In a classic series called The Chronicles of Narnia, C. S. Lewis creates a fantasy world ruled by a great lion named Aslan. There’s one scene in Prince Caspian. Lucy is much older since last seeing Aslan. But upon meeting him again, she says, “Aslan. Dear Aslan…At last.” The great beast rolled over on his side so that Lucy fell, half sitting and half lying between his front paws. He bent forward and just touched her nose with his tongue. His warm breath came all round her. She gazed up into the large wise face. “Welcome, child,” he said. “Aslan,” said Lucy, “you’re bigger.” “That is because you are older, little one”…“Not because you are?” she asked. “I am not,” he said, “But every year you grow, you will find me bigger.”[i]

Usually, when children grow up things get smaller. Their bodies no longer fit the swing. The bed feels shorter. The swimming pool isn’t so deep. But more Lucy grows up, the bigger she realizes that Aslan has been all along. That’s a fitting way to illustrate discipleship. Christian discipleship is about growing up. But every year you grow, you will find Jesus greater. To this point in our series, we’ve answered what discipleship entails. We’ve also discussed who’s involved. Now we need to answer How. How do we help each other grow? I’ve tried to sketch a picture with six interrelated layers.

Proclaiming the Excellencies of God

For starters, we help each other grow by proclaiming the excellencies of God. 1 Peter 2:9 says that, in Christ, God made you “a holy nation, a royal priesthood, a people for his own possession [for this purpose]: that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

The idea of proclaiming God’s excellencies comes from places like Psalm 9:14, “[Be gracious, Lord] that I may recount all your praises, that in the gates of the daughter of Zion, I may rejoice in your salvation.” Or Psalm 71:15, “My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.” We could say the Psalms regularly discipled God’s people by recalling the Lord’s excellencies. We’ve been saved to do the same.

God has saved us to proclaim his excellencies—to know God and to deepen the pleasure of others in his greatness. Therefore, proclaim his greatness. Study God’s attributes and set them before each other often. Recently, I read a book called Consider the Lilies. It’s written to disciple those who battle anxiety. Most helpful were the chapters on God’s attributes—his goodness, his knowledge, his power, his love, his presence. One by one he proclaims these excellencies. He turns them and studies them and then shows how those excellencies apply to anxiety.

Do that for each other. Share your problems; but don’t stop there. Talk about God in the middle of your problems. He’s greater. He can handle them. More than that, he’s worthy. Also, that’s how he changes us. 2 Corinthians taught us not long ago—3:18, “we…are being transformed into [Christ’s] image from one degree of glory to another.” How? “By beholding the glory of the Lord.” We grow by beholding the Lord’s glory. So, proclaim his excellencies to each other. Like Paul in Romans, let your words help others say with you, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!”

Cultivating Affection for Christ

We also help each other grow by cultivating affection for Christ. Consider Jesus’ parable in Matthew 13:44. “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” What made the man in Jesus’ parable sell everything? Joy in the value of the Treasure. When you stand at the foot of a mountain, what makes you say, “Wow, let’s climb it!”—or if you’re not a climber, “Wow! I want to move here and see it every morning!”? Your delight in the beauty compels these responses.

When we disciple others, we’re not aiming for mere information transfer, as if we’re transferring megabytes to a flash storage chip. Discipling is not a formula, a program, a list. It’s not mere behavior modification. Discipling starts with what we love, what we treasure about Christ. Discipling involves wonder. Paul prays for the church to have strength just to comprehend “the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.”

What do you treasure about Christ? Is it his infinite perfections as God the Son? What about his aseity—that he is without need and in himself all-sufficient? Maybe it’s that he dwells in unapproachable light, that he is immutable, immense, eternal, Almighty, most pure, most holy, most wise, most sovereign. Or maybe his character—how he’s abundant in goodness and truth, just, loving, gracious, merciful. Or maybe his salvation comes to mind: for our sake he took on flesh to live the righteous life we couldn’t. Jesus died for the penalty we deserved. He rose to conquer sin, death, and the devil, and bring us into God’s presence where joy abounds and peace reigns.

