Some of Jesus's last words before He left Earth were directed at those He left behind to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). In our time, we often wonder what a disciple truly is. Yesterday, we concluded that a disciple is someone who follows and helps spread another's teachings.
Some people become disciples as soon as they believe, hitting the ground running once they turn from sin and accept the good news. Others, however, grow in their love for Christ, transitioning from interested followers to devoted disciples who disown themselves, seeking to embody all they observe in the life of Christ. This journey involves a choice made with the will. In the New Testament, the term 'Christian' appears only three times as a title for believers, while the word 'disciple' occurs more than 270 times. William Barclay writes:
“It is possible to be a follower of Jesus without being a disciple, a camp-follower without being a soldier of the king, to be a hanger-on in some great work without pulling one's weight. Someone was once talking to a great scholar about a younger man. He said, "So and so tells me he was one of your students." The teacher answered devastatingly, "He may have attended my lectures, but he was not one of my students." There is a world of difference between attending lectures and being a student. One of the Church's supreme handicaps is that there are so many distant followers of Jesus and so few disciples.”[1]
Before all believers lies the call to discipleship, embodying and sharing Christ's teachings. Our response will transform our lives and those of others around us. There is a well-known Christmas movie that illustrates this beautifully: It’s a Wonderful Life. This film has become regarded as a classic and a staple of Christmas television worldwide. The American Film Institute recognized it as one of the 100 best American films ever made, placing it number one on its list of the most inspirational American films of all time. Philip Van Doren Stern wrote the original story, The Greatest Gift, in November 1939. After struggling to publish the story, he turned it into a Christmas card and mailed 200 copies to family and friends in December 1943.
It was not until the story caught the eye of RKO producer David Hempstead that it became the movie we know today. He shared it with Cary Grant's Hollywood agent; the rest is history. For those unfamiliar with the story, it centers around George Bailey, a man whose imminent suicide on Christmas Eve prompts the intervention of his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody. Clarence reveals to George all the lives he has touched, his contributions to the community, and how different things would be if he had never been born.
The two stories unfold simultaneously, allowing the viewer to compare two lives: one lived with others in mind and the other entirely for oneself. While it may be on the extreme end of the spectrum, we all make similar choices. Picture, for a moment, two films being made about your life. One would portray your journey as a disciple of Jesus Christ, while the other would illustrate a life lived for yourself, a life of your own choosing. Consider how they might differ, the lives impacted, and the rewards gained or forfeited. Each of our lives resonates for eternity in one way or another. Which movie will you star in? You will dedicate your life to making one or the other. Keith Thomas
Taken from the Discipleship series, Study 1, Called to Fruitfulness
Here’s the link to the YouTube video teaching: https://youtu.be/BVNdrH4-6Ak
[1] William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke, The Daily Study Bible Series (Philadelphia, Pa, Westminster Press, 1956), Page 203.