4. The third tier challenges are about living to please Jesus by loving and serving others. Part B of challenge 12 calls for all disciples to adopt making more disciples one of their most important purposes in life. How is making disciples an expression of love and service?

5. Jesus’ last words in Matthew’s Gospel are, “…go and make disciples…baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.” The “Before You Begin” section of The Jesus Way explained that the challenges do not address baptism and the Lord’s Supper and leave those topics to be addressed by your church leaders. Apart from those two exceptions, The Jesus Way has sought to include “all the commands” Jesus has given us. The Twelve Challenges are intended to be comprehensive by including the gist of all that Jesus taught. Since you have nearly finished the challenges, is there some component of Jesus’ teaching that has been neglected? If so, please briefly list and describe the missing pieces that are parts of Jesus’ teaching that are not covered by the twelve challenges.

6. The first paragraph in Part B states, “God’s unconditional love is the ultimate persuader, motivator, and power.” If this is true, why is it important for disciples to understand this as they seek to make disciples? 

7. The next to last section referred to the Apostle Paul’s relationship with Timothy. It included this quote from 2 Timothy 2:2 “Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.” Who will be your Timothy, the trustworthy person you want to help learn these gospel truths? If you don’t have a Timothy in mind, I encourage you ask the Lord to give you a Timothy in whom you can invest your life.

8. The narrative described making disciples as “an awesome and joyful privilege.” That describes my experiences with countless people. How would you express the disciple making process? What adjectives would you use (duty, responsibility, urgent, loving, live-giving, adventurous, frustrating, time-consuming, etc.)?

9. Since Jesus ascended to heaven and the Spirit was poured out on the disciples, we live in an age the Bible calls the “last days.” What does that bring to your mind and how does it impact our mission to make disciples?

10. Finally, if Jesus had said go and get converts instead of make disciples, how would that change how we seek to accomplished our mission? 

11. Do you ever experience a tension between loving others and speaking the truth?

    Copyright © 2024 Don Waite

    All rights reserved.

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