I want to share the Word of God with us very briefly through this piece and I believe that word is going to help us and give us an understanding that we need to have at such a time as this as disciples and disciplers. We want to look at: God's Transformation Agenda Through Discipleship. And we want to consider very briefly looking at our roles as disciples and disciplers. In that God's transformation agenda through discipleship, what exactly is our role as disciples and as disciplers of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now let's open our Bibles to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. We are going to begin our observation from that place, second Corinthians chapter five. We are going to read from verse 11-21, that is going to be our anchor text. God's Transformation Agenda Through Discipleship. Now the Bible says through Apostle Paul, it says:

 

Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust, are well known in your consciences. ¹² For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. ¹³ For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; ¹⁵ and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

 

Those who live; including disciples and disciplers, it says as we live, we live to Him who died for us and rose again.

 

¹⁶ Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. ¹⁸ Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. ²⁰ Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

 

Now may the Lord bless the reading of His words in our hearts in the name of Jesus. We want to look at God's transformation agenda or plan through discipleship. Now I want us to begin to meditate together. We are going to come back to these verses after some time, but I quickly want to give us what discipleship actually mean, what discipleship entail. Now, while I was meditating this definition came to my heart and I think that I should share it with us because it conveys to us, in a broader context and in a broader understanding what the word discipleship, mean. Now when we talk about discipleship, it is a transformation process or journey through which a man, a woman is made to be like Christ.

 

Now, it's one of the definitions of discipleship that we know in the past but it just came in this light. So, when we are looking at discipleship, it is a transformation process. It is a change process that begins from when a man or a woman gives his or her life to Christ, unto him or her becoming like Christ. So, the end goal of discipleship actually, as we have heard over and over again, is that when that disciple is perfect, he will become just like his master. So, what exactly does it mean? That when we are perfected in discipleship, when we have arrived, so to say in discipleship, what it simply means is that we will become like Christ. Now, at what point does the journey of discipleship begin? You see, the journey of discipleship begins at the point of salvation. So, when you are looking at that entrance point into discipleship, it is at that point when you have surrendered your life to Christ Jesus.

 

So, in other words, if you want to come into the school of discipleship, just like if you want to go into any normal school in the world, there is a process through which you will take, you will go to the school and obtain a form. So, when you become born again, actually, it is the form that we obtain that launches us into the school of discipleship. So, we are not just born again, we are not just saved, so that we can escape the corruption of the world, and come to enjoy all that Christ has made available for us, that is beautiful, it is a path to it. But the ultimate goal of discipleship is that when we become born again, we begin that journey, that process of becoming exactly like Christ.

 

Now, when you begin to look at the church, the setting the body of Christ, that is called church today, you will discover that there are so many born again children of God, but yet, they are not disciples. So, the reason why we have many people that are saved, of course, so to say, and not many people are disciples is simply because many people become saved and they plateau at that point of being saved. Actually, the agenda of God and the ultimate idea of God for discipleship is that when you become born again, you take a step further into what is known as discipleship. So, you are not just born again to plateau, you are actually born again to enter into the original plan of God. And what is the plan of God, that plan of God is actually you being groomed, you being tutored, you being built up into the image of Christ.

 

So, you cannot enter into the fullness of God and into the purpose of God for your life if you are not discipled, even though you may be born again. Discipleship is a deliberate effort; it is a deliberate journey that you begin at the point of salvation. So, you don't get born again, you don't get saved, and then you relax, and then you plateau, and then you tell yourself, well, I think everything is now good, everything is now beautiful, no. When you are saved… and that is why we read that second Corinthians chapter 5, from verse 11-21. When you are saved, it is like a transition from a level into another superior level. So, when you are saved, the process is that you come into the family of God or you come into the household of God, which is called the church.

 

So, when you come into that household, the idea and the plan of God for you in that family is that you are groomed. And that is why when we look at Ephesians chapter 4:11, I want us to see that Scripture. Let's look at what happens when you are saved. Ephesians chapter 4, we are going to read from verse 11-15. And there are a few words that we're going to extract from that place that is going to help us understand what we are talking about as disciples and disciplers us. Look at what Paul said. It says: And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ…

 

Did we see that? So, the body of Christ is the family of God on earth. The Body of Christ is called the church. I believe that you know that the church is not the building, the body of Christ is called Ecclesia, the called-out ones, those who have been called out of the world so to say, even they are still in the world, to be identified with Christ. that is what the bod of Christ is. So, when you are born again, you come into that body. What exactly do you come to do in that body? What exactly is your role in that body. Now, look at what it says.

