Making Disciples in 2015

(Be One, Make One)

….Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them…..teaching them to observe all I commanded you... (Matthew 28: 18 – 20)

Jesus parting message to his disciples was ‘Go and make disciples of all nations’ – This was not only his parting message but his life’s message. He called disciples to be with him and then sent them out to preach and demonstrate the gospel of the kingdom so that others could also experience his deliverance and become his disciples (Mark 3: 13 – 15). His instructions here were both imperative (a command) and indicative (a description of what we should be doing as a lifestyle) – ‘as you go therefore be making disciples…’ (Matthew 28: 19A)

Making disciples intentionally in the face of opposition

‘Go’ – This year we are going to have to fight for what God wants. In the UK we have a secular mind-set that breaks the laws of God, we have whole generations that don’t know God or the Bible and do not understand that life works better with God; we have multiple ideas about the spiritual world. There is going to be opposition from the enemy – he hates Jesus message being spread and God’s will being done.  We see here Jesus heart was clearly for discipleship. Both the active making of disciples of all nations and the lifestyle of being and showing discipleship as we are going about our daily business are important.  Discipleship starts by coming alongside those in the world who don’t know God but continues in the building up of those who are already on the journey of faith so that they become established in the foundations and move on to maturity (Hebrews 6: 1-2). It involves us giving to others but also being disciples ourselves of Christ. Being a disciple is about experiencing God’s love, loving and following Jesus, learning from him and being loyal to Him and His purposes.

Being a disciple

Being a disciple also involves the denying of ourselves, taking up our cross and following Jesus desires (Luke 14: 27). We have to count the cost of following Jesus; there will be times of denial of our immediate desires and also opposition from others. We see this in the life of Jesus as he fulfilled His father’s mission:

2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

(Hebrews 12: 2 – 3 NIV)

Restoring the Walls of the church

During 2015 we will also be looking at Nehemiah building the walls of Jerusalem and restoring sincere worship in the temple. In LNC we will emphasise the importance of working together in unity to build up one another and protect the church from spiritual attack. The returning Babylonian exiles had been desolate but they had not been forsaken. It took leadership, it took prayer, it took people stationing themselves where the gaps were and working together and guarding and building the city God had given them as an inheritance in order to see success. They had to be willing to listen to God appointed prophetic leadership and the trumpet call to rally them to fight together when the enemy attacked. They also had to be wise enough not to listen to the enemies’ lies. The devil will always contradict God’s word and try and discourage God’s people from the vision and prophetic word God has spoken over them (Nehemiah 4).

LNC

In LNC this year we believe God is calling us to emphasise being disciples and making disciples. This involves being good followers and good leaders. Good followers need to be able to listen and submit to God’s word to them. They also need to be able to covenant to work together with those God has called them to be with and recognise the godly leadership God is placing among them too. This was so important for the early disciples and early church and was equally as important for the returning exiles in Nehemiah’s day.

We will all need to be willing to do the work of ministry and defend and fight for God’s house and Kingdom. We will need to have the sword of the Spirit in one hand and our building tools in the other (Nehemiah 4: 17). We need to know the Word of God in order to apply it against the enemy’s discouragements (Nehemiah 4: 14 & Ephesians 6: 11 & 17). We also need to skilfully use our spiritual gifts to build up the church and strengthen its walls (1 Peter 4: 10). Through our Bible studies (see ‘the Bible and Lunch’ on the last Sunday of each Month in the Calendar), our cell groups, our men and women’s mentoring, our various evangelism and discipleship training weeks and our prayer conference and missions we will be given the tools to build, defend and fight for God’s Kingdom purposes and see the Church built up.

Conclusion

Let’s pray that God’s kingdom comes in our lives, families, churches and nation(s) in 2015. My prayer for LNC is that we are stronger together as the family of God, that we are wiser together in our decision making and that we grow spiritually, relationally and numerically this year. London needs us because London needs Jesus. This is also my prayer for all God’s people. The world needs you. Go and make disciples. Be built up as a disciple, and then build up and reach out. Let’s join together in building a Kingdom family that reaches generations in 2015.