A disciple (mathētēs) means a learner (pupil) and follower (obeys) his teacher’s instructions).
Discipleship is teaching people to be obedient learners
and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” – Matthew 4:19 NLT
All through the Renewed Covenant (NT), Christ framed discipleship as a leadership issue. Who are you obeying or following?
“Go make disciples…and teach them to obey all that I have commanded you.” – Matthew 28:19-20
Imagine if merely half of our Bible studies were assessments of our obedience instead of the knowledge we gain from the Word of God. Learning is measured by obedience to the knowledge we have obtained!
“But you have not so learned Christ,” – Ephesians 4:20 NKJV
Contrasting wicked gentiles, notice that Paul does not say “learned about Christ” but “learned Christ.” This is saying we learn Christ by personal obedience. This is profound and magnificent!
Ingredients of Discipleship in 2 Kings13
“14 Now when Elisha had fallen sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash king of Israel went down to him and wept before him, crying, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” 15 And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So, he took a bow and arrows. 16 Then he said to the king of Israel, “Draw the bow,” and he drew it. And Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. 17 And he said, “Open the window eastward,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot,” and he shot. And he said, “The LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Syria! For you shall fight the Syrians in Aphek until you have made an end of them.” 18 And he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground with them.” And he struck three times and stopped. 19 Then the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Syria only three times.” 20 So Elisha died, and they buried him. Now bands of Moabites used to invade the land in the spring of the year” – 2 Kings 13:14-20 ESV
The preceding passage is an obscure moment in Israel’s history and could easily be missed, yet it is profound. This is an accurate historical account, but I will use it to offer some of what I deem to be necessary ingredients for discipleship.
Nine Ingredients for Discipleship
#1 Be willing to be the pupil (learner)
“Now when Elisha had fallen sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash king of Israel went down to him and wept before him,…” – 2 Kings 13:14 ESV
In this story, Joash is the king of Israel when the kingdoms of Israel and Judah are divided and at war against one another. His kingdom is being threatened by the armies of Amaziah, king of Judah. The one great advantage Joash has is that the prophet Elisha is with him and the king is humbled by his presence.
A disciple lives with the constant disposition of showing preference to other people. When I have this mentality, the Holy Spirit teaches me to follow Christ in a special way. I find I can be “discipled” by the Holy Spirit through many people and experiences because I have a learner’s heart.
#2 When someone is discipled by you, they will emulate you
“…crying, My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” (13:14).
Joash said the same words that Elisha used when he saw Elijah being caught up in a whirlwind going into heaven! (2:11-14). “My father, my father! The Chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” This was a magnanimous statement that celebrated and recognized the authority of the powerful hand of Yahweh God upon Elijah! Elisha received a double portion (2:9) of God’s power that was released through the prophet Elijah. Elijah’s mantle (cloth covering like a cape) fell on Elisha as a demonstration of the “double portion” of Elijah’s spirit now resting on the servant student Elisha.
Weather Joash’s motives were completely pure we do not know from the text. He could have been simply hoping that the spirit of Elisha would overflow to him in order to gain the victory. But whatever his motive was at a very minimum, he was responsive to the instructions that Elisha gave him.
A discipler should never be afraid to say “imitate me as I imitate Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1 NKJV).
God doesn’t call us to be original, but to be effective!
#3 The measure of success in discipleship is obedience to God
“And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So, he took a bow and arrows. Then he said to the king of Israel, “Draw the bow,” and he drew it.” – (13:15-16)
Elisha gave Joash a series of unusual instructions. Elisha, says, get a bow and some arrows, and he does so. Then he tells him, take the bow in your hands. When Elisha commands Joash, the king immediately complies.
Immediately give tasks for a new disciple that exposes him to situations of liminality (experiences of discomfort). Disciples are “Born Again” to be on the world’s playing field not playing with nursery toys.
#4 Discipleship is Hands On
“And Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands.” (13:16)
Josah, complies and takes the bow and arrow and Elisha does something I think is really cool. He lays his hands on the king’s hand. I remember years ago when I was teaching our oldest son Brandon how to paint and how to paint a straight line which, by the way, is very difficult without using Green Frog Tape. I simply placed my hand on his hand that was clasping the paint brush. I slowly moved his hand in a straight steady motion as I pressed lightly on his hand. We repeated this many times and he got so that he could paint in a straight line. We all are capable to learn when we practice!
The more I age in ministry I recognize there’s still is a tremendous need for a personal hands-on approach. Nothing substitutes like being eyeball-to-eyeball and hand-in-hand with those we disciple. Even today when I have our grandchildren do work for us, I never have them work alone—I work with them. I attempt to not over-teach them, (which is my tendency) but I selectively instruct them and converse with them about meaningful redemptive subjects. This is extremely rewarding and transformative.
