And Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men."
Mark 1:17
The Gospel;
The Call Starts Here
FIRST, THE BAD NEWS The bad news is that we are all sinners. This means we are not in a right standing with God. Paul says in Romans that we all “fall short” of God’s glory, and because we fall short of this standard we cannot earn or work for a right standing with God, but because we have sinned we can only earn death. Despite our sin, God loves us!
GOD LOVES US Even though we do not live up to his standard of goodness and holiness, he loves us and wants to reconcile us to himself. Therefore, God sent his only son, Jesus, to come and pay the price of our sin by dying on a cross. The penalty for sin is death, and Jesus paid the price in full. Then on the third day, he came back from the dead, proving he has power over sin and death. God wants everyone to know that they will be saved from their sin if they believe in Jesus, trusting in his work on the cross, and believing he rose again from the dead.
JESUS OUR SAVIOUR Through believing in Jesus, we are set free from the bondage of sin. God also credits to us the goodness and the right standing we need to be reconciled to him. He gives us His righteousness and declares us forgiven. Even more, He gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit to come and live within us, teaching us how to live lives that reflect the love and righteousness of God. Finally, he guarantees those who put their faith in Jesus a place with Him for all eternity.
What is Discipleship?
Putting your trust in Jesus transforms your eternal destiny instantly, but this is merely the starting point.
It marks the beginning of a lifelong journey of ‘Discipleship’ or ‘learning’ as He continually works to change us for the better.
The aim of this process is to become a reflection of the glory of Christ!
The local church community plays a vital role in this transformative process. Every believer should participate in a local church, where we can grow as a disciple through interactions within the community.
Below are three layers of growth, that practically describe ‘Discipleship’.
Knowing Jesus
When Jesus called His original twelve disciples, they had little understanding of His true identity. As He calmed the storm, they were awestruck by His authority and power. When He washed their feet, they were humbled by His selfless service. And as He went to the cross as their substitute, they began to trust in Him, recognizing Him as their Lord Savior.
Becoming like Jesus
The Bible reveals the disciples of Jesus in all their sinful selfishness! They need Jesus to provide forgiveness of sin and to transform their characters. And Jesus intends to do just that. He calls these disciples to be like Him, and He goes on to provide His Holy Spirit to indwell and empower them.
Participating in Jesus mission
Jesus invited these ancient fishermen to become "fishers of men." Similarly, His call for individuals to follow Him directs them to reach out to others. He entrusted the original disciples with a commission to make more disciples. To be a disciple of Jesus means to also be a disciple-maker.