Why Make Disciples: Part 1
“Just do what I say!”
“No questions!”
“I want to know that you can be obedient!”
“Because I said so!”
Have you ever heard these words come out of your mouth?
Aren’t you glad that Jesus’ command for his disciples to make disciples is accompanied with the kindness of a God who has revealed his plan in his Word?
God did not have to show us “why.” He has every right to demand us to do something with no explanation. But, in His kindness He has revealed His plan to us.
I John 1:1-3 reads, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life – the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us – that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you…”
In the New Testament, the apostles are explaining clearly what they’ve seen, what the prophets of the Old Testament longed to see. We can see the plan, God’s plan, from Genesis to Revelation because it has been made known to us in and through Jesus.
So what are the main facets of God’s plan?
Well, let’s look at His Word:
Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
“Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:13-17)
Here we see a vision of the end. A vision of a group of people who are in white robes, because they have washed them in the blood of the Lamb. By faith in Jesus’ sacrifice on their behalf, they have been made clean. This group of people will stand before the throne of God and serve him day and night, and He who sits on the throne, Jesus, will shelter them by His presence.
All of the results of the Fall will be reversed. None of these people will hunger or thirst, the sun will not beat down on them. Why? Because of the Lamb! The Lamb will be their shepherd and will guide them to springs of living water! Why will there be no more pain? Because the Lamb took the pain. Why can those gathered have hope? Because the Lamb will guide us to living water. And, God himself will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Why make disciples? Because the one who sits on the throne commands it. He commands it so that through us others might dip their robes in the blood of the Lamb, enjoy serving their King, experience the shelter of the Lamb, be lead to living water by the one true Shepherd, and have God himself dab their tear filled eyes. We make disciples because God is redeeming a people for His son the Lamb!
This is really hard to remember when my kid wakes up in the middle of the night. It’s difficult to remember when we are constantly going to the next thing. But I need God to change my heart to believe that making disciples is the main thing, it is our (PPC) main thing.
Everything else we do in life is not an end in itself, but a tool for our main purpose of growing people toward Jesus, and growing people in Jesus.
Let’s pray that we would be united in “why” we make disciples and that God would change us into people who believe “making disciples” is their main thing.
Persevere,
Joey Turner
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