A brief and refreshing consideration of the principle of discipleship for young believers to consider.
How gracious the invitation and rich the experience to respond to the words of our Lord: “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt 11:29)! Partnership (yoke) with Him is kindly (easy) because His heart designed it. Rest of soul is the only result possible for the willing disciple. John, a faithful disciple of the Lord Jesus, wrote, “Hereby know we that we know Him” (1 John 2:13). He thus states that we learn by experience with Him that we know (assuredly) Him.
A disciple is a learner at the feet and in the pathway of his teacher. Our Lord Jesus is the perfect example. “The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned (disciple), that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth my ear to hear as the learner (disciple)” (Isaiah 50:4). Let us emulate our wondrous Master.
In Luke 9:37-62 our Lord Jesus, upon descending from the mount of transfiguration, taught His disciples the helps and hindrances to discipleship. The seven helps commence with verses 37-42, work in faith, verses 44-45, be willing students, verses 46-48, the wisdom of humility, verses 49-50, worker’s discernment, verses 51-56, waiting God’s time, verses 57-60, wise priorities and verses 61-62, wholeheartedness. In each account, hindrances are emphasized. As disciples we should take note of them. Independence of him is followed by the pride of fearlessness, rivalry among servants, misjudgment of others, impulsiveness, indecision and half heartedness.
Young believer, sit at the Master’s feet to learn and develop these spiritual qualities. They transform the disciple to the image of his Lord and are the avenues of power for the expansion of His work today. Now we are schooling in view of the moment of graduation to eternal service in the kingdom of our great God and Lord Jesus Christ.
My glorious Victor, Prince divine,
Clasp these surrendered hands in thine;
At length my will is all thine own,
Glad vassal of a Savior’s throne.
