Unbelief - Why We do not Make Disciples
Unbelief – Why We do not Make Disciples
Thank you for journeying with me in our long study of the book of Mathew. We are now in the last section studying Jesus’ last words before He ascended to heaven.
We have all come to know His command as the Great Commission to “go and make disciples” (other followers of Christ and believers in Christ). To me, this is one of His greatest commands. Simply put, if we don’t go and make disciples, people don’t become believers in Christ. All unbelievers in Christ will be in hell according to Scriptures. Do I really believe there is hell? Please do not wish hell even for your worst enemy.
What stops us from going and making disciples? We will take more time to study these section of Scripture (Matthew 28:16-20). Today we will examine the first obstacle of being a disciple maker - unbelief.
Unbelief is the first stopper of going and making disciples. Listen to Scripture. “16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.” Matthew 28:16-17.
It says, “Some doubted.” What were they doubting? They were doubting the report that Jesus has risen from the dead. Even upon physically seeing Jesus, some of them still doubted the resurrection.
In fact, Mark’s Gospel makes it very clear. “14 Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.” (Mark 16:14).
Jesus “rebuked” their unbelief and hardness of heart. The unbelief and doubt had to be dealt with before the disciples could even hear and obey the command to go and make disciples.
Why is dealing with the unbelief and doubt so critical and important to Jesus? It is because, if one doubts the resurrection and do not believe in the risen Christ, such one is not a true follower and disciple of Christ. If you are not a disciple, you cannot go and make other disciples. Only disciples make disciples.
At this point, the critical question for each of us is: Am I a disciple? Are you a disciple? Do I believe in the resurrected Christ? Do I still doubt the resurrection?
If I am a disciple, I must then be a disciple maker. If I don’t make disciples, am I a disciple? The proof is in the pudding. Making disciple does not make me a disciple but a proof that I am a disciple. I am a disciple because I believe in Jesus Christ. All believers in Christ without exception are disciple makers.
You can hang out with Jesus and still be full of doubt and unbelief. You can study him for more than three years and still miss him like Judas. It takes the opening of the eyes by the Holy Spirit to truly see and believe in Christ. When that happens, we become followers of Christ, a disciple and a witness. Then we can go and make other disciples.
You cannot reproduce what is not in you. If Christ is in me and I am in Christ, then the Christ in me will reproduce other disciples through me. It is that simple. Jesus said by their fruits you shall know them. Here is how Jesus explained it:
“15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” Matthew 7:15-20.
We normally don’t think of ourselves as false prophets. We can be false prophets when we profess to know Christ but are not obeying and producing Christ-like people by going and making disciples? Are you a false prophet? False prophets are treated as unbelievers of Christ and are “thrown into the fire” at the end.
Paul warns us, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.” 2 Corinthians 13:5. Is the faith there from beginning? Not if we are still in the faith. Am I really a believer in Christ?
If we doubt and have unbelief and hardness of heart, the Lord is rebuking us to stop, repent and to believe and trust in Him. Then we are filled with the Holy Spirit of Christ and then we can be witnesses and disciple makers. Only the Holy Spirit convicts and converts people to believe and trust. Our job is to tell them about Christ crucified for our sins, buried, risen, ascended, and coming back soon. This is the gospel.
Lord, I repent of every unbelief and doubt of who you are; and that you died, was buried, and resurrected and ascended to heaven. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. Please come into my heart. Help me to be about your business of making disciples by the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Friends, let’s put it into practice and make disciples for the glory of God. Next week, we will look at the “authority” and “power” to make disciples as Jesus told His disciples.
Who can you pray for and tell about Jesus today, this week, this month and this year? We must be intentional otherwise, nothing happens. Like Nike, “just do it.” Amen. May God encourage us to action and not to discouragement.
Matthew 28:16-20 - The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go [c]therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” [d]Amen.
Thank you for journeying with me in our long study of the book of Mathew. We are now in the last section studying Jesus’ last words before He ascended to heaven.
We have all come to know His command as the Great Commission to “go and make disciples” (other followers of Christ and believers in Christ). To me, this is one of His greatest commands. Simply put, if we don’t go and make disciples, people don’t become believers in Christ. All unbelievers in Christ will be in hell according to Scriptures. Do I really believe there is hell? Please do not wish hell even for your worst enemy.
What stops us from going and making disciples? We will take more time to study these section of Scripture (Matthew 28:16-20). Today we will examine the first obstacle of being a disciple maker - unbelief.
Unbelief is the first stopper of going and making disciples. Listen to Scripture. “16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.” Matthew 28:16-17.
It says, “Some doubted.” What were they doubting? They were doubting the report that Jesus has risen from the dead. Even upon physically seeing Jesus, some of them still doubted the resurrection.
In fact, Mark’s Gospel makes it very clear. “14 Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.” (Mark 16:14).
Jesus “rebuked” their unbelief and hardness of heart. The unbelief and doubt had to be dealt with before the disciples could even hear and obey the command to go and make disciples.
Why is dealing with the unbelief and doubt so critical and important to Jesus? It is because, if one doubts the resurrection and do not believe in the risen Christ, such one is not a true follower and disciple of Christ. If you are not a disciple, you cannot go and make other disciples. Only disciples make disciples.
At this point, the critical question for each of us is: Am I a disciple? Are you a disciple? Do I believe in the resurrected Christ? Do I still doubt the resurrection?
If I am a disciple, I must then be a disciple maker. If I don’t make disciples, am I a disciple? The proof is in the pudding. Making disciple does not make me a disciple but a proof that I am a disciple. I am a disciple because I believe in Jesus Christ. All believers in Christ without exception are disciple makers.
You can hang out with Jesus and still be full of doubt and unbelief. You can study him for more than three years and still miss him like Judas. It takes the opening of the eyes by the Holy Spirit to truly see and believe in Christ. When that happens, we become followers of Christ, a disciple and a witness. Then we can go and make other disciples.
You cannot reproduce what is not in you. If Christ is in me and I am in Christ, then the Christ in me will reproduce other disciples through me. It is that simple. Jesus said by their fruits you shall know them. Here is how Jesus explained it:
“15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” Matthew 7:15-20.
We normally don’t think of ourselves as false prophets. We can be false prophets when we profess to know Christ but are not obeying and producing Christ-like people by going and making disciples? Are you a false prophet? False prophets are treated as unbelievers of Christ and are “thrown into the fire” at the end.
Paul warns us, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.” 2 Corinthians 13:5. Is the faith there from beginning? Not if we are still in the faith. Am I really a believer in Christ?
If we doubt and have unbelief and hardness of heart, the Lord is rebuking us to stop, repent and to believe and trust in Him. Then we are filled with the Holy Spirit of Christ and then we can be witnesses and disciple makers. Only the Holy Spirit convicts and converts people to believe and trust. Our job is to tell them about Christ crucified for our sins, buried, risen, ascended, and coming back soon. This is the gospel.
Lord, I repent of every unbelief and doubt of who you are; and that you died, was buried, and resurrected and ascended to heaven. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. Please come into my heart. Help me to be about your business of making disciples by the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Friends, let’s put it into practice and make disciples for the glory of God. Next week, we will look at the “authority” and “power” to make disciples as Jesus told His disciples.
Who can you pray for and tell about Jesus today, this week, this month and this year? We must be intentional otherwise, nothing happens. Like Nike, “just do it.” Amen. May God encourage us to action and not to discouragement.
Matthew 28:16-20 - The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go [c]therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” [d]Amen.
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