- Being a disciple is as simple as hearing the voice of God and doing what He says - seeing Him move and moving in response. I didn't say easy... but simple. When did you last hear Jesus saying, "Come, follow me."?
- Discipleship is costly. It's not supposed to be easy. Being a disciple does not mean you agree to give 52 hours per year to the practice of sitting on your butt in a church building taking notes you'll lose in a few weeks and pretending to mean the words that show up on the screen. It means you've given every fiber of your being to the pursuit of Jesus. If your hobby gets in the way of that, get a new hobby. If your job keeps you from following His lead, find a new job, a new excuse for your disobedience, or a new label to wear besides 'disciple'. Jesus didn't just ask you to follow when it's convenient, but to "take up your cross and follow..." Crosses are for dying. Discipleship costs everything. Are you ignoring His invitation to come and die?
- Discipleship is rewarding. There is no life like a life lived in surrender to our Father and Maker. He knows His plans for you - to prosper, not to harm. He knows how your life would be best lived. So listen and follow, learn what you can in difficulty and celebrate the victories only He can explain. How's life?
- Making disciples is not optional. If you are following Jesus, you will be making disciples. If you're not making disciples, you're not being a disciple. That's the standard He raised up; we don't get to change the rules in the middle of the game to make discipleship something else. We need to refuse to accept anything less for our lives - even if the religious leaders of our day want to settle for attendance, compliance, and donations. God deserves more. Have you moved beyond making introductions to making disciples?
I want to challenge you a bit today. If you consider yourself a disciple, what does that mean? How does that play out in your life?
What do you think of discipleship?
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