Our Lord discipled His followers this way as the Apostle John testified—
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;” – 1 John 1:1 KJV Isn’t this beautiful!?
#5 A paramount aspect of discipleship is Followership!
“And he said, “Open the window eastward,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot,” and he shot.” – (13:17)
Much of modern Christendom’s discipleship is based on the transmission of information (the Word of God). Christ’s example of discipleship was an emphasis on transformation by obeying the Word of God.
If no one is following us, we’re just taking a walk☺
#6 Discipleship means you equip people to fight the fight of faith!
“And he said, The LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Syria! For you shall fight the Syrians in Aphek until you have made an end of them.” – (13:17)
If courage is never installed in the behavior of a disciple a disciple is not being made but only a domesticated Christian will emerge from our efforts.
#7 Evidence of a disciple is they will stay the course and will be faithful over-comers.
The chief end of discipleship is to produce over-comers, those who finish strong.
“And he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground with them.” And he struck three times and stopped.” (13:18)
The king began with the promise of complete victory and afterward was the recipient of much less. And it all centers around one decision: He struck the ground three times and then stopped. Putting it another way: he quit. The Bible doesn’t tell us why he quit. Maybe he was tired, maybe he felt ridiculous, maybe he thought it was beneath him, or perhaps he sensed it was an act of futility. But it is clear that, for Elisha, the fact that the king stopped striking the arrow was connected to his determination to receive the full measure of God’s intention for him. He quit and the complete victory was lost. He just didn’t want it badly enough.
I wonder how many times victories are lost before the battle even begins. I wonder how much good God desires to usher into the world that has sadly been thwarted by our own lack of ambition or effort. I wonder how many times in my own life I perceived an outcome was a failure, but I just quit too soon.
What is it about us that stops before we’re finished? That mistakes quitting for failure, and that settles for less? I see too much of myself in this.
By God’s grace and God’s power let’s empty our quiver (which is the equivalent to at least 5 or 6 arrows) before we are finished in this life.
Most of us don’t obey God completely, but I sure wish we did!
#8 There is a place for rebuke and anger in discipleship
“Then the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Syria only three times.” – (13:19)
It is not insignificant that the text says, that “the man of God was angry” with him. Clearly much more is happening here than meets the eye. This was no small mistake.
Biblical discipleship means, at times, anger, rebuke, and correction are present in a relationship.We serve a God who gets angry, and He finds displeasure in disobedience. Many modern readers find references to God’s anger as problematic. Apparently, many people would prefer that God always be depicted as “loving.” But if God were not angered by evil, He wouldn’t be loving. How is a loving God supposed to react when people treat other people–all of whom are his children– unjustly and cruelly?
“…do not corrupt yourselves by making idols of any kind. This is evil in the sight of the LORD your God and will arouse His anger.” – Deuteronomy 4:25 NLT
People are more likely to do what you inspect compared to what you expect.
A disciple will receive the rebukes of life and so become wise (Proverbs 15:31) and our Father’s, and Christ’s rebuke of us is a demonstration of their love for us (Proverbs 3:12; Revelation 3:19).
All of us need a kick in the pants occasionally
#9 Retirement is a political idea. Serve Christ until you die knowing life and the righteous battle will continue without you.
There is a posture toward life that separates those who end their lives with their quivers full of untapped potential and un-seized opportunities and those who die with their quivers empty. Arrows are not meant for décor; they are meant for battle. The question each of us must answer is this: Am I the kind of person who strikes three times and then stops? Or am I the kind of person who, when commanded to strike my arrows, keeps striking and striking and striking until there are no arrows left?
Friends, we are in this together so let’s empty our quivers now while we still have the capacity to do so. We can do this by the power of the Holy Spirit released in us and as we step out and obey His Word!
“So Elisha died, and they buried him. Now bands of Moabites used to invade the land in the spring of the year.” (13:20)
Live for the applause of the One with the nail scarred hands!
- I am reminded of Winston Churchill’s famous speech at Harrow School on October 29, 1941. Churchill urged the United Kingdom to not give in to Nazi Germany.
“Never give in—never, never, never, never, except to convictions of honor and good sense.” – Winston Churchill
Actions to Take in View of This Teaching
- Peruse over these 9 characteristics of discipleship. Which ones is the Holy Spirit bringing your attention to? What do you purpose to do in light of His illumination?
“Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed.” – Act 13:36 NIV
Will you serve Christ until you are finished?
“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!” – 1 Corinthians 9:24 NLT
“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’” – Matthew 25:21 LSB
Finishing Strong with you in the Power of the Holy Spirit!
Dale