Following Jesus

[featured_image]Following Jesus is the greatest joy in life.

Discipleship is all about following Jesus. Disciplemaking is all about helping others to follow Jesus — and helping others to help others to follow Jesus. Discipleship and Disciplemaking go hand in hand.

You cannot follow Jesus and not do what He says. He said, “Go therefore and make disciples…” (Matt 28:19) So if we are following Him, we will be making disciples. At the same time, you cannot make disciples of Jesus if you aren’t truly following Him. Jesus says, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” (Luke 6:40) If you aren’t following Jesus, your disciples won’t be following Jesus either. When Jesus called Simon Peter and his brother Andrew in Matthew 4:19, He told them, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” This call to follow includes both discipleship and disciplemaking. Following and fishing.

Following Jesus requires both discipleship (becoming like Jesus) and disciplemaking (helping others to become like Jesus).I think that many Christians have erroneously concluded that following Jesus is only about becoming like Jesus. They devote themselves to going to church, learning about Jesus, worshipping Jesus, and serving other Christians, yet they don’t actually engage in making disciples. Somehow there’s something major missing in the way we follow Jesus. We know the Great Commission. We know that Jesus expects His followers to make disciples who make disciples. We just don’t do what He says. We somehow believe that we can follow Jesus and love Jesus and become like Jesus, yet not have to do what He says.

Jesus said, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46)

This is an area that I’m trying to grow in. I want to be a good disciple and good disciplemaker. I want to do what He says. I hope you do too.