Preaching through the gospel of John is challenging and amazing. This Sunday I preached a message entitled: "How to Grow As A Disciple" from John1:35-51. This passage was so helpful for our church and regarding discipleship. As usual, there was so much information that could have been shared that was not presented. Part is due to the amount of information the other part involves the preaching event itself.
Sometimes while preaching, decisions are being made regarding the content. For instance, in the moment of preaching certain statement s could be better made in a different section of the sermon and other material is not shared because the Spirit has directed in a slightly different way. What I am about to share regarding discipleship is content that was in the sermon but left out. Here are two brief but connecting thoughts.
Thought One: Discipleship Means Nurturing People To Christoformity.
At the heart of the passage in John is the reality that, at the center of discipleship, is content that focuses on Christ Himself. This means that discipleship is not, chiefly about topics of sin, theology and or actions of Christian practice if these things are not seen Christologically. In other words, everything thing that a disciple maker teaches needs to be directly related to people's lives and souls being conformed to Jesus. That is what is meant by Christoformity.
Yes, it is knowing as much theology as one can. It is coming to know what makes one a great husband, father, wife, employee etc. But none of this, by itself, disconnected from modeling Jesus is helpful. In fact, all of it will lead one to self-sufficiency and not grace. Everyone in John 1:35-51 is introduced to us as they have been introduced to Jesus in the framework of at least six titles: Lamb of God, Son of God, Son of Man, Messiah, the One Moses spoke of, Rabbi and King of Israel. In other words, it was content about Jesus that connected them to Jesus.
Paul, in speaking about his intended heart and desire for the Galatian church said it like this: "my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you" (Galatians 4:19)! For Christ to be formed in them meant that Christ would take over their being - their lives and their affections. Paul was willing to labor and spend himself in whatever way needed until this was true for every Galatian believer.
We grow as disciples, not only as we are introduced to Christology - the Person and Work of Jesus, but as we disciple others in this way. We know that we are growing in Jesus when we are growing in our knowledge of who He is and, in our love, and worship of Him. We know that we are being Christians when we learn to lead others in the same way.
Thought Two: Discipleship Means Making Yourself Useful But Not Needful
John the Baptist, when he saw Jesus walking past him, proclaimed, for the second time, "Behold the Lamb of God" (John 1:35). The two disciples who were with him heard him say these words and they followed Jesus. John pointed, as it were to Jesus, and, in calling Him the Lamb of God before his disciples, he was telling them this is the one they need to follow. And they did and then followed Jesus from that point on.
A disciple maker is only as effective as when those they disciple are no longer needing them to love Jesus. If you disciple someone and some years later they are still coming to you out of need to make every decision in their life one of two things are wrong: they are either not growing themselves or, and this is the focus on this point, you the disciple maker have not released them to Jesus. What disciple makers can never do is created a situation where they are seen as one who stands in proxy for Jesus. The goal of the disciple maker is to go hard in the process so that after a period of time, those you've discipled can go hard in the process of discipling others.
John knew his place. He was not the Christ (John 1:20). This way, when Jesus was near and he introduced people to Him, he, John was not thirsty to be needed. His purpose was finished; they knew Christ because of his witness about Christ. Sure, they would all still need to grow in their faith as we all do, regardless of our maturity level. But no one who has been truly discipled looks to another man, other than the Son of Man, for their hope, strength, and ultimate guidance.
Disciple makers grow new believers and then get out of the way! Are they still there to be useful? Yes. But they know and behave like they are not Him!