Discipleship. The more I think about it, the more important I realize it is. But what is the goal of discipleship?
Too often, people get wrapped up in making disciples of themselves. They want others to look at them for all the answers. To be their guide for life.
It becomes almost a point of pride. “Look at all those who follow me.”
But our goal shouldn’t be to make people our disciples, but Christ’s.
This was something that John the Baptist understood very clearly. We saw this earlier when he pointed out Jesus to a couple of his disciples and essentially said, “He is the one you are to follow. Go.” (John 1:35-36)
We see it again here. Jesus had begun his ministry and his disciples had started baptizing people in his name (that is, by his authority). And more people started going to him than they were to John.
John’s disciples began to get a bit agitated about this, especially when others started to point this out, and they came to John saying,
Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan–the one you testified about–well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him. (John 3:26)
I wonder how John’s disciples expected him to act. Did they expect him to get upset? Did they think his pride would be wounded?
But John told his disciples,
A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’
The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice.
That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less. (John 3:27-30)
In short, “My whole life was dedicated to this one purpose. To prepare the way for Christ. To point others to him.
In a wedding, the best man isn’t the important one. The groom is. He rejoices when all his preparations for the groom have been completed, the wedding is about to begin, and the groom is about to take center stage.
That’s how I feel. I’ve done my job. Now Jesus must take his rightful position in people’s lives. As for me, it’s time for me to fade into the background.”
That’s what discipling is all about. It’s not to be a person’s life-long mentor, constantly directing their steps. It’s to point them to Christ. To help prepare their hearts so that they can know who Jesus is. To teach them all you know and all you’ve learned in your walk with Christ.
And when you have done so, to tell them, “It’s time to go now. I’ve done all I can for you. You follow Jesus,” and then slowly fade into the background.
There comes a point in any discipleship relationship when you simply must decrease so that Christ may increase in their lives.
As John points out, we are from the earth and we speak from the earth. In other words, our experiences are limited as is our knowledge.
But Jesus had no such limitations because he was from heaven and completely filled with God’s Spirit. And because of that, he is above all. More than that, he is the one that gives life, not us.
So let us point others to him. Let us teach them to be Jesus’ disciples. And then watch with joy as Jesus leads them where he may.
Moment to Moment (Bible blog) 