We were created in the image of a communal God. Therefore, community is essential for the life of a believer. We weren’t meant to walk through life alone. We need other believers next to us, laughing and crying with us through all seasons of life.
But, we short-change community if we neglect discipleship as we go.
Jesus commands his disciples to go into the world to ‘make disciples of all nations….teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” So, we see in Jesus’ words that teaching is a fundamental element of discipleship. To be a disciple, one must be willing to learn Christ; and, to make disciples, one must be willing to teach Christ. Discipleship is teaching a Christian how to act, think, and feel like Jesus.
ACT LIKE JESUS
"You must no longer walk as the Gentiles do…”
Walk is a term used throughout the gospels to describe the act of making one's way through a town, city, or place. Paul, however, often uses this word to describe the conduct of one's life. It's a term that highlights one's lifestyle. In saying, "You must no longer walk as the Gentiles do," Paul is saying, "You must no longer live as the Gentiles do." Put simply, how we live our life as a Christian ought to be drastically different than the rest of the world.
There are things the world will endorse that we should no longer endorse. There are things the world will do that we should no longer do. There are things the world will say that we should no longer say. The language we use and the conversations we're a part of should stand out at work. How we do business, as a business owner, should be different than our competitors. How we treat our neighbors should differ from the rest of our neighborhood. How we interact with the opposite sex should be different than our partners at the gym.
To be a disciple of Jesus, we should seek to live like Jesus.
THINK LIKE JESUS
“…you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds...”
Notice the primary emphasis here is on what's on the inside, not the outside. Paul doesn't summarize the world's way as "drinking, smoking, and cussing." No, he summarizes the world as a people who are darkened in their understanding and have a hard and calloused heart toward God. This teaches us that God cares about our hearts and mind more than our actions.
In a world that obsesses with works done in the light, God cares about who we are in the dark. God cares about our thoughts, and he cares about our desires. So, to live like Jesus, we ought to seek to think like Jesus. We must immerse ourselves in the Scriptures, learning about Jesus. And we must seek to “take every thought captive” and strive to be “renewed in the spirit of our minds.”
To be a disciple of Jesus, we ought to pray, "May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD."
FEEL LIKE JESUS
“to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires.”
Back when COVID was running rampant through our world, one common effect of having the virus was a change of taste or smell. Things that we once loved, we no longer love. Things we once craved, we no longer crave. Avid coffee lovers soon couldn't stand the thought of coffee. No one could explain why or how. All they knew was the virus changed their desires.
The same should be true of the Christian life. Something changed within us when we learned Christ and placed our faith and trust in him. Our thoughts and desires are transformed. Maybe not instantly, but over time, our desires begin to change. Things we once craved no longer sound appealing. Things our hearts once longed for don't quite have the same hold on us as they once did.
In Christ, we are a new creation with new desires. Gone are the days of living for ourselves. Now we long for the taste of obedience to Jesus.
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS
Healthy disciples make disciples. So, what does discipleship look like in your life? And how can you better steward your time and resources for the sake of discipleship?
Holy Spirit, please show us where our actions, thoughts, or desires do not align with your will. Please give us the strength to put sin to death and walk in righteousness. Please open up doors in our lives where we can teach others what it means to follow Jesus daily.