Discipleship & Mission

Continuing with our theme of being disciples:

‘Every Christian is either a missionary or an impostor.’ (Charles Spurgeon) 

We have talked previously about the importance of the disciple of Jesus being a committed learner; however the reality is, that God’s Word is never meant to be something we just know, are familiar with, or memorise.  God’s word is alive and powerful; it is intended for change and transformation, for redemption and salvation, for justice, mercy and grace: These are words of action, not passivity!

We don’t graduate from discipleship and move on to mission, scripture says that they that do the will of God will know, not they that know, will do! (John 7:17).  Mission, then, is not an optional extra, but an essential element of the life of the genuine disciple.  As disciples of Christ we serve a God who first came to rescue us.  Mission then, is our response to our justification, not our pathway to justification; mission is an outworking of a transformed heart.  Discipleship and Mission is not an either/or scenario, but an and/both; it includes both knowing and doing, learning and serving. 
True discipleship, then, is when we take up the mission of God as our own.  Jesus coming to earth was God placing his purpose in action - making it tangible: our mission  is to continue this work.  Matthew 28:18-20 puts it very clearly; here, Jesus sends his disciples (including each of us) to share the gospel and to teach all that he has taught us.  We are called to be actively involved;  we are tasked to share the gospel, to encourage believers to grow in faith, and to baptise those who believe.  Why? So that all people may come to know him and know the truth (1 Tim 2:4); and to bring glory to his name.

How can you get involved in God’s mission this week?

Grace to you,

Jen