All disciples have teachers but not all teachers can disciple
This is beyond argument,
Moses, Elijah and Paul are multi-gifted excellent teachers and servants of God.
This is also beyond argument: Moses taught thousands but had only one disciple - Joshua
This is also beyond argument: Elijah taught many but had only one disciple - Elisha
This is also beyond argument:
Paul taught thousand but had only one disciple - Timothy titus and Silas were ministry companion.
Numbers 27:15-23
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Joshua to Succeed Moses
15 Then Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, 16 “May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, 17 who will go out [a]and come in before them, and who will lead them out and [b]bring them in, so that the congregation of the Lord will not be like sheep which have no shepherd.” 18 So the Lord said to Moses, “[c]Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; 19 and have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and commission him in their sight.20 You shall put some of your [d]authority on him, in order that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may obey him.21 Moreover, he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the Lord. At his [e]command they shall go out and at his [f]command they shall come in, both he and the sons of Israel with him, even all the congregation.” 22 Moses did just as the Lord commanded him; and he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. 23 Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, just as the Lord had spoken[g]through Moses.
The discipleship relationship takes place by god's instruction: Moses-Joshua Elijah-Elisha Paul-Timothy
Discipleship reality 1:
Discipleship requires divinely appointed disciple and discipler: God chooses your disciple and God chooses your discipler
Numbers 27:15-23
1 Kings 19:15-21
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
15 The Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram; 16 and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. 17 It shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death.18 Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. And Elijah passed over to him and threw his mantle on him. 20 He left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” 21 So he returned from following him, and took the pair of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave it to the people and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah and ministered to him.
19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. And Elijah passed over to him and threw his mantle on him. 20 He left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” 21 So he returned from following him, and took the pair of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave it to the people and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah and ministered to him.
Discipleship reality 2:
Your discipler is someone whose attitude you can imitate, whose teaching you learn and whose gifts you can share
Discipleship reality 3:
Discipleship is beyond teaching. It os preparing the disciple to be a specific person in the future.
Discipleship reality 4:
Discipleship requires full disclosure of your life to the discipler. Joshua stayed with Moses and so was Elisha. Gehazi failed.
Specific conclusions/Implications:
1. Discipled to disciple is an unchanging setup for the faithful
2. Since discipleship means preparing you to be a specific person in the future without your God appointed discipler you probably will miss your dream
3. Since the impartation of spiritual gift and authority is usually through the discipler, without him/her you probably will not receive the required gift and authority
Q: MOSES, ELISHA, ELIJAH individually disciples only one person each. The lord discipled 12 and second group of 70. Why? What is the model for us today?
Is there someone who will takeover your God given task?
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