What do you love about Jesus? Do you have it in your mind? Here’s my challenge: take whatever you love about Christ and share it with someone in our church. It could be after the service, through a text message, a card in the mail, at dinner, over the phone. Help each other grow by setting the truth and goodness of Christ before each other. Discipling is all about reordering our loves around Jesus.

Instructing in the Gospel and Its Demands

Here’s another layer: we help each other grow by instructing in the gospel and its demands. Demands include words like, “Repent,” “Love your enemies,” “Flee sexual immorality,” “Do everything to the glory of God.” But “Repent!” is not the gospel. “Love your neighbor” is not the gospel. The gospel is the good news of how God reconciled us to himself through Jesus’ substitutionary death.[ii] The gospel is God’s saving purpose revealed in the person and work of Jesus.[iii] The demands flow from that good news.

Example: Mark 10:35-45. The disciples ask who deserves the best seat in heaven. They argue. What does Jesus say? “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant; whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.” That’s the demand. But what lies beneath that command? The gospel: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Another example is 1 Corinthians 6:13-21. Paul is dealing with sexual immorality. The chapter ends with two commands: “Flee sexual immorality” and “Glorify God in your body.” That’s the demand. But standing behind these commands are rich gospel realities. One is spiritual union with Jesus. Verse 15, “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!” Another gospel reality is your identity as God’s temple. Verse 19, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?” God dwells in you, Christian—that affects what you do with your body. Then, more good news comes in verse 20: “you were bought with a price.” That’s redemption language. Jesus the Lamb spilled his blood to liberate you from slavery. You can flee immorality because sin isn’t your master any longer.

Romans 12 is another example. Paul is dealing with anger. Verse 18 says, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves…” That’s the demand. But what’s the gospel beneath it? “But leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’” Why can you put away sinful anger? Why can you pursue peace with your enemy? Because God will judge. Believers have the good news of Jesus’ return for judgment.

This is the pattern throughout Scripture. To encourage humility Philippians 2 draws from Jesus’ incarnation; to encourage purity 1 John 3 draws from Jesus’ righteousness; to encourage perseverance Revelation 5 draws from Jesus’ present reign; to encourage courtesy toward outsiders Titus 3 draws from God’s mercy in Christ. The gospel has so many facets; and part of discipling is connecting the dots to all of life.

So, let’s say that someone confesses their sin to you. They need help. Our answer isn’t simply, “Well, stop it.” Show them why and how they can stop it, because of the grace of God. When someone needs courage, our answer isn’t simply, “You can do it!” Show them why and how they can do it in Christ.

Admonishing in the Gospel and Its Demands

The flipside to this instruction is admonishing—that’s a fourth layer we’re adding to the sketch. Admonishing includes rebuke, correction, reproof, warning. It’s less comfortable to give, even harder to receive. But it’s necessary. Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another.”

Think of the way Paul addresses Peter in Galatians 2. Peter was just fine eating with the Gentiles. Some Jewish leaders show up. Then Peter wouldn’t eat with Gentiles; he feared the circumcision party. What does Paul do? He rebukes Peter because his actions were “out of step with the gospel.” Peter needed Paul to help him connect the dots: “if justification is not by works [and I know you believe that, Peter], then why are you suddenly treating Gentiles this way?”

We must do this for each other. Several years ago, I received some criticism as a pastor. I felt deflated, discouraged. I shared the situation with another brother. He wrote me back that week and this is one thing (of five!) he shared:

Guard your heart against desires that may be foreign to the purposes of God for [our church]. Despair follows after a heart whose wants have been frustrated…God will accomplish his work of salvation, sanctification, glorification. If he chooses to do so through sermons that are never perfect…and people that are never perfect, he does so on purpose. Our idolatrous heart sometimes uses despair over failure and weakness to veil our desire for praise.

“…to veil our desire for praise.” Those last few words were like a dagger sinking into my prideful heart. It was much needed. Do you have people who will talk to you like that? Find trusted friends and invite them to speak that way. Open that door for them: “If you ever see me straying, would you please admonish me?”

