A Devotion
By Joe Guagliardo
Making Disciples
“Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20”
October 11, 2023
During the early days of the pandemic, and even before, I would go for long morning walks (or as far as my bad knees would allow me to go.) It was and still is a great time to think, contemplate and pray.
I generally would start walking the neighborhood before the sun even came up. As I was the only person walking the streets of our quaint little community, I often wondered if a neighbor might mistake me for a robber. Fortunately, that never happened.
I sometimes took photos of the sunrise (see above). It was great to have some alone time while I thought and prayed. I often thought about how far I had come in my life. 28 years in the retail food industry and another 25 as a youth minister in the church.
God asks each and every one of us to “Go and make disciples.” I always found it interesting how my opportunities to do that changed when I retired. No more occasional preaching at church, no more youth nights or events.
God showed me that there are many ways to serve Him and accomplish Jesus’ directive of “Go and make disciples.” He gave me a new gift, the gift of writing. Now, I proclaim His name and publish devotions, Bible studies, and more to feed followers and reach out to those who don’t know Jesus.
In the Gospel of Mark, he quotes Jesus’ words:
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
Mark 16: 15
Although Mark continues with more of Jesus’ words (some of which are warnings). I’ve always liked Matthew’s quote of Jesus’ words at the end of his book.
If you read and re-read Jesus’ instruction in Matthew 28, He tells us four distinct things.
Go and make disciples
Baptize
Teach everything I have taught you
I will be with you always
Jesus tells us to go and make disciples. Now, He doesn’t tell us how. He just tells us to do it. There’s a lot of latitude here, excluding hitting people over the head or threatening them. But, the four directives work hand in hand.
To make disciples (and another word for disciples is learner), we must tell others what we have learned in Bible studies, what we have read in the Bible, and what we’ve absorbed through listening to preaching. We will always be learners, but Jesus is telling His disciples as He tells us, pass on what I have taught you.
He tells us to Baptize believers in the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The most important thing to know is that He, God, is with us every step of the way. He will guide us and lead us always.
Whether we teach, preach, write, or discuss with others. We are all disciples of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is our duty, our obligation, and our way of showing love for Him as we follow his command:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
joegministries.com 