Biblical Topics A to Z
Discipleship
What Jesus taught about what it means to follow him, carrying a cross daily, and the cost that his own words assign to genuine discipleship.
At a Glance
Discipleship is following Jesus as Lord, taking up one's cross daily, and being shaped into his likeness — a costly, lifelong commitment, not a one-time decision.
Overview
Jesus called disciples, not merely admirers. Discipleship in the Gospels means denying oneself, following Jesus at real cost, and being progressively conformed to his teaching and character. This study examines what Jesus explicitly required of those who would follow him and what the New Testament epistles add about ongoing growth as a disciple.
Learning Objectives
- •Define discipleship according to Jesus's own words in the Gospels
- •Identify the cost Jesus assigns to following him
- •Understand the relationship between discipleship and the Great Commission
- •Recognize what ongoing discipleship looks like after conversion
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.
Matthew 28:19-20
Read It in Context
This study quotes Matthew 28:19-20, but no verse stands alone. Open a Bible and read the whole surrounding chapter to see the full argument the passage sits within, then look up the other references cited throughout this study — Luke 9:23 and beyond — in their own context. Scripture is the final authority here, not this summary.
Historical & Literary Context
In first-century Judaism, a disciple (talmid) attached himself to a rabbi, living with him, learning his teaching, and imitating his way of life. Jesus's call to discipleship used this familiar pattern but reoriented it entirely around himself as the one to be followed and obeyed above all other loyalties, including family (Luke 14:26).
The Cost Jesus Names
In Luke 14:25-33, Jesus tells the crowds to count the cost before following him, comparing it to a builder planning a tower or a king weighing war. He states plainly that whoever does not forsake all that he has cannot be his disciple — discipleship is not a casual add-on to an existing life.
Deny, Take Up, Follow
Luke 9:23 gives Jesus's own three-part definition: deny self, take up the cross daily, and follow him. This is not a single dramatic event but a daily posture of surrendered obedience, patterned after Jesus's own path to the cross.
Making and Teaching Disciples
The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 defines discipleship as more than initial conversion — it includes baptism and ongoing teaching to observe everything Jesus commanded. Discipleship is a lifelong process of learning and obeying, not a finished status.
Christ-Centered Focus
Discipleship has no content apart from Jesus himself — he is both the one being followed and the pattern being imitated. His own cross-shaped obedience to the Father is the model disciples are called to walk out in their own lives.
Practical Application
Examine your daily life for areas where following Jesus costs something real — time, comfort, relationships, ambitions. Discipleship grows through ordinary daily choices to deny self and obey, not through occasional dramatic gestures.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I want to follow you, not just admire you from a distance. Teach me to deny myself daily, take up my cross, and walk in obedience to everything you have commanded. Amen.
Scripture Memory
"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."
Luke 9:23
Reflection Questions
- 1What does it mean practically to 'take up your cross daily' in your current season of life?
- 2Where has following Jesus cost you something, and how did you respond?
- 3How does the Great Commission shape what a healthy, ongoing discipleship process looks like?