Now, let me also add that the gospel shapes our manner in admonishment. James 1:19, for example, “let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak.” Francis Schaeffer used to say, “If I have only an hour with someone, I’ll spend the first fifty-five minutes asking questions and finding out what’s troubling their heart and mind, and then in the last five minutes I will share something of the truth.” Slow to speak.

Or Colossians 3:16, “teaching and admonishing one another with all wisdom.” Speak in ways appropriate to the situation and to the individual. Ephesians 4:29 adds, “as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

Let’s say my daughter knows that she shouldn’t be on the shed. Regardless, she climbs on the shed. It’s a dewy morning. She slips, falls, now she’s bleeding. That’s not the moment to say, “Well, I told you so. You know you’re not supposed to be up there.” That’s not fitting. Rather, I should pick her up, hold her, ask, “Where does it hurt?” I get her the right care. Then, after she’s rested and healing, we talk. We look at the consequences and we work on change. It must fit the occasion.

Admonishing isn’t just throwing words at each other. It’s about knowing what God is like first, and then about knowing each other well enough to know how best to speak and serve in any given moment.

Renewing Your Mind

Shifting now to a fifth layer to help us grow—renewing your mind. We could also call this worldview formation. A worldview is your all-encompassing perspective on everything that matters: where’d we come from; what shapes morality; what’s possible and not possible.[iv] It’s the lens through which you see everything.

We all have a worldview. Sometimes that worldview overlaps with truth. At other times, it’s warped and not as receptive to the truth. How you think about the world is not always accurate, but it will always affect how you live. To live in ways that please God, we must learn to view the world as God does. That’s why Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.”

One way to renew your mind is letting Scripture reshape your imagination. The book of Revelation is a perfect illustration. In first-century Rome you had this goddess named Roma. She personified the Roman state. Her image was stamped on coins. Her statues adorned buildings. She looks like this strong, virtuous woman wrapped in battle garments. Sometimes she’s “reclining on Rome’s seven hills.”[v] The message was “Rome is strong.” “Rome takes care of you.” “Rome is your peace.” “Rome is the world’s hope.” If you live in that long enough, it’s easy to start believing that’s normal.

But here’s what Revelation 17 does: it jerks the reader from that “normal” to reveal the true state of things in Rome. From God’s perspective, that woman sitting on seven hills is no virtuous woman. She is “the Great Prostitute” who rides the Devil’s Beast. That’ll wake you up; and some of the Christians needed that. The Christians at Pergamum and Thyatira were tolerating idolatry and sexual sin. Laodicea was leaning heavily on Rome’s riches, so much so that it made them feel superior and without need of Jesus. But God wrote Revelation 17 to wake them up: “Look what you’re flirting with!”

Revelation does this not just for readers in first-century Rome; it does it for every person who reads it. The Great Prostitute is alive and well today. But you’ll only see her if your imagination has been shaped by the Scriptures.

Another way that Scripture renews our minds is by giving us a kingdom perspective. Jesus’ kingdom is upside-down. Normally, the rich and powerful run kingdoms. But Jesus says, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom” (Luke 6:20). Normally, greatness means lording your authority over others. But Jesus says, “Let the greatest…become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves” (Luke 22:26). His kingdom is upside-down to how we normally operate.

That influences how you treat coworkers, how you run a company, how you serve your spouse and the kids. It changes the expectations you have when people treat you like a slave. As long as your M.O. is “Might is right!” you won’t be able to follow Jesus. Your worldview won’t allow you to.

Jesus’ kingdom is also inside-out. Luke’s Gospel shows how the Pharisees observe the law externally but neglect the heart. They clean the outside of the cup, but inside they’re full of greed and wretchedness (Luke 11:39). Many people live the same way today, thinking good external behavior somehow gets them into the kingdom.

Dennis Praeger is a conservative talk show host. He’s also Jewish. In one interview, he kept stressing that Judaism is behavior-based. So, when it came to the topic of pornography, Praeger says this: “You can only commit adultery with one organism and it’s not the heart.” That’s not an inside-out kingdom perspective. That worldview flies in the face of what Jesus teaches: “Everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Unless your mind is renewed to recognize that evil thoughts arise from the heart, you won’t be able to follow Jesus.

