“Then Jesus came to the [disciples] and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations …and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’” – Matthew 28:18-20, NIV

Years ago, Edward, a cousin, told me about Jesus and I became a Christian. He’s now a prominent Christian leader.

Over time, I have also helped many others to become Christians and many of them are also doing the same to others, though Edward and I might never even get to meet them.  

That is how the discipleship value chain works; it’s how Christ has built His Church to become the most influential organisation in the world.

In our meditation today, we reflect on what has come to be known as the ‘Great Commission.’

“Go and make disciples of all nations and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you,” He commanded them shortly before He ascended into heaven.

The assignment of discipleship is two-pronged – winning souls and teaching them to obey Christ (not you).

In the ancient world, philosophers and great teachers would have ‘limmuds’ – the taught (disciples). 

The ‘limmuds’ – or what we call apprentices today – would spend time with their teacher and after some years, they would start to do what their master does.

The New Testament idea of a ‘disciple’ carries the same meaning – one who is taught or a learner.

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will also be qualified to teach others”.

2 TIMOTHY 2:2

As soon as Jesus embarked on His ministry, He picked 12 men, “that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons” (see Mark 3:14-15).

In other words, He wanted them to be with Him in order to learn how to do what He was doing.  

That became Paul’s strategy as well. In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul told Timothy, his young disciple: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will also be qualified to teach others.”

Barnabas looked for Paul in Tarsus and started discipling him, Paul then discipled Timothy, whom he is now asking to disciple faithful men, who would be able to disciple others and so on and so forth.

In his 21 Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell cites discipleship under the ‘Law of Legacy,’ which states that ‘a leader’s lasting value is measured by succession.’

By instructing the disciples to go out and do to others what He had been doing to them for three years, Jesus was ensuring the legacy of the Church.

That is why you and I are Christians today; the early disciples were, against many odds, obedient to Christ’s command to make disciples in all the nations.

To what extent are you ensuring the legacy of the Church by making disciples? Who is learning from you?

It’s not possible that we all can be called to be preachers or pastors.

However, we have all been called to pass on what we know or have learned about Christ to someone else.

Anyone can do that at home, work, school and in the community.  Are you being faithful in the area of discipleship or you’re being selfish with what you know and have?   

Prayer:                                                                

Almighty God, thank you for using faithful people to enable me to know You. Help me to be a faithful person who will always help others to learn what I have learned about You so they can do the same to others too. For the glory of Your Name, Amen!