Fruit: Make Disciples (Part 2)

Matthew 28:16-20 – Fruit (Part 2): Make Disciples

The series

The life of a disciple of Jesus Christ is like a tree. The roots of the tree are our identity as sons and daughters of God. The trunk of the tree is the servant’s heart of Christ. A disciple who is firmly rooted in their identity in Christ is so secure that they can stoop to the lowest of places to love sacrificially.

The branches and leaves of the tree represent our unique calling or mission from God. This calling is how we reach beyond ourselves and bring comfort not only to the other members of Christ’s church but also to the world around us.

But we know that the whole point of a fruit tree is that it actually bears fruit. Producing fruit is simply what they do. The fruit of our lives is to love God, love others, and make disciples. Last week we looked at loving God and others, today we are going to look at making disciples.

Introduction

If you have been in the church for any period of time, you have probably heard the Great Commission over and over again. And, if you have, you might have had one of these reactions. First, guilt because you may not be doing it as you should. Or, second, apathy because you don’t even know how to begin to do it.

Today, we are going to see that because of Jesus’ universal authority and continued presence, we can have confidence and assurance in our bearing the fruit of making disciples. But, we will also see what a disciple is, and how we actually go about making them.

Background

In Matt. 28:16-20 Jesus has completed his work of redemption through his life, death, burial, and resurrection. He has spent time with his disciples explaining the Scriptures concerning himself and ensuring that they know that he truly has risen from the dead. He is about to ascend to heaven to co-rule with the Father and send the gift of the Holy Spirit upon all his disciples. Here, from the earth, he gives his final earthly words to his disciples in his resurrected body. He gives them their marching orders, to make disciples of all nations.

Exposition 

At a high level, this passage is a call to faithfulness to Jesus’ commission, our mission, and encouragement of Christ’s authority, power, and presence that will accompany our faithfulness to this mission of making disciples.

So, what we are going to do today is to look at the reality that because of Jesus’ universal authority and continued presence, we are able to be faithful on our disciple-making mission. Let’s look at this under three headings. 1) Christ’s universal authority is our confidence to enable us to be faithful on our disciple-making mission. 2) Christ’s command is our understanding of how we are to be faithful in our disciple-making mission. 3) Christ’s presence is our assurance that we can be faithful in our disciple-making mission.

Before we look at these things, it is important to notice a few things in verses 16-17 that are directly related to our three headings.

The first is that the 11 disciples did what Jesus said to them; they obeyed him. He had told them to go to Galilee to a particular mountain. And guess what…they did. They obeyed Jesus’ command. This is a critical part of discipleship…obedience to Christ. We should note that this obedience is expected to continue and is directly related to the actual commission Jesus gives in verses 19-20a.

The second is that the 11 disciples did what is only natural and right when they saw Jesus…they worshiped him. This is another critical part of discipleship…worship of Christ. We should note that this worship they were giving is related to Christ’s universal authority that has been given to him that is seen in the last half of verse 18.

The third is that some of the disciples doubted…they were in need of comfort and assurance. This is another critical part of discipleship…encouragement in Christ. We should also note that this doubt is met with Christ’s encouragement in verse 20b, that Jesus will always be with them.

From this we should see that this entire commission is couched in obedience to, worship of, and encouragement in Christ.

First, Christ’s universal authority is our confidence to enable us to be faithful on our mission of making disciples.

Now, let’s look at verses 18-20. In verse 18, we hear Jesus, right before he goes to sit at God’s right hand, say, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” This is an incredible statement. Jesus declares that everything in the universe is under his authority. This idea of authority is the idea that he has the right, liberty, and power to do whatever he wants anywhere in the entire universe. Abraham Kuyper said of Christ’s authority, “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!”

