Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations."-—Matthew 28:18–19
After I became a Christian, I wasn't really sure of what to do next. I was seventeen years old and in high school. No one told me that I needed to read the Bible, pray, or go to church. No one gave me any materials to read, much less a Bible.
So for a few days, I was in sort of a spiritual no-man's-land. I didn't really feel comfortable with my old friends that I had been hanging around with, but I didn't feel comfortable with the Christians, either. One reason was that I could hardly understand what they were talking about as they spoke to each other in their cryptic, "Christianese" type of language.
Thankfully, a young man named Mark took me under his wing. He invited me to come to church with him and began to help me grow spiritually. He taught me how to read the Bible, and he prayed with me. He was the first actual Christian I knew who modeled for me what it meant to be a follower of Jesus. He wasn't a Bible scholar, but he was a real believer. He made an impact on my life and put me on the path of spiritual growth. In short, what Mark did was disciple me.
What he did for me is what we need to do for others — to not only seek to win men and women to Jesus Christ, but also to disciple them. Anything less than this is falling short of the Great Commission.[Today's devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013]
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What Greg Laurie's time in a spiritual no-man's-land taught him about discipleship.
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Today's Bible Reading:
2 Samuel 3:1 Now there was long war between Saul’s house and David’s house. David grew stronger and stronger, but Saul’s house grew weaker and weaker. 2 Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 3 and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; 4 and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
6 While there was war between Saul’s house and David’s house, Abner made himself strong in Saul’s house. 7 Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”
8 Then Abner was very angry about Ishbosheth’s words, and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to Saul’s house your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman! 9 God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Yahweh has sworn to David, I don’t do even so to him; 10 to transfer the kingdom from Saul’s house, and to set up David’s throne over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.”
11 He could not answer Abner another word, because he was afraid of him.
12 Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, “Whose is the land?” and saying, “Make your alliance with me, and behold, my hand will be with you, to bring all Israel around to you.”
13 He said, “Good. I will make a treaty with you, but one thing I require of you. That is, you will not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.”
14 David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I was given to marry for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”
15 Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, even from Paltiel the son of Laish. 16 Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go! Return!” and he returned. 17 Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past, you sought for David to be king over you. 18 Now then do it; for Yahweh has spoken of David, saying, ‘By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.’”
19 Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to the whole house of Benjamin. 20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast. 21 Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires.” David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.
22 Behold, David’s servants and Joab came from a raid, and brought in a great plunder with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23 When Joab and all the army who was with him had come, they told Joab, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace.”
24 Then Joab came to the king, and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, and he is already gone? 25 You know Abner the son of Ner. He came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do.”
26 When Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David didn’t know it. 27 When Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. 28 Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “I and my kingdom are guiltless before Yahweh forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29 Let it fall on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house. Let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.” 30 So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle. 31 David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, and clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn in front of Abner.” King David followed the bier. 32 They buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at Abner’s grave; and all the people wept. 33 The king lamented for Abner, and said, “Should Abner die as a fool dies? 34 Your hands weren’t bound, and your feet weren’t put into fetters. As a man falls before the children of iniquity, so you fell.”
All the people wept again over him. 35 All the people came to urge David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun goes down.”
36 All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; as whatever the king did pleased all the people. 37 So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner. 38 The king said to his servants, “Don’t you know that there a prince and a great man has fallen today in Israel? 39 I am weak today, though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May Yahweh reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.”
1 Chronicles 12:1 Now these are those who came to David to Ziklag, while he was a fugitive from Saul the son of Kish. They were among the mighty men, his helpers in war. 2 They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in slinging stones and in shooting arrows from the bow. They were of Saul’s relatives of the tribe of Benjamin. 3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu the Anathothite; 4 Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty and a leader of the thirty; Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad the Gederathite; 5 Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah the Haruphite; 6 Elkanah, Isshiah Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites; 7 and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor. 8 Some Gadites joined David in the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for war, who could handle shield and spear; whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains: 9 Ezer the chief, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, 10 Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, 11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, 12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, 13 Jeremiah the tenth, and Machbannai the eleventh. 14 These of the sons of Gad were captains of the army: he who was least was equal to one hundred, and the greatest to one thousand. 15 These are those who went over the Jordan in the first month, when it had overflowed all its banks; and they put to flight all who lived in the valleys, both toward the east and toward the west. 16 Some of the children of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David. 17 David went out to meet them, and answered them, “If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if you have come to betray me to my adversaries, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers see this and rebuke it.” 18 Then the Spirit came on Amasai, who was chief of the thirty, and he said, “We are yours, David, and on your side, you son of Jesse. Peace, peace be to you, and peace be to your helpers; for your God helps you.” Then David received them, and made them captains of the band. 19 Some of Manasseh also joined David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle; but they didn’t help them; for the lords of the Philistines sent him away after consultation, saying, “He will desert to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads.”
