What does it mean to be a Disciple?
A lot of us have closed our eyes and prayed a prayer to believe in Jesus, but we often have no idea what happens next or how to know if it worked? How do I know if I’m really a Christian, and what in my life is supposed to change as a result?
In Students, we described what it means to be a disciple as a flaming arrow. It’s a person who is:
Guided by the Word
Held together by the Church
Carrying the Gospel of Jesus
And Lit on Fire by the Spirit
So that wherever they touch down they burn brightly for the name and fame of Jesus.
The image of an arrow is powerful because it is a reminder that we are all on mission. Each element of the arrow describes part of what it means to be a disciple.
The Gospel - Watch Message
The gospel literally means “good news” and news is based around events. While most religions are built around “good advice”, Christianity began because of a reality—Jesus rose from the dead. When He rose, it was proof that He really is who He said He was. He is Lord and Messiah and all authority belongs to Him. In students we discussed how authority is always linked to assignments, and in the great commission, Jesus uses His authority to give us the assignment to make disciples.
The Spirit
Before Jesus sends His disciples out on mission, He tells them to wait for His Spirit. This is because God’s purposes cannot be accomplished apart from His power (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit changes us (Galatians 5) and changes the world (Acts 2).
The Church
We describe the Church as a “Family on Mission for every man, woman, and child.” The first part of that definition implies that we are a family. The gospel is not just for me, the gospel creates a we. A family. A community. And that family has a purpose. We are God’s ambassadors; agents of reconciliation in the world. The Church is most effective when we stop seeing it as a place we attend and begin to see it as a family which we belong to.
