"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"
The Discipling Ministry Of Jesus (4:18-22)
INTRODUCTION
- We saw where the public ministry of Jesus involved "preaching"...
- Proclaiming the need to repent, for the kingdom of heaven was at
hand - Mt 4:17
- Taking this message to synagogues throughout the land - Mt 4:23
- His ministry was not limited to preaching; it also involved
"discipling"...
- In which He called select individuals to follow Him
- Creating His own group of "disciples"
- Just as John had his disciples - Mt 9:14
- Even the Pharisees had their disciples - Mt 22:15-16
- We read of Jesus calling His first disciples in our text...
- The call of Peter and Andrew - Mt 4:18-20
- The call of James and John - Mt 4:21-22
- Throughout His public ministry...
- Jesus would call others to become His disciples - cf. Mt 9:9
- Jesus would spend much time with His disciples
- Jesus would end His time on earth with a command for them to make
more disciples - Mt 28:19-20
[Such an important subject to our Lord naturally raises some questions.
For example...]
- WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BECOME JESUS' DISCIPLE?
- THE WORD "DISCIPLE"...
- The word "disciple" literally means a learner
- According to Vine's Expository Dictionary Of New Testament
Words, it denotes "one who follows another's teaching"
- But a disciple was not only a learner, he was also an adherent
- For this reason disciples were spoken of as imitators of their
teachers
-- When Jesus told Peter, Andrew, James, and John to "Follow Me"
(Mt 4:19), it meant more than to just physically follow Him!
- THE GOAL IN BECOMING HIS DISCIPLE...
- Stated by Jesus on this occasion: "I will make you fishers of
men"
- Just as they had worked in going after fish, now they would
be going after men!
- As indicated in the Great Commission, they would be making
more disciples - Mt 28:19
- Stated by Jesus on another occasion: to be like their teacher
- Those perfectly trained will be like their teacher - Lk 6:40
- Just as Christ sought to save men and make them disciples,
so His disciples were to seek and save the lost
[A disciple of Jesus, then, is one who desires to imitate Jesus. Since
He was concerned for the lost, His disciples would be also! Another
question...]
- HOW DOES ONE BECOME JESUS' DISCIPLE?
- JESUS SAID "FOLLOW ME"...
- This command He gave to His future disciples - Mt 4:19; 9:9
- They would spend three years following Jesus around
Palestine
- During that time they would listen to what He said, observe
what He did
- Eventually they would be told to carry on His work - Mt 28:19-20
- Their success was related to this time spent with Jesus
- cf. Ac 4:13
- To be a disciple of Jesus, then, requires that one:
- Follow Him
- Spend time with Him
- Carry on His work
-- But how can we do this when He is no longer with us on earth?
- JESUS SAID "ABIDE IN MY WORD"...
- This He said to those who believed in Him - Jn 8:31
- By learning and observing what He taught, they would truly
be His disciples
- As Jesus would say later, future disciples would be made as
they were taught "to observe all things that I have
commanded you" - Mt 28:20
- It would begin with baptism, for He had just commanded His
disciples to make disciples by baptizing them - Mt 28:19;
cf. Mk 16:16; Ac 2:38
- To be a disciple of Jesus, then, requires that one:
- Be baptized (having repented and confessed one's faith in
Jesus)
- Follow Jesus by doing what He taught His first disciples
(the apostles)
-- By continuing steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine (i.e.,
their gospels and epistles), we can be Jesus' disciples today!
- cf. Ac 2:41-42
[To follow Jesus by abiding in His word implies some degree of effort
and cost. This leads to our next question...]
- WHAT DOES IT COST TO BECOME JESUS' DISCIPLE?
- HIS FIRST DISCIPLES LEFT "ALL" TO FOLLOW JESUS...
- They left their business and family - Mt 4:20-22
- As Peter would say later: "we have left all and followed You"
- Mt 19:27
- JESUS EXPECTED THE SAME OF OTHER DISCIPLES...
- That He must come before family - Mt 10:37; Lk 9:59-62; 14:25-26
- That one must be willing to suffer hardship - Mt 10:38; Lk 9:57-58; 14:27
- Simply put, to forsake all to follow Him - Lk 14:33
- JESUS EXPECTS THE SAME OF HIS DISCIPLES TODAY...
- To seek first the kingdom of God - Mt 6:33
- As illustrated in The Parable Of The Great Supper, family and
business cannot come before accepting the call of the gospel!
- Lk 14:15-24
CONCLUSION
- In calling people to repent, Jesus was also calling people to become
His disciples...
- But like John the Baptist before Him, Jesus expected that people
"bear fruits worthy of repentance" - cf. Mt 3:8
- As He would say later, "By this My Father is glorified, that you
bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." - Jn 15:8
- For those willing to accept His call, along with the cost, there is
promise of great blessings...
- As Jesus told Peter - Mk 10:28-30
- As Paul would encourage the Christians at Corinth - 1Co 15:58
- Have we accepted the call and responsibility of discipleship, or do
we just "go to church"?
- Which comes first, our families, our businesses, or Jesus Christ
and His kingdom?
- Are we busy building our lives, enjoying our retirement, while
the Lord's church suffers?
- Do we spend more time on fishing and other forms of recreation,
than we do on fishing for men?
-- How we answer such questions reveals much as to whether we are
truly the disciples of Jesus!
May we all be open to the call of Jesus:
"Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."