Discipleship Pathway: Jesus Equips His Disciples

DISCIPLESHIP CLASS #4 NOTES

CLASS 4 – JESUS EQUIPS HIS DISCIPLES

Introduction

In Matthew 10:1-15, Jesus equips His disciples for their mission, giving them authority, provision, and clear instructions for ministry. As His followers today, we must understand how Jesus equips us to serve Him effectively and what we should rely on or set aside in order to carry out His mission.

This session will help us reflect on:

  1. How Jesus prepares and equips His disciples.
  2. What we need to depend on and what we must let go of.
  3. How to align our lives with God’s calling.
  4. Jesus Equips His Disciples for Their Mission (Matthew 10:1-15)

“Summoning His twelve disciples, He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness.” (Matthew 10:1)

Jesus does not send His disciples unprepared; He equips them with authority, provision, and instructions for their mission.

  1. Jesus Gives His Disciples Authority Over Evil (Matthew 10:1, 8)
  • Authority Over Demons and Disease:

 

  • Jesus empowers His disciples to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and cast out demons (Matthew 10:8).

 

  • Luke 10:19 – “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; nothing at all will harm you.”

 

  • Application:
    • Jesus gives us spiritual authority over the enemy, but we must operate in His name and power, not our own.
  1. Jesus Gives Specific Instructions (Matthew 10:5-7)
  • Go to the lost sheep of Israel first – Jesus begins with Israel before extending the mission to the world (Matthew 28:19-20).
  • Proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven – The gospel message is the priority, not personal gain.

Mark 16:15 – “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

  • Love and Serve Others Selflessly

John 13:34-35 – “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Matthew 20:26-28 – “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant… just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.”

  • Rely on God’s Provision

Matthew 6:31-33 – “Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’… Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you.”

Luke 10:4 – “Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.” (Teaching the disciples to depend on God for their needs.)

  1. Jesus Provides for His Disciples by Teaching Dependence on Him

“Don’t acquire gold, silver, or copper for your money belts.” (Matthew 10:9)

Jesus intentionally teaches His disciples to trust in God’s provision rather than material security.

  1. Jesus Provides Important Resources
  • The Bible as the Foundation
    • 2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
  • Spiritual Gifts and the Church
    • Romans 12:6-8 – “We have different gifts according to the grace given to each of us.”
  1. Jesus Equips Us with His Power and Presence
  • Matthew 28:20 – “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
  • Acts 1:8 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses.”

Application:

    • We do not serve in our own strength, but in His power.
    • Are we living with the awareness that Jesus is with us and empowering us?

3.. Jesus Gives Us the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-17)

  • Truth as a belt– The foundation of discipleship is truth.
  • Righteousness as a breastplate– We must live in righteousness, not compromise.
  • Faith as a shield– Our protection against spiritual attacks.
  • The Word of God as a sword– Our weapon in battle.

III. Jesus Clarifies What We Don’t Need for the Mission

  1. Reliance on Our Own Resources

“Don’t acquire gold, silver, or copper… don’t take a traveling bag, extra shirt, sandals, or a walking stick.” (Matthew 10:9-10)

 

Jesus teaches complete reliance on God, not self-sufficiency.

  • Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”
  1. Extras That Create Distractions
  • Luke 9:57-62 – Some wanted to follow Jesus but were distracted by other priorities.
  • Philippians 3:8 – Paul considered everything else as loss compared to knowing Christ.
  1. Self-Importance and Pride

“Whoever is least among you—this one is great.” (Matthew 10:48)

  • Matthew 23:11-12 – “The greatest among you will be your servant.”
  • James 4:6 – “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
  1. Self-Righteous Behavior and Judgment

 

“Don’t stop him… whoever is not against you is for you.” (Matthew 10:49-50)

 

  • Romans 14:10-12 – We will all stand before God’s judgment seat.

 

  1. Setting Kingdom Goals That Force Us to Rely on Christ

 

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

 

  1. Biblical Goals Must Be Aligned with God’s Will
  • Matthew 6:33– “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.”
  • James 4:13-15– “You ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’”
  1. Our Goals Should Be Big and Bold, Requiring Faith
  • Ephesians 3:20– “God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.”
  • Hebrews 11:6– “Without faith it is impossible to please God.”

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