Defining Discipleship
Step Six: Go

After calling his disciples, instructing them to pray, and giving them authority, Jesus sends them out.

When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick

Luke 9: 1-2 (NIV)

Go early

We see this pattern repeated at least twice, in Luke 9, and 10. Differences between the accounts in Matthew 9, and Mark 6 raise the possibility that Jesus did this several times during the course of his ministry. From the story's position in the Gospel account, it seems that it began fairly early on in his ministry. Before Peter realised that he was the Christ. It doesn't seem like he put them through a long period of training before he sent them out.

As we have already seen when we looked at following, Jesus had no hesitation about immediately sending out the demoniac.

We are often reluctant to send people immediately. There is a concern that they do not know enough, or they are not equipped. Yet often, it is the newest believers who are the most effective evangelists. Whilst the transformation they have received is fresh in their minds their enthusiasm shows. When we engage in Discovery Bible Study, the final question is “who are you going to tell?” There is a reason for this. If new believers learn to share their faith early in their discipleship, there is a good chance that they will keep on doing it. Those who are older in the faith, and have never been encouraged to share find it much harder to start.

We see this clearly illustrated in John 4. The Samaritan woman at the well brings her whole village to meet Jesus

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. Could this be the Messiah?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him...

Because of his words many more became believers.

They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

John 4: 28-30 & 41-42(NIV)

The Samaritan woman's enthusiams bubbles over, and it is her joy which becomes the catalyst to the whole village coming to Christ.

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Go in the way he sends you

When Jesus sent out the twelve and the seventy-two he gave them very clear instructions about where to go, what not to take, what to say and who to say it to. Those instructions vary slightly in the different accounts, but there are many similarities.

Go in pairs

He began to send them out two by two

Mark 6: 7 (NIV) - also Luke 10: 1

Going with other people makes us safer, and more confident. One can pray whilst the other talks.

Go empty handed

“Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt”

Mark 6: 8-9 (NIV) - see also Luke 9: 3 & 10: 4

We don't need lots of resources, or gimmicks. If you go with lots of money, or offer large amounts of hospitality people will gather for the spectacle, or the food, but not for the gospel

Greet people with peace

“When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house'”

Luke 10: 5 (NIV) - see also Matthew 10: 12-13

The message is not one of conflict or confrontation, but of peace

Go where the welcome is

“ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

Luke 10: 6-7 NIV) - see also Matthew 10: 13

People who welcome us, are far more likely to welcome our message. We often enage in evangelism by giving hospitatlity. There is nothing wrong with that, but it is ofte those who are prepapred to offer us hospitality who are most open.

Or move on

“But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 'Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you'”

Luke 10: 10-11 (NIV) - see also Matthew 10: 13-14

If people don't welcome us, we are told to move on. And in case we are in any doubt about this instruction we see Paul and Barnabus following the same instruction.

But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium

Acts 13: 50-51 (NIV) - see also Acts 18: 6

Heal the sick

“Heal the sick who are there”

Luke 10: 8 (NIV) - see also Matthew 10: 6

As we mentioned in the article on authority the instruction is to heal the sick, not to pray for the sick.

Proclaim the Kingdom of God

“Tell them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'”

Luke 10: 9 (NIV) - see also Matthew 10: 7

The message is simple. God is sovereign, and his kingdom is nearby. Notice that the same message is preached regardless of if people welcome them or not. This is not a complicated gospel presentation, or a theologically researched apologetics talk. All we need to tell people is that Jesus is Lord, and that if they step under that kingship, they can enter into his kingdom.

Our way of travelling, the miracles that accompany it are all signs of that kingdom.

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Go simply and simply go

One of the reasons that many people are afraid to share their faith is the worry that they will get it wrong. They will somehow let God, or themselves, down. These passages we have looked at release us from that fear in two ways.

We are not responsible for how the message is received

Jesus is clear. If people welcome us and the message, we stay. If not we move on. The responsibility to accept the message lies with the hearer, not the messenger.

The message is simple

Proclaim the good news of the kingdom. Don't get bound down in theological debates or longwinded arguments. Paul says the same.

When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.

1 Corinthians 2: 1-3 (NIV)