Discipling With His Heart

But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.  (1 Thessalonians 2:7-13)

As we look at the The Great Commission, and consider afresh what King Jesus has called and commanded us, as His followers, to give ourselves to until He returns, we might recognize that it is quite possible for us in the church to give so much time, energy, and attention to so many things, and yet overlook the main things, and even neglect what the crucified, risen, victorious Christ has specifically commanded us to be about. He has called us to “Go and make disciples.”

Have you been playing in the game, or watching and cheering on others from the sidelines? However, an important principle to recognize is that, before we can rightly get off the bench and get in the game, we first need to be familiar with Christ’s Discipleship Playbook, that we would disciple in His way and with His heart. In 1 Thessalonians 2, as we look at how Paul and his companions discipled the Thessalonian believers, several key, and quite counter-cultural, principles about discipleship jump off the page, that we do well to examine ourselves and our discipling in light of.

Christ-like Discipleship is: 

1. …not to be pursued with selfish, worldly agendas, but with pure, God-centered motives (v.3-6)
2. …not clinical, nor merely educational, but relational and sacrificial, characterized by familial love (v.7-9)
3. …not merely intellectual, but incarnational, modeling Christ-like behavior (v.10)
4. …not general or impractical, but individual and instructional, with personal concern (v.11)
5. …not aimless and accidental, but directional and intentional (v.12)
6. …not merely informational, but transformational, by the power of God’s Word (v.13)

As you consider Paul’s example, and even more so the example of our Lord Jesus, the master disciple-maker, ask yourself: How invested are you in making disciples? 
Even more so, how invested are you in the lives of those you disciple?
Yes it requires more from you, and it can at times be quite messy and difficult, but the results are far worth the cost! 

Paul wrote: 
My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you (Galatians 4:19)

 [Christ] we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily. (Colossians 1:28-29)

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. (1 Corinthians 15:10)

We can hear in Paul’s words that when it came to the cause of discipleship, he gave maximum effort. He was gladly spent for the souls of those he invested in (2 Cor. 12:15). But notice, he repeatedly credits this all to the grace of God at work in him!

Grace is opposed to earning, but it is not opposed to effort. In fact, God’s grace actually motivates, empowers, and enables us to give maximum effort, all for His glory!

So, the next time you think yourself inadequate for this calling, be encouraged. None of us is adequate for this! But Christ is our sufficiency, and by His grace, He can and wants to use us for such a task as this! So, won’t you let His grace have its way in your life, and give your best effort to this great mission?