Make Disciples — Did You Know Ministries

1 The Great Commission ○

Matthew 28:18-20

Jesus declared that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to Him. Matthew 28:18 "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.'"
On that authority, He commanded His followers to go and make disciples of all nations. Matthew 28:19 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
Disciples were to be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19 "Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
Jesus promised to be with His followers always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:20 "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
The commission was given to the disciples as a group, a shared task, not a private assignment. Matthew 28:16-17 "Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him."

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2 Teaching Obedience, Not Just Facts ○

Matthew 28:20

Disciples are to be taught to obey everything Jesus commanded, not simply informed of it. Matthew 28:20 "And teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."
Jesus said whoever practices and teaches His commands will be called great in the kingdom. Matthew 5:19 "Whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
Hearing the word without doing it is compared to a man who forgets what he looks like. James 1:22-24 "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."
Jesus said those who love Him will keep His commands. John 14:15 "If you love me, keep my commands."
Faith and obedience are held together throughout Scripture, not treated as separate tracks. James 2:17 "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

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3 Follow Me ○

Matthew 4:19

Jesus called His first disciples with a simple invitation, follow Me. Matthew 4:19 "'Come, follow me,' Jesus said, 'and I will send you out to fish for people.'"
He promised to make ordinary fishermen into fishers of people. Matthew 4:19 "'Come, follow me,' Jesus said, 'and I will send you out to fish for people.'"
The response of the first disciples was immediate, they left their nets and followed. Matthew 4:20 "At once they left their nets and followed him."
Following Jesus meant leaving something behind, including family business and routine. Matthew 4:22 "Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him."
Jesus told a would-be follower that even his most urgent excuse should not delay the call. Luke 9:59-60 "He said to another man, 'Follow me.' But he replied, 'Lord, first let me go and bury my father.' Jesus said to him, 'Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.'"

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4 Discipleship Is Relational ○

Mark 3:14

Jesus appointed twelve, first of all, that they might simply be with Him. Mark 3:14 "He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach."
Being with Jesus came before being sent out to preach. Mark 3:14 "He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach."
Jesus shared meals, travel, and daily life with His disciples, not only formal teaching sessions. Luke 8:1 "After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him."
Paul described sharing not only the gospel but his very life with the Thessalonians, because they had become dear to him. 1 Thessalonians 2:8 "We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well."
Timothy is described as Paul's true son in the faith, a relationship, not just a student. 1 Timothy 1:2 "To Timothy my true son in the faith."

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5 Passing It On ○

2 Timothy 2:2

Paul told Timothy to entrust what he had learned to reliable people. 2 Timothy 2:2 "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people."
Those reliable people were to be qualified to teach others also. 2 Timothy 2:2 "Who will also be qualified to teach others."
This creates a chain, Paul to Timothy, Timothy to others, others to still more. 2 Timothy 2:2 "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others."
Paul urged Timothy to fan into flame the gift he had received through the laying on of hands. 2 Timothy 1:6 "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands."
Older believers are instructed to teach what is good so they can train the next generation. Titus 2:3-4 "Teach the older women... to teach what is good, and so train the younger women."

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6 Love as the Identifying Mark ○

John 13:34-35

Jesus gave a new command, to love one another as He had loved them. John 13:34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."
By this love, everyone would know they were His disciples. John 13:35 "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Love is described as the fulfillment of the entire law. Romans 13:10 "Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."
Knowledge and gifts without love are said to amount to nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:2 "If I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing."
Believers are told to let all that they do be done in love. 1 Corinthians 16:14 "Do everything in love."

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7 Counting the Cost ○

Luke 14:27-33

Jesus said anyone who does not carry their cross cannot be His disciple. Luke 14:27 "And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple."
He compared this to a builder who first counts the cost before laying a foundation. Luke 14:28 "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost?"
Jesus warned that following Him could mean tension within a person's own family. Luke 14:26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother... such a person cannot be my disciple."
He said no one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom. Luke 9:62 "Jesus replied, 'No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.'"
Jesus told His followers plainly that in this world they would have trouble. John 16:33 "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

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8 Correction and Encouragement ○

2 Timothy 4:2

Timothy is told to preach the word, in season and out of season. 2 Timothy 4:2 "Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season."
He is instructed to correct, rebuke, and encourage, with great patience and careful teaching. 2 Timothy 4:2 "Correct, rebuke and encourage, with great patience and careful instruction."
Scripture itself is described as useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training. 2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness."
Believers are told to speak the truth in love as they grow together. Ephesians 4:15 "Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ."
Restoring someone caught in sin is to be done gently, watching one's own heart in the process. Galatians 6:1 "Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently."

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9 Every Believer's Job ○

Ephesians 4:11-12

Christ gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to the church. Ephesians 4:11 "So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers."
Their role was to equip God's people for works of service. Ephesians 4:12 "To equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up."
The goal of that equipping was building up the body of Christ, not concentrating ministry in a few. Ephesians 4:12 "So that the body of Christ may be built up."
Every believer is described as having received a gift meant to serve others. 1 Peter 4:10 "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms."
The body of Christ is described as having many parts, each one necessary. 1 Corinthians 12:14 "Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many."

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10 Multiplication, Not Addition ○

2 Timothy 2:2

Paul's instruction to Timothy already assumed four generations of disciples, himself, Timothy, reliable people, and others. 2 Timothy 2:2 "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others."
The early church grew rapidly as believers scattered and kept sharing the message wherever they went. Acts 8:4 "Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went."
Andrew's first recorded act after meeting Jesus was bringing his brother Peter to Him. John 1:41-42 "The first thing Andrew did was find his brother Simon and tell him, 'We have found the Messiah.' And he brought him to Jesus."
The Samaritan woman told her whole town about Jesus after speaking with Him at the well. John 4:28-29 "Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 'Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did.'"
The word of the Lord is described as spreading and growing in power as it multiplied. Acts 19:20 "In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power."

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