Become Radical Like JesusSample

DAY 7: MULTIPLY

The highlight of my visit to Israel was Mt. Arbel. Rising 1,200 feet above the Sea of Galilee, it is the tallest mountain in the area. Its eastern-facing cliff precipitously drops straight down toward the sea, providing a panoramic, full-color backdrop of many of the events described in the Gospels.

Many believe this was the mountain where Jesus gathered his disciples and told them: “‘All authority in Heaven and on Earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations….’” Matthew 28:18-19

At this moment, he also told them to teach these new believers to “‘obey everything I have commanded you’”—including the command to make disciples. This passage is about making and multiplying disciples.

This multiplication effect is what took the gospel from Jerusalem to Rome in less than 30 years without planes, trains or Instagram. And now Christianity has multiplied into every country in the world, as billions have been reached through the power of disciples made and multiplied.

Jesus’ call is in your hands and mine. It was my job long before I was a preacher—back when I was nailing shingles as a roofer. I made and multiplied disciples then and now. God has strategically placed you in a family, in a circle of friends, in a neighborhood, at a job or school to multiply disciples.

Jesus reminds his disciples that he has been given authority over the entire universe. You have the right to bring up the gospel, explain it, try to gently persuade others to believe it and help them grow and multiply once they do.

The Resolve to Multiply Disciples

Multiplying disciples takes courage. So where do you get the resolve—the determination and tenacity—to do it? From the promise that Jesus goes with you. In Matthew 28:20, he told his disciples: “‘…and surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’”

Let that sink in for a moment. The King of the universe, the Savior of the church, Jesus himself, goes with you everywhere you go.

If you were with your best friend from out of town and walked up to a group of your friends, you wouldn’t hesitate to introduce your best friend to your other friends. Then why would you hesitate to introduce Jesus to people?

The promise that Jesus goes with you should inspire you with unstoppable courage to multiply disciples! The key is to draw your courage and convictions directly from Jesus and his love for all humanity.

Radical Like Jesus Challenge

Multiply what you’ve learned by identifying and inviting one Christian to go through Radical Like Jesus with you.