 

¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴ that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting…

 

Now, let's stop at that verse 14. You see, there are seven keywords in those verses that we just read that are actually very germane to understanding our roles in the transformation agenda of God as disciples. And what I want us to do is to look at those words in relation to our discipleship. When you come into discipleship, just as we have come, what exactly is it that we are expecting? When you make up your mind to be discipled…Now that we are born again, when you make up your mind to be discipled, in that journey of becoming like Christ, and in that journey of partnering with God in the transformation process, what exactly are those things that are supposed to take place in your life and in your discipleship? Just like when you enrolled in a school, what are the things that are expected to take place in that school? Now, let me show seven things.

 

Now, the very first what you will see in that place is the word EQUIPPING. It says: for the equipping of the body, for the equipping of the saints. Now the word equipping, what exactly does it mean? I checked the meaning and it talked about being made ready. When you are being equipped as a disciple, it simply means that you are being made ready. Being made ready for what? Being made ready for your assignment. Being made ready for your ministry. And if God's agenda is going to be established, if you are going to partner with God in seeing to this transformation agenda through discipleship, you as a disciple must be equipped. In other words, you must be made ready. That's what it means.

 

So, disciples are the ones that carry out these assignments. Now look at it, Hebrews chapter 13. Let me show us that Scripture talking about equipping so that you can know that when you are being equipped in discipleship, it is for a purpose. Hebrews chapter 13:20-21 says: Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant…” So, what exactly does Jesus have to do with you equipping you? If you are not ready to do anything, there is no need for you to be equipped. You don't kit up for war if there is no battle to be fought. So, the moment you are kitting up for war, it means there is a battle to be fought, you don't just wear your armory, wear everything and you are not going for battle.

 

So, when Jesus says he is going to equip us, equip us for what? Equip us for the assignment. It says equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. So, from that place, what do we do in discipleship? WE DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER. So, it says Christ Jesus equips us to do His will, it says working in us that which is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Did we see that? So, when you are born again, you take a step further into discipleship. At that point of entry into discipleship, what exactly are you coming to do? You are coming to be equipped in order for you to carry out your assignment that you have been called into.

 

Don't forget in second Corinthians chapter five that we read; the Bible says God committed into our hands the ministry of reconciliation. How can you carry out that ministry if you are not equipped? That is what discipleship is made for. So, it says we are equipped by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip us with everything. So, there is nothing that you need to carry out this discipleship journey that you will not be equipped with. Did we see that?

 

Now let's move to the next one. It is EDIFICATION. It says edifying itself in love. If you go back to that Ephesians chapter four that we read. It talks about edification. What does edifying mean? When you come into discipleship, how are you edified? Now let me show us another word. You see, edification talks about being built. It also means to instruct and improve, especially in moral and religious knowledge. So, when you are being edified in the body, it says you are being built up, to edify means to build up. And we're going to find out the fundamental, why we need to be built up. Because if you are not built up in discipleship, you are going to be the weak link.

 

Now, I'm going to use an example of building in this context. But let's open our Bible and read Ephesians 2 first, it is going to paint that picture of building to us. It helps us to understand what edification means in discipleship and how we fit into that process. In Ephesians 2:19-22, the apostle Paul said: “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God…” That talks about the body that you came into at salvation. It says further: ²⁰ having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets…” From Ephesians chapter 4 verse 11, what does the Bible says Jesus give to us? It says apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. So, when you come fully into the fold, it says you are being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. So, these are people responsible for your growth in discipleship.

 

Now, it says: “Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, ²² in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” So why is it important that you are built up in discipleship? It is because you have a role in the building. Are we getting what I'm saying? You have a role in the building. And the challenge is if you are not being built up, you are going to form a crack in the wall. Now, it's like looking at a beautiful wall and then you see a crack somewhere. It simply shows that there is an element within the structure that is not well built. Maybe you have a block that is not the same size with the other blocks. So, from that place crack comes in.

 

In discipleship, if you are going to fit perfectly into the building, it is necessity that you are built up. And many times, the process of building is not easy. And that is why sometimes discipleship is not easy. And that is why many people don't want it. If discipleship is actually easy, many will be found in it. Just like that narrow path that Jesus said. If it was an easy road, he says many will be found. Discipleship is like that narrow road, those who have made up their mind, those who are ready to follow Christ till the end, those who know and understand their assignment in God, that God will not come down Himself and change the world, but He will use his disciples, they are the ones that give themselves to this process, edification. You must be built up. You must be built up to the degree that you are fit in the household of God, did we see that?

 

So, it says being fitted together. It is not a lonely journey. Being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom also you are being built for a dwelling place in the Spirit. So why do we come into discipleship? It is so that we can come to be built. Why are we being built? It is so that we can find a place in the household of God, it is so that we can journey in with God in this transformation agenda.

