Written by Kirk Cowman
In yesterday’s devotional I spoke about Jesus’ desire for us to become disciples who make disciples who make disciples. The question is, how do you do this? In Acts 16 we see a great example of how to get started doing this.
In Acts 16 we find Paul on his second missionary journey. In verse 9 we read about Paul having a vision of a man inviting him to come and preach in Macedonia. As we follow the account of Paul’s life in Acts we discover that this wasn’t a one-time experience. Paul often had visions, dreams or whispers from God that guided him. The Holy Spirit was always guiding Paul to people who would be receptive to him and the teachings of Jesus. As you begin your journey of becoming a disciple who makes disciples pray and ask God to guide you, then believe he will. Remember that it is his mission. God knows where you need to go next.
Paul heads to Macedonia and ends up in the city of Philippi. In verse 13 we read that on the first Sabbath Paul went where people tended to gather and worship God. In Philippi, this was a spot outside the city by the river. The next step in finding the person God wants you to disciple involves being present. If God is calling you to witness, then you have to get in proximity to people who need witnessing to. If God is calling you to mentor a young person, then you have to be where young people are. I wonder how often we miss out on disciple-making opportunities because we didn’t show up?
While at the river bank Paul began speaking with the people who were gathered and he met a woman named Lydia. Verse 14 says that as Lydia listened to Paul speak about Jesus, “the Lord opened her heart and she accepted what Paul was saying.” Paul listened to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. He went where people hung out, then he began to speak about his faith, and as a result Lydia and her entire household was baptized. The next step in becoming a disciple-maker is proclaiming the message of Jesus. To proclaim is to declare or speak something with confidence. Proclaiming the message of Jesus doesn’t mean that you shove it down someone’s throat or argue until they come around. Paul didn’t argue or preach at Lydia. He just spoke about what he believed and “the Lord opened [Lydia’s] heart.”
Being a disciple who makes disciples is a partnership between you and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit starts the work and finishes the work. Your part is to be present and speak confidently about your faith. I think, too often, that we believe our presence will be enough, that our actions will convince someone to follow Jesus. We may believe our words will be enough, so we preach instead of speaking, we argue instead of discussing but we don’t give people our presence in order to show them what a life transformed looks like. The truth is that it takes both our presence and our proclamation to witness and disciple someone.
After Lydia and her household are baptized, she asks Paul to stay with her household so that they could grow in their faith. Paul stays with Lydia and as a result she becomes one of the founding members of the church in Philippi. A movement of faith breaks out in the city of Philippi and many lives are changed.
Jesus referred to a person like Lydia, whose heart is open, as a “person of peace”. He said, “When you find them, stay with them. Stay with them and share everything that was shared with you.” When you find a person of peace, like Paul did, pour into them everything that was poured into you. This is the essence of discipleship–finding a person of peace and sharing what was shared with you.
Prayer, presence and proclamation. Which step do you often find most challenging? Which step do you need to take today? Who might be a “person of peace” the Holy Spirit is leading you to today?
