Lesson Exercise in

Nurture and Discipleship

1 – Making Disciples

By: Joas Caesar M. Dalion

Professor: Pr. Ian Felicitas

Q. What is discipling?
1. Intentional relationship – Discipling must be intentional, you must be dedicated to it.
Equipping – And it must equip to teach other people as well.

2. Discipling for me is a way of equipping someone in a field that I would want them to flourish.
For instance in the context of ministry, discipling for me is inspiring them to take part in the
great commission that Jesus Christ has given to us, encouraging them to have the same passion
like Jesus, enriching them with the challenges that could bring them to also glorify God, and
equipping them with the proper education necessary for them to be able to teach other people and
to produce other disciples as well.
3. The common issue that concerns me is the reality that only few of the members of the Church
are making disciples for Jesus Christ. Most of our brethren are satisfied already just by being
baptized to our denomination.

Part II
Q. What key events precede Jesus’ giving the great commission and how this have affected the
disciples?
A. The ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven, thus leaving to the disciples the mission of
proclaiming the Gospel to all the nations. This gives them the responsibility of preaching to all
people about the salvation that is freely given by God to all.

Copy Matthew 28:18-20 in verbatim

Matthew 28:18-20:
18. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven
and on earth. 19. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20. Teaching them to observe all things that I
have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Q. What do these verses teach us about?
A. This tells us that when Jesus ascended in heaven, He gave all of His authority from heaven
and earth unto His disciples for them to go and make disciples to all nations and to teach all
people the command and the divine will of God for all humanity on earth.
Q. Why does Jesus stress His authority in v18 as a backdrop to His command to “Make
disciples”?
A. For me, Jesus used His authority to give His disciples an everlasting assurance that when they
make themselves available for the divine work that is given to them, they have all of Jesus’
authority from heaven and earth to support, to guide and to strengthen them. Jesus Christ even
promised them to be with them up to the end of the age if they respond and obey God’s
command.
Q. How is disciple making to be carried out?
A. It should be carried out through selecting potential people from the crowd or from the
members of the church who you think would offer themselves as a faithful witness of Christ to
all. It could start by having an intentional relationship with them. Many more procedures should
follow but it must all be guided by the principles of Jesus Christ.
Q. When is disciple made?
A. I think a disciple is made when the disciple is already discipled and He is already reflecting
the character of His teacher. And most importantly, when the disciple is now following the
teacher’s command on whether where will he go and what will he do.
Q. How have these verses spoken to you this week?
A. Personally, I was refreshed on the mission of the great commission that was given by Jesus
Christ to the disciples, and also to me as a Christian and as heirs of the promise of salvation from
Jesus Christ. I was reminded of my neglected responsibility as a disciple of God and how I was
just treating it ordinary in the past years of my life. By God’s help and grace I pray that from this
day, I will be actively involved in the great commission of preaching the Gospel to my non-
believer friends, relatives, neighbors, and to all the people within my reach.

Part III
Q. What do you suppose Jesus included in His all night prayer in Luke 6:12-16; 9:1-6,10?
A. When Jesus prayed all night in the mountain I believe He was asking God for guidance in
choosing people that would truly accept His call to be part of His earthly ministry and to be His
disciples who would demonstrate and exemplify His will and character to all the people.
Q. What can you learn about Jesus’ strategic purpose for the selection of the twelve?
A. What I learned here, based on the passage and based on the readings, that when Jesus selected
the twelve He only selected few, disregarding the rest of the people because He believed that by
selecting and focusing the few, He can internalize the lasting nature of His divine mission.
However limiting His disciples did not limit His influence, it even expanded it because Jesus did
not focus on programs to reach the multitudes, His goal is with few men, the multitudes would
follow.
Q. What power and authority was given to the disciples? And what power can we expect to
receive from Jesus today?
A. Power and authority was given to the disciples during their time, assuring them that if they go
and make disciples, teaching, preaching and baptizing them, Jesus will be with them even unto
the end of age. The same promise also applies for us today, that when we make ourselves
available for the ministry of Christ, then and only then we could also claim the promise that He
will be with us even unto the end of our lives. Amen
Q. What was the role of Jesus’ after their return?
A. I believe the role of Jesus after the return of the disciples was to listen to their experiences and
to make them realize and reflect the power and glory of God working in their lives as disciples of
Christ.
Q. What questions do these passages raise for you?
A. Only one question came to my mind, if Jesus promised something like these to me, then why I
am not living with those promises anyway?
Q. What verse or verses have particularly impacted you? Rewrite key verses in your own words.
A. The verses that strengthens me today is the promise of Jesus Christ in the great commission,
that when I will only take part in His ministry in proclaiming the Gospel to all the people, He
will be with me, guiding and strengthening me all throughout the way unto the last breath of my
life here on earth.