This is why Paul said of Christ in Col. 1:15–16, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”

If Christ has this authority, and he commands us, to do something, what reason is there to think that we will not have what we need to fulfill it? When we feel like we are inadequate, don’t have the strength, don’t have the resources, and don’t have the power to do what we are being asked, we must picture Christ saying to us, “You have everything you need. You have my authority backing you.” And we must remember that this is true. Christ has all authority, and so whatever he asks us to do, he will provide his backing for us to be able to do it.

Thus, his universal authority is our confidence that we can and will be able to do whatever he asks us to do. As his disciples, we will have what we need to fulfill his command.

Second, Christ’s command is our understanding of how we are to be faithful in our mission of making disciples.

Verses 19-20a give us clarity on what it looks like to make disciples. There it says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

We are to go and make disciples. Jesus gives an imperative, a command. He tells the disciples, and us, that we are to go, because of his authority, and make disciples of all nations, all ethne, or all people groups. This is a universal command to make disciples of every single people group that exists in this world. Then he says to baptize them in “the name” of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. As well as adding that we should teach them to observe, obey, or keep, everything that Jesus commanded the disciples.

So, what then is this task of “discipling”? And how do we do it? Well, in order to make disciples, we must be a disciple ourselves, and we must know how to make them. So, what is a disciple?

In Mark 10:46-52, we see that a disciple is one who understands who Jesus is, understands who they are, their need for him, responds immediately to Jesus’ call no matter the opposition, believes in Jesus, and follows him as a disciple. So, this is essentially the pre-conditions of being a disciple. You have to know you need Jesus and follow him.

But what is a disciple?  Well, being a disciple is not destinational, but directional. It is about following Jesus and fishing for men as Mark 10 and Matthew 4 show. It is being on Jesus’ mission to seek and to save the lost. And as we are told in Matthew 28:19, it is one who is joined or enfolded into the Triune name by baptism. This enfolding into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is coming into relationship with this triune God under his Lordship. This means worshipping him.

But, as we see in 28:20a, it is not just being enfolded into relationship and worship with him through baptism, it is to be obeying or keeping everything that Jesus says or commands, and teaching others the same. And what are his commands? They are loving God with all our being, following the first table of the moral law (10 commandments), and loving our neighbor as ourselves, following the second table of the moral law.

Thus, I like to define a disciple as one who is increasingly worshipping Jesus in all of life, and one who is being changed by Jesus into His likeness, the new identity that he has given us in our baptism. So, in short, we can say, a disciple worships Jesus increasingly in all of life, is being transformed by Jesus increasingly in all of life, is obeying Jesus increasingly in all of life, and leads others to do the same.

So, how can we define our mission of making disciples? It is the process of being people who are and leading people to be those who are increasingly bringing all of life under the Lordship and empowering presence of King Jesus. Which is why Paul says in Ephesians 4:15 that true discipleship is really growing up in every way into Christ.

But how is discipleship done? It is done life on life. We are visible and accessible to those we are discipling, living life together. It is life in community. We are living in Christ’s body that has many members, living within the family of God. It is life on mission. We are making disciples of and with others, learning how to submit to Christ in all of life with each other.

What will this affect? Everything. Our relationships, our work, our finances, our leisure, our material possessions, our parenting, our future, and everything else that I don’t have time to mention. And this makes sense, right? If Jesus has all authority, then that means he has authority over us, over every area of our lives.

Thus, discipleship is not just doing spiritual activities, like doing “churchy” stuff, but being devoted to each other’s development in Christ…to see each and every person within Christ’s body grow up into His likeness. It is being committed to one another for the glory of Christ. But, it is more than this, it is being committed to tell others and make others into these same types of people too…making disciples.

Third, Christ’s presence is our assurance that we can be faithful on our mission of making disciples.

But, this seems like an incredibly difficult task, right? We can’t make people into disciples. We don’t have that power or authority. But, as we see throughout the Gospels, Jesus has that authority. When Jesus called his disciples, they did not make excuses, or turn away; they came.

Jesus’ continuing presence provides us with many things, but we are only going to process two of them.

