STEP 8: MAKE DISCIPLES
JOIN JESUS IN HIS WORK
The third goal of every disciple is to join Jesus in his work. We can join Jesus in his work of expanding the kingdom of God by making disciples.
Having just inaugurated the kingdom through his death, and after rising from the dead, with all authority as the King of the kingdom, Jesus called his disciples to join his work in this way:
MATTHEW 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
The first way disciples can join Jesus in his work of expanding the kingdom is by making disciples. The kingdom of God exists where disciples of Jesus honor God as King, which means that the kingdom of God expands on earth first and foremost in the lives and hearts of people.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO MAKE DISCIPLES?
Disciples of Jesus are people who believe in Jesus and follow him as Lord. Making disciples means sharing the good news of Jesus with others and inviting them to become his disciples—disciples that pursue being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and joining Jesus in his work.
HOW CAN WE MAKE DISCIPLES?
In Colossians 4, the Apostle Paul (who himself was a devoted disciple of Jesus and a gifted disciple-maker) gives us three practical actions for making disciples.
COLOSSIANS 4:3-6
3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
Paul outlines three actions in making disciples that apply to his own efforts as well as the disciples in the Colossian church:
ACTION 1
PRAY
ACTION 2
LIVE
ACTION 3
SPEAK
ACTION 1: PRAY
COLOSSIANS 4:3-4
3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
The first and most important step
in making disciples is prayer
Ultimately, we cannot make disciples ourselves. The work of making disciples is Jesus’ work through his Holy Spirit. Therefore, we should always start with prayer.
Paul asked the Colossian Christians to pray two things for him:
• For an opportunity (open door) to declare the gospel (Colossians 4:3)
• For clear words to know how and what to say (Colossians 4:4)
First, pray that God gives you opportunities to talk to people.
Make a list of people you would like to share the gospel with. Pray for them and for opportunities to talk to them.
Second, pray that God gives you the right words to say. Ultimately, it is not our words that change people; Jesus’ Spirit does that. But he uses our words, so we want to say the right thing at the right time.
There is a balance between trusting the Spirit to guide our words and not solely relying on our wisdom and being prepared to answer.
LUKE 12:12
12 “…for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
The Holy Spirit will never lead us to say anything that is contrary to the Bible.
1 PETER 3:15
15 …but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.
Knowing and memorizing the truth of the Bible is the best way to be prepared to answer.
In addition to praying for open doors and clear words, we can also pray for:
• open hearts—that God will open the listeners’ hearts to pay attention to what we share with them.
ACTS 16:14
14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.
When we pray for God’s kingdom to come we can pray for open doors, clear words, and open hearts. 1
ACTION 2: LIVE
COLOSSIANS 4:5
5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.
When Paul speaks of “outsiders” in this context, he refers to those who do not yet believe in and follow Jesus as Lord (non-Christians). When Paul says “walk,” he means “live.”
What does it mean to live with wisdom toward non-Christians? It means living so that our actions are consistent with our message. Fundamentally, making disciples is about telling people about Jesus, but we also need to show people the love of Jesus with our actions. How we live around outsiders and interact with them is a powerful testimony to the gospel of Jesus.
We are not trying to convert people to a doctrine. We know that following Jesus is a radical change in our entire lifestyle. Therefore, we must be genuine followers of Jesus ourselves in order to invite people to be disciples. Jesus said:
JOHN 13:35
35 “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
It is important to remember that this doesn't mean we must be perfect.
The good news of the Bible is not about how good we are but about how good Jesus is and the good that Jesus has accomplished for us. We should not think that our Christian witness depends entirely on how good of a life we live.
When we sin, we have not ruined our witness. One of the best testimonies Christians can share with others is the example of how they respond when they sin. In other words, do you try to cover up your mistakes, justify your actions, and deny your wrongs? Or do you humble yourself, repent, and apologize?
1 PETER 2:11-12
11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
When we live in this world under God’s kingship, our lives will look alien to those following their natural sinful desires and the pattern of society in rebellion against God. Nevertheless, our lives will be consistent with the message: Jesus is King. Just like God called his people in the Old Testament to live differently, he has called his New Covenant people to live differently as a testimony to the world that Jesus is King. 2
ACTION 3: SPEAK
COLOSSIANS 4:6
6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
While prayer and walking like Jesus are important steps in making disciples, speaking, whether verbal or written, is essential.
ROMANS 10:14, 17
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 17… So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
In order to become a disciple, someone has to believe the gospel. In order to believe the gospel, someone has to hear it. And who will they hear the gospel from if not from us?
WHAT SHOULD WE SPEAK?
The gospel
Paul (who was also the author of Romans 10:14 above) assumes that the gospel is what must be spoken. Why? Because…
ROMANS 1:16
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
The gospel is the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection. It is the good news that declares him the world’s True King through whom God is rescuing the world.
Using First Steps is a great way to share the content of the gospel with someone.
Gracious and Salty Speech
What is gracious speech that is seasoned with salt? In the ancient world, food would quickly spoil and go bad. Salt was used to preserve food. Speech that is seasoned with salt are words that build others up, encourage, and show love.
EPHESIANS 4:29
29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Using our words to love and build others up will open up opportunities to share the gospel as well as validate our testimony of the gospel.
As it is today, another use of salt was to add flavor. We can speak in a way that adds a perspective of God’s wisdom and grace to our conversations. As Christians, we know this world and everyone in it is not random and meaningless. God created us all for a purpose. Everything in life can be seen and appreciated from the perspective of a loving and all-powerful Creator God caring for his creation. When we winsomely share the Christian perspective on life in this way, it will often lead others to ask us more about what we believe and why.
Finally, all of our speech is to be gracious. Christians do not judge or condemn non-Christians for their beliefs or lifestyle. 3 Jesus was called a friend of sinners. He was comfortable spending time, eating with, and talking with those who were far from God. Jesus never expected people far from God to act like they were anything other than far from God. However, Jesus did not justify peoples’ sinful lifestyles. He called them to repent, and he did this with grace. Likewise, we should speak graciously and point to the Lord of Grace, Jesus Christ.
List three to five people in your life who do not follow Jesus. Start praying for them daily.
What are some ways you can help them to know the good news of Jesus Christ?
1 See Step 2
2 1 Peter 2:9-12
3 1 Corinthians 5:12-13