20 As he went to Ziklag, some from Manasseh joined him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, captains of thousands who were of Manasseh. 21 They helped David against the band of rovers; for they were all mighty men of valor, and were captains in the army. 22 For from day to day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army, like God’s army.
23 These are the numbers of the heads of those who were armed for war, who came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to Yahweh’s word. 24 The children of Judah who bore shield and spear were six thousand eight hundred, armed for war. 25 Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valor for the war, seven thousand one hundred. 26 Of the children of Levi four thousand six hundred. 27 Jehoiada was the leader of the household of Aaron; and with him were three thousand seven hundred, 28 and Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his father’s house twenty-two captains. 29 Of the children of Benjamin, Saul’s relatives, three thousand: for until then, the greatest part of them had kept their allegiance to Saul’s house. 30 Of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous men in their fathers’ houses. 31 Of the half-tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were mentioned by name, to come and make David king. 32 Of the children of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their heads were two hundred; and all their brothers were at their command. 33 Of Zebulun, such as were able to go out in the army, who could set the battle in array, with all kinds of instruments of war, fifty thousand, and who could command and were not of double heart. 34 Of Naphtali one thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty-seven thousand. 35 Of the Danites who could set the battle in array, twenty-eight thousand six hundred. 36 Of Asher, such as were able to go out in the army, who could set the battle in array, forty thousand. 37 On the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and of the half-tribe of Manasseh, with all kinds of instruments of war for the battle, one hundred twenty thousand. 38 All these were men of war, who could order the battle array, and came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king. 39 They were there with David three days, eating and drinking; for their brothers had supplied provisions for them. 40 Moreover those who were near to them, as far as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, brought bread on donkeys, on camels, on mules, and on oxen: supplies of flour, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, wine, oil, cattle, and sheep in abundance; for there was joy in Israel.
Matthew 15:1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat bread.”
3 He answered them, “Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’[a] and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’[b] 5 But you say, ‘Whoever may tell his father or his mother, “Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God,” 6 he shall not honor his father or mother.’ You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,
8 ‘These people draw near to me with their mouth,
and honor me with their lips;
but their heart is far from me.
9 And in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrine rules made by men.’”[c]
10 He summoned the multitude, and said to them, “Hear, and understand. 11 That which enters into the mouth doesn’t defile the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”
12 Then the disciples came, and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?”
13 But he answered, “Every plant which my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted. 14 Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
15 Peter answered him, “Explain the parable to us.”
16 So Jesus said, “Do you also still not understand? 17 Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly, and then out of the body? 18 But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn’t defile the man.”
21 Jesus went out from there, and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 Behold, a Canaanite woman came out from those borders, and cried, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, you son of David! My daughter is severely possessed by a demon!”
23 But he answered her not a word.
His disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away; for she cries after us.”
24 But he answered, “I wasn’t sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
25 But she came and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, help me.”
26 But he answered, “It is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
27 But she said, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
28 Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Be it done to you even as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.
29 Jesus departed there, and came near to the sea of Galilee; and he went up into the mountain, and sat there. 30 Great multitudes came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others, and they put them down at his feet. He healed them, 31 so that the multitude wondered when they saw the mute speaking, injured whole, lame walking, and blind seeing—and they glorified the God of Israel.
32 Jesus summoned his disciples and said, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away fasting, or they might faint on the way.”
33 The disciples said to him, “Where should we get so many loaves in a deserted place as to satisfy so great a multitude?”
34 Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?”
They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”
35 He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground; 36 and he took the seven loaves and the fish. He gave thanks and broke them, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. 37 They all ate, and were filled. They took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over. 38 Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 Then he sent away the multitudes, got into the boat, and came into the borders of Magdala.
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 15:4 Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16
b. Matthew 15:4 Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9
c. Matthew 15:9 Isaiah 29:13
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Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie
P.O. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514-4000
Phone: 1(800)821-3300
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