First, Jesus’ presence provides us with the ability to be able to bear fruit in our lives and on our mission. Jesus said in John 15:1-11 that the only way that we can do anything, in other words, bear any fruit, is if we abide in him. In other words, all of our power comes from him. He is the power for us to be faithful to our mission, and he is the power for that mission to have any fruit.

• As a disciple of Christ we are united to Christ, Christ dwells in us. Christ is in us (Col. 1:27; Gal. 2:20; John 14:18, 20). We are in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). Christ is with us (Matt. 28:18; Rom. 6:4-5; Eph. 2:4-5; 1 Cor. 1:9; 2 Cor. 6:21). And we are with Christ (John 15:4).

• And because of this fact, our whole life is changed into a life of Christ, with Christ. He changes all of us. Our thoughts (1 Cor. 2:16; Rom. 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 2:15). Our desires (feelings, affections, to love God wholeheartedly). Our will (act and live, we can’t just focus there, because it is putting band-aids on broken limbs). Our relationships (John 15:1-11, love to lay down our lives). Our purpose (John 15:5, 15, bears fruit through us, captivated by his purpose for us).

• And because of this, we bear fruit in the world. But, our fruit is tied to loving him and obeying his commands. And how do we do this? We must abide in God’s word. If we do, many things happen. God’s word cleanses us (John 15:3). God’s word empowers us (John 15:7 - step 1, make your wants God’s wants, transform thoughts and desires; step 2, ask for whatever you want). God’s word compels God’s word satisfies us (John 15:11, 15).

And so, as disciples of Jesus, we believe his word no matter how much it stretches us (handle money, possessions, success, ambition, pleasures, pursuits). And, as disciples of Jesus, we proclaim his word no matter how much it costs us (bear fruit even if it means losing everything; John 14:6 - no one comes to the Father except through him, if we believe it, we will tell people).

Second, Jesus’ presence provides us comfort. He never told us that his mission for us would be easy. In fact, throughout the Gospels, we see that it will cost us. Jesus tells us that we must be willing to take up our cross, an instrument of torture and death and follow him. But he told us that if we would lose our life for his sake, we would save it, and he will say to us at the day of judgment that we have been faithful, and invite us to enter into his eternal joy.

Since we know that following him as his disciple is not easy, and is the narrow way, the way that is hard, we need the Good Shepherd to be with us. He will lead us and guide us through the valley of the shadow of death. We will not have to fear because we are abiding in him. We can take comfort in his loving and continual presence.

We can be on his mission to make disciples who make disciples. We can not only ourselves be increasingly bringing all of our life under the Lordship and presence of Jesus through his power, but, we can also lead other people to increasingly bring all of their lives under the Lordship and empowering presence of Jesus.

We must understand the importance of us being on mission. And we can do this by understanding that God is a missionary (sending) God. He sent His Son into the world to bring redemption and renewal, to find a people and make them His children. The very nature of God shows us the importance of us being on mission. And since we are His children, we are to be like Him and so we are also sent on mission (Gen. 3:15; Gen. 12:1-3; John 3:16-18; John 20:21).

This is why Jesus commissions His people as His disciples who are to make other disciple-making disciples (Matt. 28:19-20). Jesus tells us that the harvest for people coming to know God is plentiful, but we should pray for more workers to help gather (Matt. 9:35-38). Prayer is critical to the endeavor of evangelism and any discipleship, because only the Holy Spirit can change hearts (John 3).

But we have reason to get excited, and have boldness in evangelism or disciple-making. Why? Because Jesus promises us that the Father will give us His Holy Spirit if we ask Him (Luke 11:13). And it is the Holy Spirit that we must depend on when we evangelize or make disciples.

So, we have seen today that our mission from Jesus is to make disciples. But, because of Jesus’ universal authority and continued presence we can have confidence and assurance in our duty of bearing the fruit of making disciples.