Jesus’ kingdom is also already-not-yet. In one sense, the kingdom already arrived with Jesus’ first coming. Luke 10—the disciples announce that the kingdom had come upon them (Luke 10:9, 11).[vi] At the same time, the kingdom is not yet fully present. We get glimpses of Christ’s rule in the church. But the fullness awaits a future day.

That worldview helps you understand things like the fight against sin. Yes, we have victory in Jesus. Sins are forgiven. The power of sin is snapped. The kingdom is here! But we will fight temptation until the day we die, because the kingdom is not yet. Facing temptation doesn’t mean you’re not real. It’s just the nature of this present age.

Or consider the temptation in politics to have the kingdom now, to trust in political power to bring heaven on earth. But the already-not-yet reminds us to put no trust in temporary measures. The kingdom comes with the return of Jesus. He will restore and make things right. Until then, we’re more like sojourners in exile. The already-not-yet keeps us from asking politics or money or technology to accomplish what only Jesus can accomplish. Christians need to remind each other of this.

Scripture also renews our minds through its rich storyline of creation, fall, redemption, consummation. These movements in God’s storyline answer some of life’s biggest questions: How’d this all begin? Why are things so hard? Who will make it right? Where’s the world going? Every major worldview wrestles with these questions. Darwin tries to answer how this all began with evolution. Freud tries to answer why things are so hard by saying that religion has shackled our sexual appetites. Marx tries to answer who will make things right—we will by acquiring power and overthrowing the oppressors.

The Bible answers these questions too, but it does so in a way that’s most consistent with the world we experience; that’s most comprehensive in its scope; that’s most coherent in its storyline; and that’s most compelling in its goodness. It answers these questions by developing various themes that describe our experience.

Shame, for example. We feel shame in this broken world. Where did it come from? It came from our guilt before God. Who can take it away? Jesus came to remove our shame and clothe us with glory in God’s presence. Marriage. We long for true love, but relationships are so hard. Why? Sin. Is there a love that endures, that won’t let me go? Yes, look at Christ’s resolve to love his Bride. Justice. The moral fabric of our society is unraveling. Why’s it like this? Sin has broken the world. We hate God’s law. But there is one appointed to rule—and justice is the foundation of his throne. Image. Who are we? Where does our dignity come from? We are God’s image bearers, marred by sin. But Jesus came to remake humanity into his glorious image. Theme after theme…

Whether it’s depression, broken relationships, infidelity, abuse, family issues, race relations, politics, self-image, poverty, authority, creation care—every person here shares experiences that intersect with Scripture’s storyline. Better yet, Scripture’s storyline retells your story in the truest light and then offers you salvation and wholeness in the person of Jesus. In discipling others, we can’t miss this rich storyline.

When you see this storyline, your mind will be renewed to see how all of life is about the Lord. Everything you do—whether you eat or drink or whatever you do…from 8-5 all week—you learn to do it all to the glory of God. Take your vocation, for instance. How does renewing your mind help you think about your vocation? Clearly some things won’t change. A Christian nurse will check blood pressure the same way a non-Christian would. A Christian carpenter will operate a nail gun the same way a non-Christian would. But other areas would require further thought.

Say you’re in healthcare. “What is the nature of medicine? Are certain virtues…part of the very nature of medicine so that if professionals are not trained in these virtues…they are not practicing medicine but only technology?” That’s a question J. P. Moreland asks in his book Love Your God with All Your Mind. Or let’s say you’re a coach. “What’s the difference between recreation and entertainment? Are sports figures to be heroes [and in what sense]? Why should we value health, and what value should we place on [health]?” If you’re a machinist, a landscaper, a carpenter “what role should beauty play versus practicality, efficiency, and economic frugality?”[vii]

Dorothy Sayers is great on this one: “The Church’s approach to an intelligent carpenter is usually confined to exhorting him not to be drunk and disorderly in his leisure hours…What the Church should be telling him is this: that the very first demand that his religion makes upon him is that he should make good tables.”[viii]

In the end, what we’re really asking is this: how would Jesus live if he were a nurse, a mechanic, an educator, a fireman, a philosopher, a politician?[ix] Part of discipling is helping each other think holistically about following Jesus, so that wherever the Lord stations us, we can discern what is good, acceptable, and perfect in God’s sight.

