The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19 was the final request by Jesus to His disciples. It indicated the completion of everything that Jesus had taught them and trained them to do. Now it was their turn to make disciples in the same fashion that Jesus did.
So as a disciple or follower of Christ, why should we make disciples? These three passages from the New Testament best describe why I should take the time to pour into other people’s lives the way that God has used others to pour into my life.
The first reason we should make disciples is because that is what Jesus did. In Matthew 4:19 – Jesus called the disciples to come and follow Him and He would make them into fishers of men. There is a long tradition in the Jewish faith of the Rabbi and his followers. The Rabbi would only select those who showed the greatest potential for being a Rabbi themselves one day. Jesus chose fishermen, a tax collector, a zealot and others. These were average, everyday people. These were people like me. Jesus didn’t choose me because of what I had to offer Him. He chose me because of what He had to offer me.
We need to make disciples because that’s what Jesus did. Someone saw the potential in me and discipled me. Therefore, I should allow God to use me to disciple others too. That goes for you to.
Secondly, we should make disciples because that is what Jesus has “commanded” us to do. In Matthew 28:19 – Jesus called His disciples to make disciples of all the nations. And they did. The call to make disciples is every believer’s responsibility. That is the only way to “make disciples of all the nations”. In every tribe, every people group, every country, every ethnicity, every Language; we are to make disciples. This is God’s plan. You are part of God’s plan—so make disciples
Lastly, we are to make disciples because that was the pattern of every disciple before us. 2 Timothy 2:2 – Paul wrote to Timothy to teach others the things that Paul had taught him, but to do so in a way that those you teach will teach others also. We are to make disciples who will make disciples, and so forth and so forth. Multiplication of the gospel into every heart and in every land.
These three verses illustrate not only the responsibility of the believer to make disciples but also the urgency of making disciples. If not me and you; then who. If not now; then when.
Making disciples is more than a responsibility of the believer—it is a privilege.
Sean Keith is the Sunday School/Discipleship Strategist for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. Sean has free resources available at www.louisianabaptists.org/churchgrowth and www.revseankeith.com. Follow me on twitter @revseankeith.