Christians Are Called To Be Disciplers

(John 1:37)  “And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.” As we move once again into another new year, it’s good to look back and challenge ourselves concerning our service and walk with God. In the above verse we read for the first time in this gospel account the word “disciple.” John the Baptist had disciples and when Jesus came onto the scene the disciples that followed John left him to now follow Jesus. Why, and what is so special about making disciples? 1) We are all called to be disciples of Jesus. A disciple is a “trainee” or an “apprentice.” He or she is someone who is expected to follow the trainer, learn their skills, and then pass them on. If these skills are not passed on, they will die with the trainer. In salvation we are all called to not just be saved but to pass on the skills and truths that we have both learned and practice in Christ. 2) We are called to make disciples. Our job is to seek out disciples through the preaching of the gospel. God is the one who does the saving, but he expects us to do the follow-up and the training.3) We are therefore to train his disciples. A discipler must first know what he has been discipled in. If he doesn’t, he cannot pass on truthfully his master’s skills. That’s why we must study God’s Word, spend time in church and learn, and have a close relationship with God. The disciples above had to follow and spend time with John and Jesus to be like them.