Discipleship

...and Christ will be them, even TO THE END OF THE AGE – this is NOT exclusively for the original apostles.. 1) to the ENTIRE church historical, BECAUSE it is given to its FOUNDERS and clearly to be heard UNTIL the return of Christ, 2) to “sent ones” only?? We are ALL commanded to teach one another.. Ephesians 4.. we all take part. One must be CALLED to be an apostle, recognized to be a pastor.. each part functioning properly for the building up of itself in love. Should any member of the body of Christ view the instruction of our God and Lord as directed only to “leaders”? This would seem to be an erroneous view, a misunderstanding of what Christ has instructed before His ascension.  So what does it mean?  Each person’s regiment of ministry, taking others through a certain discipleship curriculum, meeting 1-1 on a regular basis, “hands-on ministry training”, always having the timely teaching and ever-ready piece of wisdom or doctrine (almost as if to visually picture Christ leading His disciples)..?? Is this the essential picture of discipleship? These are all WONDERFUL, and most are convicting. These are specific manifestations of what it seems the Scriptures teach that discipleship is concerned with: BEING a disciple yourself - a perfecting work of Christ, always seeking and being changed more into His likeness; under pastoral authority and teaching, and living in loving relationship in my local church family in such a way that the communal nature of NT teaching is ALIVE in our hearts; primary obedience to the law of Christ, foundationally to love God with all and to love others as Christ loved us; translating love into specific obedience, INCLUDING teaching and exhorting one another in the Word of Christ; loving Christ by using the spiritual gift(s) He’s given you in accordance with the ministries He’s given you for the building up of the body of Christ (teaching, ministry, helping, administration, leading, faith, wisdom, serving, giving, pasturing, tongues, prophecy, healings) and including the special call to serve God and personal desire and/or authoritative recognition for serving the local church as an elder or deacon; as we grow in grace, fight to believe and love our neighbor, we respond to the opportunities and burdens God brings as we walk in the good works He has planned for us, and we submit and ground our desires and ministries and plans in His word and sound doctrine and in the centrality of our call to be saints and our delight to obey the Lord, faithful in the command (outreaching and blessing work) of Christ AS we are a faithful disciples OF Christ. Notice, it IS significant that those younger in the faith (not necessarily in AGE) are impressionable and often seeking and always learning from the example of those who have gone before them. In discipleship, The NT seems to teach as equally valid that those of ALL ages (and both sexes) and places in their walk with Christ (ex - 25-yo who’s known the Lord for years longer than a 75-yo convert) are to submit to one another, teach and exhort (counsel) one another, and let the word of Christ abide richly, serve one another as better than themselves, be examples to one another of wisdom and in the Spirit, rebuke and correct one another speaking truth and love and in gentleness and humility. Father please teach us about what is this that has been given from the Lord Jesus. Please give us grace to be faithful to You oh God.