Effectual Discipleship.
Jesus’s Word Must Be Our Foundation.
Jesus declared: Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of Mine and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; but it fell not: because it was founded upon a rock. Matthew 7 : 24-25.
Disciples Must Learn From Jesus.
So after Jesus had washed their feet, and had taken His garments, and was set down again, He said unto them, Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Master and Lord: and you say well; for so I am. If I then, being your Lord and your Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. John 13:12–15
To be a disciple is to follow the pattern of the Master. Jesus has set the standard; He is the benchmark that is acceptable in serving in the work of the Father. Therefore, there are three important aspects that we must firmly embrace; they are as follows:
● To walk in the footsteps of Jesus is to lay down our pride.
● Just as Jesus did, soWe are to take up the towel of humility.
● And serve in love.
The disciple who seeks to learn from Jesus must not seek greatness, but grace to do likewise. The way of the Master must also be the way of the disciple: service born of love, obedience shaped by humility.
Jesus declared: The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? Matthew 10:24–25. To be as the Master must be our heart’s earnest desire; it is from heaven’s perspective the highest call on the life of a disciple: this calling will involve:
● To walk as Jesus walked is to live as He lived.
● To endure what He endured.
● And to obey as He obeyed; this is true discipleship.
Jesus has issued a serious admonishment to every believer: Jesus Christ declared that the world that rejected Him will reject those who are His, yet blessed are those who remain steadfast in His likeness. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If you know these things, happy are you if you do them. John 13:16–17 .
Jesus spoke these words after kneeling to wash His disciples’ feet. What we must glean from Jesus’ action is that washing a person’s feet is the expected act of a servant. When Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, He did so as the Lord of glory. He was not merely teaching a lesson in humility; He was defining the posture of all who would follow Him.
Jesus said: The disciple is never greater than his Master, nor the messenger greater than the One who sends him. This is so important; we must know that to lay claim to the name of Jesus is to embrace His way. Herein are three revelations:
● Knowledge alone will not sanctify.
● Understanding the truth is not the same as walking in it.
● True blessedness is found in obedience.
As with everything in our lives, the golden principle that Jesus taught must be lived out: And Jesus answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it. Luke 8:21.