Imitating Christ

And that leads us to one final layer to our sketch. We help each other grow by imitating Christ. Two weeks ago, we saw this in Jesus’ words, “take up your cross and follow me” (Matt 16:24). He says similar things elsewhere: John 13:15, “I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you;” John 13:34, “As I have loved you, you also love one another.” Or consider Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ.” Hebrews 13:7, “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God, consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.”

The imitation of Christ is basic to discipleship. We follow in his footsteps. We model his love. We copy his resistance to sin, his compassion on the needy, his boldness against wolves. In doing so, our lives become concrete examples for others to follow. When my dad taught me woodworking, he didn’t just tell me about a table saw. He showed me how to use one. Disciples learn to obey Jesus like that as well—we teach and we model. Of course, this also assumes that we’re around each other. Imitation can only come by interacting, sharing, modeling, watching, copying.

Some of you have great marriages; others have never seen one modeled. What would it take to have the other couple over more regularly so they can observe healthy patterns in marriage? Some of you are gifted in mercy not so that the rest of us can overlook mercy but so the rest of us learn to imitate mercy. Some of you are gifted with evangelism. What would it take to invite somebody along; show them how to meet strangers and talk with them about Jesus? Make it a point to include others. Help them learn. To some degree, all of us should aim for the kind of life in which we can say to someone else, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ.”

Conclusion

These are a few layers in helping each other grow. I doubt they’re exhaustive. But I hope they provide a good starting place as we apply Jesus words in the Great Commission—teaching disciples to observe all that he has commanded us. That teaching involves proclaiming God’s excellencies, cultivating a love for Christ, instructing and admonishing in the gospel, renewing our minds, and imitating Christ.

These layers belong to a coherent whole. When we stand back and look at our sketch, we see a whole disciple—with head, heart, and hands engaged. With the head, we grow in our knowledge of God and have our minds renewed. With the heart, we grow in a love for Christ and learn how the gospel transforms from the inside-out. And with the hands, we learn to put these things into practice, imitating Christ wherever God has us.

Some of you might be thinking, “What in the world could I possibly teach anybody about following Jesus? How am I supposed to do any of this? I’m just an ol’ clock-puncher.” Well, so were several of Jesus’ first disciples. But Jesus taught them. They learned. And later, when the religious leaders arrested them, it wasn’t their level of education they noted. What stood out was that these disciples had been with Jesus.

You don’t need to know everything. You only need to know Jesus. Abide in him. Learn from him. He’ll take care of the rest. Whatever you have in Christ, use it to help someone else grow. And every year you grow, you will find Jesus greater.

________

[i] C. S. Lewis, Prince Caspian (New York: Harper Collins, 1994), 141.

[ii] Acts 10:36-43; Rom 1:16-17; 1 Cor 1:17-25; 15:1-5.

[iii] Matt 4:23; Luke 4:18-19; Acts 13:32-33; Rom 1:1-6; Gal 3:8; Eph 3:4-10.

[iv] One of the best summaries that I’ve heard on “worldview” is by James Anderson. The wording here comes from the lecture found at the following link: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/what-are-worldviews-why-do-worldviews-matter-how-does-one-change-worldviews/. 

[v] Brian Tabb, All Things New, NSBT 48 (Downers Grove: IVP, 2019), 13.

[vi]The same idea appears in Acts 1:6-8, where the disciples ask Jesus if he was restoring the kingdom to Israel yet. Jesus doesn’t dodge the question but shows how the kingdom would come first in the gift of the Holy Spirit.

[vii] All quotes taken from J. P. Moreland, Love Your God with All Your Mind (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1997), 181-82.

[viii] Dorothy Sayers, “Why Work?” (1942), accessible at https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/Why_Work_Dorothy_Sayers.pdf.

[ix] Moreland, Love Your God, 174.