True disciples join Jesus in his mission and work
If you are a true disciple of Jesus Christ, then his mission becomes your mission. Not in the sense that you die on the cross for the sins of others as he was sent to do, but that you join in the work Jesus is now doing in the world.
Jesus said, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Luke 11:23, ESV here and throughout).
During wartime, countries draft people into the army. Some people can get a deferment, which one dictionary defines as “the temporary postponement of, or permanent exemption from, induction into military service by virtue of one’s health, the number of one’s dependents, one’s work in an essential war industry, or some other reason deemed sufficient by the draft authorities.”
Jesus does not give deferments. Everyone is called to serve his cause in one way or another.
Luke 9:59–62 shows Jesus drafting his disciples and allowing no deferments: “To [one man] he said, ‘Follow me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’ Yet another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’”
At bare minimum everyone can pray for Christ’s cause in the earth, and prayer is vitally important. But most every true disciple of Jesus can do more than pray.
Sent
After his resurrection Jesus said to his disciples, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you” (John 20:21). He did not limit that commission to his apostles. Just before ascending to his Father in heaven, he said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).
The mission is not over until the gospel reaches all people, until the very end of the age. Although the original apostles have died, the gospel they preached and the work of the kingdom of God are still with us. Billions of people still need to be saved.
Therefore when you decide to follow Jesus and learn from him, he calls you into three aspects of his work and mission in the world.
1. Jesus is building his church through his people
Jesus said, “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18).
He is building his church through his true disciples, both the leaders and the followers, as the apostle Paul wrote:
“[Jesus] gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints [that’s every believer] for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” A few verses later Paul continues saying that the church, like a human body, is “joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:11, 12, 16).
Therefore true disciples participate deeply in the relationships and ministry of a local church in order to advance the cause of Christ.
2. Jesus is spreading the gospel through his people
Lost souls need to hear the gospel message. If they are to be saved, they need to hear about Jesus and his redeeming work.
The apostle Paul wrote, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).
Jesus told his disciples, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
Therefore true disciples do what they can to help the advance of the message of Christ. They give their testimony and gospel literature to people they know. They pray and donate money for the effective advance of the gospel through their pastor, their church and its missionaries.
3. Jesus is advancing his kingdom and righteousness through his people
In the Lord’s prayer he taught us to pray, “Your Kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10).
And we are called to do more than pray. Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).
So in the name of the Lord we are called to do whatever we can to advance God’s will in the earth, from feeding the hungry, to comforting and healing the sick, to supporting righteous laws.
Therefore true disciples do not live solely for their own comfort, entertainment, and well-being. Rather they work unselfishly for the good of others.