Our Christian Perspective
Can the Lord Count on You to Be a Modern Day Disciple?
By Brother James
Has a stranger ever approached you and asked that you pray for them? Have you ever been engaged in a group conversation when someone unexpectedly and unintentionally used a barrage of profanity then apologized to only you for their perceived misdeed? Have you ever attended a formal luncheon with professed Christians and given the absence of a preacher or deacon, you were asked to bless the food? Well, if you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are you are carrying yourself like a Christian, a modern day disciple! I respectfully suggest to you if people treat you in the previously mentioned fashion where some might view you as “Holier than thou” then your public conduct whether fake or genuine makes others feel uncomfortable while in your presence. These people may feel that your conduct warrants their perceiving you in such a manner as if you are spiritually superior to them. But, there is another side to this un-written code of conduct where so called believers want to feel comfortable around you so they want to bring you down to their own level of “Christian“ conduct.
Several years ago, I was invited to a friend’s mother’s 80th birthday celebration. I sat at a table where I only knew one other person. Everyone politely introduced themselves one to the other and mentioned where they fellowshipped. An announcement was made that the “Cash Bar” was open. The person who knew me asked, “Are you going to get a drink?” I said, “No, I am teaching Sunday School tomorrow and I do not want to get my head “Bad!” For the rest of the evening, I had to listen to these professed Christians make statements such as, “Oh, one drink will not hurt you.” Or, “If you change your mind, I will buy you as many drinks as you want.” I thought to myself, “Were these truly Christians or were they minions of Satan intent to have me fail as a facilitator of God’s Word the next morning?” I came to the conclusion while they professed to be Christians, they did not want to be in the midst of someone who was not going to have a “good time” without drinking alcohol. I then concluded they just wanted me to be at their level of Christianity and just wanted to be ordinary Christians in their minds, and conscience. I stayed the course and did not drink any alcohol because I placed the work of the Lord ahead of having an alcohol induced good time.
Unfortunately, the world is overrun with nominal Christians, people who are Christians in name only. These nominal Christians have positions and titles in the body of Christ but as the scripture informs us they are not known by their fruit or deeds. It is one thing to have a title in the House of God but, it is quite another for someone to not consistently demonstrate their good works in performing the work of the Lord by being a dedicated disciple, one who God has given a specific and great gift, He wants them to use to glorify His name.
I respectfully suggest to you that whether you have a position in the body of Christ or not, you have a responsibility to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ at every opportunity presented to you by using your God given gift. We have a responsibility to help build the body of Christ to which we belong. When asked to pray in public, pray without hesitation. When confronted in situations where people are displaying un-Christian behavior, stay the course as if you were a first century disciple not admonishing the wrongdoers. Rather, show through your Christian conduct how they should act. If there is no growth in your assigned or chosen ministry then seek the counsel of others from other congregations who are successful in a similar ministry. The Bible clearly informs us that Jesus and the disciples were often met with adversity and negative people during their ministry. I would also suggest that there are some professed Christians who through their lack of good works are in fact ashamed of the Lord while in the company of nonbelievers and believers alike! Jesus informs us in the NIV translation, Luke 9:26, “Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man [Jesus/Son of God] will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” Do you truly understand and accept ALL the roles and responsibilities of discipleship in your particular Body of Christ?
Many people I have encountered do not know the true meaning of Discipleship! Jesus was a Rabbi or teacher, and the original twelve He recruited were His Disciples or students. But if we were to fully explore the definition of the word disciple additionally beyond being a student it also means recruiter. How many people have you recruited to attend church service with you? How many people have you recruited to be your prayer partner? How many people after being blessed by a dynamic sermon in your Body of Christ have you recruited by sharing and discussing with them at the very least the scriptures presented in that sermon? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are making a valiant attempt to promote and exercise the Great Commission as a Disciple and a recruiter for the Lord!
. The Great Commission is located in the Gospel of Matthew 28:16-20 and reads thusly from the NIV translation, “16 Then the eleven disciples [Judas after betraying Jesus committed suicide hence 11 disciples]went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Surely God does not want us to baptize others; this was a command for the disciples and present day ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. However, I believe the Lord wants each of us to spread the gospel through our demonstrated Christian deeds. When I attend Sunday School and am asked to close out the lesson with a prayer, I ALWAYS state, “Lord please do not allow us to hoard the blessed word we learned today!” What I am implying is that too often when we hear a good Sunday School Lesson, Bible Study lesson or a dynamic sermon, we go home never sharing God’s Word with others. We take what we have learned and mentally HOARD it like it was some material possession we might never use again that could have been a blessing of tremendous benefit to someone else!
So, I ask again, can the Lord count on you to promote the Great Commission by being a modern day disciple? If your answer is NO, then no matter what title you have in your House of God, you are nothing more than a nominal Christian, a Christian in name only. Please strive to be all you can righteously be in your sincere service to the Lord because God NEVER SLEEPS and He is ALWAYS WATCHING.