Simple Discipleship
Do you ever shy away from sharing about Jesus with others because you don’t feel like you will know exactly what you should say? Or don’t feel like you can be one that actually trains and disciples others? Maybe you have a concern that if they asked a question you wouldn’t know the answer, or wanted you to teach them something else from the Bible that you wouldn’t be able to? I know I’ve felt this way many times where I felt inadequate and unprepared to be able to share God’s truth with others. I can struggle to remember the Bible verse that would apply, or the question asked seems so confusing that I’m not even sure where to begin.
When I read through God’s word, time and time again the Lord affirms that the exact people that God chooses to use are those who feel inadequate, because they follow him in obedience and faith. He actually prefers that to be how we feel since it shows our dependance on him. Discipling others and teaching them about Jesus is actually not complicated, but simply done. Let’s see it from a few examples in the Bible.
Jesus' Method: Relational and Simple
I know, it kind of feels wrong to use Jesus as an example when talking about inadequacy. He is the eternal, all powerful, all knowing, sustainer of the universe. But, his method of teaching was incredibly simple. Jesus often taught in parables, which were short stories that taught a particular point. Each one could be easily understood by his listener. To the farmer he talked about a seed being planted in the ground. To the shepherd, a story about a lost sheep. He taught of what a father would do for a son, or the way a servant could relate to their master. Every story was extremely relatable to the listener.
In our own teaching, often God’s teaching comes alive through how it relates to something in our everyday life. When we think about teaching God’s word in this way we realize that the power is actually in God’s word that we are teaching, and not in our own eloquence or skill.
The Woman at the Well: The Power of Your Story
In John chapter 4 Jesus meets the woman from Samaria. Through her conversation with Jesus she comes to realize that he is indeed the Christ. What does she do? She immediately goes and tells everyone she knows to come and meet the one that has changed her life. She hadn’t been to seminary, or even had a course in how to tell people about Jesus. Instead she goes and tells them what she does know. And the result? “Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony” (John 4:39).
The Lord was pleased to use the simple testimony of this woman to bring many to faith in him. Even if you don’t know what else to say, share your story of what Jesus has done for you. No one can deny or argue with your experience of knowing Jesus.
Peter and John: The Presence of Jesus brings you strength
After Jesus’s resurrection and ascension the Spirit comes upon his disciples, and it leads to thousands of new followers of Jesus. In Acts 4, after bringing healing to a man who couldn’t walk, Peter and John are brought in before the religious leaders in Jerusalem and questioned as to how they had done such miraculous works. They proceed to tell of the resurrection of Jesus and to teach them what it meant. This is how they responded, “ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). Even the religious leaders of Israel at the time could see that their authority and power didn’t come from a long education or that they had come up with clever words. Their power came from being with Jesus.
Your authority and strength also comes from spending time with Jesus. He promised that for those that follow him that he would send the Spirit to dwell with us, and that the Spirit would strengthen us, but also bring understanding. If you want to know what to teach and to feel confident in doing so, there are two main steps. First, regularly spending time in God’s word, learning from it and applying it to your own life. Second, pray for wisdom and the boldness and strength to teach. Jesus promises that he is always with us, and he is faithful to His promises. When you are faithful to him to teach and disciple others, he is faithful to provide you the strength to do it well.
Timothy: Find Faithful Teachers
The apostle Paul writes a letter to Timothy, someone that Paul has discipled in the faith. In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul instructs Timothy, “and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” Notice the qualifications that Paul gives to Timothy of who he should invest his time into? It isn’t to go find the smartest people, or even those that would be the most impressive. No, Paul tells Timothy to go disciple those who are faithful, because they will be faithful to do the same.
This should give us confidence. Our job is simply to be faithful. We have a commission in Matthew 28 to go and make disciples. It isn’t a calling to go and be impressive, but instead to go and faithfully make disciples.
So if you are tempted to not share your faith, or not disciple others, remember some of these encouragements from scripture. Share how what you have learned shapes your everyday life. Share your story of knowing Jesus. Let your teaching flow from your personal relationship with Jesus and be faithful. This simple discipleship is exactly how we are taught to teach and disciple others, that they too may grow in their faith in Jesus and do the same.