 

I want us to look at the next word because of time, KNOWLEDGE. If you read that Ephesians 4:11-14 that we examined earlier, you will discover knowledge. What exactly does knowledge talk about? Knowledge talks about the right information or understanding. You must have the right knowledge of Christ Jesus. There are many knowledge in the world about Christ. You know, I read something online some days ago. They said there is a particular guy in Kenya, who has been claiming that he is Christ. So, his followers have made up their mind that this year’s Easter, they want to crucify him. He said he is Christ, so, he is supposed to die so that they can know if he would resurrect on the third day. So, the guy went to the police to report that these people want to kill me in Easter.

 

You know, there are many knowledge of Christ in the world today, many information about Christ. But there is the right knowledge and information and understanding about Christ Jesus. When you come into this discipleship, you come to obtain that right knowledge, not the warped knowledge, not the lie that goes on in the world, not those who claim to be Christ Jesus, but they are not Christ Jesus. And that is why you cannot truly understand Christ outside of the fold. So, when you come into the household of God, you come to learn about Christ. Because Ephesians four showed us that it is the fullness of the statue of Christ that is the zenith of discipleship. He is the one that you must be like, you can't get that information in the world. You can't get it outside the fold. You must come into the fold for you to be able to have that right information.

 

First Corinthians chapter 1:4-6. Let me show us something. Look at what Paul said. Paul said: “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, ⁵ that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge…” What did he say we are enriched with? Did we see that? With all utterance and all knowledge, not some knowledge. There are some knowledge of Christ Jesus outside of discipleship. But if you want to have all knowledge, a rounded knowledge, a rounded information and understanding about Christ Jesus, you must enroll in discipleship. You can't get it outside. You must fully enroll. It says in all knowledge ⁶ even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you…” How do you get to the point where the testimony of Christ is confirmed in you? When you are fully knowledgeable. Who is Christ? What exactly does Christ represents? Did we see that? So, in all knowledge, and as it is confirmed in you. So, when you come into discipleship, you come to obtain a knowledge.

 

You come to know everything that Christ is, you come to know everything that Jesus represents. If you try to seek it outside of discipleship, you are going to have a warped knowledge of Christ. And that is why Jesus Christ, when He began his ministry, he called his disciples onto him, because they've read a couple of things about him in the law. But when he showed up, he needed to bring them closer. You can't be discipled from afar. Discipleship takes place in a close-knitted relationship where the Discipler reveals himself to you. Jesus said to His disciples, whatever it is I've said to you in secret, he says, go to the rooftops and let it known. Because there is a knowledge that you need in discipleship that you can't get from afar, you need to come closer, it says, knowledge, all knowledge. And that was why there was nothing about Jesus Christ that His disciples did not know. There was no secret information about Jesus that they did not know. They knew when he was hungry. They knew when he was sleeping, even though many people may look at Jesus and say we don't even know when this man sleeps. But they saw him when he slept. So, how do you become fully like Christ if you are far away? You must come. Jesus said come unto me. You can't know him from afar. Knowledge!

 

Now, the next in that Ephesians four. It talks about PERFECTION. From verse 13 says: till we all come to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man. We just talked about knowledge. The next one is perfection. So, which means in Christ Jesus, perfection is attainable. Matthew chapter 5:48, Jesus said, be perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect. In the world, perfection may be impossible. But in discipleship, when you begin to follow the way, you ought to follow, it says you can be a perfect man.

 

The next one is to the MEASURE. Now I began to think about the word measure. What exactly does measure talk about? Measure talks about a dimension. It says to the measure… let's pause a bit. It means that when you come into Christ through discipleship, there is a dimension of Christ that is revealed to you. That dimension you may not know it from afar, but when you come close, you see that dimension. Now look at this Scripture. I was thinking about that Scripture. But the Holy Spirit gave me an understanding, Romans chapter 12:3, it talks about something that I quickly want to show us, talking about this measure. What exactly does this measure talk about?

 

Now Paul was writing to the Roman folks. It says: “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” Now I was thinking about it. Paul was talking to people who are supposedly saved. So, he says God has dealt to each man a measure of faith. So, is it a measure of faith to be saved, no, because he was speaking to those who are already born again. So, a measure of faith for what? In this context, it is simply talking about a measure of faith that you can use to deploy every gift and resource that God has placed in you for discipleship. Because immediately after that verse three, he started talking about their spiritual gifts.

 

So, it says that if you want the gift of God, because God will not call you into an assignment and not equip you, that was where we began from. Now, if you have been equipped, you need a grace, a kind of faith that is at like a resource to make you deploy that gifting. So that measure of faith is not the one that will draw you to salvation, because Paul was speaking to those who are born again, does he want them to be born again, again? No! It is a measure of faith for the deployment of the gift of God in you. Look at it; it says: as we have many members in one body… still talking about the body, your role and your assignment in that body.

