Why Make Disciples?

Luk 14:25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
If any man come to me, and ...., he cannot be my disciple.

Act 14:20-22 ...and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught (matheteuo: make disciples) many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,
Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

It has become clear as I studied the scriptures that the Lord was calling for more than just a decision, He required a commitment, to become an adherent, a disciplined learner, one to be mentored into a new way of life.

large crowds were following and crowding Him. Bustling, pressing against, Jostling to get closer for a better look, to get a healing or something that would possibly manifest while close, these crowds made every effort at that point to be where He was. And yet, Jesus turns to them and says, "If any man would come to me,(and do certain things), he cannot be My disciple."

The crowds are there. I mean what more do you want. They want You and what Yoou can do for them. They want to rely on You. Surely that is all a ministry needs, right? No!
Jesus turns to them and says: "If any man come.... He cannot be My disciple"

He was calling for more than just desire to see and feel. He wanted this specific dimension of commitment, called discipleship. He didn't say, believer, christian or convert. He said DISICPLE!

When we understand the full impact of what this word means and the depth of its commitment, I believe it begins to change our walk with the Lord and how we view the world, how we live and how we believe.

As I studied the Book of Acts, again I did not find and reference to being 'born again, making christians or convert, but over and over again disciples are referred to. In fact, it says that they would make many disciples. that was their focus, their mission. Only once are these disciples referred to as Christians, and that only because they were so living like the Christ that the community could see it and called them that.

It is an interesting exercise to study this book and underline each reference and meditate on it for awhile and let the reference speak to your heart.

If it was imporatnt to the Lord Jesus and to the early church what role should it play in our life and ministry?
How individuals are you spending time with making a disciple? What is the PRIMARY focus of your ministry?