3.1 Key themes⤒🔗

• The word “disciple” means “student”.
• To be a disciple means to learn from Jesus Christ and obey him.
• The Bible is the place where we learn from Jesus Christ.
• We cannot be disciples of Jesus Christ in our own strength, but only by coming to him.

3.2 Matthew 28:18-20←⤒🔗

^28:18 Then Jesus came up and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

^28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

^28:20 teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

© NET Bible

3.3 Matthew 11:25-30←⤒🔗

^11:25 At that time Jesus said, I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and revealed them to little children.

^11:26 Yes, Father, for this was your gracious will.

^11:27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son decides to reveal him.

^11:28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

^11:29 Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

^11:30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.

© NET Bible

3.4 What “disciple” means←⤒🔗

Being a Christian means being a disciple. The word “disciple” means “student”. In the time of the Bible, there were many teachers. A disciple was someone who stayed with a teacher. He called this teacher “master”. He learned from his master and he tried to become just as wise and just as good as his master.

Jesus Christ chose twelve people to be his closest disciples. (He also had more disciples – see Luke 10). Before he went back to his Father, he commanded his disciples: “go and make disciples of all nations”. To make disciples, they had to do two things. The first thing was to baptize people in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The second thing was to teach people “to obey everything I have commanded you”.

This is what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. It means to belong to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (that is what baptism shows). It also means to learn to obey everything that Jesus commanded.

3.5 Where to learn from Jesus Christ←⤒🔗

If you are a disciple, you should learn to obey everything that Jesus commanded. But where can you learn what Jesus commanded? The answer is: In the Bible.

In the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) you can find the words that Jesus spoke while he was on earth.

Jesus also promised his twelve disciples that the Holy Spirit would come and remind them of all his teachings (John 14:26). That is why we have the rest of the New Testament – because the disciples (or apostles) wrote down the things that the Holy Spirit taught them.

It is not only the New Testament that speaks about Jesus Christ. The whole Old Testament speaks about him (Luke 24:27). To understand what he commanded, we should also read the Old Testament.

3.6 Why it is not impossible←⤒🔗

When you read the Bible, it can feel impossible to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ commands things that are very difficult. He wants your whole heart. You must live only for him. You must even be willing to die for him. You must love and forgive your enemies. You must share your things with other people. You must become like Jesus!

It is true: For sinners like us it is impossible to be disciples. But for God it is possible to change us into disciples!

How does God change us into disciples? Let us look again at the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

A disciple is someone who comes to Jesus. Disciples know that they cannot do anything good by themselves. They are “burdened” – this means that they are tired of living through their own strength. They come to Jesus and they give all their sins and their weaknesses to him. They trust in him to help them.

Jesus comforts everyone who comes to him: 

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:29-30

If you try to keep all the commandments of God by yourself, you will become tired. You will lose hope. But if you come to Jesus Christ, to be close to him, you will see that he is gentle and humble. He forgives your sins and he helps you every step of the way. He is the best Teacher and Master that anyone can ask for. He loves his students so much that he even died for them. 

Jesus says that his “yoke is easy”. An animal carries a yoke on his neck when he is working for someone. When we carry the yoke of Jesus, we are working for him. But his yoke is easy and light. When we live in a relationship with Jesus Christ, we will enjoy doing the things he commands.

Jesus also promises: “I will give you rest” and: “you will find rest for your souls”. A disciple of Jesus Christ does not need to be worried and restless. Even if the world around us is restless, busy and full of worries, we can have rest. Only Jesus Christ can give this peace and rest.

If you are going to be a disciple, the first thing to do is: Come to the Master, Jesus!