Marks of Discipleship

This morning’s sermon encouraged me to re-examine what it truly means to be a disciple of Jesus. Sharing my reflections and takeaways hoping it will edify you as much as it did for me. One of the Marks of Discipleship is loving the Lord more than we love even our closest relationships. Another Mark of Discipleship was to keep to the commandments of God not out of duty, but out of love.

Loving One Another Like Christ

Jesus says in John 13:35, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” What does it mean to love as Christ loved us?

In John 13:1, we are reminded that Jesus love his disciples to the end. His love was enduring, sacrificial, and unconditional. Even when His disciples failed Him, His love never wavered. He stooped low to wash their feet, symbolizing how we too must serve others in humility if we are to have a part in Him.

Too often than not, our love is conditional. “I’ll forgive if they admit their fault first.” — a typical phrase that we all will normally say or think when comes to loving one another genuinely. However, Christ loved first and his love was unconditional. John 15:13 reminds us, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

In the same spirit, Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:15, “I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?” True love gives, even when it is not reciprocated.

Bearing Fruit

Another mark of discipleship is fruitfulness. Colossians 1:10 urges us to live lives worthy of the Lord, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God.

In John 15, Jesus contrasts two kinds of believers: one who bears no fruit and one who bears fruit and is pruned to bear more. In Verses 2–3, it speaks of pruning is a painful but necessary process where God cleanses us through His Word so that we may grow in his image. Like the disciples in Luke 9:54–56, we too must be corrected and shaped when our zeal or understanding veers from God’s heart.

Enduring to the End

To conclude this blog post sharing, discipleship is not a sprint but a marathon. In Matthew 10:22, Jesus says, “You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” The road of faith is long. We must not be self-satisfied or assume we’ve done “enough.” Patience, humility, and a continued dependence on God’s grace are essential as we journey on.

Discipleship is not just about attending church or calling ourselves Christians. It’s about becoming more like Jesus in love, sacrifice, obedience, and endurance.

Therefore, let us ask ourselves daily: “Am I truly a disciple of the Lord?”

If you would like to take charge of your spiritual nurture and begin this journey of true discipleship, do reach out to me on Telegram. 😊