 

“For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, ⁵ so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. ⁶ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us…”

 

Then he started talking about having therefore gifts differing from one another, he says, let us use them. If it is for prophecy, it says prophesy with the proportion of faith, if it is giving, it says, give with liberality, if it is teaching, teach, and he began to list them, with that measure of faith. So, when you come into that dimension, into that measure, you are able to lay hold of the faith that has been given to you to deploy your gifting.

 

Now look at the next one, STATURE. What does stature talk about? Stature talks about heights. There is a height in Christ Jesus that is only attainable in Him. And that is why Paul said every now and then, that I may know him. With every depth of knowledge of Apostle Paul, he still said that I may know him. What exactly was Paul looking for? He was looking for that stature, there is a stature of Christ that is only attainable in Christ Jesus. It says to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

 

The last word there is FULLNESS. What exactly does fullness mean? Fullness talks about roundedness. In discipleship, you come to discover the roundedness, the fullness, the wholeness, that is in Christ Jesus. So, we can see that it is beyond being saved. And that is why we looked at the definition of discipleship as a process. In God's transformation agenda, God's plan and idea is that discipleship will be that vehicle that will drive that transformation. How is God planning to change the world? How is God planning to change people? If God intended to use the angels from the beginning, then man would not have come into the equation. So, it means that in that agenda of transformation, the world is going to be saved through discipleship and that's why Jesus said to His disciples, go therefore into all the world… what exactly are they supposed to do there? To go and make disciples!

 

We are not sent to go and start churches. As beautiful as it is, because that is like the school of discipleship. In fact, every church should be named School of discipleship because that's actually primarily the purpose of the church. So that when people are saved, and they come into the church, they are discipled and then they are deployed. So, God is going to save the world through discipleship, and how are you supposed to do or understand what discipleship mean if you haven't started the journey?

 

Let's look at this conclusion. You cannot run away from discipleship. There is no one who has claimed to be born again, who can run away from discipleship. Now as beautiful as it is that your life has come to be in God through Christ Jesus, it is not the end. It is actually a means to an end.  Now let's go back to that second Corinthians chapter five and look at that statement in the light of that text. So that you will know that if you have not started your journey of discipleship, it is never too late. Second Corinthians chapter five verse seventeen. It says: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation…” So, glory be to God, you are now in Christ, you are a new creation. It actually takes a new creation to disciple the world and that's why God decided to make you new first.

 

Every baggage of the old shouldn't come with you into discipleship. So, you should come as a new man, as a new woman who is coming to pick up a new assignment. Now is a new creation. It says “old things have passed away…” In other words, whatever it is that is a baggage, that may want to hold you down, God is showing you that they are passed away. It says all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. So, as a born-again child of God, do you have a ministry? You see, the simplest form of understanding what ministry is, is an assignment. So, ask yourself, Do I have an assignment from God as a child of God who is born again? The assignment is the ministry.

 

It does not matter at what level that you are starting the assignment from; it is the understanding that you have an assignment that is germane. Now, how are you equipped or how are you supposed to be equipped for this assignment, and that is what discipleship does. So, when you are fully equipped, when you are fully edified, when you have been taught the knowledge of Christ, you are in turn deployed, to reconcile… It says all things of God who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has giving us the ministry of reconciliation, that is that God was in Christ Jesus reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them and has committed to us… not to the angels, to us. the word of reconciliation…”

 

Verse 20 says: “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ.” So, when you come into discipleship, it is of utmost importance that transformation has taking place in you. You have been transformed; you have been changed. And now, you now become a change agent, a transformation agent or a transformational agent. You an ambassador! So, everywhere you find yourself, it simply means that you represent Christ. It says… Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us, we implore you on Christ behalf, be reconciled to God.”

 

So, in discipleship, it is where and where you are trained for your assignment that God has given to you. Now the truth of the matter is, there is an assignment of God on your life. Whether you like it or not. The only time you can stop hearing this word is when you stop identifying with the body of Christ, with the household of God. There is an assignment of God on your life, and it is discipleship that unravels that assignment. I pray the Lord is going to help us in Jesus’ name. So, you cannot run away from discipleship. It is something that you must go through, it is a cross. Jesus said if anyone wants to follow him, let him take his cross daily. Discipleship is a cross that we carry daily. And carrying a cross is not easy. Was it easy when Jesus was carrying his cross? No, it was not easy. And that was the same word that Jesus used. If you are going to follow me, He says, carry your cross daily.

 

I pray the Lord is going to give us understanding in Jesus’ name.

Thanks for the gift of your time, I am Obayomi Abiola Benjamin!

Feel free to share your thoughts or testimony in the comment box below. I promise to respond to them as soon as possible!